How to Calculate India Maternity Leave Pay (Worked Example)
Turning your salary into 26 weeks of fully paid maternity leave — the daily-wage method, worked through in a table.
India's maternity benefit is paid at your average daily wage for the duration of your leave, so the "amount" is really about converting your salary to a daily rate and multiplying by the number of leave days. This walkthrough shows how, matching the India Maternity Leave Calculator.
Step 1 — Confirm your leave duration
- First or second child: 26 weeks = 182 days
- Third child onward: 12 weeks = 84 days
Step 2 — Convert salary to a daily wage
Take your monthly basic + DA and divide by 30 for an approximate average daily wage:
₹40,000 ÷ 30 = ₹1,333/day
Step 3 — Multiply by leave days
Maternity pay = daily wage × leave days
- First/second child: 1,333 × 182 ≈ ₹2,42,667
- Third child: 1,333 × 84 ≈ ₹1,12,000
Because the leave is fully paid, this simply reflects your normal salary continuing across the leave period — you are not losing income during the 26 (or 12) weeks.
Worked-example table
| Monthly salary | Daily wage (÷30) | 1st/2nd child (182 d) | 3rd child (84 d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹25,000 | ₹833 | ₹1,51,667 | ₹70,000 |
| ₹40,000 | ₹1,333 | ₹2,42,667 | ₹1,12,000 |
| ₹60,000 | ₹2,000 | ₹3,64,000 | ₹1,68,000 |
| ₹90,000 | ₹3,000 | ₹5,46,000 | ₹2,52,000 |
Step 4 — Check who pays
If you are not under ESI, your employer pays this directly. If you are covered by ESI, the cash benefit is routed through ESI instead — the amount you receive is based on your salary either way, but the payer differs.
Timing tip
Up to 8 weeks may be taken before the expected delivery date. Planning when your leave starts affects how much of the 26 weeks falls before versus after birth, though the total paid duration is unchanged.
Run your numbers on the calculator. For the statutory basis, see the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
Why the "amount" is really your continuing salary
India's maternity benefit is fully paid leave, so the figure our calculator shows is not a bonus on top of salary — it is the salary you continue to receive across the 26 (or 12) weeks, expressed as a total. Thinking of it this way avoids a common misunderstanding: you are not "owed a lump sum" separate from pay; you are entitled to keep being paid, at your average daily wage, while on leave. The total simply helps you budget for the period and confirm your employer is paying the correct daily rate.
Average daily wage in practice
The benefit is based on your average daily wage over a defined preceding period. Our ÷30 estimate (monthly salary divided by 30) is a clean working approximation for planning. If your pay varied month to month — through overtime or variable allowances — your actual average daily wage, and therefore your maternity pay, will reflect that variation. For a stable monthly salary, the ÷30 estimate is very close to the real figure.
First/second child vs third child — the money impact
The duration difference between 182 days and 84 days is large in cash terms. On ₹40,000 a month, the first/second-child leave totals about ₹2,42,667, while the third-child leave totals about ₹1,12,000 — a gap of roughly ₹1,30,000, driven purely by the shorter 12-week entitlement. Knowing which tier applies to you before planning is essential; the calculator lets you toggle between them.
Where maternity meets your other entitlements
Maternity leave does not consume your earned leave — it is a separate statutory entitlement, so your accrued earned leave (and its eventual encashment value) is unaffected by taking maternity leave. Nor does time on protected maternity leave break your continuous service for gratuity purposes. Treat maternity pay as its own calculation, distinct from your other India benefits.
Key takeaways
- Maternity leave is fully paid, so the total is simply your salary continuing across the leave.
- Estimate the daily wage as monthly (basic + DA) ÷ 30, then multiply by 182 days (first/second child) or 84 days (third child onward).
- On ₹40,000/month that is about ₹2,42,667 over 26 weeks, or about ₹1,12,000 over 12 weeks.
- Payer differs: your employer pays directly at your average daily wage, or your benefit comes through ESI if you are covered by that scheme.
- Up to 8 weeks may be taken before the expected delivery date, with the rest afterward; the total paid duration is unchanged either way.
- Maternity leave does not consume your earned leave or break continuous service for gratuity — treat it as its own calculation.
- Confirm your figure on the India Maternity Leave Calculator and see related tools on the India hub.
Frequently asked questions
How is maternity pay calculated in India?
It is paid at your average daily wage for the leave duration. Divide monthly basic+DA by 30 for the daily wage, then multiply by 182 days (first/second child) or 84 days (third child onward).
How much maternity pay for ₹40,000 salary?
Roughly ₹2,42,667 over the 182-day (26-week) leave for a first or second child, or about ₹1,12,000 over 84 days for a third child. The leave is fully paid, so it mirrors your normal salary.
How many days is 26 weeks of maternity leave?
26 weeks is about 182 days of fully paid leave for the first or second child. From the third child onward it is 12 weeks, about 84 days.
Can I take maternity leave before delivery in India?
Yes. Up to 8 weeks of the 26-week entitlement may be taken before the expected delivery date, with the remainder taken afterward.
Does maternity pay come from salary or ESI?
If you are not covered by ESI, your employer pays your average daily wage directly. If you are covered by ESI, the cash maternity benefit is paid through ESI instead.