Rule 2 of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964: Definitions

Rule 2 defines three expressions used throughout the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964: "the Government", "Government servant" and "members of family". These definitions determine how later conduct rules apply to Central Government employees.

Page reviewed and updated: 14 September 2026.

Official-reference note: The Rule 2 text below follows the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 as published by the Department of Personnel and Training. A separate DoPT clarification dated 20 July 2016 is relevant when the expression "members of family" is used specifically for Rule 4(1) and Rule 4(3).

Text of Rule 2 - Definitions

In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "The Government" means the Central Government.

(b) "Government servant" means any person appointed by Government to any civil service or post in connection with the affairs of the Union and includes a civilian in a Defence Service.

Explanation: A Government servant whose services are placed at the disposal of a company, corporation, organisation or a local authority by the Government shall, for the purpose of these rules, be deemed to be a Government servant serving under the Government notwithstanding that his salary is drawn from sources other than the Consolidated Fund of India.

(i) the wife or husband, as the case may be, of the Government servant, whether residing with the Government servant or not, but does not include a wife or husband, as the case may be, separated from the Government servant by a decree or order of a competent Court;

(ii) son or daughter or step-son or step-daughter of the Government servant and wholly dependent on him, but does not include a child or step-child who is no longer in any way dependent on the Government servant or of whose custody the Government servant has been deprived by or under any law; and

(iii) any other person related, whether by blood or marriage, to the Government servant or to the Government servant's wife or husband, and wholly dependent on the Government servant.

Meaning and scope of the definitions

Expression	Practical meaning under Rule 2
The Government	The Central Government.
Government servant	A person appointed by the Government to a civil service or post connected with the affairs of the Union, including a civilian in a Defence Service. The explanation also covers a Government servant placed at the disposal of specified outside bodies by the Government.
Members of family	Includes the spouse, specified dependent children and other relatives by blood or marriage who satisfy the dependency condition, subject to the exceptions stated in Rule 2(c).

Important DoPT clarification for Rule 4

DoPT Office Memorandum No. 11013/4/2016-Estt.A-III dated 20 July 2016 clarifies that, for Rule 4(1) and Rule 4(3), the expression "members of family" includes the wife or husband, son or daughter, parents, brothers or sisters, and persons related to any of them by blood or marriage, whether or not they are dependent on the Government servant. This clarification is context-specific and should not be read as rewriting the general text of Rule 2(c).

Official sources and related reading

Related CCS (Conduct) Rules

Continue with the rules most closely connected to the definitions in Rule 2: