TL;DR
- The Model Standing Orders 2026, notified as S.O. 2312(E) on 8 May 2026, set the service conditions for industrial establishments with 300 or more workers.
- They come in three sector schedules: mines, manufacturing and service.
- Standing orders certified before 21 November 2025 continue under section 30(11); elsewhere the model is deemed adopted until the employer's own are certified, and an employer that adopts the model is deemed certified under section 30(3).
Quick Answer: The Model Standing Orders 2026 set the service rules an industrial establishment with 300 or more workers follows until its own standing orders are certified. Orders certified before 21 November 2025 continue under section 30(11). Notified as S.O. 2312(E) on 8 May 2026, the model comes in three sector schedules, and adopting it is deemed certification under section 30(3).
Standing orders are the written conditions of service in an industrial establishment: classification of workers, hours, leave, misconduct and termination. Under the Industrial Relations Code 2020 (IR Code), the Central Government frames model standing orders under section 29. The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 was repealed with effect from 21 November 2025.
Model Standing Orders 2026 at a glance
| Point | Position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Notification | S.O. 2312(E), dated 8 May 2026, in force on publication | Ministry of Labour and Employment |
| Applies to | Industrial establishments with 300 or more workers | Section 28(1), IR Code |
| Sector schedules | Mines, manufacturing and service | Schedules A, B and C |
| Before certification | The model is deemed adopted, unless certified standing orders continue | Sections 29(2) and 30(11) |
| Adopting the model | Deemed certified | Section 30(3) |
| Certifying officer's time | 60 days from receiving the draft, or deemed certified | Proviso to section 30(5) |
What Do the Model Standing Orders 2026 Require From Employers?
They require an industrial establishment within Chapter IV of the IR Code to run on written conditions covering every matter in the First Schedule. The Model Standing Orders 2026 supersede the 1946 Central Rules in so far as they relate to model standing orders.
Which Sector Schedule Applies?
| Schedule | Short title |
|---|---|
| Schedule A | Mines Sector Standing Orders, 2026 |
| Schedule B | Manufacturing Sector Standing Orders, 2026 |
| Schedule C | Service Sector Standing Orders, 2026 |
The umbrella title is the Model Standing Orders, 2026. The schedule headings in the gazette still read "Draft", but the notification itself is final. Other May 2026 notifications are listed in the bird's eye view of recently notified laws.
What Matters Must Standing Orders Cover?
The First Schedule to the IR Code lists eleven matters.
| No. | Matter |
|---|---|
| 1 | Classification of workers: permanent, temporary, apprentices, probationers, badlis and fixed term |
| 2 | Intimating hours of work, holidays, pay-days and wage rates |
| 3 | Shift working |
| 4 | Attendance and late coming |
| 5 | Leave and holidays |
| 6 | Entry by certain gates and search |
| 7 | Closing of sections and temporary stoppages |
| 8 | Termination of employment and notice |
| 9 | Suspension or dismissal for misconduct |
| 10 | Means of redress for workers against unfair treatment |
| 11 | Any other matter that may be notified |
How Does an Employer Adopt the Model Standing Orders?
By one of two routes under section 30 of the IR Code 2020. Until either is complete, section 29(2) deems the model adopted from the date the Chapter applies.
| Route | Steps | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt the Central model | Intimate the adoption date to the certifying officer; the model is deemed certified, and the officer may direct amendments | Section 30(3); IR (Central) Rules 2026 |
| Prepare own standing orders | Draft within six months of the Code's commencement on 21 November 2025, covering every First Schedule matter; consult the trade unions or negotiating union; send to the certifying officer | Sections 30(1) and 30(2) |
For an own draft, industrial relations policy drafting is available through the labour law consultant service.
How Long Does Certification Take?
The certifying officer must finish within sixty days of receiving the draft or a modification, or it is deemed certified, under the proviso to section 30(5). Under the Industrial Relations Central Rules 2026, where an employer adopts the model, the certifying officer may comment within 30 days, failing which the adoption is deemed certified. Certified copies go out within 7 days under section 30(8).
Can a Certification Be Appealed?
Yes, within 60 days, under section 32 of the IR Code.
Which Establishments Need Standing Orders?
Every industrial establishment in which three hundred or more workers are employed, or were employed on any day of the preceding twelve months, under section 28(1). Workers governed by government service rules are excluded under section 28(2). Below 300, Chapter IV does not apply, though State law and contracts of employment still govern service conditions. State differences are set side by side in the multi-state labour law compliance checklist.
What Is on an Employer's Standing Orders Checklist?
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Applicability | Count workers on every day of the preceding twelve months against the 300 threshold |
| 2. Sector | Identify the schedule: mines, manufacturing or service |
| 3. Route | Decide whether to adopt the Central model or draft standing orders; the six-month window under section 30(1) ran from 21 November 2025 |
| 4. Consultation | Consult the trade unions or negotiating union on any own draft |
| 5. Certification | Track the certifying officer's 30-day or 60-day window and the deemed date |
| 6. Display and records | Keep the certified copy and the date of operation on record |
Standing orders sit inside the broader set of duties handled by LexComply's labour law compliance software.
How Are Standing Orders Tracked Across Units?
A group with several establishments over 300 workers can hold a mix of adopted and certified standing orders across its establishments; within one establishment, an adopted model applies to all its units (Central Rule 11(2)). A compliance management platform holds each unit's route, intimation date, deemed certification date and certified copy as evidence.
LexComply does not certify standing orders; the certifying officer does. To see how units would be tracked, get in touch.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Citing the 1946 Standing Orders Act. It was repealed with effect from 21 November 2025, and Chapter IV of the IR Code now applies.
- Applying standing orders below 300 workers. Section 28(1) sets the threshold at three hundred or more workers on any day of the preceding twelve months.
- Calling the 2026 orders a draft. S.O. 2312(E) of 8 May 2026 is final and in force; only the schedule headings carry the word.
- Citing section 30(9) for deemed certification. Adoption of the Central model is deemed certified under section 30(3); section 30(9) concerns worker particulars.
- Leaving a First Schedule matter out of an own draft. Section 30(1) requires every matter in the First Schedule to be covered.
- Assuming the six-month window is still open. Section 30(1) ran six months from the Code's commencement on 21 November 2025; a late adopter should adopt the model or submit its draft now.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is general information on Indian labour law, current as at the date shown above. It is not legal advice and does not take account of any particular establishment's facts. State rules may differ from the Central Rules. Obtain professional advice before acting on any position described here.