India Post GDS Recruitment 2026 Notification Out (Schedule-II) for 25000+ Vacancies. The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India, has released Notification No. 17-12/2026-GDS dated 20 August 2026, inviting online applications for the Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) Online Engagement Schedule-II, July-2026. This is a golden opportunity for candidates who are searching for government jobs in the postal department. Applications are invited to fill vacant posts of GDS — Branch Postmaster (BPM), Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM), and Dak Sevak — in different offices of the Department across India. The online One-Time Registration (OTR) will begin on 31 August 2026, and the application submission window will be open from 2 September 2026 to 21 September 2026. Candidates who are interested and eligible must apply online at the official website https://indiapost.gov.in/gdsonlineengagement. All the details regarding eligibility, age limit, application fee, selection process, and important dates are given below in this article.
This recruitment drive is being conducted to fill thousands of GDS posts across various Postal Circles/Divisions in rural areas of India. The GDS posts are not regular civil service posts but are engagement posts under the Department of Posts. Selected candidates will be paid Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA) along with Dearness Allowance and other social security benefits like GDS Gratuity and Service Discharge Benefit Scheme. The job profile includes handling postal operations, selling stamps, delivering mail, and assisting in India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) transactions. Candidates who have passed 10th standard with Mathematics and English as subjects and have studied the local language up to 10th standard are eligible to apply. The selection will be purely based on the merit list prepared from the marks obtained in the Secondary School Examination (10th standard). There will be no written exam or interview. This is a great chance for rural candidates to get a government job near their hometown.
Before applying, candidates must carefully read the official notification PDF and check their eligibility. The application process involves two parts – Part A: One-Time Registration (OTR) and Part B: Online Application Form. Candidates must register with a valid mobile number and email ID, which will be verified via OTP. After registration, a system-generated Registration Number and password will be sent to the registered mobile/email. Then, candidates can log in and fill the application form, select their preferred Division and post, upload photograph and signature, and pay the application fee (if applicable). The application fee is ₹100 for male General/OBC/EWS candidates, while Female, SC/ST, PwBD, and Transwomen candidates are exempted from paying the fee. Make sure to check all the details before final submission, as only one registration and application is permitted per candidate. Duplicate registrations will lead to cancellation of candidature.
India Post GDS Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Recruiting Organisation | Department of Posts (India Post) |
|---|---|
| Notification Reference | No. 17-12/2026-GDS dated 20.08.2026 |
| Post Names | Branch Postmaster (BPM), Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM), Dak Sevak |
| Engagement Type | Gramin Dak Sevak (Not a Regular Civil Service post) |
| Job Location | Various Circles/Divisions across India (Rural areas) |
| Upper Age Limit | 40 Years (as on last date of application) |
| Minimum Age | 18 Years |
| Application Mode | Online Only |
| One-Time Registration Window | 31 August 2026 to 19 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs) |
| Application Submission & Fee Payment | 2 September 2026 to 21 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs) |
| Correction Window | 23 September 2026 to 24 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs) |
| Engagement Process Closes By | 31 December 2026 |
| Official Website | https://indiapost.gov.in/gdsonlineengagement |
India Post GDS Notification 2026 PDF Download
The official notification PDF has been released on the official GDS Online Engagement Portal. Candidates can download the PDF from the official website or from the link provided below. The notification contains detailed vacancy positions (Annexure-I), eligibility criteria, application fee, selection process, and post-wise job profiles. It is advisable to read the complete notification before applying.
India Post GDS (Schedule-II) Job Profile 2026
Branch Postmaster (BPM)
- Day-to-day postal operations of the Branch Post Office (BO) and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB).
- Marketing and promotion of Department products/services, operating Customer Service Centres (CSC).
- Overall responsibility for smooth functioning of single-handed BOs, including mail conveyance and delivery.
- Residence: Must arrange accommodation for the Branch Post Office and reside in the post village.
Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM)
- Sale of stamps/stationery, mail conveyance/delivery at doorstep, IPPB transactions.
- Assisting BPM in postal operations; may perform combined BPM duties when required.
- Residence: Must reside within the delivery jurisdiction of the concerned Post Office.
Dak Sevak
- In Post Offices: Sale of stamps/stationery, mail delivery, IPPB transactions.
- In Sorting/Mail/Transit Mail Offices: Handling mail, mail bags, parcels, transhipment.
- In Delivery Centres: Handling and delivering mail/parcels.
- Residence: Must reside within the delivery jurisdiction of the concerned Post Office.
Gramin Dak Sevak Emoluments 2026
GDS are paid Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA), which carries an annual increase of 3% (subject to conditions), plus Dearness Allowance and other social security benefits (GDS Gratuity, Service Discharge Benefit Scheme).
| Category | TRCA Slab |
|---|---|
| BPM | ₹12,000 to ₹29,380 |
| ABPM/Dak Sevak | ₹10,000 to ₹24,470 |
India Post GDS (Schedule-II) Eligibility Criteria 2026
Candidates must meet the required age limit and educational qualification as of the specified dates.
Age Limit (as on last date of application submission)
- Minimum Age: 18 Years
- Maximum Age: 40 Years
Age Relaxation
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC/ST | 5 Years |
| OBC | 3 Years |
| EWS | No Relaxation |
| PwBD | 10 Years |
| PwBD + OBC | 13 Years |
| PwBD + SC/ST | 15 Years |
Educational Qualification
- Secondary School Examination (SSE)/10th Standard pass certificate with passing marks in Mathematics and English, from a recognized Board of School Education (Central/State/UT Government). Equivalent qualifications from other boards are not accepted.
- Must have studied the local language (as prescribed post-wise in Annexure-III) at least up to 10th Standard from a recognized board.
- Special provisions apply for local language requirements in Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Sikkim, and Nagaland — involving knowledge of specific tribal languages/dialects in addition to English/Hindi, verified via certificates from designated authorities where such languages aren’t taught up to 10th standard.
Other Qualifications
- Knowledge of computers.
- Knowledge of cycling.
- Adequate means of livelihood (besides GDS allowances).
India Post Gramin Dak Sevak Local Language Requirement 2026
The local language for GDS engagement varies by Postal Circle — for example, Hindi for Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, MP, Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand; Telugu for Andhra Pradesh/Telangana; Tamil for Tamil Nadu/Puducherry; Kannada for Karnataka; Malayalam for Kerala/Lakshadweep; Bengali for West Bengal; Punjabi for Punjab; Odia for Odisha; Marathi for Maharashtra; Gujarati for Gujarat; and various other region-specific languages for the North-East states. Candidates should refer to Annexure-III of the notification for the complete Circle-wise local language list.
India Post GDS (Schedule-II) Apply Online 2026
India Post GDS Recruitment 2026 applications are accepted only through the online mode at https://indiapost.gov.in/gdsonlineengagement. The process involves two parts:
Part A: One-Time Registration (OTR)
- Register using a valid, active mobile number and email ID (verified via OTP); both are permanently locked after registration.
- Fill in Personal Details — Name, Date of Birth, Gender, Father’s/Mother’s Name, Community — exactly as per the SSC (10th) certificate.
- A system-generated Registration Number and password will be sent to the registered mobile/email.
Part B: Online Application Form
- Log in using the Registration Number and password.
- Fill in Personal Details, Board/Educational Details (Circle, Board Name, passing year, marks obtained).
- Select Division and exercise Post preferences (based on local language studied, community, age, and PwBD status).
- Upload recent Photograph (JPG/JPEG, 30–100 KB, 320×400 px) and Signature (JPG/JPEG, 20–100 KB, 300×120 px).
- Preview the application and edit if needed.
- Complete fee payment (if applicable) and final submission.
Note: Only one registration/application is permitted per candidate — duplicate registrations will lead to cancellation of candidature. No documents need to be uploaded except photograph and signature.
Gramin Dak Sevak Application Fee 2026
| Category | Application Fee |
|---|---|
| Male Candidates (General/OBC/EWS) | ₹100 |
| Female/SC/ST/PwBD/Transwomen Candidates | Exempted |
Fee is payable online via Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, or UPI. Fee once paid will not be refunded.
India Post GDS Selection Process 2026
- Selection is based on a system-generated merit list, prepared from marks obtained in the Secondary School Examination (10th standard), aggregated to percentage (up to 4 decimal places).
- Grades/Points are converted to marks using a multiplication factor of 9.5 where applicable (e.g., A1=10 points → 9.5 marks factor).
- Tie-Breaking Order: Date of birth (older candidate higher) followed by a detailed category/gender-based priority order (ST trans-woman, ST female, SC trans-woman, SC female, OBC trans-woman, OBC female, EWS trans-woman, EWS female, UR trans-woman, UR female, and corresponding male categories in the same sequence).
- Applicants can select multiple posts within one chosen Division, ranked by preference; if found meritorious for more than one post, only the highest-preference post for which they qualify will be offered.
Post-Selection Process
- Shortlisted candidates are informed via SMS/Email and must report for physical verification of documents within 15 days of shortlisting.
- Upon successful verification, a system-generated Offer of Provisional Engagement is issued.
- Candidates must complete pre-engagement formalities (3-day basic training, accommodation arrangement, etc.) within 30 days of the offer.
- Final engagement order is issued after verification reports from issuing authorities and police antecedent verification are received.
Note: Candidates are advised to maintain a DigiLocker account with their SSE marksheet/caste/PwBD certificates fetched in, as documents may be verified via API Setu/DigiLocker.
Gramin Dak Sevak Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
| Activity | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Online One-Time Registration | 31 August 2026 to 19 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs) |
| Submission of Online Applications & Fee Payment | 2 September 2026 to 21 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs) |
| Corrections in Registration/Application Forms | 23 September 2026 to 24 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs) |
| Engagement Process Closing Date | 31 December 2026 |
FAQs
What is India Post GDS Recruitment 2026?
It is a recruitment drive by the Department of Posts to fill vacant Gramin Dak Sevak posts — Branch Postmaster, Assistant Branch Postmaster, and Dak Sevak — across various Circles/Divisions, under Schedule-II, July-2026.
When does India Post GDS 2026 registration begin?
Online One-Time Registration begins on 31 August 2026 and continues till 19 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs).
What is the last date to apply for India Post GDS Recruitment 2026?
Online applications and fee payment can be submitted till 21 September 2026 (up to 1700 Hrs).
What is the selection process for India Post GDS Recruitment 2026?
Selection is based purely on a merit list generated from 10th standard (SSE) marks — there is no written exam or interview.
What is the application fee for India Post GDS Recruitment 2026?
₹100 for male General/OBC/EWS candidates; Female, SC/ST, PwBD, and Transwomen candidates are exempted.
What is the age limit for India Post GDS Recruitment 2026?
Candidates must be between 18 and 40 years of age as on the last date of application, with relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwBD candidates.