India Post GDS (Gramin Dak Sevak)
What is an India Post Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) post, who can apply, how does the Class 10 merit list pick candidates, and what does the job pay and involve?
Gramin Dak Sevaks are the people who run and staff the Department of Posts' branch post offices and help in its other offices. There are three posts: Branch Postmaster (BPM), Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM) and Dak Sevak. There is no written exam. You apply online, pick posts in one postal division, and a computer ranks applicants on their Class 10 marks. GDSs are not regular central government employees: they work four to five hours a day under the GDS (Conduct and Engagement) Rules, 2020 and are paid a Time Related Continuity Allowance. This page follows Notification No. 17-12/2026-GDS dated 20 August 2026 for GDS Online Engagement Schedule-II, July-2026.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 31 December 2026. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
Applications for Schedule-II, July-2026 closed on 21 September 2026 and List-I of shortlisted candidates is on the portal. No further list is issued after 31 December 2026. The next schedule comes with a new notification on the GDS portal.
Exam at a glance
- Conducted by
- Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, through the GDS Online Engagement portal[1]
- Posts
- Branch Postmaster (BPM), Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM) and Dak Sevak, in post offices across the country[1]
- Education
- Class 10 pass from a recognised board with passing marks in Mathematics and English, plus the local language studied up to Class 10[1]
- Age limit
- 18 to 40 years, counted on the last date for applications (21 September 2026 for this schedule)[1]
- Selection
- System-generated merit list from Class 10 marks, then document verification by the division head. No exam, no interview.[1]
- Application fee
- Rs 100. No fee for women, SC, ST, PwBD and transwoman applicants.[1]
- Pay at engagement
- TRCA of Rs 12,000 to Rs 29,380 (BPM) or Rs 10,000 to Rs 24,470 (ABPM and Dak Sevak), plus dearness allowance[1]
- Status
- Applications closed on 21 September 2026. List-I of shortlisted candidates is out on the portal.[2]
GDS Schedule-II, July-2026, in order
| Post | TRCA slab |
|---|---|
| Branch Postmaster (BPM) | Rs 12,000 to Rs 29,380 |
| Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM) and Dak Sevak | Rs 10,000 to Rs 24,470 |
TRCA rises by 3% a year if the conditions in the GDS Rules are met. Dearness allowance on TRCA is paid as the Government of India declares it. The notification also mentions GDS gratuity and a Service Discharge Benefit Scheme.[1]
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC and ST | 5 years |
| OBC | 3 years |
| EWS | None |
| Persons with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) | 10 years |
| PwBD who are also OBC | 13 years |
| PwBD who are also SC or ST | 15 years |
The base band is 18 to 40, counted on the last date for submitting applications.[1]
| Post | Main work | Where you must live |
|---|---|---|
| Branch Postmaster (BPM) | Runs the branch post office and its India Post Payments Bank work; in a one-person office, also carries and delivers mail | In the post village, and you provide the room for the branch office at your own cost |
| Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM) | Sells stamps, delivers mail to the door, handles IPPB deposits and payments, helps the BPM | Within the delivery area of the branch office |
| Dak Sevak | Counter, mail and parcel work in post offices, sorting and mail offices or delivery centres | Within the delivery area of the office you are attached to |
Source[1]
A Gramin Dak Sevak holds a civil post but sits outside the regular civil services. The notification says plainly that GDSs are not regular employees of the Department or the Central Government, and that their pay and benefits are not on par with central government staff. Service conditions come from the GDS (Conduct and Engagement) Rules, 2020.
The working day is four to five hours, mostly in rural areas, and a GDS can serve up to age 65. The notification expects you to have another source of income besides the GDS allowances, and you sign an undertaking on adequate means of livelihood at engagement, along with ones on computer knowledge and cycling.
If you are picked as a Branch Postmaster, you must find and pay for a room for the branch post office in the post village before you join, and live in that village.[1]
You need a Class 10 (Secondary School Examination) pass certificate from a board recognised by the central, a state or a union territory government, with passing marks in Mathematics and English. An equivalent qualification from any other board does not count.
You must also have studied the local language of the post up to Class 10. Each post lists its language, and the portal only shows you posts that match the language in your Class 10 record. Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Sikkim and Nagaland have special language rules; in Goa, for example, you need Konkani or Marathi at the Class 10 level.
The age band is 18 to 40 on the last date for applications. Knowledge of computers and of cycling, and an adequate means of livelihood, are the other listed qualifications.[1]
- You apply for one or more posts in only one division and rank them. You are not considered for any post you did not pick, and if you are shortlisted you get only one post: the first in your order where you are found most suitable.
- The system ranks applicants on their Class 10 marks, turned into a percentage to four decimals.
- If your mark sheet shows only grades, enter the grades. The system multiplies grade points by 9.5 (for example, a CGPA of 9.0 becomes 85.5). You do not convert them yourself.
- Ties go first to the older candidate, then by a fixed order of category and gender set out in the notification.
- Shortlisted candidates must report to the division head for document verification within 15 days, or the portal marks them as not turned up and cancels the candidature.
- After verification you get an offer of provisional engagement and have 30 days to finish joining formalities, including three days of basic training. Supplementary lists fill places that fall vacant, and no list is issued after 31 December 2026.
Source[1]
- Class 10 mark sheet, identity proof and date of birth proof, in original with two sets of self-attested photocopies.
- Caste, EWS, PwBD or transgender certificate in the prescribed format, if you applied under that category.
- A medical certificate from a government hospital, dispensary or primary health centre. This one is compulsory.
- For Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa or Nagaland, the competent authority's certificate for the local language or dialect.
Source[1]
Tips and tricks
- Check your Class 10 mark sheet on DigiLocker or your board's website now. The Department may verify it online, and a mismatch in marks or details gets the candidature rejected.[1]
- Rank only posts you would really take. If you are shortlisted, you are offered the first one in your order and lose the rest.[1]
- If you want a BPM post, look for a room in the post village before the list comes out. You must arrange the branch office room at your own cost before you join.[1]
- Get the government medical certificate early. It is compulsory at document verification, and you have only 15 days to report.[1]
Questions people ask
Is there an exam for India Post GDS?
No. GDS candidates are shortlisted from a system-generated merit list based on Class 10 marks, followed by document verification. There is no written test and no interview.[1]
What is the age limit for India Post GDS?
18 to 40 years on the last date for applications, which was 21 September 2026 for Schedule-II, July-2026. SC and ST get 5 more years, OBC 3 and PwBD 10. EWS gets none.[1]
Is a GDS a central government employee?
No. The notification says GDSs hold civil posts but are not regular employees of the Department or the Central Government, and their pay and benefits are not on par with central government staff.[1]
How much does a Gramin Dak Sevak earn?
At engagement, a Branch Postmaster's basic TRCA slab is Rs 12,000 to Rs 29,380 and an ABPM's or Dak Sevak's is Rs 10,000 to Rs 24,470, plus dearness allowance. TRCA rises by 3% a year under the GDS Rules.[1]
How are grades converted for the GDS merit list?
The system multiplies grade points or CGPA by 9.5. You enter grades exactly as printed and do not convert them yourself.[1]
Can I apply in more than one division for GDS?
No. You can apply for one or more posts, but only in one division, and you will be offered at most one post.[1]
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Official and partner links
Sources
- Notification No. 17-12/2026-GDS dated 20 August 2026: Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) Online Engagement Schedule-II, July-2026, Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications. paras 2-9 and Annexure-II paras 3-4 (printed pp. 1-16, 21-23 of 38). Accessed 31 October 2026.
- GDS Online Engagement portal: Schedule-II, July-2026 notice board, Department of Posts. home page notices (List-I of shortlisted candidates published). Accessed 31 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 31 October 2026.