Indian Postal Service (Group ‘A’) Rules, 1987

• Indian Postal Service (Group ‘A’) Rules, 1987
  • 1. Short title and commencement.
  • 2. Definitions.
  • 3. Composition of the Service.
  • 4. Initial Constitution.
  • 5. Future Maintenance.
  • 6. Holding of examination.
  • 7. Conduct of examination.
  • 8. Combined Examination.
  • 9. Application for admission to the examination.
  • 10. Nationality.
  • 11. Age limits.
  • 12. Attempts of the examination.
  • 13. Educational qualifications.
  • 14. Fee.
  • 15. Decision of the commission to be final.
  • 16. Penalty for misconduct.
  • 17. Preparation of list of successful candidates.
  • 18. Inquiry of Character, etc.
  • 19. Physical test.
  • 20. Appointment by promotion to various grades.
  • 21. Disqualifications.
  • 22. Requirement to service in the Army Postal Service.
  • 23. Probation.
  • 24. Reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes etc.
  • 25. Power to relax.
  • 26. Interpretation.
  • 27. Residues matters.
  • 28. Repeal and saving.

The Indian Postal Service (Group ‘A’) Rules, 1987

Published vide Notification Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part 2, Section 3, Sub-Section (1)

Act2757

In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to article 309 of the Constitution, the President hereby makes the following rules, namely:-

Part-I

Preliminary

1. Short title and commencement. – (1) These rules may be called the Indian Postal Service (Group ‘A’) Rules, 1987.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Definitions. – In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:-

(a) “Commission” means the Union Public Service commission

(b) “Department Promotion Committee”, in relation to any grade, means a committee specified there against in column (3) or, as the case may be, column (4) of schedule III to these rules,

(c) “Examination” means a combined competitive Examination consisting of a preliminary examination and a main examination for recruitment to the Service and such other Services as may be specified by the government from time to time,

(d) “Government” means the central Government;

(e) “Grade” means any of the grades specified in sub-rule (1) of rule 3;

(f) “Regular Service” in relation to any grade means the period or periods of service in the grade rendered after selection according to the prescribed procedure for long-term appointment to that grade and includes any period or periods:-

(i) during which an officer would have held that grade but for his being on leave or on training or on foreign assignment;

(ii) taken into account for purposes of seniority in the case of these appointed at the initial constitution of the Service;

(g) “Scheduled Castes” and “Scheduled Tribes” shall have the same meanings as are assigned to them by clauses (24) and (25) respectively of article 366 if the constitution;

(h) “Service” means the Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’

Part-II

Composition, initial constitution and future maintenance of the service

3. Composition of the Service. – [(1) There shall be the following eight grades in the service, namely :-]

(2) The authorized permanent and temporary strength of the various grades on the date of commencement of these rules and the number of posts in each grade shall be as specified in Schedule I and [* * *] to these rules.
(3) After the commencement of these rules, the authorized permanent strength of the various grades shall be such as may, from time to time, be determined by the Government.
(4) The authority competent to make an appointment to a grade may make such temporary additions to the strength of a grade may make such temporary additions to the strength of a grade as if may deem necessary fro time to time subject to any central or special orders that may be issued by the Government.
4. Initial Constitution. – (1) The Service shall on the date of commencement of these rules consist of officers who have already been appointed on a regular basis to the Indian Postal Service Group ‘A’ in the various grades, namely, Junior Time Scale, Senior Time Scale, Junior Administrative Grade including the selection Grade and Senior Administrative Grade level-II and Level-I and Members postal Service Board except Member(Finance) and the officers so appointed shall be deemed to have been appointed to the respective grade at the initial constitution of the service.
(2) The regular continuous service of officers mentioned in sub-rule (1) in the respective corresponding grade prior to their appointment to the service shall count for the purpose of qualifying service for seniority, confirmation, promotion and pension.
5. Future Maintenance. – (1) The recruitment to the Service, after the initial constitution thereof, shall be made by the following methods:-

[(a) Initial recruitment to the Service shall be made in the Junior Time Scale in the following manner.

(i) By direct recruitment on the basis of results of the Civil Services Examination conducted by the commission;

(ii) By promotion in accordance with part-IV,

(iii) The number of persons recruited in a year under clause (i) above shall not exceed 25% of the total regular posts in Junior Time Scale, the remaining posts being filled by promotion from Group ‘B’;

(iv) Posts in the Senior Time Scale which cannot be filled on account of officers with requisite years of service in Junior Time Scale not being available can also be added temporally to the Junior Time Scale and filled up by promotion in accordance with part IV, provided that the total number of promottee officers in various grades of the Service shall not, at any time, exceed 33-1/3% of the total cadre strength (excluding training reserve).]

(b) Vacancies in all other grades of the service shall be filled by promotion in accordance with Part-IV.

(2) Subject to the provisions of sub-rule(1), the Government shall determine, in consultation with the commission, the method of recruitment to be employed for the purpose of filling any particular vacancies in the Service and the number of candidates to be recruited by each method.

Part-III

Recruitment by Competitive Examinations

6. Holding of examination. – (1) A competitive examination for appointment to the Junior Time Scale of the Service shall be held at such times and places as may be prescribed in a notice issued by the commission for the purpose.
(2) Every such notice shall, as far as possible specify the number of vacancies to be filled on the results of the examination.
7. Conduct of examination. – Every examination under this part shall be conducted by the commission in the manner notified by the Government of India in the Department of personnel & Training from time to time.
8. Combined Examination. – If the examination held under this part is a combined Examination for the purpose of making appointment to more than one service or post, the following provisions shall apply, namely:-

(a) any person may apply to be admitted as a candidate for appointment to all or any of the services or posts for which he is eligible,

Provided that if he wishes to be considered for appointment to more than one service or post, he shall state in his application form the names of the Services and posts for which he wishes to be considered and the order of his preferences for them and in such cases, only one application form and payment of the fees for examination for one service as specified in rule 14. shall be sufficiently,

(b) the Government of India in the Department of Personnel & Training shall assign successful candidates to each service or post on a consideration of all circumstances including any preference expressed by the candidates in their applications.

9. Application for admission to the examination. – A candidate shall apply for admission to the examination before such date, in such manner and in such form as the commission may prescribe.
Provided that a candidate in Government service, whether in a permanent or in a temporary capacity or as work charged employee, other than casual or daily rated employee, will be required to submit an undertaking to the effect that he has informed in writing his Head of office or Department regarding his application for the examination.
10. Nationality. – A candidate must be a citizen of Indian or he must belong to such categories of persons as may, from time to time, be notified by the Government.
11. Age limits. – A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 26 years on the first day of August of the year in which the examination is held;
Provided that the upper age limit may be relaxed in respect of candidates belonging to the scheduled castes and the scheduled Tribe and such other categories of persons as may, from time to time, be notified in this behalf by the Government of India in the Department of Personnel and Training to the extent and subject to the conditions notified in respect of each category.
12. Attempts of the examination. – No candidates, who does not belong to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe, or who is not covered by any of the specified exceptions notified by the Government of Indian in the Department of personnel and Training from time to time, shall be permitted more than three attempts at the examination,
Provided that there shall be no restriction on the number of attempts for candidates belonging to the scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes within the age relaxation referred to in the proviso to rule 11, in case they are otherwise eligible.

Note-I          A candidate shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the examination for all the services or posts ordinarily covered by the examination if he competed for any one or more of the services or posts.

Note-II         An attempt at the preliminary examination shall deemed to include a attempt also a the main examination within the meaning of this rule.

Note-III        If a candidate actually appears in any tone paper in the preliminary Examination, he shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the examination.

13. Educational qualifications. – A candidate must held a degree a university established or incorporated by or under a control act or a provincial Act or a State Act or other educational institution established by a Central Act or declared to be deemed as University under section 3 of the University Grant Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956) or a foreign University approve by the Central Government from time to time, or possesses on equivalent qualification which has been recognized by the Government for the purpose of admission to the examination, Provided that a candidate who has appeared a an examination the passing of which would render him educationally qualified for the examination but has not been informed of the result as also the candidate who intends to appear at such a qualifying examination, shall be eligible for admission to the preliminary examination so long as the candidate produced by a date to be notified by the commission, proof of having passed in the qualifying examination, for being eligible to take the main examination during that year,
Provided further that in exceptional cases, the commission may treat a candidate as qualified, who though not possessing the qualification prescribed in this rule has passed an examination conducted by an Institution, the standard of which in the opinion of the commission justifies his admission to the examination;
Provided also that a candidate who is otherwise qualified but who has taken a degree from foreign University which is not approved by Government may also be admitted to the examination at the discretion of the commission.

Note: Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications which are recognized by Government as equivalent to professional and technical degree would also be eligible for admission to the examination.

14. Fee. – A candidate shall pay the fees prescribed by the commission unless he has been exempted there from or granted concession in accordance with the exemptions and concessions in this respect notified by the Government of India in the Department of Personnel and Training from time to time.
15. Decision of the commission to be final. – The decision of the commission as to the eligibility or otherwise of a candidate for admission to the examination shall be final and no candidate to whom a certificate of admission has not been issued by the commission shall be admitted to the examination.
16. Penalty for misconduct. – A candidate who is or has been declared by the commission to be quality of:

(i) obtaining support for his candidature by any means.

or

(ii) impersonating,

or

(iii) procuring impersonating by any person;

or

(iv) Submitting fabricated documents or documents which have been tempered with,

or

(v) Making statements which are incorrect or false, or suppressing material information,

or

(vi) Resorting to any other irregular or improper means in connection with his candidature for the examination,

or

(vii) Using unfair means in the examination hall

or

(viii) writing irrelevant matter, including obscene language pornographic matter, in the script,

or

(ix) misbehaving in any other manner in the examination hall,

or

(x) harassing or doing bodily harm to the staff employed by the commission for the conduct of the examination.

or

(xi) attempting to commit or, as the case may be abetting the commission of all or any of the acts specified in the foregoing clauses,

may, in addition to rendering himself liable to criminal prosecution, be liable:-

(a) to be disqualified by the commission from the examination for which he is a candidate, or

(b) to be debarred either permanently or for a specified period-

(i) by the commission, from any examination or selection held by them,

(ii) by the Government, from any employment under them; and

(c) if he is already in services under the government, to a disciplinary action under the appropriate rules.

17. Preparation of list of successful candidates. – (1) After every examination, the names of candidates shall be arranged by the commission in the order of merit, as disclosed by the aggregate marks finally awarded to each candidate and in that order so many candidates as are found by the commission to be qualified on the basis of the examination shall be recommended for appointment up to the number of unreserved vacancies decided to be filled on the results of the examination.
(2) Candidates belonging to the scheduled castes or the Scheduled Tribes, may, to the extent the number of vacancies reserved for the scheduled castes and the Scheduled Tribes cannot be filled on the basis of the general standard, be recommended by the commission by a relaxed standard, to make up the deficiency in the reserved quota, subject to the fitness of these candidates for appointment to the service irrespective of their ranks in the order of merit at the examination.
(3) If sufficient number of candidates who are members of the scheduled castes or the scheduled Tribes, are not available for filling all the vacancies so reserved, the vacancies not so filled shall be filled by appointing candidates not belonging to the scheduled castes or the scheduled Tribes, qualified by the standard prescribed by the commission for the service, an equivalent number of additional vacancies shall be reserved for candidates belonging to the scheduled castes or the Scheduled Tribes to be filled on the results of the next examination.
(4) If at the examination, sufficient number of candidates belonging to the scheduled castes or the scheduled Tribes is not available for filling all the vacancies reserved for them including those carried forward under sub-rule(3), the vacancies so remaining unfilled shall be filled by appointing candidates not belonging to the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes, qualified by the standard prescribed by the commission for the Service, and an equivalent number of vacancies shall be carried forward to the next examination and so on.
(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (3) and (1) no vacancies reserved for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes shall be carried forward to any year of the examination.

(a) to such an extent that the total number of vacancies so carried forward together with the vacancies reserved for candidates who are members of the scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes for that year exceeds 560% of the total vacancies in that year, or

(b) if such vacancies, which are to be carried forward, continuously remained unfilled for a period of three recruitment years,

Provided that in the third recruitment year vacancies reserved for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be filled by the Scheduled Tribes and the Scheduled Castes respectively, if candidates of respective communities are not available.
18. Inquiry of Character, etc. – The inclusion of a candidate’s name in the list confers no right to appointment unless the Government is satisfied, after such inquiry as may be considered necessary, that the candidate, having regard to his character and antecedents, is suitable in all respects for appointment to the service.
19. Physical test. – (1) No candidate who, after such physical examination as the Government may prescribed, is not found to in good mental or bodily health and free from any mental or physical defect likely to interfere with the discharge of the duties of the service, shall be appointed to the Service.
(2) The fact that a candidate has been physically examined will not mean or imply that he shall be considered for appointment.

Part-IV

Recruitment by Promotion

[20. Appointment by promotion to various grades.] – [(1) Junior Time Scale. – (a) Appointment to the Junior Time Scale in the service shall be made by selection on merit from amongst officers regularly appointed to the Postal Service Group ‘B’ with three years of regular services in that grade on the recommendations of a duly constituted Departmental promotion Committee in consultation with the commission.]

[(b) The officers appointed to the service by promotion shall be given two years weightage in seniority vise-a-vise the officers appointed in the same year through competitive examination.

(c) Among the officers appointed through the competitive examination in a particular year and the promotee officers assigned to that year after allowing weight ages in terms of rule(b) above, the latter shall be placed on ploc below junior most direct recruit of the year.

(2) Senior Time Scale. – Appointment to the Senior Time Scale in the Service shall be made by promotion of officers in the Junior Time Scale with four years regular service in that grade in the order of seniority subject to the rejection of the unfit on the recommendations of a duly constituted Departmental Promotion Committee.
(3) Junior Administrative Grade. – Appointments to the Junior Administrative Grade in the service shall be made by selection on merit from amongst officers of the Senior Time Scale of the service with five years regular services in the grade on recommendations of a duly constituted Departmental Promotion Committee.
(4) Selection Grade of the Junior Administrative Grade. – Appointments to the Selection Grade of the Junior Administrative Grade of the service shall be made by promotion from amongst officers in the Junior Administrative Grade of the service who have entered the 14the year of the service on the 1st July of the year calculated from the year following the year of selection on the basis of which the officers was recruited. Selection shall be made on merit by a duly constituted Departmental Promotion Committee in the order of seniority taking into the account the overall performance, experience and other Central Government from time to time.
(5) Senior Administrative Grade. – Appointments in the Senior Administrative Grade of the service shall be made on the recommendations of a duly constituted Departmental Promotion Committee by selection on merit from amongst officers of the Junior Administrative Grade of the service with eight years regular service in the grade(including service, if any, in non-functional selection grade) or seventeen years regular services in Group ‘A’ posts out of which at least four years regular service should be in the Junior Administrative Grade.
(6) Senior Deputy Director General/Chief Postmaster General. – appointment to the Senior Deputy Director General/Chief Postmaster General shall be made on the basis of selection on merit from amongst officers of Senor Administrative Grade of the service with three years regular service in the grade.
[(6A) Principal Chief Postmaster General. – Appointment to the post of Principal Chief Postmaster General shall be made on the basis of selection on merit from amongst Senior Deputy General/Chief Postmaster General holding posts on regular basis in the grade.]
[(7) Members of the Postal Service Board. – Appointment to the post of Member, Postal Services Board shall be made by selection by merit from amongst officers holding posts on regular basis in the grades of Principal Chief Postmaster General, Senior Deputy Director General and Chief Post Master General.]
[(8) Where juniors who have completed their qualifying/eligibility service are being considered for promotion, their seniors would also be considered provided they are not short of the requisite qualifying/eligibility service by mores than half of such qualifying/eligibility service or two years, whichever is less and have successfully completed their probation period for promotion to the next higher grade along with their juniors who have already completed such qualifying/eligibility service.]
(9) The constitution of Departmental Promotion Committee for considering promotion and confirmation in different grades shall be as specified in Schedule-II to these rules.]

Part-V

General

21. Disqualifications. – No person-

(a) who has entered into or contracted a marriage with a person having a spouse living, or

(b) who, having a spouse living, has entered into or contracted a marriage with any person, Shall be eligible for appointment to the service;

Provided that the Government may, if satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to such person and the other party to the marriage and that there are other grounds for so doing, exempt any person from the operation of this rule.
22. Requirement to service in the Army Postal Service. – Any person appointed to the Service after the commencement of these rule shall be liable to serve in the Army Postal Service in India or abroad, as required.
[23. Probation. – Every officer on appointed to the service, either by direct recruitment or by promotion to Junior Time Scale shall be on probation for a period of two years:
Provided that the controlling officer may extend the period of probation in accordance with the instructions issued by the Government from time to time.
Provided further that any decision for extension of the probation period shall be taken ordinarily within 8 weeks after the expiry of the previous probationary period and communicated in writing to the concerned officer together with the reasons for so doing within the said period.
(2) On completion of the probation or any extension thereof, officer shall, if, considered fit, be confirmed against the post, if not already confirmed in the entry grade.
(3) If during the period of probation or any extension thereof, as the case may be, Government is of the opinion that an officer is not fit for permanent appointment, Government may discharges or revert the officer to the post held by him prior to his appointment in the service, as the case may be.
(4) During the period of probation or any extension thereof, candidates may be recruited by the government to undergo such courses of training and instructions and to pass examination and tests (including examination in Hindi) as the Government may deem fit, as a condition to satisfactory completion of the probation.
(5) As regards other matters relating to probation, the members of the service will be governed by the instructions issued by the Government in this regard from time to time.
(6) While fixing the interse seniority of direct recruit in the Junior Time Scale, the marks obtained by direct recruits in the civil Services Examination and the marks obtained by them in the Probationary Training shall be taken into account.]
24. Reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes etc. – Nothing in these rules shall affect reservations, relaxation of age limit and other concessions required to be provided for the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, Ex-servicemen and other special categories of persons in accordance with the order issued by the government from time to time tin this regard.
25. Power to relax. – Where the Government is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do, it may by order for reasons to be recorded in writing and in consultation with the commission relax any of the provisions of these rules with respect to any class or category of persons.
26. Interpretation. – If any question relating to interpretation these rules arises it shall be decided by the government.
27. Residues matters. – In all matters not specifically provided in these rules, officers appointed to the service shall be Governed by the rules, regulations and orders applicable to the Central Civil Services in general.
28. Repeal and saving. – (1) on and from the date of commencement of these rules, the Indian Postal Service, Class-I (Junior and Senior Time Scales) Recruitment Rules, 1959 and the Indian Postal Services Class-I (Directors of Postal Services) Recruitment Rules, 1959 in so for as they relate to the posts to which these rules apply, are hereby repealed.
(2) Not-withstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the rules so repealed, shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of these rules.

[Schedule-I]

(See Rule 3(2))

Authorized Strength of the Service.

[Schedule-II]

(See Rule 20(a))

Note: 1. The absence of a member, other than the Chairman or, a Member of the Commission shall not invalidate the proceedings of the committee, if more than the half the members of the committee or where there are only two members, both had attended its meetings.

Note: 2. The proceedings of the Departmental promotion committee relating to confirmation shall be sent to the commission for approval, if, however, there are no approved by the commission a fresh meeting of the Departmental promotion committee to be presided over by the chairman of a Member of the union public service commission shall be held.