Every year thousands of India Post employees ask the same questions. Who can appear in the IP exam? How many years of service do I need? What is the age limit? How much is the salary?
All these answers are already written in one document – the Department of Posts (Inspector Posts) Recruitment Rules, 2019, published in the Gazette of India on 5th February 2019 through notification G.S.R. 89(E). These rules replaced the old 2013 rules.
Most people never read a Gazette notification because the language is heavy. So here it is in simple words, point by point.
Quick Summary (Save This)
- Post Name: Inspector Posts (IP)
- Number of Posts: 2210 (as on 2019, changes with workload)
- Classification: General Central Service, Group ‘B’, Non-Gazetted, Ministerial
- Pay Level: Level 7 (Rs. 44,900 – Rs. 1,42,400)
- Direct Recruitment: 33.34% through Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
- Promotion: 66.66% through Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE)
- Service required for LDCE: 8 years regular qualifying service
- Age limit for LDCE: Not exceeding 45 years
- Age limit for direct recruits: Not exceeding 30 years
- Probation: 2 years
- UPSC consultation: Not necessary
1. What is the Inspector Posts Post?
Inspector Posts is a Group ‘B’, Non-Gazetted, Ministerial post under General Central Service in the Department of Posts.
It sits at Level 7 of the pay matrix, which means a basic pay range of Rs. 44,900 to Rs. 1,42,400. This is why the IP post is one of the most wanted promotions inside India Post – it is a big jump from Level 4 or Level 5 posts.
The rules mention 2210 posts as of 2019, but this number is not fixed. It changes depending on workload.
Also note: this is not a selection post. So the rules mark this column as “Not applicable”.
2. Two Ways to Become an Inspector Posts
This is the most important part of the rules.
| Method | Percentage | Through |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Recruitment | 33.34% | Staff Selection Commission (SSC) |
| Promotion | 66.66% | Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) |
So two out of every three IP vacancies are reserved for departmental candidates. That is a huge advantage for anyone already working in India Post. If you are preparing for GDS to MTS, MTS to PA or Postman to PA, remember that the IP post is the next big target after you become a PA or SA.
3. Direct Recruitment – Age and Qualification
For candidates applying from outside through SSC:
- Age limit: Not exceeding 30 years
- Relaxation: Up to 5 years for Government Servants, as per Central Government instructions
- Crucial date for age: As advertised by the Staff Selection Commission
- Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree from a recognised university or institute
Note that the age and education rules for direct recruits do not apply to promotees. Departmental candidates are covered by separate conditions, explained below.
4. LDCE Promotion – Who is Eligible?
This is the section every departmental employee should read carefully.
To appear in the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for Inspector Posts, you need 8 years of regular qualifying service as on the crucial date fixed by the Central Government.
The following grades are eligible:
- (a) Higher Selection Grade-II (Level 6) in all offices, including regular service put in as Lower Selection Grade and Postal Assistant or Sorting Assistant
- (b) Postmaster Grade-II (Level 6) in all offices, including regular service put in as Postmaster Grade-I and Postal Assistant
- (c) Stenographer Grade-I (Level 6) in all offices, including regular service put in as Stenographer Grade-II
- (d) Lower Selection Grade (Level 5) in all offices, including regular service put in as Postal Assistant or Sorting Assistant
- (e) Postmaster Grade-I (Level 5) in all offices, including regular service put in as Postal Assistant
- (f) Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant (Level 4) in all offices
- (g) Stenographer Grade-II (Level 4) in all offices
Important point to understand: your service in the lower grade is also counted. For example, if you are now in Lower Selection Grade, the years you served as Postal Assistant or Sorting Assistant also count towards your 8 years. This is why the online application form asks for your Feeder Cadre joining date – your eligibility is calculated from there.
Age Limit for LDCE
Not exceeding 45 years as on the crucial date of eligibility for the year to which the vacancies belong.
So a departmental candidate gets a much higher age limit (45 years) compared to a direct recruit (30 years). If you are in your late thirties and thinking it is too late, it is not.
5. Probation and Mandatory Training
- Probation period: Two years
- Mandatory Training: Successful completion of induction training in the field of responsibilities of the post, as devised and sponsored by the Department of Posts
This applies to both direct recruits and promotee officers, and it is part of successfully completing probation. So clearing the exam is not the end – the training has to be completed too.
6. Departmental Confirmation Committee
For considering confirmation, a Group ‘B’ Departmental Confirmation Committee is formed with:
- Director of Postal Services – Chairman
- Assistant Postmaster General – Member
- Senior Superintendent of Post Offices – Member
Consultation with the Union Public Service Commission is not necessary for this recruitment.
7. Disqualification Rule
The rules clearly say a person is not eligible for appointment if:
- He or she has married a person who already has a living spouse, or
- He or she, having a living spouse, has married another person
However, the Central Government may exempt a person from this rule if it is satisfied that such marriage is permissible under the personal law applicable to both parties and there are other grounds for doing so.
8. Power to Relax
The Central Government can relax any provision of these rules for any class or category of persons, if it thinks it is necessary or expedient. But two conditions apply:
- The reasons must be recorded in writing
- It must be done in consultation with the Union Public Service Commission
9. Reservation and Concessions Protected
Nothing in these rules affects the reservation, age-limit relaxation and other concessions given to:
- Scheduled Castes
- Scheduled Tribes
- Ex-servicemen
- Other categories notified by the Central Government from time to time
These continue as per the orders issued by the Central Government.
What This Means for Your Career Path
Look at the ladder created by these rules:
- GDS → MTS (departmental exam)
- GDS → Postman / Mail Guard (departmental exam)
- MTS → Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant (departmental exam)
- Postman → Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant (departmental exam)
- Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant → Inspector Posts (LDCE, 66.66% quota)
Every step is a departmental exam. Every step needs preparation. The good news is that the department reserves a big share of vacancies for its own people at each level.
If you are at the starting point, focus on your GDS to MTS Departmental Exam first. Then move to MTS to PA or Postman to PA. Once you are a Postal Assistant and complete 8 years of qualifying service, the IP exam opens up.
What Helps in Preparation
- GDS to MTS Syllabus, MTS to PA Syllabus and Postman to PA Syllabus – understand the pattern before you start
- GDS to MTS Previous Year Question Papers, MTS to PA Previous Year Question Papers and Postman to PA Previous Year Question Papers
- GDS to MTS Mock Test, India Post Mock Tests and regular practice sets
- GDS to MTS Online Classes, MTS to PA Online Classes and Postman to PA Online Classes – live or recorded, as per your duty hours
- India Post Study Material, question bank, India Post Circulars and current affairs
Whether you are searching for GDS to MTS Coaching, GDS to Postman Coaching, Postal Assistant Coaching or India Post Departmental Exam Coaching, pick a course that covers the syllabus, gives previous year papers, and provides mock tests with proper solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many years of service do I need for the IP exam? Eight years of regular qualifying service as on the crucial date specified by the Central Government.
Q. What is the age limit for the LDCE IP exam? Not exceeding 45 years as on the crucial date of eligibility for the year to which the vacancies pertain.
Q. What is the salary of an Inspector Posts? Level 7 of the pay matrix, Rs. 44,900 to Rs. 1,42,400 basic pay, plus allowances as applicable.
Q. Can a Postal Assistant directly appear in the IP exam? Yes. Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant (Level 4) in all offices is listed as an eligible grade, subject to eight years of regular qualifying service.
Q. Does service in my earlier grade count? Yes. For example, service put in as Postal Assistant or Sorting Assistant is counted along with Lower Selection Grade or Higher Selection Grade-II service.
Q. Is a Bachelor’s degree needed for the LDCE? The Bachelor’s degree condition is prescribed for direct recruits. The rules state that qualifications prescribed for direct recruits are not applicable to promotees.
Q. How much of the IP vacancy goes to departmental candidates? 66.66% through LDCE. The remaining 33.34% is filled by direct recruitment through SSC.
Q. Is UPSC involved in this recruitment? No. The rules state that consultation with the Union Public Service Commission is not necessary.
Final Word
These recruitment rules are the base of every IP notification that comes out. Before you apply, check three things – your grade, your qualifying service from the feeder cadre, and your age on the crucial date. If all three are fine, you are eligible.
The rest is just preparation. And 66.66% of the seats are waiting for departmental candidates only. That is a better ratio than almost any other government exam in India.
All the best.