The Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Tamil Nadu Circle, Chennai has issued a corrigendum giving the final vacancy position for the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) for promotion to Postal Assistant and Sorting Assistant posts for the vacancy year 2026.
The total comes to 357 vacancies across three cadres.
An important clarification first: this corrigendum is a partial modification of the earlier notification dated 11 May 2026. The circle has stated clearly that there is no change in the total number of vacancies already notified. What this order does is finalise the category-wise breakup. All other entries of the earlier notification hold good.
So if you were already preparing for the Tamil Nadu LDCE, nothing about your plan changes. You now simply know the exact numbers.
Quick Summary Table
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| File Number | F.No. REP/4-1/2026 |
| Issued By | Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Tamil Nadu Circle, Chennai – 600002 |
| Date | 20 August 2026 |
| Type of Order | Corrigendum (partial modification of notification dated 11.05.2026) |
| Exam | Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) |
| Posts | Postal Assistant (Circle Office & Regional Offices), Postal Assistant (Post Office), Sorting Assistant (Railway Mail Service) |
| Vacancy Year | 2026 (01.01.2026 to 31.12.2026) |
| Total Vacancies | 357 |
| Total PwBD (Horizontal) | 16 |
| Signed By | V. Shenbagavalli, Assistant Director (Rectt.), O/o the Chief PMG, Tamil Nadu Circle |
| Change in total vacancies? | No — total remains as already notified |
Final Vacancy Position — Complete Table
Vertical Vacancies (Category-wise)
| S. No. | Name of Cadre | UR | SC | ST | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Postal Assistant (Circle Office & Regional Offices) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Postal Assistant (Post Office) | 213 | 11 | 49 | 273 |
| 3 | Sorting Assistant (Railway Mail Service) | 64 | 12 | 6 | 82 |
| TOTAL | 278 | 23 | 56 | 357 |
Horizontal Vacancies (PwBD)
| S. No. | Name of Cadre | VH | OH | HH | Others | Total for PwBDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Postal Assistant (Circle Office & Regional Offices) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Postal Assistant (Post Office) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4** | 12 |
| 3 | Sorting Assistant (Railway Mail Service) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 16 |
** One unfilled PwBD (Others) vacancy of LDCE-2025 has been carried forward to LDCE 2026.
Reading the Table Correctly
A few points that candidates commonly get wrong.
Vertical vs Horizontal reservation
- Vertical vacancies (UR, SC, ST) are the main category split. The 357 total is made up of these.
- Horizontal vacancies (PwBD — VH, OH, HH, Others) are not additional posts. They are carved out from within the same 357. A PwBD candidate is adjusted against their own vertical category.
So the correct reading is: 357 total posts, of which 16 are earmarked horizontally for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities. Not 357 + 16.
Abbreviations used
| Short Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| UR | Unreserved |
| SC | Scheduled Caste |
| ST | Scheduled Tribe |
| VH | Visually Handicapped |
| OH | Orthopaedically Handicapped |
| HH | Hearing Handicapped |
| PwBD | Persons with Benchmark Disabilities |
The carried-forward vacancy
One PwBD (Others) vacancy from LDCE-2025 that remained unfilled has been carried forward into the LDCE 2026 count. This is a normal practice — unfilled reserved vacancies are carried forward rather than lapsing.
Where the Bulk of the Vacancies Are
Look at the distribution before you decide anything.
- Postal Assistant (Post Office): 273 posts — this is 76% of all vacancies. This is where almost the entire opportunity sits.
- Sorting Assistant (RMS): 82 posts — 23% of the total. A solid second.
- Postal Assistant (Circle Office & Regional Offices): 2 posts — less than 1%. Just one UR and one ST post.
If you are a serving official in the Tamil Nadu Circle, the practical reality is that your realistic chance lies in PA (Post Office) or SA (RMS). The Circle Office/Regional Office posts are effectively two seats for the whole circle.
On the category split: the ST allotment (56) is notably higher than the SC allotment (23) in this circle’s final position. Candidates should read their own category row rather than assuming a standard ratio.
Who Can Appear in This LDCE
The LDCE for PA/SA is a departmental promotion exam. It is open to eligible officials already working in the Department of Posts — most commonly:
- Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) → the MTS to PA / SA route
- Postman and Mail Guard → the Postman to PA / SA route
- Other eligible cadres as specified in the recruitment rules
Exact eligibility — service length, age, and the quota against which you can apply — is governed by the recruitment rules and the parent notification dated 11 May 2026. This corrigendum does not change eligibility. It only finalises the vacancy figures.
⚠️ Please check the parent notification. Do not rely on this vacancy update alone for eligibility questions. Anything about who can apply, how to apply, and the last date sits in the 11.05.2026 notification, and that document holds good in full.
What This Means for Candidates
Let us be practical about it.
If you are already preparing: Nothing changes. Keep going. The corrigendum was issued to give clarity, not to disrupt. Your syllabus, your exam pattern and your application status are unaffected.
If you were waiting for the numbers before deciding: 357 posts in a single circle for a single vacancy year is a substantial opportunity. For a serving MTS or Postman in Tamil Nadu, this is one of the better years to attempt.
If you are in a reserved category: Read your specific row. The SC, ST and PwBD numbers vary sharply between the three cadres. A PwBD candidate looking at the Circle Office cadre will find zero posts there, but twelve in PA (Post Office).
If you are a PwBD candidate: Sixteen posts are earmarked across VH, OH, HH and Others. Note that these are horizontal — you compete within your vertical category, and the PwBD earmarking is applied within it.
One caution on numbers: vacancy positions can be revised again. This corrigendum is itself a revision of a May notification. Watch the circle’s website and your divisional office for any further corrigendum before the exam.
Wide Publicity Instruction
The corrigendum specifically asks that it be given wide publicity amongst all eligible candidates working in Circle / Regional Offices / Divisions / Units.
Copies have been sent to:
- The Postmasters General — Chennai City Region, Central Region (Tiruchirappalli), Southern Region (Madurai), Western Region (Coimbatore)
- The Director, Postal Training Centre, Madurai
- The Assistant Postmaster General (Staff), O/o Chief PMG, Chennai
- The SSRM/SRM, Airmail Sorting Division / Chennai Sorting Division / RMS ‘M’ Division
- The Senior Manager, MMS, Chennai
- The Superintendent, Foreign Post, Chennai
- The Assistant Director (Admin), O/o the Chief PMG, Chennai
- The Officer-In-Charge, P&T Admin Cell, APS Kamptee
- All recognised Service Unions / Associations
If you are an eligible official in Tamil Nadu Circle and you have not seen this on your divisional notice board, ask. That is exactly what the wide publicity instruction is for.
How to Prepare for the PA / SA LDCE
Since the vacancy position is now final, here is the sensible way to use the remaining time.
1. Get the parent notification first
Everything — eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, application procedure, last date — is in the notification dated 11.05.2026. Read it end to end before anything else. A vacancy table is useless if you miss an application deadline.
2. Work backwards from the paper
The PA/SA departmental exam typically tests departmental rules and procedures alongside general aptitude subjects. Identify which paper carries the most weight and start there, not with whatever feels easiest.
3. Previous year question papers are non-negotiable
Departmental exams repeat patterns far more than open-market exams do. Working through PA/SA previous year question papers tells you what actually gets asked, which is often narrower than the syllabus suggests.
4. Keep a circular notebook
The same habit that helps in every India Post departmental exam: one line per circular, revised monthly. Orders like this corrigendum, Directorate letters and rule amendments turn into General Awareness marks.
5. Use your working knowledge
You already do this work daily. A serving MTS or Postman has an advantage over any outsider on operational questions. Convert practical familiarity into written accuracy — that is usually the gap.
The India Post Promotion Ladder
For context, here is where this exam sits:
| From | To | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| GDS | MTS | GDS to MTS Departmental Exam |
| GDS | Postman / Mail Guard | GDS to Postman Departmental Exam |
| MTS | PA / SA | MTS to PA Departmental Exam (this LDCE) |
| Postman | PA / SA | Postman to PA Departmental Exam (this LDCE) |
| PA / SA | Inspector Posts | Inspector Posts LDCE |
Clearing this LDCE moves you into the PA/SA cadre, which then opens the door to Inspector Posts LDCE later. Each rung is worth planning for in advance rather than discovering at the last minute.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. How many total vacancies are notified for Tamil Nadu Circle LDCE 2026? A total of 357 vacancies — 2 for Postal Assistant (Circle Office & Regional Offices), 273 for Postal Assistant (Post Office), and 82 for Sorting Assistant (Railway Mail Service).
Q2. Has the number of vacancies increased with this corrigendum? No. The corrigendum states there is no change in the total number of vacancies already notified. It gives the final category-wise breakup, and all other entries of the earlier notification hold good.
Q3. What is the vacancy year? The vacancy year 2026, covering 01.01.2026 to 31.12.2026.
Q4. How many posts are reserved for PwBD candidates? 16 horizontal vacancies — 4 VH, 3 OH, 4 HH and 5 under Others. Of these, 12 are in PA (Post Office) and 4 in SA (RMS). There are no PwBD posts in the Circle Office & Regional Offices cadre.
Q5. What is the SC and ST breakup? Across all three cadres: SC 23 and ST 56, out of a total of 357. Unreserved is 278.
Q6. What does the double asterisk in the PwBD column mean? It indicates that one unfilled PwBD (Others) vacancy of LDCE-2025 has been carried forward to LDCE 2026.
Q7. Which cadre has the most vacancies? Postal Assistant (Post Office) with 273 posts — about 76% of all vacancies in this notification.
Q8. Who issued this corrigendum? It was issued by V. Shenbagavalli, Assistant Director (Recruitment), Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Tamil Nadu Circle, Chennai, with the approval of the Competent Authority.
Q9. Where can I find the eligibility criteria and exam pattern? In the parent notification dated 11 May 2026. This corrigendum only revises the vacancy table and does not change eligibility, pattern or dates.
Q10. Does this apply to other postal circles? No. This is a Tamil Nadu Circle order only. Other circles issue their own LDCE notifications and vacancy positions separately.
Q11. Can an MTS apply for this LDCE? The LDCE for PA/SA is open to eligible departmental officials, which commonly includes MTS and Postman/Mail Guard cadres, subject to the service and eligibility conditions in the recruitment rules and the parent notification. Check the 11.05.2026 notification for your specific position.
Q12. Where will the result be published? Results and shortlists for circle-level departmental exams are published by the respective Circle Office and circulated through divisional offices.
Related Reading on Postoffice Coaching
- MTS to PA / SA Departmental Exam — Syllabus and Exam Pattern
- Postman to PA / SA Departmental Exam — Complete Course
- PA / SA Previous Year Question Papers
- PA / SA Mock Tests and Practice Sets
- Inspector Posts LDCE — Syllabus and Selection Procedure
- GDS to MTS and GDS to Postman Exam Preparation
- India Post Circulars and Latest News
Final Word
Three lines to take away:
- 357 vacancies is the final figure for Tamil Nadu Circle LDCE 2026 — 273 PA (Post Office), 82 SA (RMS), 2 PA (CO & RO).
- The total has not changed; only the category-wise breakup has been finalised.
- Everything else — eligibility, pattern, dates — sits in the 11.05.2026 notification. Read that document, not just this table.
The numbers are now clear. The only variable left is your preparation.