The Bihar Postal Circle has declared the final result of the LDCE/CE for promotion and recruitment to the PA/SA cadre for vacancy year 2026. The order was issued from the Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Bihar Circle, Patna on 23 August 2026.
This is the full and final list. 43 candidates have been selected against 43 vacancies.
If you appeared from Bihar Circle, your wait is over.
Quick Summary Table
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Circle | Bihar Circle, Patna |
| Letter Number | R&E-AD/CON/LGO Exam/2026 |
| Letter Date | 23.08.2026 |
| Examination | LDCE from Postman / Mail Guard / MTS to PA/SA + CE from GDS to PA/SA |
| Vacancy Year | 2026 (01.01.2026 to 31.12.2026) |
| Paper-I Held On | 28.06.2026 (Sunday) |
| DEST Held On | 23.08.2026 (Sunday) |
| Provisional Answer Key Uploaded | 28.06.2026 (Series A, B, C & D) |
| Final Answer Key Uploaded | 21.07.2026 |
| Total Vacancies | 43 (PA – 38, SA – 05) |
| Total Selected | 43 |
| Under Sealed Cover | 1 candidate (Sl. No. 13) |
| Merit Basis | Paper-I marks only + minimum qualifying marks in DEST |
| Refusal Submission Deadline | Within 1 week of publication of result |
The Single Most Important Rule in This Result
Read this line carefully, because it decides everything:
The result has been prepared based on merit in accordance with marks secured in Paper-I only, and minimum qualifying marks obtained in the Data Entry Skill Test (DEST).
In plain words:
- DEST marks do NOT add to your merit. DEST is only pass or fail.
- Your rank comes from Paper-I alone.
- Whether you scored 19.06 or a perfect 25.00 in DEST makes no difference to your position in the list.
This is a very important point that many candidates get wrong. People spend weeks trying to push their typing speed higher, thinking it will improve their rank. It will not. You need to clear the DEST threshold — that is all.
Your rank was decided on 28 June, in the written paper.
Qualifying Criteria — Full Breakdown
Paper-I: LDCE from Postman / Mail Guard / MTS to PA/SA
| Category | Qualifying Criteria | Marks Required |
|---|---|---|
| OC | 40% | 40 out of 100 |
| SC / ST / PWD | 33% | 33 out of 100 |
Paper-I: CE from GDS to PA/SA
| Category | Qualifying Criteria | Marks Required |
|---|---|---|
| OC | 40% | 40 out of 100 |
| OBC / EWS | 37% | 37 out of 100 |
| SC / ST / PWD | 33% | 33 out of 100 |
Note the difference — the GDS route has a separate OBC/EWS slab of 37%, which the LGO route does not show.
Data Entry Skill Test (DEST) — Both Routes
| Category | Qualifying Criteria | Marks Required |
|---|---|---|
| Gen / OBC / EWS | 75% | 18.75 out of 25 |
| SC / ST / PWD (if not exempted from skill test) | 60% | 15 out of 25 |
These DEST criteria are as per Directorate letter dated 19.12.2022.
Important: 75% accuracy for General category is a high bar. This is exactly why typing practice matters — not for rank, but to avoid being knocked out entirely at the last stage.
Category-Wise Cut-Off Analysis
This is the part most candidates search for. Based on the marks of the last selected candidate in each category:
| Selected Against Category | Lowest Selected Marks (Paper-I, out of 100) |
|---|---|
| UR | 70 |
| SC | 60 |
| ST | 46 |
| UR (PH-3) | 47 |
| UR (PH-2) | 58 |
Top score in the circle: 88 out of 100.
Highest DEST score: 25.00 out of 25 (100%) — achieved by several candidates.
What these numbers tell you
- The UR competition in Bihar was brutal. 70 marks was not enough to be comfortable — it was the exact bottom edge.
- There was a wide spread between UR (70) and ST (46) — a 24-mark gap.
- Multiple candidates were bunched at 69, 70 and 71 marks. In a merit list this tight, one extra correct question changes your entire posting.
If you are preparing for the next attempt, treat 75+ as your safe target, not 70.
Two Things in This Result That Every Aspirant Should Study
1. OBC candidates were selected against UR — this is “own merit”
Look closely at the list and you will find candidates whose category column reads OBC, but whose “Selected against category” column reads UR.
This is not an error. This is a rule.
When a reserved-category candidate scores high enough to make the general merit list on their own marks — without using any relaxation in fee, age or qualifying standard — they are selected against the UR (unreserved) slot, not against the reserved quota.
Why this matters to you:
- It means the reserved seats stay available for other reserved-category candidates
- It means a strong OBC/SC/ST performer effectively adds to the total opportunity in the circle
- It means you should never assume a reserved-category candidate “took a general seat” — the rule works the other way around
2. Division allotment is by preference order, not by your home division
The circular states this directly:
The name of the candidates has been arranged in order of merit and their allotment to the Division/unit as per order of preference, in accordance with Directorate guidelines dated 31.12.2021.
Now look at what actually happened in Bihar:
- The candidate who topped the circle with 88 marks from Saran was allotted Saran
- The candidate with 86 marks from Purnea was allotted Patna
- A candidate from Nawada was allotted Patna
- A candidate from Saharsa was allotted Darbhanga
- Several ST candidates were allotted CO/RO (Circle Office / Regional Office)
Very few people landed in the division they were already working in.
The lesson: your marks decide your rank. Your preference list decides your posting. Two candidates with almost identical marks can end up 300 km apart based purely on how they filled the preference form.
Fill your preference order with the same seriousness you give to the exam paper. Once submitted, it is not something you can renegotiate later.
What “Under Sealed Cover” Means (Sl. No. 13)
One candidate at serial number 13 in the merit list is shown as “Under Sealed Cover.”
Simple explanation:
- The candidate’s result exists and their merit position is protected in the list
- But the result is not being declared or acted upon right now
- It is kept sealed until the matter concerning that candidate is resolved
The circular does not state the reason in this candidate’s case. Do not assume. The general departmental instruction in the same order mentions that where any disciplinary or vigilance case is pending, prescribed instructions must be followed before effecting promotion — but the order does not link that specifically to Sl. No. 13.
The important thing for other candidates: that merit position is held, not vacated.
Instructions Every Selected Candidate Must Read
The circular contains eight instructions. Here are the ones that directly affect you:
⚠️ Refusal must be submitted within ONE WEEK
The Divisional Heads / Unit Heads will ensure submission of refusal (if any), duly signed by him, within a week of publication of result. After that, application for refusal will not be entertained.
If you have decided not to accept the promotion or the allotted division — for family reasons, health, distance, anything — you have seven days. Submit it in writing, duly signed, through your Divisional Head. After the window closes, it is closed.
Do not sit on this decision. Do not wait for informal advice from colleagues. Put it in writing.
Selection can be cancelled if eligibility fails
If it is later found that a selected candidate was not eligible under the extant rules, or a mistake is discovered in the announcement of any result, that name will be deleted from the list of successful candidates. This condition is to be written into the promotion/appointment letters themselves.
SC/ST/PH promotions are provisional
For SC/ST/PH candidates, promotion is provisional and subject to verification of status. The Head of the Unit will take an undertaking at the time of relieving, and caste/PH status must be verified within one month.
Keep your caste certificate and disability certificate ready now. Do not wait for the office to ask.
Provisional candidates must be finalised immediately
Unit and Divisional Heads have been asked to immediately finalise the candidature of provisional candidates. The order states clearly that no provisional candidate should be in the selected list, and if found, promotion or appointment must not be given without finalisation of candidature.
No waiting for induction training
As per Directorate letter dated 19 October 2020, Postman/MTS/GDS selected for appointment to PA/SA — whether through competitive examination or seniority — shall be appointed straightaway after completing pre-appointment formalities, without waiting for completion of the prescribed institutional induction training.
This means you should not be told to wait months for a training batch before joining.
Appointment process to be completed within one week
Divisional and Unit Heads have been asked to circulate this communication to all concerned and ensure completion of the appointment process within one week.
Cadres That Appear in the Selected List
The 43 selected candidates were working in the following designations at the time of the exam:
- Postman — the large majority
- Mail Guard (MG)
- MTS
- Overseer (Mail) / O/S Mail / Mail OS
Units represented include divisions across Bihar such as Saran, Purnea, Nawada, Patna, Begusarai, Saharsa, Bhojpur, Bhagalpur, Munger, Vaishali, East Champaran, Madhubani, Samastipur, Gaya, Patna GPO, Siwan, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Katihar, and RMS units including RMS PT Dn Patna, RMS C Dn Gaya and RMS NB Dn Barauni.
Allotted divisions include Saran, Patna, Buxar, Begusarai, Darbhanga, RMS PT Dn, Munger, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Aurangabad, RMS U Dn, Siwan and CO/RO.
How to Check Your Result
- Download the official PDF from the India Post website (CEPT Mysuru has been asked to upload it)
- Open Annexure-A
- Search for your roll number, not your name — names repeat, roll numbers do not
- Check four columns carefully: your Paper-I marks, your DEST percentage, “DEST Qualified Yes/No”, and Allotted Division
- Take a screenshot and save the PDF offline
If any detail in your row is wrong — name spelling, date of birth, date of entry, category — report it to your Divisional office in writing, immediately. Do not wait for the appointment letter to fix it.
If You Were Not Selected This Time
43 seats. Hundreds of candidates. The math was always going to leave most people out.
Here is what the result actually tells you about your next attempt:
- Paper-I is everything. DEST is only a gate. Put 90% of your effort into the written paper.
- Target 75+, not the cut-off. The UR cut-off sat at 70. Aiming for the cut-off means aiming to just barely miss.
- The gap is usually 5–8 questions. Look at how tightly the marks are clustered — 69, 70, 70, 71, 71, 71. That is a handful of questions, not a mountain.
- Do not neglect DEST practice. 75% accuracy for General category has ended good candidates’ chances before. Clear it comfortably; do not scrape through.
- Study the answer key process. Provisional keys came out the same day as the exam. Challenges were accepted, a moderation committee and a high level committee reviewed them, and the final key came three weeks later. If you have a genuine objection next time, raise it properly and on time.
The next vacancy year notification will come. Start now, not two months before the paper.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Do DEST marks count towards the final merit in the PA/SA departmental exam? No. As per this Bihar Circle order, the result was prepared based on merit from Paper-I marks only, along with minimum qualifying marks obtained in DEST. DEST is qualifying in nature and does not add to your merit position.
Q2. What was the UR cut-off for PA/SA in Bihar Circle 2026? The lowest Paper-I marks among candidates selected against the UR category was 70 out of 100.
Q3. What was the SC and ST cut-off in Bihar Circle? The lowest selected marks were 60 out of 100 for SC and 46 out of 100 for ST.
Q4. How many vacancies were there in Bihar Circle for PA/SA 2026? 43 vacancies in total — 38 Postal Assistant and 5 Sorting Assistant, as reported vide Circle Office Patna letter dated 22.05.2026.
Q5. What is the DEST qualifying percentage for PA/SA? 75% (18.75 out of 25) for Gen/OBC/EWS, and 60% (15 out of 25) for SC/ST/PWD candidates who are not exempted from the skill test.
Q6. How is the division allotted after selection? Candidates are arranged in order of merit, and division or unit allotment is made as per their order of preference, in accordance with Directorate guidelines dated 31.12.2021.
Q7. What does “Under Sealed Cover” mean in the result? It means the candidate’s merit position is recorded and protected, but the result is not declared or acted upon at this stage. The circular does not state the reason for the individual case at Sl. No. 13.
Q8. Can a selected candidate refuse the promotion? Yes, but refusal must be submitted duly signed through the Divisional Head within one week of publication of the result. The order states that after that period, applications for refusal will not be entertained.
Q9. Why do some OBC candidates show “UR” in the selected against category column? Because they secured marks high enough to be selected on their own merit in the general merit list, without availing any relaxation. Such candidates are counted against UR seats, not against the reserved quota.
Q10. Do selected candidates have to complete induction training before joining? No. As per Directorate letter dated 19 October 2020, Postman/MTS/GDS selected for PA/SA are to be appointed straightaway after pre-appointment formalities, without waiting for completion of institutional induction training.
Final Word
43 people in Bihar just changed their pay level and their career track. Congratulations to every one of them.
For everyone else, this result has handed you a very clear map: the paper is what counts, 70 was too close to the line, and your preference form matters more than you think.
The next notification is coming. Be ready before it does.