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India Post has released the Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana 2026-27 notification for the Kerala Postal Circle. This is a scholarship scheme for school students who collect stamps as a hobby.
If you are a parent, a teacher, or a postal employee helping students in your area, this post explains everything in simple points.
Notification Number: Phil/SPARSH/2026-27 Date of Notification: 01.08.2026 Circle: Kerala Postal Circle Issued by: Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Kerala Circle, Thiruvananthapuram – 695033
Important update: The last date for posting the application was 30 August 2026. That date has already passed. This post is kept live as a complete reference for students preparing for the next SPARSH cycle, and for readers who want the full syllabus and exam pattern in one place.
What is Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana?
SPARSH stands for Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude and Research in Stamps as a Hobby.
In simple words:
- It is a scholarship scheme run by the Department of Posts, India.
- It is for students from Class VI to Class IX.
- The student must have a good academic record.
- The student must be doing philately (stamp collecting) as a hobby.
- Selection is done through a written quiz and a philately project at the circle level.
Scholarship Amount
- ₹6,000 per year for each selected student.
- 10 students from each class are eligible for the scholarship.
- Final selection is based on performance in the Level-2 project work.
So Class VI, VII, VIII and IX each get their own set of 10 winners. Students only compete with students of their own class.
Eligibility Criteria (Point by Point)
| Condition | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Class | Class VI to Class IX |
| School | Any recognised school within India |
| Philately Club | School should have a Philately Club and the student should be a member |
| No club in school? | A student with his/her own Philately Deposit Account is also considered |
| Marks | Minimum 60% or equivalent grade in the most recent final examination |
| SC/ST relaxation | 5% relaxation in marks |
One small but important point: the requirement of having a Philately Deposit Account or club membership is checked as on the date of application. The student has to mention this in the application form itself.
Selection Process – Two Levels
The selection process has two stages.
Level 1: Written Quiz
- 50 multiple choice questions (MCQ)
- 1 mark for each question
- No negative marking
- Duration: 1 hour
- Students compete only with students of the same class
Subject-wise marks distribution:
| Sl. No. | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Current Affairs | 5 |
| 2 | History | 5 |
| 3 | Geography | 5 |
| 4 | Science | 5 |
| 5 | Sports / Culture / Personalities | 5 |
| 6 | Local Philately | 10 |
| 7 | National Philately | 15 |
| Total | 50 |
Notice that 25 out of 50 marks come from philately alone. So a student who knows stamps well has a real advantage here.
Level 2: Philately Project
- 40 students from each class (subject to availability) are shortlisted from the Level-1 quiz
- Project must be maximum 500 words
- Project must fit in 4 to 5 pages
- Maximum 16 stamps can be displayed (real stamps or images)
How to Apply
- Fill the application form attached with the notification.
- Submit it to the Superintendent / Senior Superintendent of the Postal Division where the student’s school is located.
- Send it only by Speed Post.
Applications that will NOT be accepted:
- Applications sent by ordinary post
- Applications sent by private courier
- Applications submitted by hand
- Applications posted after the last date
Last date for this cycle: 30 August 2026 (now closed)
Contact Details – Kerala Circle
- Office: Chief Postmaster General, Kerala Circle, Thiruvananthapuram – 695033
- Phone: 0471-2560788 / 0471-2560740
- Email: phil.kl@indiapost.gov.in
For any doubt about the form, the division address, or the Philately Deposit Account, this is the right office to contact.
Simple Preparation Tips for the SPARSH Quiz
If you are preparing a student for the next cycle, keep it simple:
- Start philately early. 25 marks come from Local and National Philately. Read about famous Indian stamps, first day covers, and stamps issued on Kerala’s own heritage, temples, festivals and personalities.
- Read one newspaper page daily for Current Affairs (5 marks).
- Revise NCERT History, Geography and Science of the student’s own class. Questions stay at school level.
- Cover Sports, Culture and Personalities with a small notebook of names and achievements.
- Practise MCQs with a timer. 50 questions in 60 minutes is comfortable, but only with practice.
- Open a Philately Deposit Account at the nearest Philatelic Bureau if the school has no Philately Club.
Why Postal Employees Should Share This Notification
Many India Post employees — GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Postal Assistant and Sorting Assistant staff — are the first people villagers and parents ask about postal schemes.
If you are a postal employee, sharing this notification in your area is a small effort that helps a child earn a scholarship.
And if you are an employee who is also preparing for your own India Post departmental exam, the same discipline applies. Whether it is:
- GDS to MTS Departmental Exam
- GDS to Postman / Mail Guard exam
- MTS to PA / SA exam
- Postman to PA / SA exam
…the winning formula is the same — read the notification carefully, understand the syllabus and exam pattern, solve previous year question papers, and take regular mock tests.
Related India Post Resources on Our Website
- GDS to MTS Online Classes and GDS to MTS Coaching
- GDS to MTS Syllabus PDF and GDS to MTS Previous Year Question Papers PDF
- GDS to MTS Mock Test, Practice Sets and Question Bank
- GDS to Postman Coaching and GDS to Postman Study Material
- MTS to PA Online Classes and Postman to PA Online Classes
- Postal Assistant Coaching and PA SA Previous Year Question Papers
- India Post Circulars, India Post Latest News and India Post Current Affairs
- Circle-wise updates: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Assam and West Bengal Circle
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can apply for Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana 2026-27? Students of Class VI to IX in a recognised school in India, with at least 60% marks in the last final exam and philately as a hobby.
2. How much is the SPARSH scholarship? ₹6,000 per year per selected student.
3. How many students are selected? 10 students from each class, based on Level-2 project performance.
4. Is there negative marking in the SPARSH quiz? No. There is no negative marking.
5. What if my school has no Philately Club? The student can still apply if he or she has a personal Philately Deposit Account.
6. Can I send the form by courier? No. Only Speed Post is accepted. Courier, ordinary post and hand delivery are rejected.
7. Was the last date extended? The notification fixed 30 August 2026 as the last date. Any extension would come only through an official circle order, so check the Kerala Circle office or India Post website before assuming anything.
Final Words
The Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana is one of the simplest scholarship schemes in India. No entrance coaching is needed, no heavy fees, just a genuine interest in stamps and decent school marks.
If you missed the 2026-27 cycle, start preparing the child now. The notification comes almost every year around the middle of the year, and the students who win are usually the ones who started collecting stamps months earlier.
Bookmark this page for the next SPARSH notification, and keep following us for all India Post departmental exam updates.