Published on: 15 August 2026 Category: India Post Departmental Exam · India Post Notifications · India Post Latest News
Good news for postal employees. The Department of Posts has released the notification for the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) for promotion to Inspector Posts (66.66% departmental quota) for the vacancy year 2026.
The circular is dated 14.08.2026, file number DE-12/5/2026-DE-DOP, signed by Shri Krishna Kumar Gupta, Assistant Director General (DE), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi.
If you are a PA, SA, LSG, HSG-II, Postmaster Grade-I/II or Stenographer and you have completed 8 years of regular service, this one is for you. Let’s go through everything in simple points.
Quick Summary
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | LDCE for Inspector Posts (66.66% quota) |
| Vacancy Year | 2026 (01.01.2026 to 31.12.2026) |
| Total Vacancies | 27 (tentative) |
| Online Application Starts | 21.08.2026 from 9:00 AM |
| Last Date to Apply | 05.09.2026 up to 5:30 PM |
| Admit Card | From 22.09.2026, 5:30 PM |
| Exam Dates | 26 & 27 September 2026 |
| Apply At | app.indiapost.gov.in/employeeportal |
| Exam Centre | Circle Headquarters only |
Important Dates (Full Schedule)
Please note these dates carefully. Missing even one step can cost you the exam.
- 21.08.2026 (9:00 AM) — Online application process starts
- 05.09.2026 (up to 5:30 PM) — Last date to submit online application
- 09.09.2026 (up to 5:30 PM) — Verification by Controlling Authority (Verify / Revert to candidate)
- 11.09.2026 (till 5:30 PM) — Correction in application form and resubmission by candidate
- 15.09.2026 (up to 5:30 PM) — Verification of resubmitted applications by Controlling Authority
- 17.09.2026 (up to 5:30 PM) — Approval/finalisation and centre allotment by Nodal Officer
- 19.09.2026 (up to 5:30 PM) — Last date for allotment of centre by Nodal Officer
- 22.09.2026 (from 5:30 PM) — Admit card available for download
- 26 & 27 September 2026 — Examination
Exam Timings
- 26.09.2026 (Saturday) — Paper-I — 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
- 26.09.2026 (Saturday) — Paper-II — 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- 27.09.2026 (Sunday) — Paper-III — 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Vacancy Details (Tentative)
| Category | UR | SC | ST | VH | HH | OH | Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacancies for 2026 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| Backlog PwBD (LDCE-2025) | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Final Vacancies | 21 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 |
This vacancy position is tentative and subject to finalisation.
Eligibility Criteria
As per the Department of Posts (Inspector Posts) Recruitment Rules, 2019 notified in GSR 89(E) dated 05.02.2019, the following officials can appear. All of them need 8 years of regular qualifying service as on the crucial date.
- Higher Selection Grade-II (Level-6) — including regular service put in as LSG and PA/SA
- Postmaster Grade-II (Level-6) — including regular service put in as Postmaster Grade-I and PA
- Stenographer Grade-I (Level-6) — including regular service put in as Stenographer Grade-II
- Lower Selection Grade (Level-5) — including regular service put in as PA or SA
- Postmaster Grade-I (Level-5) — including regular service put in as PA
- Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant (Level-4) — all offices
- Stenographer Grade-II (Level-4) — all offices
Crucial date of eligibility: 01.01.2026
Age Limit
- Maximum 45 years as on the crucial date
- 5 years relaxation for SC/ST officials as per the saving clause of RRs dated 05.02.2019
Selection Process — All India Merit List
This is an important change many candidates still miss:
- Vacancies are notified at All India level, not circle-wise
- All eligible feeder grade officials from all Postal Circles can appear, even if there is no vacancy in their own circle
- A common merit list will be drawn at All India level
- Candidates must give preference for all 23 Postal Circles in the application
- Preference once given is final — no change will be allowed later
- Allotment of circle is on merit-cum-preference basis
APS candidates on deputation will appear from the exam centre of their parent Civil Circle.
Exam Pattern (As per Letter No. 7-14/2011-SPN-II dated 22.08.2025 with Corrigendum dated 24.09.2025)
Three papers in total.
Paper-I — 250 Marks
- 125 MCQ questions, 2 marks each
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Paper-II — 50 Marks (Descriptive)
- Noting in approx. 200 words — 15 marks
- Drafting in approx. 200 words — 15 marks
- Draft Major Penalty Charge Sheet — 20 marks
- Duration: 1 hour
- Medium: Hindi or English only. Any other language will be rejected outright.
Paper-III — 300 Marks
- 150 MCQ questions, 2 marks each
- Duration: 3 hours
Qualifying Marks
- General: 40% in each paper, subject to overall average of 45%
- SC/ST/PwBD: 33% in each paper, subject to overall average of 38%
Other Points
- Mode: OMR based plus descriptive wherever applicable
- Circulars, orders and guidelines issued up to 31st December of the preceding year form part of the syllabus
- Exception: Annual Report and Book of Information — latest available on DoP website will be taken
- Examination will be without aid of books
Syllabus in Short
Paper-I
- Acts: Post Office Act 2023, Government Savings Promotion Act 1873, PMLA 2002 and amendments, Consumer Protection Act 2019, IT Act 2000
- Rules & Schemes: Post Office Rules 2024 and Regulations 2024, Government Savings Promotion General Rules 2018, POSA 2019, RD, TD, MIS, SCSS, NSC (VIII Issue), KVP, PPF, Sukanya Samriddhi 2019
- PLI: Post Office Life Insurance Scheme 2011 and amendments compiled as SANKALAN
- Postal Manuals: Book of BO Rules, PM Volume II, III, IV, VIII
- Mail Operations and Money Remittances: PM Volume V, VI (Part I, II, III), VII
- Jansuraksha Schemes
- Post Office Guide Part-I and Part-II, Domestic and Foreign Post guidelines
- Basic understanding of DIGIPIN
- Mail Network Optimization Project, Parcel Network Optimization Project, Centralized Delivery Policy, Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK)
- Consolidation of products guidelines
- Savings Bank: POSB Manual Volume I, II & III with SB Orders; POSB (CBS) Manual up to 31.12.2021 and subsequent SB Orders
- Annual Reports and Book of Information of DoP
- IT: APT Knowledge (IT 2.0), Core Banking Solutions, PLI-CIS, India Post Payments Bank
- Preservation and disposal of postal records
- CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964, CCS (CCA) Rules 1965, CCS (Temporary Service) Rules 1965
- GDS (Conduct & Engagement) Rules 2020
Paper-II
- Noting (200 words)
- Drafting (200 words)
- Draft Major Penalty Charge Sheet
Paper-III
- Constitution of India — Preamble, Fundamental Rights, DPSP, Fundamental Duties, Articles 124-147, 214-232, 311, 338, 338(a), 338(b)
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (Sections 1, 2 and 84)
- Central Administrative Tribunal Act 1985
- Revenue Recovery Act 1890
- Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 as amended
- RTI Act 2005 and RTI Rules 2012
- Manuals on Procurement (Goods, Works, Consultancy & Other Services)
- GPF (CS) Rules 1960
- CCS (Pension) Rules 2021, CCS (Commutation of Pension) Rules 1981
- Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013
- NPS — CCS (Implementation of NPS) Rules 2021, CCS (Payment of Gratuity under NPS) Rules 2021
- General Financial Rules 2017 — Chapters 2 and 6
- Fundamental Rules (FR) and Supplementary Rules (SR)
- Casual Labourers brochure and instructions
- APAR maintenance instructions
- Service Discharge Benefit Scheme 2010
- Schedule of Financial Powers of Divisional Heads and Heads of Circle, as amended from time to time
- Welfare measures for Departmental Employees and Gramin Dak Sevaks
- Postal FHB Volume I and Postal FHB Volume II (latest editions)
- English language
- General Knowledge and Current Affairs (Indian Economy, Polity, Sports, Culture, Science)
- Reasoning, Interpersonal Skills, Mental Aptitude, Quantitative Aptitude, Intelligence and Ethics
How to Apply Online — Step by Step
There is no separate URL for the LDCE IP module. Use the common employee portal.
Portal: app.indiapost.gov.in/employeeportal Login ID: Employee ID (8 digit) Password: Same password you use for the APT employee portal
Steps:
- Log in to the employee portal
- Click the “Self Service” icon at the bottom right corner of the home screen
- Click “Recruitment and Promotions” card
- Click “Application Management (Candidate)”
- Three sub-cards appear — Apply Online, My Applications, View Orders and Rulings
- Click Apply Online, choose your Parent Circle and Original (Lien) Cadre, then click Submit
- Select the correct notification from the dropdown — the application form will load
- Basic Details (name, gender, category, DOB, disability) are auto-fetched from PIS
- Enter mobile number and email, and validate both using Send OTP. All future updates will go to these only.
- In Service History, present cadre is auto-fetched. You must enter Feeder Cadre and Feeder Cadre joining date — your service eligibility is calculated from this date.
- In Office Details, enter parent office pin code and click Fetch. Office name, Controlling Authority and Nodal Authority get auto-filled.
- If you are on deputation (Directorate, CEPT, APS, other offices), select Yes and enter deputation office details
- Fill Additional Details — junior claim, criminal prosecution pending, suspension/disciplinary case
- Click Save Above Details. On success, a green message “Details saved successfully” appears. Data becomes read-only. Use Edit to change.
- Give Posting Preferences for all 23 circles — this is mandatory
- Upload Photo and Signature
- Click Preview and Submit, check everything, then Confirm and Submit
- Tick all three declaration check boxes and click Submit Application
- On success you will see “Application Submitted Successfully” and no further editing is allowed
Photo & Signature Specifications
- Photo: JPG only, 30 KB to 100 KB, aspect ratio 4:5 (portrait, ±10%)
- Signature: JPG only, 20 KB to 100 KB, aspect ratio 5:2 (landscape, ±10%)
If Your Application Is Reverted
- Status in “My Applications” will show “Verification Reverted”
- Click the “Resubmit Application” hyperlink under the Action column
- Fields marked incorrect will be highlighted in red and enabled for editing
- You can also modify your post preferences at this stage
- If you disagree with the change asked by the Controlling Authority, meet them in person before resubmitting
- If the application is not resubmitted correctly within the deadline, discrepancies may lead to rejection
- Even if you do not correct a flagged field, an alert appears but you can still resubmit — so be careful
Keep checking the “My Applications” page regularly till the exam date. This responsibility is on the candidate.
Admit Card / Hall Ticket Download
- Go to My Applications → Admit Card column
- Click View to download
- The View button gets enabled only after your Circle completes the hall ticket generation process
- Available from 22.09.2026, 5:30 PM
Technical Support
- First check Self Service → Employee Profile View & Raise request → View employee profile. Application data is fetched from PIS and MDM, so any wrong detail must be corrected there first.
- For unresolved employee/office issues, raise a ticket at the Support Desk (APT 2.02)
- Circles, Regions, Divisions and Units must keep Office Masters updated and Authority Mapping correct
- Report technical issues with a full screenshot and detailed description under Recruitment – CE and LDCE Module
- If the problem still persists, email CEPT at recruitment.cept@indiapost.gov.in during office hours
Points You Should Not Ignore
- Exam will be conducted at Circle Headquarters only. You cannot appear from another circle’s centre under any circumstances.
- Preference of all 23 circles is compulsory and cannot be changed later
- Paper-II must be written in Hindi or English only
- Books are not allowed in the exam
- The Competent Authority can cancel or modify this notification or schedule at any point of time
- Applicability of the Senior/Junior Clause is governed by Letter No. X-07/5/2025-SP-II-DOP dated 17.10.2025, circulated vide DE-12/3/2025-DE-DOP-Part (1) dated 21.10.2025 and Letter No. X-07/5/2025-SPN-II-DOP dated 28.10.2025
Preparation Tips (Simple and Practical)
You have around six weeks. Use them well.
- Start with Paper-III’s high-scoring parts — Constitution, RTI, CCS Rules, FR/SR. These are 300 marks and easier to revise.
- Paper-I is manual-heavy. Divide Postal Manuals Volume II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII across weeks. Do not try to finish everything in one go.
- Savings Bank is the deciding subject. POSB Manual Volume I, II & III plus SB Orders carry a lot of weight. Revise scheme rules with the exact limits and interest rules.
- Paper-II is where most people lose marks. Practice at least 15 notings, 15 draftings and 10 charge sheets by hand. Writing speed matters — you get only one hour.
- Cut-off date discipline. Only circulars up to 31 December of the preceding year are in the syllabus. Do not waste time on later ones except for Annual Report and Book of Information.
- Solve previous year question papers. Nothing tells you the pattern better than the actual papers.
- Take mock tests weekly. 125 questions in 150 minutes and 150 questions in 180 minutes needs practice, not just knowledge.
- Remember the qualifying rule. You must clear each paper separately AND the overall average. Do not leave any paper weak.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I apply if there is no IP vacancy in my circle? Yes. Vacancies are at All India level and all eligible feeder grade officials from all circles can appear.
Q. What is the crucial date for service and age? 01.01.2026.
Q. Is 8 years of service compulsory? Yes, 8 years of regular qualifying service as on the crucial date.
Q. Can I change my circle preference after submitting? No. Preference once exercised is final.
Q. Where do I write the exam? At your own Circle Headquarters only.
Q. Can I write Paper-II in a regional language? No. Only Hindi or English. Other languages will be summarily rejected.
Q. I am on deputation in APS. From where will I appear? From the exam centre of your parent Civil Circle.
Related Guides on Our Website
If you are preparing for other India Post departmental promotion exams, these will help you:
- GDS to MTS Departmental Exam — Syllabus, Notification and Online Classes
- GDS to MTS Previous Year Question Papers PDF and Mock Test
- GDS to MTS Eligibility Criteria, Selection Process and Salary
- GDS to Postman / Mail Guard Coaching, Syllabus and Study Material
- MTS to PA Departmental Exam — Online Classes, Question Paper and Result
- Postman to PA Online Classes, Syllabus and Practice Set
- Postal Assistant (PA/SA) Exam Preparation and Question Bank
- India Post Previous Year Question Papers, Mock Tests and Current Affairs
- Circle-wise updates: Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Assam and West Bengal Circle
Final Word
The window is short. Applications open on 21 August 2026 and close on 5 September 2026. Do not wait for the last day — the portal gets heavy and any PIS data error takes days to fix. Apply early, get your Controlling Authority verification done, and use the remaining weeks purely for study.
All the best. Your promotion is 27 seats away, but it is also just 600 marks of honest preparation away.