Published on: 13 August 2026 Category: India Post Departmental Exam | MTS to PA | Postman to PA | GDS to PA | Latest News
Big Update for Maharashtra Circle Candidates 🎉
The Maharashtra Postal Circle has released the list of candidates shortlisted for the Data Entry Skill Test (DEST).
This is for the LDCE / CE for promotion and recruitment to the cadre of Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant (PA/SA) from Postman, Mail Guard, MTS and GDS, for the exam that was held on 28.06.2026.
If you appeared in the MTS to PA Departmental Exam, Postman to PA Departmental Exam or the GDS to PA Competitive Examination in Maharashtra Circle, please read this page carefully. Your DEST date is very close.
⚠️ Most Important – DEST Date Is 16.08.2026
The Competent Authority has approved conducting the Data Entry Skill Test on 16.08.2026.
Today is 13 August 2026. That means you have only 3 days left. Do not waste time. Check your name in the list, contact your division office for the venue and reporting time, and start typing practice immediately.
Quick Summary (Read This First)
- Circle: Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai – 400 001
- Issued By: Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle
- Letter No.: ADR/2-16/LGO/2026 (II)
- Letter Date: 11.08.2026
- Signed By: Akshata V. Kavathankar, Assistant Director of Postal Services (Recruitment)
- Exam Name: LDCE / CE for PA / SA
- Eligible Feeder Cadres: Postman, Mail Guard, MTS and GDS
- Written Exam Date: 28.06.2026
- DEST Date: 16.08.2026
- Vacancy Year: 2026
- Notification Reference: Dated 11.05.2026
- Shortlisting Ratio: 3 times the notified vacancies
- Basis of Shortlisting: Marks obtained in Paper-I
Who Has Received This Letter?
The circle office has issued this communication to:
- The PMGs – Aurangabad / Goa / Mumbai / Nagpur / Navi Mumbai / Pune
- The Director, Mumbai G.P.O., Mumbai – 400001
- The APMG (Staff), Circle Office, Mumbai – 400001
- All SSPOs / SPOs in Maharashtra Circle
- All SSRM / SRM in Maharashtra Circle
- The Sr. Manager / Manager, MMS Mumbai / Pune / Nagpur / RLO
- The Supdt., Postal Stores Depot, Nasik / Kolhapur / Nagpur / Mumbai
- ADPS (A&V), Foreign Post, Ballard Estate, Mumbai – 400001
So your own division office already has this list. If you have any doubt, contact them directly.
Three Separate Lists Have Been Released
The circle has attached three annexures. Please check the correct one for your case.
| Annexure | Who It Is For | Total Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| Annexure – I | Category A of LDCE from Postman / Mail Guard / MTS for promotion to PA/SA | 905 |
| Annexure – II | Category B of LDCE from Postman / Mail Guard / MTS for promotion to PA/SA | 3 |
| Annexure – III | GDS Category of Competitive Examination for recruitment to PA/SA | 4 |
Total shortlisted candidates for DEST: 912
Annexure I – Category A Region-Wise Breakdown (905 Candidates)
This is the biggest list. Here is how the 905 shortlisted candidates are spread across regions and units, so you can quickly find your section.
| Sl. No. Range | Region / Unit | Approx. Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – 2 | Central Sorting | 2 |
| 3 – 85 | CSN (Beed, Bhusawal, CSN, Dharashiv, Dhule, Jalgaon, Latur, Nanded, Parbhani, RMS L Dn Bhusawal) | 83 |
| 86 – 121 | Goa (Goa, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Sindhudurg) | 36 |
| 122 – 123 | MMS Mumbai | 2 |
| 124 – 558 | Mumbai (Mumbai East, Mumbai GPO, Mumbai North, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North West, Mumbai South, Mumbai West) | 435 |
| 559 – 566 | Mumbai Sorting Division | 8 |
| 567 – 691 | Nagpur (Akola, Amravati, Buldana, Chandrapur, MMS Nagpur, Nagpur City, Nagpur MFL, RMS ‘F’ Dn, RO Nagpur, Wardha, Yavatmal) | 125 |
| 692 – 826 | Navi Mumbai (Malegaon, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad, Thane) | 135 |
| 827 – 905 | Pune (Ahilyanagar, Baramati, Karad, MMS Pune, Pandharpur, Pune City East, Pune City West, Pune MFL, RMS B Pune, Satara, Shrirampur, Solapur) | 79 |
Roll number series to help you search faster:
- Mumbai Region – 111xxxxx series
- Navi Mumbai Region – 112xxxxx series
- Mumbai Sorting / MMS / Central Sorting – 113xxxxx series
- Goa Region – 114xxxxx series
- Pune Region – 115xxxxx series
- CSN Region – 116xxxxx series
- Nagpur Region – 117xxxxx series
- GDS Category (Annexure III) – 22xxxxxx series
Annexure II – Category B (LDCE) Shortlisted Candidates
Only 3 candidates have been shortlisted under Category B. All three are MTS with HH sub-category.
| Sl. | Region | Division | Candidate Name | Roll Number | Category | Sub-Cat | Designation | Shortlisted As |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nagpur | RMS ‘F’ Dn | Shweta C Akarte | 11745082 | UR | HH | MTS | As UR – HH |
| 2 | CSN | CSN | Shyam Shivaji Thorat | 11628098 | UR | HH | MTS | As UR – HH |
| 3 | CSN | RMS L Dn Bhusawal | Santosh Sahebrao Jadhav | 11636042 | SC | HH | MTS | As SC – HH |
Annexure III – GDS Category Shortlisted Candidates
Under the GDS to PA/SA Competitive Examination, 4 candidates have been shortlisted for DEST.
| Sl. | Region | Division | Candidate Name | Roll No. | Post Held | Category | Sub-Cat | Shortlisted As |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai | Mumbai GPO | Sairam Madan Jadhao | 22101002 | Dak Sevak | OBC | HH | As UR – HH |
| 2 | CSN | CSN | Shailesh Bhagnath Sasane | 22628007 | BPM | OBC | HH | As UR – HH |
| 3 | Navi Mumbai | Malegaon | Nikhil Ashok Patil | 22212010 | ABPM | OBC | HH | As UR – HH |
| 4 | CSN | RMS L Dn Bhusawal | Ashwini Dilip Hatte | 22636013 | ABPM | UR | HH | As UR – HH |
Congratulations to all four GDS candidates. This is a big step from GDS to Postal Assistant.
Very Important Conditions – Please Read Carefully
The circle office has clearly mentioned two points that every candidate must understand:
1. The list is provisional. Candidates are shown as qualified as per marks obtained in Paper-I and subject to fulfilling the applicable qualifying criteria. If it is later found that a candidate is not eligible, his or her name will be removed from the qualifying list.
So being in this list is not a final selection. It only means you are allowed to sit for DEST.
2. Special arrangement for Mumbai units. DEST of candidates of CO, Foreign Post, MMS Mumbai and RMS Divisions in Mumbai will be conducted by Mumbai Region. If you belong to any of these units, contact Mumbai Region for your venue details.
How to Check Your Name in the DEST List
Follow these simple steps:
- Download the official PDF from the India Post website or get it from your division office.
- Open Annexure-I if you are a Postman / Mail Guard / MTS under Category A.
- Open Annexure-II if you are under Category B (HH sub-category).
- Open Annexure-III if you are a GDS / BPM / ABPM / Dak Sevak.
- Press Ctrl + F on a computer, or use the search option in your mobile PDF reader.
- Search by your roll number, not by your name. Names sometimes have spelling variations, roll numbers never do.
- Match your region, division, category and designation in the same row.
- Take a screenshot and save it for your record.
What Is DEST and How Should You Prepare in 3 Days?
DEST stands for Data Entry Skill Test. It is a typing and data entry test conducted on a computer. This is the stage where many good candidates lose out, simply because they only prepared for the written paper.
Quick tips for the final days:
- Practise typing on a normal desktop keyboard, not on a mobile phone.
- Focus on accuracy first, then speed. Wrong entries hurt more than slow typing.
- Practise typing numbers, addresses, PIN codes and names, as this is the usual pattern of postal data entry.
- Do at least 3 to 4 practice sessions of 15 to 20 minutes each per day.
- Sit with correct posture and use all fingers. Two-finger typing will slow you down badly.
- Reach the venue early with your admit card / call letter, photo ID and one passport photo.
- Confirm the exact venue, date and reporting time from your division office today itself.
What Happens After DEST?
Here is the usual sequence in India Post departmental exams:
- Written exam held ✅ (28.06.2026)
- Paper-I based shortlisting for DEST ✅ (this stage is done)
- DEST on 16.08.2026
- DEST result and eligibility verification
- Final merit list / select list preparation, region-wise and category-wise
- Document verification
- Posting and appointment orders as Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant
Keep visiting this page for the Maharashtra Circle PA SA Result 2026 and MTS to PA Result 2026 updates.
Why the PA / SA Departmental Exam Is Worth the Effort
For Postman, Mail Guard, MTS and GDS employees, moving up to Postal Assistant / Sorting Assistant is one of the biggest career upgrades inside India Post.
- Higher pay level and better MTS to PA Salary and Postman to PA Salary compared to the feeder cadre
- Office-based work profile instead of field duty
- Better allowances, increments and long-term promotion scope
- Opens the path to LSG, HSG-II, HSG-I and further supervisory posts
That is exactly why serious MTS to PA Preparation and Postman to PA Preparation with the right study material and regular mock tests makes such a big difference.
Preparing for the Next Departmental Exam Cycle?
If you missed the cut this time, or if you are planning for the next vacancy year, start now instead of waiting for the notification.
What to focus on:
- MTS to PA Syllabus and Postman to PA Syllabus – understand the full exam pattern first
- MTS to PA Previous Year Question Papers and Postman to PA Question Paper sets
- GDS to MTS Previous Year Question Papers and GDS to Postman Question Paper for lower-level exams
- Postal Assistant Previous Year Question Papers and full-length practice sets
- Postal Manual Volume-V, IPO rules, departmental circulars and accounts portion
- Daily India Post Quiz, India Post GK and India Post Current Affairs
- Regular DEST typing practice from day one, not at the last moment
Online support we provide:
- MTS to PA Online Classes and Postman to PA Online Classes
- GDS to MTS Online Classes and GDS to Postman Online Classes
- PA SA Coaching with live and recorded batches
- Complete question bank, practice sets and India Post Mock Tests with all-India ranking
- Syllabus PDF and Previous Year Papers PDF downloads
We help candidates from every circle – Maharashtra Circle, Delhi Circle, Punjab Circle, Haryana Circle, Rajasthan Circle, Uttar Pradesh Circle, Bihar Circle, Madhya Pradesh Circle, Gujarat Circle, Tamil Nadu Circle, Karnataka Circle, Kerala Circle, Odisha Circle, Assam Circle, West Bengal Circle and Andhra Pradesh Circle.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. When is the Maharashtra Circle DEST 2026? The Data Entry Skill Test will be conducted on 16.08.2026.
Q2. On what basis was the shortlist prepared? Candidates were shortlisted on the basis of marks obtained in Paper-I, at three times the notified vacancies, as per the notification dated 11.05.2026.
Q3. Does my name in the list mean I am selected? No. The shortlist is provisional and subject to fulfilling the applicable qualifying criteria. If a candidate is found ineligible later, the name will be removed.
Q4. How many candidates have been shortlisted in total? 905 under Category A, 3 under Category B, and 4 under the GDS Category – a total of 912 candidates.
Q5. Where will my DEST be held? Your region will conduct it. For candidates of CO, Foreign Post, MMS Mumbai and RMS Divisions in Mumbai, the DEST will be conducted by Mumbai Region. Confirm the exact venue from your division office.
Q6. Which exam is this shortlist for? The LDCE / CE for promotion and recruitment to the cadre of PA/SA from Postman, Mail Guard, MTS and GDS, held on 28.06.2026.
Q7. What should I carry to the DEST centre? Your call letter or admit card, a valid photo ID proof and a passport-size photograph. Confirm the exact requirement with your division.
Q8. When will the final result be declared? No date has been announced yet. It usually follows a few weeks after DEST. Keep checking this page for updates.
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