The Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan has circulated a proposal that could change the daily working life of every Gramin Dak Sevak in the country.
Under F. No. 40-28/2026-Plg dated 18.08.2026, the Directorate has asked all Chief Postmasters General to give their comments on a report proposing that Branch Offices be made completely paperless under IT 2.0.
The report suggests discontinuing 18 manual records and journals, plus around a dozen more registers maintained under other instructions. Comments are due by 25 August 2026.
If you work at a BO, this is the most important circular of the month.
Order at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi |
| File No. | 40-28/2026-Plg |
| Dated | 18-08-2026 |
| Addressed to | All CPMsG |
| Subject | Comments/inputs on the Report/Proposal to make Branch Office functioning paperless |
| Committee constituted vide | Directorate Memo No. Y-38/2/2026-PE dated 16.07.2026 |
| Deadline for comments | 25-08-2026 (one week) |
| Signed by | ADG (PE-I) |
| Copy to | CGM (PLI), DDG (FS/MO/PO) |
Why This Proposal Was Moved
The Directorate has stated the problem plainly.
IT 2.0 has been successfully implemented across Branch Post Offices, Sub Post Offices and Head Post Offices. BOs now have handheld devices and internet connectivity, allowing real-time transaction processing and electronic data transmission.
But despite full computerisation, Branch Offices are still maintaining manual records and registers.
The letter identifies exactly what that costs:
- Duplication of work — the same entry made twice, once in the device and once in a book
- Increased workload on Gramin Dak Sevaks
- Higher stationery consumption
- Reduced productivity
Any BPM or ABPM reading this will recognise the problem immediately. You already record a transaction on the device, then write it again in a journal that nobody reads until inspection.
The 18 Manual Records Proposed for Discontinuation
| SL | Record | Proposed method |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SB 26 Receipt Book | Thermal printers already at all BOs. System-generated SB 26 receipt via DREAM App at account opening; may also go into the BO inspection module |
| 2 | SB 28 Receipt Book | Same approach — system-generated receipt through DREAM App |
| 3 | BO Journal | Generate in APT 2.0 for any date, showing the name of the BPM who made the entries; manual journal then disabled |
| 4 | BO Account (PA 6) | Generate in APT 2.0 for any date with BPM name; manual account disabled |
| 5 | BO SB Journal | BO LOT already available in Finacle; enable required reports and discontinue the journal |
| 6 | BO RD Journal | Same — through Finacle BO LOT |
| 7 | BO SSA Journal | Same — through Finacle BO LOT |
| 8 | BO TD Journal | Same — through Finacle BO LOT |
| 9 | BO PLI and RPLI Journal | Daily report to be generated through McCamish / IMS |
| 10 | Postmen Book | Delivery Slip is already sent from the Account Office daily, so the book is not needed |
| 11 | Visit Book | DSS App to capture details of the headman met by the ABPM during village visits |
| 12 | Specimen Signature Book | Specimen signature already displayed in DREAM App and eKYC possible; noted as a fraud-prone record, so the manual book can go |
| 13 | Complaint and Suggestion Book (MS-94) | Customers can already register complaints on the Dak Sewa App; a grievance management solution may be built into the BO inspection module |
| 14 | Book of Postmarks | Image capture of daily postmarks with an AI-based check that raises alerts for maintenance — to be built in DREAM App with the inspection module |
| 15 | Stock Register | An assets management solution for BOs, with one-time entry of stock items and additions or deductions made by the SDH |
| 16 | PLI/RPLI Proposal Register | BO-wise policy report in McCamish, similar to the SOL-wise report already in Finacle |
| 17 | BO Daily Account | System-generated BODA already available, so the manual version can be discontinued |
| 18 | SB/RD/TD/SSA Pass Books and PLI/RPLI PRBs | No discontinuation for now. Paperless passbooks may be examined later, on the lines of IPPB |
Note point 18 carefully — passbooks are not being discontinued. That is the one item the report has kept aside.
Other Registers Also Proposed for Removal
Beyond the numbered list, the report covers several more registers:
- Order Book (MS-8) — can go once inspections are fully digital under the BO inspection module
- Error Book (MS-2) — can go after an Error Book Management Solution is developed
- Manual Cheque Register — cheque details to be captured as part of the transaction in DREAM App
- Village Visit Book (MS-86) — BO geo-coding is already in place; village visit points can be captured through geo-codes, with the system generating the visited-village record and raising alerts for delays or non-visits
- Village Sorting List — to be uploaded to the system and made available in the BO Profile; the pasted copy stays in the BO and is verified by photo capture during the Mail Overseer visit
- Beat Map / Route List — same approach as the sorting list
- Half-Yearly Enumeration Returns (MS-6) — to be automated as part of the Establishment Review module
- QR Cards Stock Book — the system already has inventory and stock issue provisions; these should be operationalised
- BO Business Register — a new report to be enabled and the register discontinued
Records maintained under Circle instructions:
- Hand-to-hand book for conveyance of BO bag — not required now that beats are mechanised and bags are captured at despatch and receipt
- Old record disposal register — to be folded into the assets management solution
What This Means for GDS, BPMs and ABPMs
Being honest about it: if implemented, this is one of the most meaningful workload reductions proposed for BO staff in years.
What gets better
- No more writing the same entry twice
- Journals, BO Account and BODA generated from the system instead of by hand
- Far less time spent on record-keeping at closing time
- Lower stationery burden on the BO
- The specimen signature book — a genuine fraud risk point — replaced by DREAM App display and eKYC
What to be realistic about
- This is a proposal at the comments stage, not an implemented order. Nothing changes at your BO today.
- Each item depends on a software provision being built — in DREAM App, APT 2.0, Finacle, McCamish or DSS. Development takes time.
- Passbooks and PRBs continue as they are.
- More system dependency means connectivity and device uptime matter more than before.
What you can do
If you have a practical view on any of these records — say, why a particular journal is still needed, or a problem the proposed method would create in the field — raise it through your Divisional Head or service union before 25 August. The Directorate has specifically asked for comments. Field input at this stage genuinely shapes what gets implemented.
Why Departmental Exam Aspirants Should Read This
Candidates preparing for GDS to MTS, GDS to Postman / Mail Guard and MTS to PA promotion exams should note this circular carefully.
- Questions on BO records — BO Journal, BO Daily Account, MS-94, MS-86, MS-8, MS-2, SB-26 and SB-28 — appear regularly in departmental knowledge papers.
- This one circular gives you a complete named list of BO registers with their form numbers. That is a ready-made revision sheet.
- IT 2.0, DREAM App, APT 2.0, Finacle, McCamish, DSS App and Dak Sewa App are all current-affairs-worthy terms for interviews and departmental papers.
- IPO exam candidates may see this in noting and drafting questions — a proposal circular asking for circle comments is exactly the kind of file that gets set as a drafting question.
Make a one-page note: register name, form number, and what replaces it. That single page covers a lot of syllabus.
Key Terms Explained
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| IT 2.0 | The Department’s second-generation IT platform, now implemented across BOs, SOs and HOs |
| DREAM App | The handheld device application used by BPMs for BO transactions |
| APT 2.0 | Accounting and postal transaction platform used for BO Journal and BO Account generation |
| Finacle | Core banking software used for POSB accounts; BO LOT reports are generated here |
| McCamish / IMS | The insurance platform for PLI and RPLI |
| DSS App | Used for delivery and village visit related capture |
| BODA | BO Daily Account |
| LOT | Long Outstanding Transaction / ledger report generated from Finacle |
| SDH | Sub Divisional Head |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Have manual registers at BOs been discontinued? No. This is a proposal circulated for comments. Nothing is discontinued until a formal order is issued.
Q. What is the deadline for circles to respond? 25 August 2026 — one week from the date of the letter.
Q. Will passbooks also be discontinued? No. The report specifically keeps SB/RD/TD/SSA passbooks and PLI/RPLI PRBs as they are for now, though paperless passbooks may be examined later on the lines of IPPB.
Q. How many records are proposed for discontinuation? 18 listed records, plus around ten other registers including MS-8, MS-2, MS-86 and MS-6, and two records maintained under Circle instructions.
Q. Who set up the committee behind this report? The committee was constituted vide Directorate Memo No. Y-38/2/2026-PE dated 16.07.2026.
Q. How will the Book of Postmarks be replaced? Through daily image capture of postmarks in DREAM App, with an AI-based check that raises alerts when a postmark needs maintenance.
Q. Can field staff give suggestions on this? The letter asks CPMsG for comments. Field staff should route their views through the Divisional Head or their service union before the deadline.
Final Word
For years, GDS have been asked to do the work twice — once on the device, once in the register. This proposal finally acknowledges that in writing, in the Directorate’s own words.
Whether it becomes reality depends on what the circles say by 25 August and on how quickly the software provisions get built. But the direction is clear, and it is the right one.
Keep an eye out for the follow-up order.