1. Overview

The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications has released Notification No. 17-12/2026-GDS dated 20th August 2026 inviting online applications for engagement as Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) – Branch Postmaster (BPM), Assistant Branch Postmaster (ABPM) and Dak Sevak – across postal circles and divisions. Interested and eligible candidates can register and apply online on the official GDS engagement portal.

2. Important Dates

Source: Notification No. 17-12/2026-GDS, Department of Posts

3. Vacancy Details

The notification states that the tentative vacant posts in each Circle/Division are given in Annexure-I, and that the division-wise vacancy position will be made available on the GDS online engagement portal. Reservation is provided across categories – Unreserved (UR), OBC, SC, ST, EWS (10%) and PwBD (four sub-categories at 1% each: Low Vision; Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Orthopaedically Handicapped/Locomotor Disability/Leprosy Cured/Dwarfism/Acid Attack Victims/Blindness/Spinal deformity; Learning Disability/Intellectual Disability, with Multiple Disabilities also at 1%). Candidates should check the exact circle/division-wise vacancy count on the official portal before applying.

4. Eligibility Criteria

Age Limit

Minimum 18 years and maximum 40 years. Age relaxation is admissible to reserved categories as per government rules, up to a maximum of 15 years for PwBD candidates belonging to SC/ST categories.

Educational Qualification

Candidates must hold a Secondary School Examination (SSE)/10th standard pass certificate with passing marks in Mathematics and English, from a recognised Board. Candidates must also have studied the local language up to 10th standard.

Other Requirements

Basic computer knowledge, ability to ride a cycle, and adequate means of livelihood/additional income source, as prescribed in the notification.

5. Application Fee

Source: Notification No. 17-12/2026-GDS, Department of Posts

6. How to Apply

Eligible candidates need to apply online in two stages through the official portal indiapost.gov.in/gdsonlineengagement:

1. Register on the portal during the registration window (31 August – 19 September 2026).
2. Fill and submit the online application form during the application submission window (2 – 21 September 2026, up to 17:00 hrs), upload the required documents, and pay the applicable fee online (if not exempted).
3. Use the correction window (23 – 24 September 2026) to fix any errors in the submitted application, if required.
4. Download/save a copy of the submitted application for future reference.

7. Selection Process

Selection is made purely on merit, based on the marks obtained in the Secondary School Examination (10th standard), converted to a percentage calculated up to 4 decimal places. No separate written test or interview is conducted. In case of a tie in merit percentage, prioritised demographic criteria (as laid down in the notification) are applied for tie-breaking.

Shortlisted candidates are required to submit original documents (marksheet, identity proof, relevant category certificates such as caste/PwBD/EWS certificates, medical fitness certificate, and local language proficiency certificate where applicable) for verification. Physical document verification must be completed within 15 days of shortlisting, and candidates get a 30-day window to complete pre-engagement formalities after selection. Candidates dismissed/removed from government service earlier are not eligible to apply.

Important Links

8. FAQs