Postal Directorate Meeting on 03.11.2026: P3 and Supervisor Associations Strongly Oppose HO Rationalisation, SO Closures and Proposed Cadre Merger

Postal Directorate Meeting on 03.11.2026: P3 and Supervisor Associations Strongly Oppose HO Rationalisation, SO Closures and Cadre Merger

New Delhi, 3 November 2026: An important meeting was held at the Postal Directorate on 3 November 2026 to discuss two major issues concerning the future of the postal network and the service conditions of postal employees:

1. Rationalisation of Head Offices (HOs) and Sub Offices (SOs).
2. Proposed merger of the cadres of Postal Assistants (PA – CO/RO), Sorting Assistants (SA) and Postal Assistants (PA – PO).

The meeting was chaired by the Member (Personnel) and DDG (Establishment). The Secretary, Department of Posts, also joined the meeting towards the end.

Representatives of Staff Side

The following representatives participated in the meeting:

• Comrade Naresh Gupta, General Secretary, P3, NFPE.
• Comrade Indrajit Pandey, Deputy General Secretary, P3.
• Comrade Vinay Joshi, General Secretary, Postal Supervisors Association.
• Comrade Senthil Kumar, Assistant General Secretary of both P3 and Postal Supervisors Association.

The staff-side representatives strongly placed their reservations and objections before the Department regarding the proposed changes.

1. Rationalisation of Head Offices – No Justification for Reduction

The Department explained its proposal to rationalise the existing number of Head Offices and Sub Offices.

The staff side strongly expressed its reservations and argued that there was no compelling justification for reducing the existing number of Head Offices.

The representatives highlighted the following facts:

• There are 746 districts and 810 Head Offices in the country.
• Even if the proposed norm of "One District – One Head Post Office" is implemented, only 41 Head Offices would be in excess.
• If the norm of 25 Sub Offices per Head Office is applied and Sub Offices are distributed rationally, all existing Head Offices can be retained.

Therefore, the staff side questioned the need to reduce or downgrade any existing Head Office.

The representatives also strongly objected to the Department's argument that recurring administrative work relating to the preparation of Last Pay Certificates (LPCs) for transferring officials in Head Offices was a reason for rationalisation.

They maintained that such a minor administrative consideration cannot justify the reduction of an important postal establishment.

2. Online Establishment Review – Actual Workload Must Be Considered

Regarding the proposed Online Establishment Review, the staff side pointed out that several manual activities performed by postal employees are not captured in the APT 2.0 system.

Consequently, any establishment review based solely on APT 2.0 data would not present the actual workload and manpower requirements of different offices.

The representatives stressed that all manual activities, operational responsibilities and ground-level requirements must be considered before arriving at any decision on establishment strength.

The DDG (Establishment) advised all associations to submit their detailed suggestions and objections in writing to the Directorate.

3. Proposed Closure of Sub Offices – Staff Side Raises Concerns

The Department also explained its proposal to close Sub Offices based on the following criteria:

• Sub Offices not generating revenue.
• Sub Offices located within a distance of 2 km in urban areas.
• Sub Offices located within a distance of 3 km in rural areas.

The staff side expressed serious concerns over these proposed criteria.

It was emphasised that the importance of a Post Office cannot be determined merely by its revenue generation or geographical distance from another Post Office.

Post Offices provide essential public services, particularly to rural and remote populations. Their social responsibilities and public-service obligations must also be taken into consideration before proposing any closure.

4. Proposed Merger of PA (CO/RO), SA and PA (PO) Cadres – Strong Objections

The proposed merger of the cadres of PA (CO/RO), Sorting Assistant (SA) and PA (PO) was another major agenda item.

The staff-side representatives strongly objected to the proposal and raised concerns regarding its implications for the existing cadre structure and the service interests of employees.

The Department's primary justification for considering the merger was reportedly that RMS officials were reluctant to accept LSG and HSG promotions due to the fear of transfers.

The staff side strongly questioned this reasoning.

It was maintained that genuine problems relating to promotions and transfers should be resolved through appropriate administrative measures rather than by merging established cadres.

Any such restructuring must not adversely affect the cadre identity, promotional avenues, seniority and career progression of employees.

5. Meeting Concludes with Appeal for Written Suggestions

The meeting concluded with the Member (Personnel) appealing to the staff-side representatives to submit their detailed suggestions and views on the proposals to the Directorate.

The associations are expected to place their objections and recommendations in writing so that the concerns of employees can be formally considered by the Department.

Message to the Postal Fraternity

The proposed rationalisation of Head Offices and Sub Offices and the merger of existing cadres are important issues that may have far-reaching consequences for postal employees and the functioning of the Department.

The staff side has strongly conveyed its reservations and made it clear that administrative restructuring should not become a reason for weakening the existing postal network or adversely affecting the legitimate service interests of employees.

Unity, collective representation and constructive engagement are essential to safeguard the postal network, protect cadre identity and preserve the promotional avenues and service conditions of postal employees.

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