The Indian Postal Service is more than 150 years old, responsible for making India the largest postal network around the globe by offering services starting from the traditional postal services to e-commerce, and banking services. Various non-commercial services, for instance, MGNREGA wages and old-age pension disbursement, etc., are also offered by the Indian postal service. From delivering mail at the right time to accepting deposits as well as offering retail services such as form sales and bill collection, all types of services are successfully provided across the country. 

History of the Indian Postal Service

World Postal Day is celebrated on the 9th of October with the purpose of highlighting the functions and the importance of postal services. In the history of the Indian postal service, there were stories of 10 paisa postcards along with yellow envelopes, money orders, and telegraphs. 

All About the Indian postal service- Its Features

The Indian Postal service needs to manage a lot of duties and responsibilities. Its various functions are as follows:

•     To manage various divisions and monitor the postal services.
•     To look after mail administration in every post office division.
•     To expand and optimise postal network planning in all divisions.
•     To manage finances, technology, and materials.
•     Also, one of the important features of the Indian postal service is to do marketing, for example, insurance and banking.
•     To coordinate with other government agencies like district administration and the police force.

Essential items viewed on the website of the Indian postal service (IPoS)

• Locate post office, find pin code
• Postal schemes Ads
• Calculate postage
• Trace and track
• Stamps buying
• Postal life insurance
• News related to schemes
• Postal Savings
• Postal Life Insurance
• Helpline Number

Basic Grades and Pay Scales of Indian postal service (IPoS)

Aspirants who want to pursue jobs in the Indian postal service (IPos) must appear for the Civil Services examination. After clearing UPSC and being selected for IPoS, candidates can start their career as Senior Superintendents of Railway Mail Services (SSRM) or Senior Superintendents of Post Office (SSPO). The officers for the IPoS posts are also selected after being promoted from the ‘Group B’ officer’s post. The basic grades and pay scales of the Indian postal service (IPoS) are as follows:

Training Period in Indian Postal Service

Training of Probationers in the Indian Postal Service is conducted in two stages:

Stage 1: Foundation course at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy(SVPNA), Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration(LBSNAA), and National Academy of Direct Taxes. All these trainings are based on the orders of the Department of Personnel and Training.

Stage 2: Training for professionals in administration and management of postal services RAKNPA (Rafi Ahmed Kidwai National Postal Academy).

Different Roles of the Indian Postal Service

The different roles of the officers of the Indian Postal Service are the following:

•     The junior IPoS officers can work as Senior Superintendent of Post Offices.
•     The junior IPoS officers can also work as Superintendent of Railway Mail Service.
•     The cadre officers of IPoS can work as the Director-General of Posts.
•     The cadre officers of IPoS can also work as Postmaster General at the head of post offices.
•     The IPoS officers posted in the field can serve as Additional Postmaster General or Chief Postmaster.
•     The IPoS officers are also allotted as the Chairman of the Postal Services Board.
•     Lastly, a Senior IPoS officer can serve as a Secretary of the Government of India.

Conclusion

In conclusion it is fair to say that the Indian postal service is helping the country succeed in socio-economic and communicational development. Even today the postal service is considered the best in the public sector.