Clarification on Department of Posts Postman and Mail Guard (Group ‘C’) Recruitment Rules, 2018.

Clarification on Department of Posts Postman and Mail Guard (Group ‘C’) Recruitment Rules, 2018.

F.No. 03-03/2019-SPN-I

Ministry of Communications 

Department of Posts

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg, 

New Delhi – 110001

June 19, 2019

To,

1) All Chief Postmasters General/ Postmasters General

2) Chief General Manager, BD Directorate/ Parcel Directorate/ PLI Directorate

3) Director, RAKNPA I GM, CEPT I Directors of all PTCs

4) Addl. Director General, Army Postal Service, New Delhi

Madam / Sir,

I am directed to refer to Department of Posts Postman and Mail Guard (Group ‘C’) Recruitment Rules (RRs), 2018 notified on 20.09.2018 which superseded Department of Posts (Postman and Mail Guard) Recruitment Rules, 2010. In this regard, a few Circles have sought clarification on certain points, which are clarified as under:-

Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka: Whether the educational and other qualifications (Knowledge of computer Language and possessing valid driving license of two-wheeler) required for direct recruits detailed in column 7 of RRs of Postman/Mail Guard is applicable for GDS candidates (direct recruitment).

Andhra Pradesh: Whether the candidates having two wheeler license only should be allowed for examination/ selection OR can license be obtained afterwards. 

Provisions of Column 7 of Postman/ Mail Guard RRs have been relaxed for existing GDS (who have been engaged prior to notification of new RRs) as per letter no. 03-02/2019-SPN-I dated 26.03.2019. Following relaxations have been provided to the GDS candidates:

a) GDS with 10th standard pass shall be allowed to appear in the competitive examination, if otherwise found fit;

b) GDS without license to drive two wheeler or light motor vehicle shall also be allowed to appear in the competitive examination. However, a candidate not having valid driving license at the time of appointment shall not earn periodical increment in pay till production of such license or for a period of five years from the date of appointment whichever is earlier and after production of such license or expiry of such five years period, pay shall be restored prospectively to the level pay would have reached had the periodical increment in pay was not withheld and no arrears of pay shall be paid for the intervening period.

Andhra Pradesh: Procedure to be followed for testing the knowledge of computer. 

Syllabus and pattern of LDCE examination has been revised as per Directorate’s letter no. 17-08/2018- SPB-I dated 10.05.2019.

Andhra Pradesh: Keeping m view, work involved and time sensitivity for conducting separate examinations for filling the vacancies of Postman / Mailguard among both MTS and GDS, whether a common examination may be conducted for filling the postman / mailguard vacancies by both MTS and GDS. 

A common examination may be held across the Circle for filling up of vacancies of Postman/ Mailguard from both MTS and GDS.

Seeking Option from Candidate

1. At the time of inviting application for appearing in examination, candidates may be asked to exercise order of preference for Recruiting Units (All Divisions).
2. The candidates belonging to postal divisions shall indicate order of preference for postal divisions excluding parent division (s) followed by RMS divisions.
3. The candidates belonging to RMS divisions shall indicate order of preference for RMS divisions excluding parent division (s) followed by postal divisions.
4. It should be clarified that candidates should exercise preference for all Recruiting Units for consideration. In case preference is exercised for a limited number of units and could not be allocated to one of those units as per merit vis a vis vacancy in the category he/ she belongs to, he/ she will not be considered for other recruiting units not preferred even though a candidate lower m rank to him/ her is considered who has opted for that unit.
5. Order of preference once exercised shall not be changed.

Preparation of Merit List and allocation of Division

1. At first, two merit lists for each division/recruiting unit shall be prepared for Qualified candidates
   (i) One of MTS candidates, and
   (ii) One of GDS candidates.
2. Qualified candidates shall be allocated to their respective parent recruiting unit in the order of merit vis a vis category in which selected vis a vis availability of vacancy in the respective category (for the purpose of vertical I horizontal reservation).
3. After allocation of candidates to their respective Parent Unit (Postal Divisions I RMS Divisions), four separate merit lists for the entire Circle shall be prepared for all such candidates who could not be adjusted/ allocated against their Parent Unit (s), viz.
   (i) MTS of all Postal divisions
   (ii) MTS of all RMS divisions
   (iii) GDS of all Postal divisions
   (iv) GDS of all RMS divisions
4. A reserve category candidate selected against an unreserved vacancy on •own merit shall have choice to migrate to reserve category if by doing so he/she can be allocated to a Unit, which is higher in the order of preference exercised by him/her. Therefore, an undertaking to this effect shall be included m the application for appearing m examination.

Publication of Results

The Circle shall publish separate results for both Postman and Mailguard.

a) Postman: Division wise lists of candidates in order of merit who have been allocated to parent unit followed by list of surplus qualified candidates, who were not allocated to Parent Unit/ Division and allocated to other Recruiting Units/Divisions based on merit, shall be published for each division.

b) Mailguard: Division wise lists of candidates in order of merit who have been allocated to parent unit followed by list of surplus qualified candidates, who were not allocated to Parent Unit I Division and allocated to other Recruiting Units/Divisions based on merit, shall be published for each division.

4. Circle/ Issue –

Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka: The revised syllabi and pattern for LDCE for the cadre of Postman I Mailguard as per the educational qualification I.e. 12th standard, prescribed m the Revised Recruitment Rules of Postman I Mail Guard, 2018.

Clarification: 

Syllabus and pattern of LDCE examination has been revised as per Directorate’s letter no. 17-08/2018- SPB-I dated 10.05.2019.

5. Circle/ Issue –

Andhra Pradesh: Whether the DR vacancies of the year 2017-18 can be offered to GDS surplus qualified candidates as per the provisions of New RRs under Rules 10(iii)(b) & (c) OR these vacancies can be included in the vacancy position of 2018 to fill up as per new Recruitment Rules.

North East: Whether vacancy of Postman to be calculated from 01.04.2018 to date of publication of above said Gazette as per old RRs or as per new RRs. 

Telangana : Whether the DR vacancies of the year 2017-18 can be offered to GDS surplus qualified candidates as per the prov1s10ns of New RRs under Rules 10(iii)(b) & (c) OR these vacancies can be filled up by issuing open notification as per old Recruitment Rules.

Clarification: 

O.M No. AB.14017/13/2013-Estt.(RR)(1349) of Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT) states as under:-

“The legal position is that the posts are to be filled up as per – the eligibility conditions prescribed in the Recruitment Rules in force at the time of occurrence of vacancies unless the Recruitment Rules are amended retrospectively. The practice has however been to give effect to the Recruitment Rules prospectively.”

Further, clarification has already been issued vide letter number 37-10/2002-SPB-I dt. 14.11.2002 which states as follows-

“According to cannons of la w, the recruitment rules in force at the time of occurrence of vacancies whatsoever be the date of notification, should be followed. “ 

Accordingly , vacancies upto the vacancy year 2017 (April 2017 . March 2018) are required to be filled up as per the Postman and Mailguard, Recruitment Rules, 2010, and vacancies occurring in 2018 vacancy year (April – December 2018) and thereafter are required to be filled up as per Recruitment Rules of 2018 notified on 20.09.2018.

6. Circle/ Issue –

Haryana: As per old RRs of Postman/Mail Guard, 2010 service conditions for GDS is five years of regular service m the grade as on 1st April of the year. But in new RRs of PMJM:G, 2018, nothing has been mentioned about the service condition for GDS to apply for the post of PMJM:G.

Clarification: 

Point No. (iii) under column 10 of the Schedule of Department of Posts (Postman and Mailguard) Recruitment Rules, 2018 may be referred to in this regard. Only those GDS who have worked regularly for five years in that capacity as on the 1st day of January of the year to which the vacancy (ies) belongs are eligible.

Rajasthan Circle: In the RRs of Postman and Mail Guard, it is mentioned that age and educational qualifications prescribed for direct recruits will not apply in the case of promotees. However, there is no mention about the other qualifications in the column no. 8 of RRs as mentioned in column no. 7.

Clarification: 

 Observations of the Circle have been noted. Amendment of Department of Posts Postman and Mail Guard (Group ‘C’) Recruitment Rules (RRs), 2018 to this extent is under consideration.

Till further revision of RRs, other qualifications may not be made applicable for considering promotion.

Karnataka Circle: To provide SOP for departmental examination.

Clarification: 

SOP for Departmental Examinations is under process.

2. The above clarifications may be brought to the notice of all concerned and action taken to conduct DPC/Examination for promotion/appointment to the cadre of Postman/ Mail Guard at the earliest.