National Post Day is observed in India every year on October 10. It is observed every year to pay tributes to the Indian Postal Department for the crucial role it is playing in India's development and growth journey, and for helping people connect.
The Indian Postal Department, also called the India Post, was established by Lord Dalhousie in 1854 during the British era. The Indian Postal Department, which functions under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, is the largest postal network of the world. Currently, the Union Minister for Communications is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jyotiraditya M Scindia.
What are the nine postal zones in India?
India Post is world's largest postal network. In India, there are nine postal zones. They are as following:
- Zone 1: Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Chandigarh.
- Zone 2: Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
- Zone 3: Gujarat, Rajasthan, and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu.
- Zone 4: Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Goa.
- Zone 5: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.
- Zone 6: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Lakshadweep.
- Zone 7: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Zone 8: Bihar and Jharkhand.
- Zone 9: Army Post Office (APO) and Field Post Office (FPO).
How many postal circles are in India?
In India, there are 23 postal circles. They are as follows:
- Andhra Pradesh
- Assam
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Delhi
- Gujarat (including Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu)
- Haryana
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu and Kashmir (including Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh)
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Kerala (including Union Territory of Lakshadweep)
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra (including Goa)
- North-East (including Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland)
- Odisha
- Punjab (including Union Territory of Chandigarh)
- Rajasthan
- Tamil Nadu (including Union Territory of Puducherry)
- Telangana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Uttarakhand
- West Bengal (including Sikkim and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands)
How does the six-digit PIN code system work?
The six-digit PIN code system was introduced in 1972 by Shriram Bhikaji Velankar and is considered to be the backbone of India Post. Also called Zip code or area code, it aims to make the sorting of mail easier and fasten the delivery system. Each of the six digits has a separate meaning.
The first digit represents the postal regions. In India, like mentioned earlier, there are nine postal zones. The second digit represents sub-region. The third and the fourth digits indicate the sorting district of the state or the union territory. Meanwhile, the last two digits of the PIN code represent the post office under whose jurisdiction the address in the post is mentioned.
Also Read - National Post Day: List of Indian postal schemes still operating, know all about them
