Government jobOwn pay structureGroup NANon‑gazetted
Gramin Dak Sevak (BPM / ABPM / Dak Sevak)
ग्रामीण डाक सेवक
Part-time rural postal job filled on Class 10 marks with no exam — running or assisting a village branch post office for an allowance.
Department of Posts (Gramin Dak Sevaks are extra-departmental, not regular government employees) · Ministry of Communications · central government
- Exam
- India Post GDS
- Qualification
- 10th pass
- Age limit
- 18–40 years
- Transfers
- Rare
- Work hours
- 4–5 hours a day officially, six days a week
- Probation
- As per rules
Monthly salary (gross)
₹10,000–₹29,380
This is the Time Related Continuity Allowance (TRCA), not a salary: ₹12,000–₹29,380 for Branch Postmaster and ₹10,000–₹24,470 for Assistant Branch Postmaster / Dak Sevak. Dearness allowance is paid on top. There is no HRA and the regular pay matrix does not apply.
What you will actually do
- Running the branch post office for its fixed daily hours (BPM)
- Delivering letters, parcels and money orders in the villages served (ABPM / Dak Sevak)
- Opening and servicing savings, recurring deposit and Sukanya accounts
- Doorstep banking through India Post Payments Bank
- Selling stamps and rural postal life insurance
- Conveying mail and cash between the branch and the account office
A typical day
A Branch Postmaster opens the office, often a room in their own house, for four to five hours: accepting deposits, booking registered letters and entering everything in a handheld device. The ABPM cycles or walks to deliver mail and pay out pensions at doorsteps. Officially it is part-time work, but targets for new accounts and insurance mean many spend extra hours canvassing. The BPM has to arrange the premises.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Gramin Dak Sevak (BPM / ABPM / Dak Sevak) (joining)
Own pay structure
Multi-Tasking Staff or Postman / Mail Guard
Through departmental exams after a few years of service, subject to vacancies · Level 3 · via departmental exam
₹36,000–₹43,000 in-hand
Postal Assistant
Through a departmental exam for eligible GDS · Level 4 · via departmental exam
₹42,000–₹50,000 in-hand
Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.
How to get in
Department of Posts
- 1.Merit list prepared from Class 10 marks (no examination)
- 2.Document verification
Eligibility: Class 10 pass with Mathematics and English, having studied the local language at least up to Class 10. Knowledge of computers and cycling is required. Age 18–40. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, as per the notification.
The good
- No exam; selection on Class 10 marks
- Work in or near your own village
- A foothold for regular postal jobs through departmental exams
The hard parts
- Not a regular government job: no pay matrix, HRA or pension
- Low allowance for the responsibility involved
- Pressure to meet account and insurance targets
Postings
You apply for specific branch offices in a postal division and are engaged at one of them, usually a village. A Branch Postmaster is expected to live in the post village. Limited transfer is allowed on request under set rules.
Questions people ask
What is the qualification and age limit for Gramin Dak Sevak (BPM / ABPM / Dak Sevak)?+
Class 10 pass with Mathematics and English, having studied the local language at least up to Class 10. Knowledge of computers and cycling is required. Age: 18–40 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years, as per the notification.
Which exam do I need to clear for Gramin Dak Sevak (BPM / ABPM / Dak Sevak)?+
India Post GDS (Department of Posts).
Is GDS a permanent government job?+
It is a continuing engagement until age 65, but GDS are governed by separate conduct and engagement rules and are not regular civil servants.
Is there any exam or interview?+
No. The system generates a merit list from Class 10 marks.
Compare with similar posts
Postal Assistant
डाक सहायक
Pay Level 4 counter and back-office post in post offices, filled through SSC CGL — savings, mail booking and customer service.
Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS)
मल्टी टास्किंग स्टाफ
Pay Level 1 support post via SSC MTS in central offices — carrying files, upkeep of the office and general help.
Inspector of Posts
डाक निरीक्षक
Pay Level 7 post in the Department of Posts via SSC CGL — managing and inspecting post offices across a postal sub-division.
Sources
This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.