Hi friends, here is the India Post Traditional Products Overview. This will be useful for having a better understanding of the Department of Posts as well as useful in the day today working. Moreover, the topic covered here will be useful for departmental examinations.
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India Post Traditional Products Overview
The term postal article is used to describe, for the purposes of the inland, the following TEN classes of
articles viz.
- Letters.
- Letter Cards.
- Post cards.
- Book and Pattern Packets.
- Book Packets containing printed books.
- Book Packets containing periodicals.
- Blind literature packet.
- Registered Newspapers.
- Sample Packets.
- Parcels.
Of the above, letters, postcards and letter cards are treated as first class mails and all other articles second class mails. All first-class mails are given air transmission within the limits of India. Second class mails are forwarded by Air only if they are paid with requisite air surcharge.
Air Surcharge: Upto 50g: Rs.2.00
Additional 50g or part Re.1.00
Letter
Used for communication and sending documents.
Available as embossed envelope (Departmental) and private.
Maximum weight :2kg.
Tariff:
For a weight not exceeding twenty grams Rs.5/-
For every additional twenty grams or fraction thereof Rs. 5/-
Standardization of Mails: Standard Size of Envelope
Letter other than roll form shall be in envelopes of the following sizes, unless its dimensions are more than 458×324 mm, namely:
- 140 X 90 mm 7. 176 X 120 mm
- 152 X 90 mm 8. 229 X 162 mm
- 176 X 100 mm 9. 250 X 176 mm
- 230 X 105 mm 10. 324 X 229 mm
- 220 X 110 mm 11. 353 X 250 mm
- 162 X 114 mm 12. 458 X 324 mm(Tolerance + or – 2 mm)
Envelopes should be made of paper having minimum thickness of 0.08mm and maximum 0.18mm.
Metal clips or staples should not be used for closing the envelopes.
Addressee address should be written on front side and senders address on the back side.
Standards of addressing
- Address of the addressee shall be written on the front side and sender’s address on the back side of the envelope
- Minimum 15 mm blank space shall be kept from left, bottom and right side of the envelope
- Stamps or frank impression on top right corner having gap of minimum 10mm from the address of the recipient
- Address block of addressee shall have a minimum gap of 40 mm from top
- Stamps or frank impressions shall be affixed in maximum area of 74mm
Inland Letter Card
Used for personal communication.
Can be used within India.
No enclosures allowed.
Private ILC should bear superscription “Inland Letter Card”
Departmental ILC will bear embossed Postage of Rs 2.50.
Privately manufactured should adhere to above conditions and postage can be paid in the form of postage stamps or frank impression.
Maximum weight : 5g
Tariff : Rs.2.50
Post Card
For transmission within India and is economical.
No secrecy of contents.
Dimensions: 14 cm × 9 cm (length and breadth).
Available departmentally manufactured with postage embossed.
Private postcards also can be printed but should be paid with postage.
Facility of Reply Postcard is available.
Will be treated as Printed Postcard when the matter is printed or cyclostyled.
Tariff:
o Single Postcard : Re.0.50
o Reply Postcard : Re.1.00
o Printed Postcard : Rs.6.00
o Meghdoot Postcard : Re.0.25
Privately manufactured post cards shall not be thinner or more flexible than an embossed post card, and should have the same size and thickness of embossed post card.
Book Packet
The following contents can be sent in a book packet:
Bills and receipts
Printed market reports/price lists
Premium notices/quotations
Prasadam/Horoscopes
Wedding and other invitations etc.
Maximum weight: 5 Kilograms
Tariff: First 50g, Rs. 4.00
Additional 50 g or part: Rs.3.00
Note: Book packet when sent in card form whether folded or not, shall be neither thinner nor more flexible than Inland Post Cards. Should not be closed against inspection. Superscription is optional.
Prohibitions:
a) There shall be no personal communication enclosed or written up on a book packet.
b) It shall not contain any paper money, postage or other stamps, cheques etc.
Book Packet containing printed books
Specifications:
Printed books without advertisements can be sent as printed book.
Book packet shall contain the name of the printer or publisher;
It shall not contain any publication published in regular intervals. Advertisements are not permitted.
Book Packet may contain in writing the name of the person to whom it is sent or presented, the date, the name and address of the sender or owner, and not more than five words or initials of a complimentary nature of signifying presentation.
Maximum weight: 5 kgs
Tariff: For every 100 gms Re 1-00
Size: As applicable in the case of book packet
Conditions:
(a) Shall not contain any publication published at regular intervals;
(b) Shall bear on the outside the inscription “Printed books”;
each book in such book packet shall consist wholly or substantially of reading matter, painting, photography, diagrams or any other similar matter, with or without blank spaces, for notations by students;
(d)Shall consist of printed matter, but shall not contain any advertisements other than incidental announcements or list of books.
(e) Shall contain the name of the printer or publisher;
(f) Shall bear any character or inscription reproduced by any means other than printing.
Book Packet containing periodicals
Specification:
Must be registered with Registrar of News Paper of India, New Delhi (RNI)
It should be superscripted either on the first page or last page of the Book Packet.
Price to be printed.
If the book packet is for free circulation concession under periodicals cannot be given.
Maximum weight: 5 kg
Tariff: Depends on weight and price of the periodicals.
Registered Newspaper
Maximum weight: 5 kg
Can be sent as single copy or bundle. Bundle should be addressed to newspaper agent.
Tariff:
Single copy – Up to 50 g – Re.0.25
Above 50 g up to 100 g – Re.0.50
Additional 100 g – Re.0.20
Bundle: Up to 100 g – Re.0.50
Each additional 100 g – Re.0.20
Can be posted under scheme called WPP.
Newspaperwithout price: No concession of RNP.
Provided that such a packet shall not be delivered at any addressee‘s residence but shall be given to a recognized agent at the post office.
To consider an article under the category of newspaper, the following conditions should be fulfilled:
- A newspaper is a publication consisting wholly or in great part of political or other
news, with or without advertisement. - It is published in large number at intervals of not more than 31 days.
- It should have a bonafide list of subscribers.
- It should be registered with Registrar of News Papers of India
- If such a newspaper is registered in the office of the Superintendent or Senior
Superintendent of Post Offices of the area from where newspaper is published, it will be
treated as ‘Registered News Paper’ for concessional rates of postage. - DG Posts will prescribe the fee for registration from time to time.
- The registration number allotted to the paper should be printed on the top of the front page of the newspaper preceded by the word ‘Registered’.
- This service is not available for foreign countries.
- Application for renewal should be submitted at least one month before the date of expiry.
- Registration is valid for a period of three years.
- Renewal fee Rs.50.00 and to be renewed in the month of November. If renewed after expiry of license period – Rs.100.00
Blind Literature Packet
Free transmission of blind literature packets up to 7 kilograms. Papers of any kind, periodicals and books impressed in “Braille” or other special type for the use of blind are allowed to be transmitted by post as Blind literature packets.
Maximum Weight: 7 kg
Tariff: Postage including registration charges is free.
For Air transmission, air surcharge is applicable.
Conditions:
It must be sent by or to a blind person. No written or printed communication should be enclosed except:
i) The title and table of contents
ii) The key or instructions
iii) A label for return of the packet.
iv) Blind literature is also transmitted free of cost to foreign countries if the above conditions are satisfied.
Pattern and Sample Packet
It may contain bona fide trade patterns or samples of merchandise not having any saleable value together with or without any matter which may be sent as a book packet.
No personal communication.
Should be open for inspection, if contents are not disclosed.
Maximum Weight: 2 kg
Tariff: First 50 g – Rs.4.00
Every additional 50 g – Rs.3.00
Parcel
Useful for transmission of goods.
To be presented at Counter.
Must be properly packed.
One personal communication is permitted.
If weight is more than 4 kg must be compulsorily registered.
Should not contain prohibited items.
Size Minimum Maximum
Length as per letter 100 cm
Length + Girth combined …do… 180 cm
(100 X30X10 cm)
Maximum weight for unregistered Parcel is 4 kg and registered parcel is 20 kg.
For Parcel of above5 kgs home delivery charges of Rs.5/ will be collected.
Tariff: First 500 g Rs.19.00
Every additional 500 g or part Rs.16.00
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