India Post — running 23 postal circles, more than 1,55,000+ post offices, and continuous hiring across GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Skilled Artisan, and Postal Assistant categories — operates one of the most geographically spread government recruitment drives in the country. Unlike centralised exams such as SSC or IBPS, India Post hiring is circle-wise — meaning each state or region runs its own notifications, vacancies, exam schedules, and application portals independently.
This in-depth state-by-state postal circle recruitment guide for 2026 tells you precisely which circle to apply in, which official website to track, what vacancies to expect, and how to apply — so you never miss a notification in your own state.
Making Sense of India Post’s 23 Circle Structure
India Post splits the country into 23 postal circles — most matching individual states, with a handful covering several smaller states or union territories:
| # | Postal Circle | States / UTs Covered | Circle HQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh | Hyderabad |
| 2 | Assam | Assam | Guwahati |
| 3 | Bihar | Bihar | Patna |
| 4 | Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| 5 | Delhi | Delhi (NCT) | New Delhi |
| 6 | Gujarat | Gujarat, Dadra & NH, Diu | Ahmedabad |
| 7 | Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| 8 | Jammu & Kashmir | J&K, Ladakh | Jammu |
| 9 | Jharkhand | Jharkhand | Ranchi |
| 10 | Karnataka | Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| 11 | Kerala | Kerala, Lakshadweep | Thiruvananthapuram |
| 12 | Madhya Pradesh | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| 13 | Maharashtra | Maharashtra, Goa | Mumbai |
| 14 | North East | Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh | Guwahati |
| 15 | Odisha | Odisha | Bhubaneswar |
| 16 | Punjab | Punjab, Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| 17 | Rajasthan | Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| 18 | Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar | Chennai |
| 19 | Telangana | Telangana | Hyderabad |
| 20 | Uttar Pradesh | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| 21 | Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| 22 | West Bengal | West Bengal, Sikkim | Kolkata |
| 23 | Haryana | Haryana | Ambala |
Circle-Wise Recruitment Overview 2026
1. Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle
Official Portal: appost.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 2,000 – 3,500 (GDS + Postman + MTS) Key Recruitment: GDS (BPM/ABPM/DS), Postman, Mail Guard, MTS Local Language Requirement: Telugu — mandatory for all posts Application Mode: Online via appost.in Special Note: The AP circle reliably puts out GDS notifications twice a year — watch May and October 2026 in particular.
2. Assam Postal Circle
Official Portal: assampost.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 1,500 – 2,500 (GDS heavy) Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS, Skilled Artisan Local Language: Assamese / Bengali (depending on division) Special Note: The Assam circle has plenty of vacancies in rural divisions — far lower competition than the metro circles.
3. Bihar Postal Circle
Official Portal: biharpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 3,000 – 5,000 (among the highest nationally) Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS Local Language: Hindi Special Note: Bihar runs one of India’s biggest GDS workforces — expect major notifications in May 2026. Female candidates pay no application fee.
4. Chhattisgarh Postal Circle
Official Portal: cgpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 800 – 1,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Hindi (Chhattisgarhi dialect areas accepted) Special Note: Tribal-area vacancies (ST quota) are sizeable in the Chhattisgarh circle — ST candidates enjoy a clear advantage.
5. Delhi Postal Circle
Official Portal: delhipost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 500 – 1,200 Key Recruitment: Postman, MTS, Skilled Artisan, Postal Assistant (via SSC) Local Language: Hindi + English Special Note: The Delhi circle has fewer GDS vacancies (it is urban) but more Postman and MTS posts. Competition is fierce — a 10th percentage above 80% is usually needed to make the GDS merit list.
6. Gujarat Postal Circle
Official Portal: gujaratpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 2,000 – 3,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Gujarati — mandatory Special Note: The Gujarat circle takes in Dadra & NH and Diu vacancies — these sub-territory posts draw far fewer applicants than Gujarat mainland divisions.
7. Himachal Pradesh Postal Circle
Official Portal: hppost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 500 – 1,000 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS Local Language: Hindi Special Note: Hilly-terrain vacancies (Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Chamba) attract very few applicants — candidates ready to serve in remote areas have nearly assured selection prospects.
8. Jammu & Kashmir (including Ladakh) Postal Circle
Official Portal: jkpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 600 – 1,200 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS Local Language: Urdu (J&K), Hindi (Ladakh) Special Note: Following J&K’s reorganisation as a UT, postal vacancies have risen — keep a close watch for 2026 notifications.
9. Jharkhand Postal Circle
Official Portal: jharkhandpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 1,000 – 2,000 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Hindi Special Note: A large tribal population → substantial ST quota vacancies. Rural divisions see lower competition than the Ranchi and Jamshedpur city divisions.
10. Karnataka Postal Circle
Official Portal: karnatakapost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 2,500 – 4,000 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Kannada — mandatory Special Note: Karnataka is among India’s most digitally active postal circles — IPPB vacancies and tech-related artisan posts run higher here than in most circles.
11. Kerala Postal Circle
Official Portal: keralapost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 1,500 – 2,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS Local Language: Malayalam — mandatory Special Note: Kerala posts the highest PLI (Postal Life Insurance) and small savings mobilisation rates — GDS BPMs here pull in some of the best TRCA + state top-up combinations in the country.
12. Madhya Pradesh Postal Circle
Official Portal: mppost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 3,000 – 5,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Hindi Special Note: MP is one of India’s largest postal circles by area — its vacancies stretch across 52 districts, with notable competition gaps between divisions in rural belts.
13. Maharashtra Postal Circle
Official Portal: maharashtrapost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 3,500 – 6,000 (the largest circle nationally) Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Skilled Artisan, Driver Local Language: Marathi — mandatory (English for Mumbai division) Special Note: Maharashtra is India’s biggest postal circle — apply to the Vidarbha and Marathwada divisions for far lower GDS competition than Mumbai and Pune.
14. North East Postal Circle
Official Portal: nepost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 800 – 1,500 (across 6 states) Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS Local Language: English (used commonly across NE states for postal work) Special Note: The North East circle spans Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh — competition is among the lowest in the country; a strong opening for local candidates.
15. Odisha Postal Circle
Official Portal: odishapost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 2,000 – 3,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS Local Language: Odia — mandatory Special Note: Odisha holds significant tribal-belt vacancies (ST quota) across the Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal divisions — very low competition for ST candidates.
16. Punjab Postal Circle (including Chandigarh)
Official Portal: punjabpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 1,500 – 2,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Punjabi — mandatory (Gurmukhi script) Special Note: The Punjab circle covers Chandigarh UT — city posts here are fewer but pay higher HRA. Rural Punjab GDS competition is stiff thanks to high 10th pass rates.
17. Rajasthan Postal Circle
Official Portal: rajasthanpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 2,500 – 4,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS Local Language: Hindi Special Note: Desert-region vacancies (Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Churu) have much lower applicant density — ideal for candidates willing to work in remote locations.
18. Tamil Nadu Postal Circle
Official Portal: tnpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 3,000 – 5,000 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Tamil — mandatory Special Note: The TN circle includes the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry — island posts draw very few applicants because of their location; near-certain selection for eligible candidates who apply specifically for island postings.
19. Telangana Postal Circle
Official Portal: telanganapost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 1,500 – 2,500 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS Local Language: Telugu — mandatory Special Note: Telangana was carved out of the AP circle in 2014 — its GDS vacancies have grown steadily as rural postal infrastructure spreads through newly developed districts.
20. Uttar Pradesh Postal Circle
Official Portal: indiapost.gov.in/utpost Expected Vacancies 2026: 5,000 – 8,000 (the highest nationally) Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Hindi Special Note: UP is India’s most populous state and has the largest postal circle vacancy count. But competition is just as high — GDS cutoffs in UP divisions often cross 90% normalised marks. Apply to eastern UP and Bundelkhand divisions for lighter competition.
21. Uttarakhand Postal Circle
Official Portal: uttarakhandpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 400 – 800 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS Local Language: Hindi Special Note: Pahadi-terrain vacancies (Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi districts) get very few applicants — ideal for hill-region candidates.
22. West Bengal Postal Circle
Official Portal: wbpost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 3,000 – 5,000 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, Mail Guard, MTS, Artisan Local Language: Bengali — mandatory Special Note: The WB circle covers Sikkim — Sikkim vacancies see extremely low competition due to the small eligible population. The Darjeeling division accepts both Bengali and Nepali speakers.
23. Haryana Postal Circle
Official Portal: haryanapost.gov.in Expected Vacancies 2026: 1,000 – 2,000 Key Recruitment: GDS, Postman, MTS Local Language: Hindi Special Note: Haryana has seen strong GDS vacancy growth on the back of rural connectivity programmes — Mewat and Nuh district vacancies face lower competition than Gurgaon and Faridabad.
How to Apply Circle-Wise: Universal Steps
Step 1: Find your home state postal circle in the table above. You must apply for the circle where you are a local resident.
Step 2: Bookmark the official circle website — not just indiapost.gov.in. Circle websites publish notifications quicker and in more detail than the central portal.
Step 3: Create Google Alerts for “[Your State] Post Office recruitment 2026” — get an instant email the moment a notification is published.
Step 4: For GDS posts — apply only at indiapostgdsonline.gov.in (the centralised GDS portal). For Postman, MTS, Artisan — apply at your own circle’s portal.
Step 5: Get your documents ready ahead of time: Aadhaar, 10th certificate, ITI certificate (if applicable), category certificate, domicile proof, photograph, and signature. Having these on hand lets you apply within hours of the notification going live.
Step 6: Pay the small fee (₹100 for General/OBC; zero for female/SC/ST/PwBD) through online payment.
Top 5 Strategic Tips for Circle-Wise Application
Tip 1 — Apply to your home division, not the nearest city: GDS and Postman vacancies in the rural taluka divisions of your circle steadily draw less competition than district-headquarter or city divisions.
Tip 2 — Remote-area postings = near-certain selection: Island (Andaman, Lakshadweep), desert (Jaisalmer, Barmer), hill (Lahaul-Spiti, Pithoragarh), and tribal forest divisions get almost no applications. Candidates willing to serve there have outstanding selection prospects.
Tip 3 — Apply early in the window: GDS applications are first-registered — steer clear of last-day server crashes. Apply within the first 3 days of the window opening.
Tip 4 — Know your local language requirement: Every circle enforces local-language proficiency. Make sure you can read and write your circle’s official language — it is checked at document verification and can lead to rejection even if you top the merit list.
Tip 5 — Track both the circle portal AND indiapostgdsonline.gov.in: GDS notifications show up on the centralised GDS portal. Postman, MTS, and Artisan notifications appear on circle-specific portals. Watching both means zero missed opportunities.
Final Word
India Post’s 23 circle-wise recruitment structure is at once its biggest operational challenge and the job seeker’s biggest strategic opportunity. While most candidates look only at their own state, the sharpest ones study cross-division competition patterns, spot low-competition rural and remote divisions, and apply strategically within their eligible circle to push up their selection odds.
In 2026, with 80,000–1,00,000 total India Post vacancies expected across all circles and all post categories — this is the largest government employer actively recruiting at the 8th pass, 10th pass, ITI, and graduation levels all at once.
Bookmark your circle website today. Set up Google Alerts tonight. Apply on Day 1.
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