One-time relaxation to facilitate the engagement as GDS on compassionate grounds to dependents of deceased Departmental Employees/ GDS whose deaths occurred during between 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025: Department of Posts Order dated 30.12.2025
OM No. 19-19/2024-GDS
भारत सरकार /Government of India
संचार मंत्रालय /Ministry of Communication
डाक विभाग /Department of Posts
(जीडीएस अनुभाग/GDS Section)
डाक भवन, संसद मार्ग,
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,
नई दिल्ली /New Delhi – 110001.
Dated:30.12.2025
To
All The Chief Postmasters General.
Subject: One-time relaxation to facilitate the engagement as GDS on compassionate grounds to dependents of deceased Departmental Employees/ GDS whose deaths occurred during between 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025.
Sir/ Madam,
This is regarding the provision of a one-time relaxation to offer compassionate engagement to dependents of deceased Departmental Employees/ GDS whose deaths occurred during the period from 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025 ((i.e, from commencement of Covid Period to the date from which the provision for engagement of dependents of regular employees as GDS on compassionate grounds has been introduced).
2. Based on the suggestions received from the stakeholders on the draft proposal on the above subject, circulated vide letter of even No. Dated 31.07.2025, the competent authority has approved the scheme for the one-time provision to facilitate engagement of dependents of deceased Departmental employees/ GDS whose deaths occurred during the period from 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025, and the same is annexed as Annexure-I herewith, for taking further necessary action. Annexure-II to this OM contains the replies/comments to the Queries/suggestions received from the Circles in response to the proposal for one-time relaxation (issued vide Directorate letter No. 19-19/2024-GDS dated 31.07.2025).
3. CEPT will make the necessary provision in the CCE portal under ATP 2.0 for processing the compassionate engagement cases received under this one-time relaxed scheme. A report in the Annexure-B of the Scheme may also be submitted by the Circles to this Directorate within the prescribed time.
This issues with the approval of the competent authority.
भवदीय/Yours faithfully
Encl: As above
(Ravi Pahwa)
Director (GDS)
दूरभाष /Tel. No. 011-23096629
ईमेल/Email : adggds426[at]gmail.com
Annexure-I
to OM No.19-19/2024-GDS Dated: 30.12.2025
One-time relaxation to facilitate the engagement as GDS on compassionate grounds to dependents of deceased Departmental Employees/ GDS whose deaths occurred during the period from 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025.
1. Objective:
To provide one-time relaxation to facilitate compassionate engagement as GDS to dependents of deceased Departmental Employees/ GDS who lost their lives during the period from 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025 (referred to as the defined period), i.e, after the commencement of COVID-19 and thereafter, until the provision for such engagements was introduced
2. Key features of the scheme:
(i) The Scheme aims to provide a one-time relaxation for compassionate engagement as GDS to the dependents of the following category of GDSs/Departmental Employees:
a) dependents of those GDSs who lost their lives during the defined period and whose cases were not recommended by the CCE/competent authority for being belated in accordance with the prevailing Schemes;
b) dependents of GDSs who lost their lives during the defined period and whose cases were rejected due to not meeting the eligibility criteria or nonproduction of the requisite document, but now fulfills the eligibility criteria and having requisite documents;
c) dependents of deceased departmental employees who lost their lives during the defined period and whose cases were placed before the CRC and recommended, but were not offered compassionate appointment due to the 5% vacancy and
d) dependents of deceased GDS/deceased departmental employee, (irrespective whether applied for compassionate appointment/engagement earlier) who lost their lives during the defined period, and none the dependents were eligible for appointment/engagement as GDS/departmental posts, but now attains the eligibility for engagement as GDS.
(ii) The two-year time limit, as prescribed for applying under the Revised Scheme dated 14.06.2023, will also stand relaxed, as a one-time measure, for all eligible cases pertaining to both GDS and Departmental employees falling within the defined period. This relaxation shall remain valid for a period of one year from the date of issue of these orders, except in cases where the original two-year limit continues to remain in force.
3. Course of action to be taken by the respective circles
(i) The Circles, through concerned divisions/units, will take necessary action to inform and call for willingness from dependents of GDSs, whose date of death falls within the defined period and whose cases were placed before the CCE but could not be considered for being time-barred (belated requests as per Compassionate Scheme) or whose cases were rejected due to not meeting the eligibility criteria or non-production of the requisite document, but now fulfills the eligibility criteria and having requisite documents.
(ii) The Circles will take necessary action through concerned divisions/units, who will inform about the scheme and obtain willingness from the dependents of deceased departmental employees, whose date of death falls within the aforesaid period and whose cases were earlier considered in the CRC but for whom appointment could not be offered due to the limited number of vacancies. Details of such cases with copies of necessary documents (as per the checklist as in Annexure-A, applicable for GDS compassionate engagement), will be forwarded to the concerned Divisions within 3 weeks of the issue of these orders.
(iii) Applications in respect of the dependents of deceased GDS/deceased departmental employee, (irrespective whether applied for compassionate appointment/engagement earlier) who lost their lives during the defined period, and none the dependents were eligible for appointment/engagement as GDS/departmental posts, but now attains the eligibility for engagement as GDS will also be considered for compassionate engagement as GDS.
(iv) The aforesaid willingness/unwillingness for engagement as GDS under this special relaxed scheme would be obtained by the concerned divisions within two months from the issue of this order. All the Circles will also furnish information to the Directorate in respect of the no. of candidates submitting willingness/unwillingness for GDS engagement in the prescribed format (Annexure-B), latest within fifteen days of completion of the two-month period mentioned ibid.
(v) The dependents who have not submitted their willingness at this stage will not be debarred from applying for compassionate engagement till the validity of this scheme (i.e. upto one year from the issue of this order).
(vi) The applications received shall be processed in accordance with the Scheme of compassionate engagement dated 14.06.2023, as revised from time to time.
(vii) Compassionate engagement cases of the dependents of departmental employees related to the other independent establishments like Directorate, PSD/CSD, DAP, Civil/Electrical wing, PTCs, Postal/RMS Divisions/Units without GDS establishment etc., may be considered by the CCE of the Divisions as nominated by the HOC as per para-17 of the SOP issued vide letter No. 17-1/2022-SPG-II dated 24.03.2022 (copy enclosed). The GDS post may also be offered to the recommended candidates in the same Divisions. It is further clarified that, in the case of officials belonging to the Engineering Wing and the Accounts & Finance Wing, compassionate engagement as GDS shall be permitted only where the last posting of the deceased official was in the Department of Posts.
(viii) Since a candidate can seek appointment/engagement to only one post—either a Departmental post or engagement as GDS—on compassionate grounds, an undertaking, as prescribed in Annexure-C, shall be obtained from the dependent of the deceased departmental employee, confirming that he/she will forgo the claim to the other post in the event of selection to both the Departmental post and the GDS post.
5. CEPT will make the necessary provisions/changes in the CCE Portal under APT 2.0 to deal with such cases. Till the provision is made, all the circles will keep the information in respect of willing candidates ready to be processed through the online portal. No application will be processed in the offline mode.
6. It is reiterated that this is a one-time special scheme, applicable for one year from the issue of this OM.
Annexure-A
Checklist of documents to be forwarded to the concerned Division for engagement on Compassionate grounds as available by Circle:-
- The application form submitted by the applicant for Compassionate engagement is considered by the CRC/CCE.
- Secondary School Examination pass certificate of the 10th standard.
- Date of Birth proof/ Other ID, or address proof.
- Death certificate of the deceased Employee/GDS
- Copy of the Aadhar Card/ID card of the deceased employee/GDS
- Consent by the dependents of a deceased employee/GDS in favour of the applicant if any.
- Undertaking given by the applicant (Annexure C)
- Minutes of the CRC/CCE
- Any other relevant documents
Annexure-B
| Compassionate Engagement cases: Departmental Employees | ||||
| No. of Cases considered during the CRC from 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025 (CRC-wise) | No. of cases considered by the CRC related to the defined period earlier and not appointed due to lack of vacancies | Applications where no eligible candidate was available at the time of death of the GDS [refer to para 3(iii)] | Total number of candidates now willing for compassionate engagement as GDS (b+c) | No. of eligible cases for GDS engagement out of column(d) |
| (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | (e) |
| Compassionate Engagement Cases: GDS | |||||
| Total Deaths occurred from 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025 | No. of cases rejected, being timebarred, related to the defined period. | No. of cases rejected due to not meeting the eligibility criteria/ non production of requisite documents | No. of cases where no eligible candidate was available at the time of death of the GDS [refer para 3(iii)]. | Total no. of candidates willing for compassionate engagement as GDS (b+c+d) | No. of eligible cases for GDS engagement out of column(e) |
| (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | (e) | (f) |
Annexure- C
Declaration/Undertaking by a dependent of a departmental employee for opting between appointment to a departmental post or engagement as GDS on compassionate grounds.
I, _____________________________ (Name of the dependent), son/daughter/wife of Late Shri _____________________________ (Name of deceased employee), hereby solemnly affirm and declare that:
I have applied for a compassionate appointment both for a departmental post as well as for engagement as Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) in the Department of Posts, being a dependent of the deceased employee.
I understand that I will have to forgo the claim to the other post in the event of selection to both the Departmental post and the GDS post.
Accordingly, I hereby undertake that:
I will opt for only one position—either engagement as GDS or appointment to a departmental post and shall permanently resign/quit from the other post, if selected for both, without any claim or right over the relinquished post in the future.
This declaration is given voluntarily and with full understanding of the rules and consequences.
Date:____________
Place: ____________
(Signature of the Applicant)
Name: ____________________________
Relation with deceased employee: ____________________________
Address: ____________________________
Mobile Number: ____________________
Annexure-II
to OM No.19-19/2024-GDS Dated: 30.12.2025
Comments to the Queries/suggestions received from the Circles in response to the proposal for one-time relaxation (issued vide Directorate letter No. 19-19/2024-GDS dated 31.07.2025)
| S. No | Query | Reply |
| 1. | Whether fresh applications from willing dependents of both GDS and Departmental employees are allowed under this one-time relaxation | The scheme covers both. |
| 2. | The time period for submission of documents may be given up to 6 months instead of 2 months as it is a one-time special scheme | Refer para (iii) which reads as: “The dependents who have not submitted their willingness at this stage will not be debarred from applying for compassionate engagement till the validity of this scheme.” |
| 3. | Computer/ Technical knowledge should be made compulsory to the applicant. It is recommended to restrict this one-time measure specifically to cases involving deaths due to COVID-19, to maintain the focus and intent of the scheme. | The educational qualification prescribed for the compassionate scheme is the same as for online engagement. Also, the scheme is not intended only for deaths occurring due to Covid-19 but for the deaths occurring during the said period of 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025. |
| 4. | A separate quota or priority category may be considered to avoid affecting the regular compassionate appointment quota. | There is no bar on vacancies in GDS compassionate engagement, like in the regular departmental posts (5% earmarked for compassionate appointments). Hence, a separate quota prioritizing the same is not required. |
| 5. | Guidelines should specify that the relaxation applies irrespective of the current financial status assessment norms, considering the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic. | The point system assessment for offering compassionate engagement as GDS was dispensed with vide OM dated 30.05.2017. As far as offering compassionate engagement as GDS to departmental dependants is concerned, the applicant should be eligible in all respects as per the Revised Scheme of Compassionate Engagement, 2023 issued vide OM dated 14.06.2023 read with the provisions of this one-time relaxation. |
| 6. | As the death of the Departmental employee /GDS occurred between 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025, it is to be considered a death due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the deceased GDS employee dedicated their life to serving our valued customers, their death may be considered a death on duty. Consequently, compassionate appointment/engagement may be granted to the eligible dependents of deceased GDS/ departmental employees. | The objective of the one-time relaxation covers the same. However, it is to be noted that the cases of death occurring between 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025 are to be considered, and the cause of death (whether COVID or not) need not be a concern. |
| 7. | As the period of death is Covid-19 period, whether the cause of death of the Departmental employee/ GDS is due to covid-19 may be specified. | The proposal aims to grant one-time relaxation for compassionate engagement as GDS to dependents of deceased departmental employees and GDS who died during the COVID-19 period (01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025) and to address cases not approved due to 5% vacancy cap for departmental posts or delayed applications during the pandemic. Hence, the cause of death need not be specified. |
| 8. | In case of death during the period, please specify whether a fresh application is to be obtained from another dependent if the compassionate application from the first dependent is already not recommended/ rejected | Applications in respect of the dependents of deceased GDS/deceased departmental employee, (irrespective whether applied for compassionate appointment/engagement earlier) who lost their lives during the defined period, and none the dependents were eligible for appointment/engagement as GDS/departmental posts, but now attains the eligibility for engagement as GDS in accordance with the Compassionate Engagement Scheme dated 14.06.2023, read with Addendums dated 09.11.2023, 22.01.2024, 01.07.2024 & 27.06.2024 will also be considered for compassionate engagement as GDS. However, the provision under para11 (belated requests) of the said scheme will be relaxed as a one-time measure for these cases, if applicable. |
| 9. | Eligibility of the case is to be determined in terms of the cause of death i.e., Covid-19 or a specific period given in the scheme | As stated above, reasons for death should not be a concern, and only the period of death should be taken into account for granting the relaxation. Also, restricting the cases to COVID-19 deaths would not be justifiable, as it would be difficult to ascertain the cause of death during the said period. |
| 10. | To determine the eligibility of the case, which reasons of rejection are to be considered | The Scheme aims to provide a one-time relaxation for compassionate engagement as GDS to the dependents of the following category of GDSs/Departmental Employees:
a) dependents of those GDSs who lost their lives during the defined period and whose cases were not recommended by the CCE/competent authority for being belated in accordance with the prevailing Schemes; b) dependents of GDSs who lost their lives during the defined period and whose cases were rejected due to not meeting the eligibility criteria or nonproduction of the requisite document, but now fulfills the eligibility criteria and having requisite documents; c) dependents of deceased departmental employees who lost their lives during the defined period and whose cases were placed before the CRC and recommended, but were not offered compassionate appointment due to the 5% vacancy and d) dependents of deceased GDS/deceased departmental employee, (irrespective whether applied for compassionate appointment/engagement earlier) who lost their lives during the defined period, and none the dependents were eligible for appointment/engagement as GDS/departmental posts, but now attains the eligibility for engagement as GDS. |
| 11. | Eligibility (cut-off date) to determine educational qualification, age eligibility, married daughter eligibility etc | The applicant should be eligible to engage as GDS as on the date of application and as per GDS Compassionate Engagement Scheme, 2023. |
| 12. | Change of applicant is allowed or otherwise, and the competent authority | Change of applicant is allowed in case of dependants of GDS only. Para 18 of the Compassionate Engagement Scheme 2023 may be referred for a change of person (HOC/HOR being the competent authority). However, the provision under para11 (belated requests) of the said scheme will be relaxed as a one-time measure for these cases, if applicable.
In case of departmental employees, one and the same eligible dependent may apply for appointment on compassionate grounds on both departmental vacancy and against GDS vacancy as per the eligibility criteria and conditions prescribed under the relevant schemes for compassionate appointment/engagement. In case of selection against both, on GDS as well as departmental posts, the candidate will have to choose to select engagement/appointment on any one of the posts and will have to quit/resign from the other post on a permanent basis. |
| 13. | Extension of the response timeline for the Willingness/ Unwillingness submission is required | The dependents who have not submitted their willingness at this stage will not be debarred from applying for compassionate engagement till the validity of this scheme |
| 14. | Whether all the departmental cases which were rejected on any ground would be included in this scheme or only those rejected due to limited vacancy, would be included | Following departmental cases are covered:
A) Dependents of deceased departmental employees who lost their lives during the defined period and whose cases were placed before the CRC and recommended, but were not offered compassionate appointment due to the 5% vacancy and d) Dependents of deceased GDS/deceased departmental employee, (irrespective 19-19/2024-GDS I/201809/2025 whether applied for compassionate appointment/engagement earlier) who lost their lives during the defined period, and none the dependents were eligible for appointment/engagement as GDS/departmental posts, but now attains the eligibility for engagement as GDS. |
| 15. | Whether the case should accompany the certificate that death is due to COVID-19. | The scheme is not intended only for deaths occurring due to Covid-19 but for the deaths occurring during the defined period of 01.01.2020 to 24.02.2025. |
| 16. | Preference should be given to dependents of GDS employees whose cases were not somehow admitted and the remaining vacancies may be filled by dependents of departmental employees | The scheme covers both GDS and departmental dependents. |
| 17. | Another one-time relaxation may be allowed for dependents of GDS for not fulfilling the educational qualification. For example, the applicant did not possess the required educational qualification (10th standard pass from a recognised board), his case should be reconsidered for appointment as ABPM. | As per the compassionate engagement policy of GDS, 2023, the applicant should be eligible and suitable in all respects as per the conditions prescribed for the normal engagement of GDS. However, under relaxed criteria as per para 6(b) for obtaining the requisite educational qualification, the candidates are engaged as Dak Sevaks on a provisional basis. Hence, one more relaxation for GDS dependents is not feasible. |
| 18. | It may be ensured that compassionate appointment of dependents of GDS employees who, God forbid, may lose their lives on account of another reason, are not affected adversely. | The interests of the dependents of GDS are not affected due to this one-time relaxation. |
| 19. | Whether this scheme is applicable to the cases of dependents of the missing GDS/DE or retired/discharged on medical grounds? | No |
| 20. | Whether the provision made in Addendum-IV dated 25.02.2025 for compassionate engagement for dependents of the missing GDS/DE or retired/discharged on medical grounds, is applicable retrospectively? |
No. However, GDS/DE discharged/retired on medical grounds on or after the issuance of the Addendum-IV dated 25.02.2025, their dependent may be eligible for the compassionate engagement within two years from the date of acceptance of their Discharge/retirement on medical grounds. In case there is no one eligible family member in the family, such a member can apply for compassionate engagement within two years of attaining the requisite eligibility criteria |
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