Department of Posts Grants One-Time Relaxation for Compassionate GDS Engagement to Families Affected During COVID Period

Department of Posts Grants One-Time Relaxation for Compassionate GDS Engagement to Families Affected During COVID Period

Department of Posts has approved a one-time special relaxation to facilitate compassionate engagement as Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) for dependents of deceased Departmental Employees and GDS whose deaths occurred between January 1, 2020, and February 24, 2025.

The decision was communicated through an official order dated December 30, 2025.

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The relaxation addresses cases impacted during the COVID period and the intervening phase before the formal provision allowing engagement of dependents of regular employees as GDS was introduced.

It covers dependents whose cases were earlier rejected for being time-barred, for not meeting eligibility criteria at that time, or due to the 5% vacancy cap applicable to compassionate appointments in departmental posts. It also includes cases where no dependent was eligible earlier but has since attained eligibility for GDS engagement.

As a one-time measure, the two-year time limit prescribed under the Revised Compassionate Engagement Scheme of June 14, 2023, has been relaxed for all eligible cases within the defined period.

This relaxation will remain valid for one year from the date of issue of the order. Importantly, the cause of death—whether COVID-related or otherwise—is not a criterion; only the period of death is considered.

Postal Circles have been instructed to identify eligible cases, inform dependents, and obtain willingness for GDS engagement within stipulated timelines. Dependents who do not submit their willingness immediately will not be debarred from applying during the validity of the scheme.

All applications will be processed strictly online through the CCE Portal under APT 2.0 once the necessary system changes are enabled by CEPT; no offline processing will be permitted.

The order clarifies that a dependent may apply for only one compassionate benefit—either a departmental post or GDS engagement. If selected for both, the candidate must choose one and permanently forgo the other, supported by a formal undertaking.

The scheme reiterates that this is a one-time, time-bound relaxation, intended to mitigate hardships faced by families during the pandemic period while maintaining eligibility standards under the prevailing compassionate engagement framework.