DEST Schedule for PA/SA LDCE & GDS Exam 2026
Andhra Pradesh Circle Announces DEST Schedule for PA/SA LDCE & GDS Recruitment 2026
The Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Andhra Pradesh Circle, Vijayawada, has issued detailed instructions for conducting the Data Entry Skill Test (DEST) for candidates appearing in the Postal Assistant/Sorting Assistant (PA/SA) Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE) 2026 and the Competitive Examination for recruitment of PA/SA from eligible Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS). The DEST is scheduled to be held on 02 August 2026 (Sunday).
Download DEST For PA SA 2026 in PDF
Purpose of the Notification
The notification covers candidates who appeared for the written examination held on 28 June 2026 and have been shortlisted for the DEST. It also includes compassionate appointment candidates required to undergo the typing test as per Directorate guidelines. Region and Division-wise lists of qualified, not qualified, and exempted candidates have been enclosed with the notification.
Important DEST Examination Details
Candidates must note the following examination pattern:
Date of DEST: 02.08.2026 (Sunday)
Duration: 15 Minutes
Maximum Marks: 25
Typing Passage: Approximately 1,000 key depressions (±5%)
Evaluation: Fully system-generated based on correctly typed words
Case Sensitive: Candidates must type both uppercase and lowercase letters exactly as displayed.
Key Instructions for Candidates
The notification provides detailed operational guidelines for the online typing test:
Candidates must correctly enter their Roll Number, Name and Category before starting the examination.
The test timer begins immediately after clicking "Start Test."
The passage will appear sentence-by-sentence using the "Next Sentence" button.
Every sentence must end with the correct full stop (.) exactly as given in the master paragraph.
At least five key depressions are required before moving to the next sentence.
The Backspace key is disabled during the examination. Corrections can only be made using the Delete key, Arrow keys or Mouse.
After typing the final sentence, candidates can use the "Review Paragraph" option to verify and correct their work within the allotted time.
Once the timer expires, the application will Auto Submit the answer sheet.
Candidates must sign the printed evaluated answer sheet before leaving the examination hall.
Qualified and Not Qualified Lists
The notification includes comprehensive Region/Division-wise lists of candidates who:
Qualified for DEST.
Did not qualify for DEST.
Qualified but are exempted from DEST under applicable Directorate guidelines.
Qualified GDS candidates.
Not qualified GDS candidates.
Final Advice
Candidates shortlisted for the DEST should carefully follow all instructions, practice typing with proper punctuation and capitalization, and report to the examination centre well before the scheduled time. Since the evaluation is entirely automated, even minor typing errors, missing full stops, or incorrect capitalization may affect the final score.