Key Demands of Postal Employees: 8th CPC
Live Briefing with the 8th Pay Commission: Key Demands of Postal Employees
Chennai | 7 September 2026
A live briefing meeting with the Chairman, Members and senior officials of the 8th Central Pay Commission was held on 7 September 2026 at ITC Grand Chola Hotel, Chennai.
Comrade A. Veeramany, President and State Secretary of the All India Postal Employees Union, and Comrade A. Kesavan, Assistant General Secretary of the All India Postal Employees Union, participated in the meeting and presented important issues and demands on behalf of the Postal Association for consideration by the 8th Pay Commission.
The briefing focused particularly on the changing nature of postal work, increased responsibilities, higher educational qualifications and the need for an appropriate pay structure for postal employees.
1. Postal Assistant – Upgrade from Pay Level 4 to Level 6
Postal Assistants perform multi-dimensional duties compared with traditional clerical cadres in many Central Government departments. Their responsibilities include operational work, clerical functions, customer service and administrative duties.
The rapid expansion of computerisation, digital services, financial services and various postal products has significantly increased both the complexity and workload of Postal Assistants.
At the same time, the minimum educational qualification for direct recruitment to the Postal Assistant cadre has been enhanced from Higher Secondary (12th) to Graduation. This reflects the higher level of knowledge, proficiency and skills now expected from employees entering the cadre.
The 7th Central Pay Commission had recommended Pay Level 5 as the entry level for Postal Assistants, but this recommendation was not accepted at that time.
Considering the higher educational qualification, expanding responsibilities, technological requirements and increasing workload, there is a strong justification for upgrading the entry-level pay of Postal Assistants from Pay Level 4 to Pay Level 6.
The percentage of direct recruitment from external candidates has also increased from 50% to 60%, making it even more important to ensure an appropriate and attractive pay structure for the cadre.
Demand
➡️ Postal Assistant – Pay Level 6
2. LSG / HSG-II / HSG-I – Pay Upgrade for Supervisory Cadres
The LSG, HSG-II and HSG-I supervisory cadres perform both supervisory and operational responsibilities.
The discharge of supervisory duties along with operational responsibilities represents a distinct requirement of postal administration. Employees in these cadres are responsible not only for supervising staff and ensuring smooth functioning but also for carrying out operational responsibilities.
Such additional responsibilities and accountability should be appropriately recognised through higher pay levels, suitable designations and improved status.
The existing hierarchical relationship between the Postal Assistant cadre and the supervisory cadres should also be restored through an appropriate pay differential.
Proposed Pay Structure
| Cadre | Proposed Pay Level | Proposed Designation |
|---|---|---|
| Postal Assistant | Level 6 | Postal Assistant |
| LSG | Level 7 | Supervisor / Manager |
| HSG-II | Level 8 | Senior Supervisor / Senior Manager |
| HSG-I | Level 9 | Gazetted Group-B |
Need for Restoration of Pay Differential
Historically, there was a clear pay differential between Postal Assistants and supervisory cadres. With the expansion of responsibilities and the increasing complexity of postal operations, maintaining an appropriate hierarchical pay structure has become increasingly important.
The proposed restructuring would ensure that responsibility, supervisory authority, experience and accountability are properly reflected in the pay structure.
Conclusion
The demands presented before the 8th Central Pay Commission are aimed at achieving a fair, rational and responsibility-based pay structure for postal employees.
The changing nature of postal operations, technological advancement, increased workload, higher educational qualifications and growing supervisory responsibilities require corresponding improvements in pay and status.
The proposed upgradation of Postal Assistants to Pay Level 6 and the restructuring of the LSG, HSG-II and HSG-I supervisory cadres are therefore important steps towards recognising the contribution and responsibilities of postal employees.
The Postal Association has placed these issues before the 8th Pay Commission with the expectation that the legitimate demands of postal employees will receive due consideration.