IAS (Indian Administrative Service) : -

Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Indian government. One of the three All India Services (along with the Indian Police Service and the Indian Forest Service), the IAS plays a major role in managing the bureaucracy of both the Union Government (Central Government) and the state governments, with its officers holding strategic posts across the country. Civil service, the backbone of the Indian government machinery constitutes all the departments which run the State administration. A highly competitive and challenging area, it involves a variety of jobs in different departments. Compared to private sector jobs this profession has job security. The prestige and power that comes along with these top-notch jobs is a definite reason for anybody to join this profession. The salary, allowances and facilities like healthcare, housing, conveyance etc. also make it a lucrative profession.

Entry into the IAS, IPS and the Central Services, Group A and Group B is through the All India Combined Competitive Examination for the Civil Services conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in different centers spread all over the country. However, recruitment to the Indian Forest Service is through a different procedure. Entry into the State Civil Services is through a competitive examination conducted by every state public service commission. Anyone thinking of taking up civil service should have an idea how difficult it is to get in as lakhs of candidates apply for the 400 to 500 vacancies that may arise. So once you decide to appear in civil service exam, one should be prepared to slog endlessly. The career path of IAS officers is well defined. About 60 to 90 officers are inducted every year from about 300,000 applicants based on the results of a competitive civil service examination.

HISTORY
The precursor of the IAS was the Indian Civil Service (ICS) during the British Raj era. ICS officers (known as "Collectors"), were generally held in high regard as incorruptible and good administrators. There were critics, however; Jawaharlal Nehru recounted a popular saying that the ICS was "neither Indian, nor civil, nor a service" in his Discovery of India. British Prime Minister David Lloyd George referred to the colonial ICS as the "steel frame" of the British Raj for its role in influencing and implementing government policies and decisions.
Upon independence, the new Republic of India accepted the then serving Indian Civil Service officers who chose to stay on rather than leave for the UK, and renamed the service the Indian Administrative Service.

Selection Process, Cadre Allocation and Federalism of IAS
The officials of the Indian Administrative Service are involved in civil administration and policy-making. Like many other civil services bodies, officers of the IAS are selected by the Civil Services Examination, a three-stage a competitive selection process consisting of a preliminary exam, a main exam, and an interview. This Civil Services Examination is administered by the Union Public Service Commission once a year.

After being selected for the IAS, candidates are allocated to "cadres." There is one cadre in each Indian state, except for three joint cadres: Assam-Meghalaya, Manipur-Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories (AGMUT).

The "insider-outsider ratio" (ratio of officers who are posted in their home states) is maintained as 1:2. as 'insiders'. The rest are posted as 'outsiders' according to the 'roster' in states other than their home states. Till 2008 there was no choice for any state cadre and the candidates, if not placed in the insider vacancy of their home states, were allotted to different states in alphabetic order of the roster, beginning with the letters A, H, M, and T for that particular year. For example if in a particular year the roster begins from 'A', which means the first candidate in the roster will go to the Andhra Pradesh state cadre of IAS, the next one to Bihar, and subsequently to Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and so on in alphabetical order. The next year the roster starts from 'H', for either Haryana or Himachal Pradesh. (If it has started from Haryana in the previous occasion when it all started from 'H', then this time it would start from Himachal Pradesh). This highly intricate system has on one hand ensured that officers from different states are placed all over India, it has also resulted in wide disparities in the kind of professional exposure for officers, when we compare officers in small and big & also developed and backward state, since the system ensures that the officers are permanently placed to one state cadre. The only way the allotted state cadre can be changed is by marriage to an officer of another state cadre of IAS/IPS/IFS. One can even go to his home state cadre on deputation for a limited period, after which one has to invariably return to the cadre allotted to him or her.

The centralizing effect of these measures was considered extremely important by the system's framers, but has received increasing criticism over the years. In his keynote address at the 50th anniversary of the Service in Mussoorie, Cabinet Secretary Nirmal Mukarji argued that separate central, state and local bureaucracies should eventually replace the IAS as an aid to efficiency. There are also concerns that without such reform, the IAS will be unable to "move from a command and control strategy to a more interactive, interdependent system

Freedom to an IAS Officer
IAS officers are appointed by the President of India. The Constituent Assembly of India intended that the bureaucracy should be able to speak out freely, without fear of persecution or financial insecurity as an essential element in unifying the nation. The IAS officers are recruited by the Union government on the recommendation of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and posted under various State governments. While the respective State Governments have control over them they can not censure or take disciplinary action against IAS and other All India Services officers without consulting the Union Government and the UPSC. This independence has been sometimes severely criticized by many quarters of civil society. However there is no considered consensus about the need for such an elite corps of the bureaucracy. In response to the questionnaire of the Sixth Pay Commission under Justice Sri Krishna in March 2008 overwhelmingly those who replied opted for a Unified Civil Service in its place. Such an elite service as the IAS has a built in bias to occupy policy making positions regardless of their domain knowledge training and experience. As a corollary they seem to spend very little time in the areas of governance involving the vast majority of people living below the poverty line, disadvantaged groups.

Designation
The State Governments however have a kind of leverage to post these officers. Normally when an IAS officer joins the State, he is placed as a Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM). Ideally he is to be made in charge of a District after completing 9 years of service and entering the Junior Administrative Grade but in certain States, even younger IAS officers are made in charge of Districts (Known as District Magistrates (DM), Deputy Commissioners or Collectors, Secretary (Government of India) and Cabinet Secretary.

Responsibility of IAS officer
The IAS Officers handle affairs of the government. At the central level, this involves the framing and implementation of policy. They also represent the government in other countries and in International forums. They are even authorized to sign agreements on behalf of the government. At the district level, it is concerned with district affairs, including development functions. At the divisional level, the IAS officers look after law and order, general administration and development work. In IAS cadre you can be sub-magistrate, district magistrate, joint secretary, deputy secretary etc.

Eligibility Condition
Nationality
For the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India.
For other services, a candidate must be either:
A citizen of India, or
citizen of Nepal, or
citizen of Bhutan, or
Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India. or
Person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Srilanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him by the Government of India.

Age Limits
A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years.

The upper age limit prescribed above will be relaxable:
Upto the maximum period of five years if a candidate belongs to S.C or S.T.
Upto a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to OBC who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.
Upto a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu & Kashmir.
Upto a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof:
Upto a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service.
Upto a maximum of 10 years in the case of blind, deaf-mute and Orthopadically handicapped persons.
Note:
Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes who are also covered under any other clauses of para 3(ii) (b) above, viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen, persons domiciled in the State of J & K, blind, deaf-mute and orthopadically handicapped etc. will be eligible for grant of cumulative age-relaxation under both the categories.
The term ex-servicemen will apply to the persons who are defined as ex-servicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, as amended from time to time.
Notwithstanding the provision of age-relaxation under para 3(ii) (b) (vii) above, a physically disabled candidate will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if he/she (after such physical examination as the Government or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services/posts to be allocated to the physically disabled candidates by the Government.
Save as provided above the age limits prescribed can in no case be relaxed.
The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognized by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University, which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate.
These certificates are required to be submitted only at the time of applying for the Civil Services (Main) Examination.
No other document relating to age like horoscopes, affidavits, birth extracts from Municipal Corporation, service records and the like will be accepted.
The expression Matriculation/Secondary Examination Certificate in this part of the instruction includes the alternative certificates mentioned above.
Candidates should note that only the Date of Birth as recorded in the Matriculation/Secondary Examination Certificate or an equivalent certificate on the date of submission of applications will be accepted by the Commission and no subsequent request for its change will be considered or granted.
Candidates should also note that once a Date of Birth has been claimed by them and entered in the records of the Commission for the purpose of admission to an Examination, no change will be allowed subsequently (or at any other Examination of the Commission) on any grounds whatsoever.
The candidate should exercise due care while entering their date of birth in column 8 of the application form for the Preliminary Examination. If on verification at any subsequent stage, any variation is found in their date of birth from the one entered in their matriculation or equivalent Examination certificate, disciplinary action will be taken against them by the commission under the Rules.

Minimum Educational Qualifications
The candidate must hold a degree of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

Please Note:
Candidates who have appeared at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission’s examination but have not been informed of the results as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination. All candidates who are declared qualified by the Commission for taking the Civil Services (Main) Examination will be required to produce proof of passing the requisite examination with their application for the Main Examination failing which such candidates will not be admitted to the Main Examination.
In exceptional cases the Union Public Service Commission may treat a candidate who has not any of the foregoing qualifications as a qualified candidate provided that he has passed examination conducted by the other Institutions, the standard of which in the opinion of the Commission justifies his admission to the examination.
Candidates possessing professional and technical qualifications which are recognized by Government as equivalent to professional and technical degree would also be eligible for admission to the examination.
Candidates who have passed the final professional M.B.B.S. or any other Medical Examination but have not completed their internship by the time of submission of their applications for the Civil Services (Main) Examination, will be provisionally admitted to the Examination provided they submit along with their application a copy of certificate from the concerned authority of the University/Institution that they had passed the requisite final professional medical examination. In such cases, the candidates will be required to produce at the time of their interview original Degree or a certificate from the concerned competent authority of the University/Institution that they had completed all requirements (including completion of internship) for the award of the Degree.

Number of attempts
Every candidate appearing at the Civil Services Examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted four attempts at the examination.
Provided that this restriction on the number of attempts will not apply in the case of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates who are otherwise eligible.
Provided further that the number of attempts permissible to candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, who are otherwise eligible, shall be seven. This relaxation will be available to the candidates who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.

Please Note:
An attempt at a Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the examination.
If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the Preliminary Examination, he shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the examination.
Notwithstanding the disqualification/cancellation of candidature the fact of appearance of the candidate at the examination will count as an attempt.
Restrictions on applying for the examination
A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Foreign Service on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be eligible to compete at this examination.
In case such a candidate is appointed to the IAS/IFS after the Preliminary Examination of Civil Services Examination, is over and he/she continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be eligible to appear in the Civil Services (Main) Examination, notwithstanding his/her having qualified in the Preliminary Examination.
Also provided that if such a candidate is appointed to IAS/IFS after the commencement of the Civil Services (Main) Examination, but before the result thereof and continues to be a member of that service, he/she shall not be considered for appointment to any service/post on the basis of the result of this examination viz. Civil Services Examination.

Examination Process
All India Combined Competitive Examination for the Civil Services conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) comprises of two successive stages:
• Preliminary Examination: It is of objective type, which is a qualifying examination.
• Main Examination: It consists of written examination and interview.
The Preliminary Examination is held in May/June and the Main Examination in October/November. One must begin preparations of the main exam along with preliminary exam. This is because there is little time for the Main exam if one waits for the results of the Preliminaries.
A candidate is permitted 4 attempts at the examination. If a person appears in the Preliminary Exam or even appears in one paper, it is counted as an attempt.
Selection to the Indian Forest Service, on the other hand, is on the basis of a written test held in the month of July/August every year. The test comprises: two compulsory papers (General English and General Knowledge); and additional papers in any two subjects chosen from the following options: agriculture / botany / chemistry / physics / geology / zoology / mathematics / agricultural engineering / chemical engineering / civil engineering / mechanical engineering , excepting combinations of agriculture and agricultural engineering , chemistry and chemical engineering.
Preliminary Exam.
Examination The preliminary examination consists of two papers:
• Paper I -- General Studies 150 marks
• Paper II -- An Optional subject 300 marks
Subjects for Paper II (one subject to be selected): Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, Indian History, Law, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology.
Both the papers will be of objective type questions (multiple choice). The question papers are set in Hindi as well as in English. The course content for the optional subjects will be of the degree level. Each paper is of two hours duration. Blind candidates are allowed an extra time of 20 minutes for each paper.

Main Examination
The Main Examination will consist of a written examination and an interview test. The written examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type in the subjects set out.
Candidates who obtain such minimum qualifying marks in the written part of the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion shall be summoned by them for an interview for a Personality Test. However, the papers on Indian Languages and English will be of qualifying nature. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking. The number of candidates to be summoned for interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview will carry 300 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).
Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Main Examination (written part as well as interview) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various Services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the various Services and posts.
It consists of the following papers:
• Paper I - One Indian language (selected by the candidate) 300 marks
• Paper II - English 300 marks
• Paper III - Essay 200 marks
• Paper IV&V - General Studies 300 marks each
• Paper VI-IX - Any two subjects (optional papers to be selected by the candidate) with two papers each 300 marks for each.
Each paper is of 3 hours duration.
Optional Papers: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, Indian History, Law, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Zoology. The following combinations not allowed are:
• Political Science & International Relations and Public Administration
• Commerce and Management
• Anthropology and Sociology
• Maths and Statistics
• Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
• Management and Public Administration
• Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science and Medical Science
• Any two branches of engineering.
IInterview Process
The final stage of selection is the interview which is conducted in April/May every year. Candidate will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object is to assess the personal suitability and judge the mental caliber of the candidate. The candidate must exhibit an intelligent interest in events happening around him so that he appears to be a complete personality. The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career. He will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The test is intended to judge the mental caliber of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only his intellectual qualities but also social traits and his interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.
The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross-examination but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.
The interview test is not intended to be a test either of the specialized or general knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own state or country as well as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.
There is also a medical test, especially rigid for IPS. Out of the final candidates selected top rankers are appointed as IAS officers.
Once appointed, all probationary officers of the All India and Central Services undergo compulsory foundation training.

General Instructions (Preliminary / Main Examination):-
1. Candidates must write the papers in their own hand. In no circumstances, they will be allowed the help of a scribe to write the answers for them. However, blind candidates will be allowed to write the examination with the help of a scribe.
i. The eligibility conditions of a scribe, his/her conduct inside the examination hall and the manner in which and extent to which he/she can help the blind candidate in writing the Civil Services Examination shall be governed by the instructions issued by the UPSC in this regard. Violation of all or any of the said instructions shall entail the cancellation of the candidature of the blind candidate in addition to any other action that the UPSC may take against the scribe.
ii. For purpose of these rules the candidate shall be deemed to be a blind candidate if the percentage of visual impairment is 40% or more. The criteria for determining the percentage of visual impairment shall be as follows :
iii. For availing of the concession admissible to a blind candidate, the candidate concerned shall produce a certificate in the prescribed proforma from a Medical Board constituted by the Central/State Governments along with his application for the Main Examination.
iv. The concession admissible to blind candidates shall not be admissible to those suffering from Myopia.

2. The Commission have discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all the subjects of the examination.
3. If a candidate’s handwriting is not easily legible, a deduction will be made on this account from the total marks otherwise accruing to him.
4. Marks will not be allotted for mere superficial knowledge.
5. Credit will be given for orderly, effective and exact expression combined with due economy of words in all subjects of the examination.
6. In the question papers, wherever required, SI units will be used.
7. Candidates should use only international form of Indian numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3,4,5,6 etc.) while answering question papers.
8. Candidates will be allowed the use of Scientific (Non-Programmable type) calculators at the conventional (Essay) type examination of UPSC. Programmable type calculators will however not be allowed and the use of such calculators shall tantamount to resorting to unfair means by the candidates. Loaning or interchanging of calculators in the Examination Hall is not permitted.
It is also important to note that candidates are not permitted to use calculators for answering objective type papers (Test Booklets). They should not therefore take the same to the Examination Hall.

List of Head Post Offices/Post Offices where UPSC application forms are available
Andhra Pradesh Circle
Hyderabad GPO, Hyderabad Jubilee, Kachiguda Stn., Khairatabad, Secunderabad, Trimulgherry, Adilabad, Anantapur, Arundelpet (Guntur), Chittoor, Cuddapah, Eluru, Kakinada, Karimnagar, Khammam, Kurnool, Machilipatnam, Mahboobnagar, Medak, Nalgonda, Nellore, Nizamabad, Ongole, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Visakhapatnam, Warangal.

Assam Circle
Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Diphu, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Jorhat, Karimganj, Kokrajhar, Mangaldoi, Nagaon, Nalbari, North Lakhimpur, Sibsagar, Silchar, Tezpur, Tinsukia.

Bihar Circle
Patna, GPO, Bankipur, Arrah, Aurangabad, B. Deoghar, Bokaro Steel City, Banka, Battiah, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Biharsharif, Buxar, Chaibasa, Chapra, Daltonganj, Darbhanga, Dhanbad, Dumka, Gaya, Giridih, Gopalganj, Gumla, Hajipur, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Katihar, Madhubani, Motihari, Munger, Muzaffarpur, Nawada, Purnea, Ranchi, Saharsa, Samastipur, Sasaram, Sitamarhi, Siwan.

Delhi Circle
Delhi GPO, New Delhi, Indra Prastha, Ramesh Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Lodi Road, Krishna Nagar, Ashok Vihar, Parliament Street, UPSC PO.

Gujarat Circle
Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Amreli Anand, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Dahod, Godhra, Himatnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Kheda, Mehesana, Navrangpura, Navsari, Palanpur, Patan, Porbandar, Rajkot, Revdi Bazar, Surat, Surendranagar, Valsad, Vadodara.

Haryana Circle
Ambala GPO, Ambala City, Bahadurgarh, Bhiwani, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Hissar, Jind, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Narnaul, Panipat, Rohtak, Sirsa, Sonepat.

Himachal Pradesh Circle
Shimla, Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Keylong, Kulu, Mandi, Nahan, Recong, Peo, Solan, Una.

Jammu & Kashmir Circle
Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Jammu, Kathua, Leh, Rajouri, Udhampur.

Karnataka Circle
Bangalore GPO, Bangalore City, Basavangudi, HAL II Stage, Jayanagar, R.T. Nagar, Bagalkot, Raichur, Rajajinagar, Belgaum Bellary, Bidar, Bijapur, Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Devengere, Dharwad, Gadag, Gulbarga, Hassan, Haveri, Hubli, Karwar, Kolar, Madikere, Mandya, Mangalore, Manipal, Mysore, Nanjagud, Shimoga, Sirsi, Tumkur, Udupi.

Kerala Circle
Trivandrum, Alleppey (Alappuzha), Calicut, Cannanore, Ernakulam, Kalpetta, Kasargod, Kattappana, Kottayam, Malappuram, Palghat, Pathanamthitta, Quilon, Trichur, Kavaratti, (Lakshadweep).

Madhya Pradesh Circle
Bhopal GPO, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Balaghat, Betul, Bhind, Chhatarpur, Chhindwara, Damoh, Dewas, Dhar, Durg, Guna, Hoshangabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jagdalpur, Jhabua, Khandwa, Khargone, Lashkar, Mandla, Mandsaur, Morena, Narsinghpur, Neemuch, Raigarh, Raipur, Raisen, Rajgarh (Biora), Rajnandgaon, Ratlam, Rewa, Sagar Cantt., Satna, Sehore, Seoni, Shahdol, Shajapur, Shivpuri, Sidhi, Tikamgarh, Ujjain, Vidisha.

Maharashtra Circle
Mumbai GPO, Andheri, Borivili, Chembur, Chinehbunder, Dadar, Girgaon, Kalbadevi, Mahim, Mandvi, Mumbai Central, Ahmednagar, Akola, Alibag, Amravati, Aurangabad, Beed, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Jalagaon, Jalna, Karad, Kolhapur, Latur, Nagpur, GPO, Nanded, Nasik, Osmanbad, Parbhani, Pune, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, Sawantwadi, Solapur, Thane, Wardha, Yeotmal, Margaon (Goa), Panaji (Goa).

North East Circle
Agartala, Aizwal, Dharmanagar, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Radhakishorepur, Shillong, Tura.
Orissa Circle
Bhubaneswar GPO, Angul, Bolangir, Balasore, Bargarh, Baripada, Berhamapur, Bhadrak, Bhawanipatna, Cuttack GPO, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jeypore (K), Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Keonhargarh, Koraput, Nayagarh, Parlakhemundi, Phulbani, Puri, Rayagada, Sambalpur, Sundargarh.

Punjab Circle
Amritsar, Bhatinda, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar City, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Moga, Patiala, Ropar, Sangrur, Chandigarh.

Rajasthan Circle
Jaipur GPO, Jawahar Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Ajmer, Alwar, Banswara, Baran, Barmer, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Dungarpur, Hanumangarh, Hindaun, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Jhalawar, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Kankroli, Kota, Nagaur, Pali Marwar, Sawaimadhopur, Shastri Circle Udaipur, Sikar, Sirohi, Sriganganagar, Tonk.

Tamil Nadu Circle
Chennai GPO, Anna Road, St. Thomas Mount, T. Nagar, Bodinayakanur, Chengalpattu, Chidambaram, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Kanchipuram, Karur, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Nagercoil, Namakkal, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Sivagangai, Tambaram, Thanjavur, Thiruvannamalai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Tiruvallur, Tiruvayur, Turaiyur, Tuticorin, Udhagamandalam, Vellore, Villupuram, Virudhunagar, Pondicheerry.

Uttar Pradesh Circle
Lucknow, Lucknow Chowk, Agra, Akbarpur, Aligarh, Allahabad, Allahabad Katchery, Almora, Auraiya, Azamgarh, Bahraich, Ballia, Balrampur, Banda, Bansi, Barabanki, Bareilly, Basti, Bijnor, Budaun, Bulandshahr, Dehradun, Deoria, Dhampur, Etah, Etawah, Faizabad, Fatehgarh, Fatehpur, Firozabad, Ghaziabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Gopeshwar, Gorakhpur, Haldwani, Hamirpur,Hardoi, Jaunpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Kheri, Lalitpur, Mainpuri, Mathura, Mau, Meerut, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Nainital, Orai, Pauri, Padrauna, Pilibhit, Pithoragarh, Pratapgarh, Rai Bareli, Rampur, Roorkee, Saharanpur, Shahajahanpur, Sitapur, Sultanpur, Tehri, Unnao, Varanasi.

West Bengal Circle
Calcutta GPO, Alipore, Barabazar, Beleghata, Belghoria, Cassipore, Park Street, Tollygunge, Balurghat, Bankura, Barasat, Berhampore, Burdwan, Chinsurah, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Krishnagar, Malda, Midnapore, Purulia, Suri, Siliguri, Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Gangtok (Sikkim).