New Delhi: India Post has changed the classification rules for Speed Post consignments. From August 1, customers sending important papers for government work, jobs, college admissions, banking or business should carefully check what they place inside an envelope.
Under the revised rules, the post office will decide whether an article should be treated as a document or a parcel. If an envelope contains anything other than paper documents, it may be classified as a parcel and charged accordingly.
Two Categories
Speed Post consignments will now be divided into two categories: documents and parcels.
An envelope containing only information written, typed or printed on paper will qualify as a document. However, if any physical item is included with those papers, the entire consignment may be treated as a parcel.
Eligible Documents
Educational certificates, application forms, legal papers, bank documents and copies of Aadhaar, PAN or other government records can be sent under the document category.
Customers must ensure that the envelope contains only paper. This will help avoid reclassification and possible additional charges at the booking counter.
Parcel Charges
An envelope may be classified as a parcel if it contains a pen drive, key, gift, product sample, photo frame, card with an attached item or any other object.
Even a small item placed alongside documents could move the consignment into the parcel category. The applicable parcel charge may be higher than the document rate.
Reason For Change
According to India Post, customers sometimes send physical objects while booking envelopes as documents. This can create confusion over classification and charges.
The new system is intended to make booking simpler, help postal employees apply the correct rate and reduce fee-related disputes with customers.
Existing Rates
Speed Post charges currently depend on weight and distance. A local article weighing up to 50 grams reportedly costs Rs 19 plus GST, while an article sent to another city or state costs Rs 47 plus GST.
Charges increase with weight and distance. Before paying, customers should disclose the contents and check the category printed on their receipt.
