India Post is not one monolithic organisation — it is a network of 23 semi-autonomous Postal Circles, each functioning like a regional command covering one or more states. Understanding this structure helps you know which authority to contact for local postal issues and why some states have more post offices than others.
What Is a Postal Circle?
A Postal Circle is the highest administrative unit in India Post below the national headquarters in New Delhi. Each circle is headed by a Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) who oversees all postal operations within that region. Circles are further divided into Postal Divisions, which are divided into Sub-Divisions and then individual post offices.
The 23 Postal Circles of India
| Circle | States / UTs Covered | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh | Hyderabad |
| Assam | Assam | Guwahati |
| Bihar | Bihar | Patna |
| Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| Delhi | Delhi, Chandigarh (shared) | New Delhi |
| Gujarat | Gujarat, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli | Ahmedabad |
| Haryana | Haryana | Ambala |
| Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla |
| Jammu & Kashmir | J&K, Ladakh | Jammu |
| Jharkhand | Jharkhand | Ranchi |
| Karnataka | Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| Kerala | Kerala, Lakshadweep | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Madhya Pradesh | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra, Goa | Mumbai |
| North East | Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Sikkim | Shillong |
| Odisha | Odisha | Bhubaneswar |
| Punjab | Punjab, Chandigarh (shared) | Chandigarh |
| Rajasthan | Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry | Chennai |
| Telangana | Telangana | Hyderabad |
| Uttar Pradesh | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| West Bengal | West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar, Sikkim | Kolkata |
Postal Circle → Division → Sub-Division → Post Office
Each circle is broken into Postal Divisions headed by a Senior Superintendent of Post Offices (SSPO) or Superintendent of Post Offices (SPO). A typical division covers one or two districts and contains one Head Office along with dozens of sub-offices and hundreds of branch offices.
Divisions are split into Sub-Divisions managed by Assistant Superintendents. At the ground level are the individual post offices — Head Office, Sub Offices, and Branch Offices — where the public interacts with India Post.
The Largest and Smallest Circles
- Uttar Pradesh — largest circle by number of post offices (over 17,000)
- Rajasthan — largest by geographic area covered
- Lakshadweep — smallest in terms of both area and post offices (served under Kerala circle)
- North East circle — covers 7 states but has challenging terrain; many B.O offices accessible only on foot
Army Postal Service (APS) — The 24th Network
In addition to the 23 civilian circles, the Army Postal Service maintains its own postal network for armed forces personnel. APS post offices use PIN codes starting with 9 and are not listed in public directories. They operate field post offices (FPO) in active deployments and base post offices (BPO) at cantonments.