Short Notes on

Official Postal
Articles
Po Guide Part I

Clause No 198 to 207

By Smart Vision Classes

 q. Official Postal Article
198. Conditions.- Official Postal articles will be transmitted by post under the following
conditions :- (a) The rates of postage and conditions of transmission by post hereinbefore
prescribed for the different classes of non-official postal articles and the rules under which such
articles be registered, insured, or sent value-payable are applicable also to official postal articles
of the same classes.
EXCEPTION : The conditions laid down in clause 145 that a parcel shall not contain more than
one written communication of the nature of a letter or having the character of a personal
communication shall not apply to an official parcel which contains office files provided that no one
file shall contain more than one communication of such nature of having such character which was
not contained therein when the file was received in the office from which it is being dispatched.
NOTE : Office files containing notes and orders or draft letters and fair copies exchanged between
Government Officer and his office may be sent by post as letters, packets or parcels at the option
of the sender.
(b) Official postal articles, whether the postage is prepaid or not, must bear the superscription “On
India Government service” when posted by Government Officials authorized to use service
postage stamps or “On Service” when posted by all others authorized to use service postage
stamps. This superscription must be supported by the signature and official designation to be
entered in the lower left-hand corner other article of the officer who sends the article, or of the
Head Clerk or Superintendent of his office or other responsible officer to whom the duty of
dispatching is assigned.
EXPLANATION 1: As the postage stamp embossed on service postcards bear the inscription
“Service”, the superscription referred to in sub-clause (b) above is not required on such postcards.
EXPLANATION 2: Postmasters may recognize abbreviated designations provided they are
generally known but no official can claim the recognition of an abbreviation, the rule being that
the designation shall be entered in full.
EXPLANATION 3: Postmasters may recognize facsimile impressions of signatures made by means
of stamps, but not such impressions when the graphic or otherwise produced. Public Officers who
use such stamps must make arrangements for their proper custody and use; and where there is
any reason to suspect the misuse of any stamp or the absence of proper precautions against this
misuse, postmasters may decline to recognize the stamp impression and require strict adherence
to the rules. Printed names will not be recognized in lieu of signatures except in the case of official
gazettes in open covers, posted in large numbers by the office of publication.
(c) Service stamps affixed to, or impressed or embossed on, or impressions of stamping machine
taken on an article which does not bear the prescribed superscription supported by the signature
and official designation of the sender will not be recognized by the post office in payment of
postage.
(d) The delivery and re-direction of articles superscribed “On India Government Service” or
“On Service” are governed by the official designation (when given) of the addressee.

199. Unpaid and insufficiently paid articles. –

(1) The postage chargeable on the delivery of official postal articles, when the postage is not
prepaid or is insufficiently prepaid, is as follows:
On an unpaid postcard, letter card, letter, or packet……………..
The prepaid rate.
On an insufficiently paid postcard, letter or packet ……….
The deficiency.
(2) In cases where it is not thought advisable to entrust postage stamps to a subordinate official
who has to correspond with, or to send returns to, a superior, he may be allowed by his superior
to post to him official articles, other than parcels without prepaying the postage : and the same
course may be adopted in other cases where it is found convenient or proper to make the postage
charge fall on the receiving office.
NOTE : The prepayment of postage on parcels is compulsory.

200. Officials entitled to use Service Stamps.- The following persons are entitled to use
service postage stamps on official postal articles sent by them provided the articles posted relate
to the Government service /official duties/official business of that government/institutio
n/particular body :-

201. Local Fund Officials.- Correspondence sent by an officer of a local authority or by an

officer of the Government acting in a capacity connected with local authority, such as the
President or Secretary of a Local Fund Committee, is not deemed official Correspondence within
the meaning of these rules and may not be superscribed as “On India government Service”. But
nothing in this clause is held to prevent the transmission on India Government Service of
correspondence sent by an officer of the Government acting as such, although the correspondence
may relate to the affairs of a local authority.

ILLUSTRATION : The Commissioner of a Division writing in that capacity to the Secretary of Local
Fund Committee concerning its affairs may superscribe the letter “On India Government Service”.

202. Procedure, if ordinary stamps are used for service stamps. – The Postage and other
charges (if any) – on an official article, can be properly prepaid only by a proper service stamp or
stamps or by a proper impression or impressions of stamping machines. Where, however, an
ordinary postage stamp instead of a service stamp is used on an official postal article, the article
will be recognized as an official postal article by the Post Office; but the irregularity will be brought
by the Officer- in-charge of the post office at which the article was so posted to the notice of the
officer concerned; and, if of frequent occurrence, to the head of the Circle.

203. Letter, etc., from Government Officers to private person and VICE-VERSA. –
(1) Letters, postcards and packets posted by officers of the Government in their official capacity,
addressed to private individuals or associations, will, even when they relate to the private
interests and concerns of the individuals or associations addressed, be sent as official postal
articles, prepaid in the usual way.
Exceptions : Noting in this sub-rule affect (a) the practice of the Law Court in regard to the
dispatch of certified copies, to persons who do not appear to take them personally and of
documents filed in judicial cases the return of which has been applied for, or (b) the dispatch of
packets containing books or publications purchases from Government. Such documents, books or
publications may be posted by the judicial or other Government offices concerned in covers
superscribed “Service Unpaid” and covers so superscribed will be charged, on delivery, with
postage at the rate to which they would have been liable if the postage had been prepaid. All
articles so posted will be endorsed under the full signature and official designation of the sender,
according to the specimen given on the margin.
Service Unpaid
To,
A.B.
From CALCUTTA
C.D.,
Commissioner
Gorakhpur
273001.
(2) Letters, letter cards, postcards, and packets, sent by private persons to officers of the
Government containing communications which the sender, is required by a law or rule to make, if
superscribed “Service Unpaid”, will if not refused and returned unopened by the addressee, be
charged, on delivery with postage at the rates to which they would have been liable if the postage
had been prepaid and liable if the postage had been prepaid and not at double rates as in the case
of ordinary articles: provided that an article so sent is addressed to the full official designation of
the officer for whom it is intended and that it has been endorsed under the full signature of the
sender according to the specimen form given on the margin.
Service Unpaid
To
The District
Superintendent of
Police,
LUCKNOW –
226001
Signature of sender
NOTE: The prepayment of postage on parcels is compulsory.

204.Postage due articles. – The amount of postage marked as due on postal articles delivered
under the superscriptions of “Service Unpaid” or “On India Government Service” or “On Service”
will be initialed by the postmaster or other officer authorized in this behalf by the head of the
Circle of the office of delivery, and whenever any alteration is necessary in the amount as entered
in figures the amount due will be written in words and attested by the signature in full, of
the postmaster or other officer aforesaid. Officers of the Government are bound to receive and to
pay any postage which may be due on articles addressed to them under the above superscription
and bearing the signature in full of the sender. Service stamps will not be accepted in payment of
postage due on such articles.

Correspondence of the President, Vice-President, Ministers of the Central Government

and certain high Government officers when on move

205.”Camp articles”, special bags and camp bags. –

(1) In order to meet the convenience of the President, Vice-President, Ministers of the Central
Government and certain high officers of Government when on tour or when their headquarters are
changed, the Post Office will do its best, subject to the following conditions, to deliver to those
officers, whenever they may be at the time fully prepaid uninsured inland camp articles of the
letter mail i.e., inland registered and unregistered letters, postcards, newspapers, and book and
pattern packets (whether official or private) addressed “Camp” without the addition of the name of
any post-town. Such articles are enclosed in special mail bags for each officer so lo ng as he is
absent from his head-quarters; otherwise they are delivered to him in the ordinary way through
the post office at his headquarters along with other articles for him addressed to that post-town. A
registered list is placed in every special bad and in it are detailed the registered articles, if any,
enclosed in the bag. The registered articles should be tallied with registered list and the list should
be signed in token of receipt of the registered articles detailed in it, and be returned with the
empty bag to the postal official delivering the mail. Special bags will be delivered on all days
including Sundays and Holidays.

(2) Only those articles which have been addressed to “Camp” of an officer can be included in the
special bag for that officer and the post office cannot undertake to discriminate between official
and private articles or between articles addressed by name and those addressed by designation,
with a view ot enclosed one class of articles in the special bag and dispatch the other to the
headquarters of the officer concerned. Articles addressed to a post-town can be sent only to that
post-town, and no article whether addressed “Camp” or to a post-town can be redirected in
transit. An article which is addressed neither to a post-town nor “Camp” will be sent to the
headquarters station of the officer concerned

(3) Parcels, money orders, insured articles, value-payable articles and article son which any
charge is due cannot be delivered in special bags and should, therefore, be addressed to a post-
town. Such articles if addressed “Camp” or without the addition of a post-town; are liable to be
sent to the headquarters station.

(4) Office files and other official papers may also be transmitted by post to or from the camp of a
High Officer to whom these rules are applicable. Such files and papers must be enclosed in a bad
provided for by the sender, and may be sent as “Camp bag” being booked either at parcel, air
parcel or letter mail rate. The Camp bag booked as parcel will be sent by surface route and will be
charged with the postage payable on a parcel weighing 10 Kg. Plus registration fee and incidental
charge of Rs. 16/- irrespective of the weight of the bag, subject to a maximum of 10 Kgs. The
camp bag booked as parcel will be sent by surface without being enclosed in any bag but along
with other mail bags”. The camp bag booked as air parcel will be charged with postage at air
parcel rate depending upon the weight of air parcel, and registration fee. In addition, a sum of Rs.
6 (rupees six) only as incidental charges for special arrangements made by this Department for
collection and delivery of the bag would be realized. The camp bag booked as letter mail will not
be charged with any additional postage other than registration fee. All charges including incidental
charges on camp bags booked as parcel or air parcel should be prepaid in service stamps. The
camp bag will be booked and delivered on all days including Sunday and P.O. Holiday. The camp
bag should have two labels, viz., one address- label bearing the name and full address of the
addressee and another tag- label showing the following :

To be forwarded loose as Service Postal

Regd. parcel/air parcel/letter mail stamps
To
*_________________________
(Post-town of destination)
Date-stamp
Of P.O. of
Posting
(*To be filled in by the Post Office)

The booking as parcel, or air parcel or letter mail may be shown by striking out the items not
required by the sender on this tag label. The service postage stamps should be affixed on the right
hand upper corner of this tag-label. The camp bag will be booked and delivered on all days
including Sunday and Holiday.

206. Tour programmes of High Officers entitled to special bags. –

(1) To enable arrangements to be made for the delivery of an officer’s camp correspondence, it is
essential that he should give the Post Office timely and exact information as to his movements.
This information should be furnished in the form of a tour programme showing the date, with
times, on which the officer will start from and arrive at each place to be visited, the route to be
followed, the halts to be made and how the several journey will be performed (whether by regular
or special train, by steamer or boat, by carriage, etc.). the tour programme should also show
whether (a) routing of all camp articles through Post and closing of special bags containing such
camp articles is desired, and/or (b) conveyance of ‘camp bags’ from the secretariat to high
Officer- in-Camp and vice versa are required. (2) The following table shows the high officers
entitled to the privilege of the special bags and camp bags, with the postal address to be adopted
for this purpose as regards each officer, and the name of the postal authority to whom the tour
programme should, in each case, be furnished.
High Officer Postal Address Postal authority to be
furnished
with tour programmes
The President and his Council Officers’ designation & Camp D.G.P &T.
of Ministers New Delhi
The Vice-President

Governor of Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Governor’s P.M.G., Hyderabad

Camp
Governor of Assam Assam Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Shillong
Governor of Bihar Bihar Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Patna
Governor of Maharashtra Maharashtra Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Bombay
Governor of Kerala Kerala Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Trivandrum
Governor of Gujarat Gujarat Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Ahmedabad
Governor of Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Governor’s P.M.G. Bhopal
Camp
Governor of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Madras
Governor of Karnataka Karnataka Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Bangalore
Governor of Orissa Orissa Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Cuttack
Governor of Punjab Punjab Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Ambala
Governor of Rajasthan Rajasthan Governor’s Camp P.M.G. Jaipur
Governor of Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Governor’s P.M.G. Lucknow
Camp
Governor of West-Bengal West-Bengal Governor’s P.M.G. Calcutta
Camp
Governor of Jammu & Jammu & Kashmir Governor’s P.M.G. Ambala
Kashmir Camp
Director General, Posts D.G.’s Camp All Heads of Circle

(3) The tour programme should be furnished well in advance of the date on which the tour
is to commence and instructions should, at the same time, be issued to correspondents as to how
letter etc. intended for delivery on tour, are to be addressed. It is suggested that with these
instructions a specimen form of address, thus -
(Name, Etc.)
Mily, Secy. To Governor
of Andhra Pradesh
A.P. Governor’s Camp.
be added to the published tour programme.

(4) In the event of any alteration being subsequently made in the tour programme-such a
deviation from their intended route, a longer or shorter halt at any place than at first
contemplated a journey by road or otherwise to a place off the intended route the earliest possible
information with details should be given to the postal authority to whom the tour programme was
originally furnished and also direct to the local Superintendents, Railway Mail Service,
superintendents, Railway mail Service, located at the following Stations, viz., Ajmer, Allahabad,
Ambala, Bangalore, Bombay (Bombay sorting division), Baroda, Cuttack, Calcutta (W.B. division),
Calcutta (H.Division), Calcutta (Calcutta Sorting Division), Delhi (D.Division.) Delhi (Sorting and
air Mail division), Gorakhpur, Gaya, Hyderabad, (Hyderabad Sorting Division) Hyderabad (Z
Division) Jhansi, Lucknow, Madras (M. Division), Madras (Madras Sorting Division), Muzaffarpur,
Nagpur, Patna, Poona, Rajkot, Silchar, Tiruchirapalli and Vijayawada.
207. Articles for persons accompanying High Officers on tour. – With the tour programme
may also be furnished at the option of the high officer concerned a list of the persons comprising
his tour party. The Post office, however, does not recognize the right of such persons to the
privilege extended to the high officers in question, nor does it make any special arrangements in
respect of their correspondence, through all letters, etc., if sent “care of” a high officer, are dealt
with in the same way as correspondence for the latter. So far as the Post Office is concerned it is
immaterial whether the addressee of an article directed “Camp” is not with the high officer whose
address it bears, as the article will be disposed of in accordance with that address. Similarly, an
article for any member of the tour party addressed to a post-town cannot be sent elsewhere
except by re-direction at that post town. The only use made by the Post Office of the list referred
to above is to regard it, in the absence of other orders, as instructions for the redirection of the
correspondence of the persons named in it received at the headquarters of the high officer
concerned.
 MCQ on Official Postal Articles
1. To whom the tour programme of the 5. An official parcel containing more
Governor of the state for closing Camp than one written communication ,what
and Special bag will be sent? action can be taken for inland
A. Concern Divisional Head transmission?
B. Concern Head Of The Circle A. It is allowed for transmission
C. DG Post New Delhi B. It will forwarded to its
D. None of the Above destination marked For open
Ans:- B delivery Only
2. The Superscription must be supported C. Each such written
by the ______ to be entered up the communication shall be charged
lower left hand corner of the article? on delivery with double the
A. Official designation and place of letter postage
Posting D. None of the above
B. Signature and Official Ans:- A
Designation
C. signature and Date 6. While sending official article the
D. Signature and Name of the prepayment of postage on ______is
official compulsory?
Ans:- B A. Letter Cards
B. Letters
3. An ordinary postage instead of a C. Parcel
service stamp is used on an official D. Post Card
postal article The article will be Ans:- C
recognized as an official postal article by 7. The Postage stamp embossed on
the post office but the irregularity will service postcards bear the
be brought by the officer in charge of inscription_______ the superscription
the post office at which the article was referred in sub clause b of Rule no 198
so posted to the notice of the officer of Po Guide part I is not required on
concerned and if it is happening such postcard?
frequently than it should be reported to A. Service
the________ ? B. On Postal Service
A. Postmaster of The Head Post C. On GOVT Service
Office D. On India Govt Service
B. Head of the Circle Ans:- A
C. Head of The region 8. Which one of the below statement is
D. Head of The Division false in regards to Official entitled to use
Ans:- B service stamps?
A. All Government officials including
4. Correspondence sent by an officer of those who are on leave
a local authority such as the President or B. The Secretary Medical Council Of
Secretary of a Local fund committee India
such correspondence is ______? C. The Secretary India council of
A. Official Correspondence where only Agricultural research
letter mail transmission permissible D. The Controller of Emigrant Labor
B. It is not deemed official Ans:- A
correspondence 9. What is the Postage chargeable on the
C. Deemed official correspondence delivery on the delivery of official post
D. None of the above card when the postage is paid
Ans:- B insufficiently?
A. The prepaid Rate
B. Double the Deficiency
 C. Treated as Letter Card and 15. How many labels are used in Camp
Charged on prepaid rate letter Bag?
card A. 1
D. None of the above B. 2
Ans:- A C. 3
10. The Postage chargeable on the D. None the above
delivery of official postal article when Ans:- B
Postage is insufficiently paid___? 16. The following officer is entitled to
A. Equal to deficiency privilege to Special Bag and Camp Bag ?
B. Equal to Prepaid Rate A. Director General Of Post
C. Double the Deficiency B. Chief Postmaster General
D. None of the above C. Postmaster General
Ans:- A D. None the above
11. The Official postal sample packet Ans:- A
posted by Primary Health unit weighing 17. The following High officer are not
70 grams bear to no postage affixed on entitled to privilege to Special Bag?
it will be charged on delivery as follow? A. The President Of India
A. Rs 14 B. All Governors of the States
B. Rs 27 C. All CPMG of The Circle
C. Rs 7 D. None the above
D. Need not be taxed Ans:- C
Ans:- C 18. To whom the tour programme of
12. Government official who are on leave President and his council of Minister for
or have retired from service are entitled closing of Camp/Special Bag will be
to use service stamps? sent?
A. The statement is Correct A. Concern Post Office
B. The Statement Is Incorrect B. DG Post New Delhi
C. It is Discretion power of the C. Concern Head Of The Circle
concern SSP D. None of the above
D. None of The above Ans:- B
Ans:- B 19. To whom the tour programme of the
13. A letter posted by Block DG Post New Delhi for Closing of Camp
Development Officer prepaid official /Special Bag will be sent?
postal article in accordance to a private A. Concern Post Office
individual or Association will be treated B. DG Post New Delhi
as Follow? C. All Head Of The Circle
A. Treat as Official Postal Article D. None of the above
B. Will no treat Official Postal Article Ans:- C
C. treat as Unpaid 20. Camp bag of Higher Officer booked
D. None the above as a Parcel will be charged as follow?
Ans:- A A. Letter Mail Charge+ Registration
14. A letter is posted as a service unpaid Charge+Incidental Charge
by a private individual address to a B. Letter Mail Charge + Registration
Government officers if the letter is Charge
refused by the concerned officer it will C. Only Letter Mail Charge
be treated as follow? D. None of the above
A. Single deficiency will be collected Ans:- A
B. double deficiency will be collected 21. What is the superscription that is to
C. delivered free be written on the article when it is
D. None Of the above posted by Government Official
Ans :-A authorized to use service Stamps?
A. On Service
B. On India Govt Service
 C. On Special Service 27. Official Postal Article Chapter
D. On Official Service defined in the Clause no _____of Po
Ans:- B Guide Part I ?
22. What is the superscription that is to A. 198 to 207
be written on the article when it is B. 196 to 208
posted by other than Government C. 208
Official authorized to use service D. None of the above
Stamps? Ans:- A
A. On Service 28.______stamps will not accepted in
B. On India Govt Service payment of postage due on Official
C. On Special Service Postal Article?
D. On Official Service A. Service
Ans:- A B. Cash
23. Camp bag of Higher Officer booked C. Revenue
as a Letter Mail will be charged as D. Postage
follow? Ans:- A
A. Letter Maill Charge+ Registration 29. The Camp Bag have two labels
Charge+Incidental Charge ______and_____
B. Letter Mail Charge + Registration A. Address and Tag
Charge B. Address and Bag
C. Only Letter Mail Charge C. Bag and Special
D. None of the above D. None of the above
Ans:- B Ans:- A
24. Camp Bag is used for to ? 30. Special bags will be delivered
A. Enclose the office file and other on________
office paper A. All days except holidays
B. Enclose to remittance of Cash B. All days including Sunday and
between two offices Holiday
C. Bag is used for exchange bo daily C. On working days Only
account D. None of the above
D. None of the above Ans:- B
Ans:- A 31. Article addressed to camp or Post
25. A list of High Government officials town can be ________
entitled to the privilege of the delivery of A. Can be Redirected
their mails to them whenever they may B. cannot redirected during transit
happen to be on tour with in India will C. Can redirected with prior
found in the clause no of PO Guide ? permission of HOD
A. 206 D. None of the above
B. 205 Ans:- B
C. 207 32. What action will be taken where an
D. None of the above ordinary postage stamp instead of a
Ans:- A service stamp is used on an official
26. Official Postal Article Comes under postal article
the Section _____of Po Guide Part I ? A. The article will be recognized as an
A. Section I official postal article by the Posta
B. Section II office and The irregularity will be
C. Section III brought by the officer in charge of
D. Section IV the post office at which the article was
Ans:- C so posted to the notice of the officer
concerned
B. The article will be returned to the
sender by the officer in charge of the
 post office at which the article was so B. This superscription must be
posted supported by the signature and
C. The matter will be reported to the official designation to be entered in
Divisional Head and service will be the lower right hand corner
stopped for sender by the officer in C. Must bear superscription “ On
charge of the post office at which the service” when posted by all other
article was so posted authorized to use service postage
D. No action required stamp
Ans:- A D. None of the above
33. Delivery of all article superscribed “ Ans:- B
On Service” would be governed by 36. Tour programmes of High Officers
A. Designation of Official entitled to
B. Name of the official A. A blue dosuti bag
C. Nature of the Office B. Special Bag
D. All the above C. Blue Airmail Bag
Ans:-D D. All the above
34. Full form of Official postal article Ans:- B
Super scribed as O.I.G.S on the article
A. On India Government service
B. One India Government Service
C. Official India Government Service
D. None of the above
Ans:-A
33. The President, Prime Minister and
Other Minister of the Government of
India and Certain High Government
officers are allowed the facility of
delivery of their mails to them wherever
they may happen
A. To be on tour within India
B. To be on tour outside India
C. To be on tour to USA
D. None of the above
Ans:-A
34. Office files containing notes and orders or
draft letters and fair copies exchanged
between Government Officer and his office
may be sent by post as letters packets or
parcels at the option of the__________
A. Sender
B. Messenger
C. Addressee
D. None of the above
Ans:-A
35. Which among the following is
incorrect with respect to official postal
article
A. Official postal articles , whether the
postage is prepaid or not , must bear
the superscription “ On India
Government Service” when posted by
the government officials authorized to
use service

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