Gramin Dak Sevaks (Compassionate Engagement) Scheme 2023 – Consolidated Guidelines by Department of Posts
OM. No.17-01/2017-GDS
भारत सरकार /Government of India
संचार मंत्रालय /Ministry of Communication
डका विभाग /Department of Posts
(जीडाएस अनुभाग) /GDS Section
डाक भवन, संसद मार्ग,
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,
नई दिल्ली/ New Delhi 110001
Dated: 20th June 2025
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Consolidate Guidelines on “Gramin Dak Sevaks (Compassionate Engagement) Scheme, 2023”.
I am directed to refer to this office letter No. 17-1/2017-GDS dated 14.06.2023, vide which “Gramin Dak Sevak (Compassionate Engagement) Scheme,2023” was issued. Subsequently, several addendum/instructions on the Compassionate Appointments of Gramin Dak Sevak have been issued. It has been decided to consolidate all instructions issued till date, in this OM, for the facility of reference and guidance. The same are being made available on the Department’s website under https://utilities.cept.gov.in >> Circulars, Rules and Latest Orders>>GDS. The number and date of the relevant Office addendum have been mentioned below each para. The application form in Annexure-II & Annexure-VI has been amended for the use of the dependents of a department employee also.
2. Circles are requested to bring this to the notice of all concerned for information, guidance, and necessary action.
3. Hindi version will follow.
Digitally signed by
Anand Singh
Date: 20-06-2025
14:27:01
(Anand Singh)
Assistant Director (GDS)
GRAMIN DAK SEVAKS (COMPASSIONATE ENGAGEMENT) SCHEME, 2023
1. Objective
The objective of the Scheme is to grant engagement on compassionate grounds to one of dependent family members of a regularly engaged GDS/departmental employees, to relieve the family of such GDS/employee from financial destitution and to help it to get over the emergency. Compassionate Engagement may be granted in the following cases:
i) If the GDS or departmental employee passes away while in service or has been missing for more than two years.
ii) If the GDS or departmental employee is compelled to permanently leave Gramin Dak Seva /Service due to a contagious disease or a physical /mental infirmity that renders them permanently unfit for engagement, provided GDS is discharged on these medical grounds before attaining the age of 62 years.
iii) Compassionate engagement would not be a matter of right, and it will be subject to the fulfillment of all the conditions, including availability of vacancy, as laid down for such engagement under the scheme.
Note I “Only one eligible dependent of the deceased GDS/departmental employee would be entitled to compassionate engagement as GDS”
Note II “In case of departmental employee, one and the same eligible dependent may apply for appointment on compassionate grounds on both departmental vacancy and against GDS vacancy as per the eligibility criteria and conditions prescribed under the relevant schemes for compassionate appointment/engagement. In case of selection against both, on GDS as well as departmental posts, the candidate will have to choose to select engagement/appointment on any one of the posts and will have to quit/resign from the other post on a permanent basis.
[Sub para (i), (ii), (iii) of Para 1 amended vide Addendum -IV
No. 19-19/2024-GDS dated 25.02.2025]
2. Who can apply?
A dependent family member of GDS engaged on regular basis who dies while in engagement (including death by suicide): “Dependent Family Member” means and includes the following:
(a) Spouse
(b) Son, including a legally adopted son/married son;
(c) Daughter, including legally adopted daughter/divorced daughter, /Judicially separated daughter, wholly dependent on the GDS.
(d) In the case of death of an unmarried GDS, unmarried brother or sister (unmarried /widow divorced/judicially separated) wholly dependent on the GDS at the time of his/her death.
(e) Widowed daughter-in-law of the deceased GDS, provided she gives an undertaking that she is not availing the same benefit from her own parenthood,
(f) Widowed daughter of the GDS, provided she gives an undertaking that she is not availing the same benefit from her husband’s parenthood.
(g) Married daughter subject to the condition that she was wholly dependent on the deceased GDS at the time of his/her death and she undertakes to support other dependent members of the family.
(h) Married daughter-in-law in the following conditions:
- The son of the deceased GDS is not fit to be engaged as GDS due to circumstances like medical/mental condition, and
- no other member of the family can be engaged as GDS/Dak Sevak in relaxation and
- Head of Circle would be the competent authority to decide such requests on case-to-case basis.
[Sub para (g) & (h) of Para 2 added vide Addendum-III
No. 17-01/2017-GDS dated 27.06.2024]
Note I A widow/divorced daughter or sister engaged on compassionate grounds will be allowed to continue in engagement even after re-marriage.
Note II Provision of “Married Daughter” included for the compassionate engagement as GDS will apply from the introduction of the GDS (Compassionate Engagement) Scheme, 2023, dated 14.06.2023, any case rejected on this ground after the introduction of the scheme may be re-opened and decided accordingly.
[Note II of Para 2 added vide Dte. letter No 17-1/2017-
GDS dated 01.07.2024]
Note III If the single eligible son died after death of father/mother, but before applied or if applied before finalization of the case by CCE for compassionate engagement of GDS post, in such cases, daughter in law can be considered for compassionate engagement on GDS post subject to fulfilment of other conditions for example educational qualification etc.
[Note III of Para 2 added vide Dte. Letter No.17-1/2017-
GDS dated 18.12.2019]
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