India Post, a vital link for millions, faces criticism as essential services like Registered Post are merged with Speed Post.
This led to a 34 per cent rate hike.
Discontinuation of Book Post further burdens publishers and readers.
The vision of India Post — “India Post’s products and services will be the customer’s first choice” is not just a slogan; it reflects everyday reality. For generations, the postman’s knock has meant much more than the delivery of a letter. It has brought news from faraway cities, money orders from migrant family members, exam results, wedding invitations and sometimes the last message of a loved one.
In villages where banks came late and the internet even later, India Post became a crucial link between citizens and the State, and between families separated by distance. With over 155,000 post offices, India Post operates the world’s largest postal network, built on trust and accessibility.
Even in the internet era, India Post remains a lifeline for millions. In remote areas with poor connectivity and shared smartphones, pensions, rural employment guarantee wages, and social security, benefits still reach people through local post offices. Elderly residents depend on the postman to access their savings, migrants send money home through postal services and students receive important documents without struggling with digital systems.
While urban India tracks parcels on mobile apps, vast parts of the country continue to rely on India Post for reliable, human-centred service. This dependence was clearly visible in Barak Valley, where citizens protested after nine post offices were closed, underscoring how deeply India Post is woven into everyday life.
In recent years, India Post has discontinued services such as telegrams and money orders, which many people remember with nostalgia. While these decisions had a clear logic — their utility had sharply declined — this reasoning does not apply to services like Registered Post and Registered Book Post. These remain widely used and trusted, yet have been withdrawn, raising serious questions about the erosion of essential public services that many still depend on.
In September 2025, the government discontinued the registered post service. After the move drew criticism, officials clarified that the service had not been scrapped but merged with Speed Post.
However, counters at India Post offices tell a different story. Notices displayed at post office windows state that the registered post facility has been permanently closed and that all mail articles must now be booked under Speed Post, as per official guidelines. The reality is what the images speak and not the government is claiming.
On September 25, the government officially merged the Registered Post service with Speed Post and, on the same day, implemented a significant hike in Speed Post rates.
According to a reply received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the previous tariff for sending a 50-gramme parcel up to 200 km was Rs 35. With the new rates, the same parcel now costs Rs 47, representing a 34 per cent increase.
An RTI application was filed seeking a copy of the file related to India Post’s decision to discontinue the Registered Book Post service, including the proposal, file notings and minutes of meetings. However, the Department of Posts refused to provide the information, citing Section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act, which exempts disclosure of information related to commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property.
India Post’s decision to discontinue its long-standing Book Post service from December 18, 2024 has led to a sharp increase in the cost of sending books across the country, triggering concern among publishers, readers and independent authors.
The Book Post service allowed individuals to send up to 5kg of books for just Rs 80, making it one of the most affordable postal options for printed material. Introduced to promote reading habits and strengthen India’s literary culture, the service played a key role in making books accessible, especially in remote and rural areas.
Following its withdrawal, books are now required to be sent through the Registered Parcel service. This change is expected to increase postal charges by at least three times, placing an additional financial burden on small publishers, independent writers and booksellers.
As per media reports, several organisations have written to the Union Ministry of Communications urging the government to reconsider the decision and restore the Book Post or an equivalent affordable service. This author filed an RTI application seeking copies of representations submitted by publishers and citizens regarding the discontinuation of the Registered Book Post service, along with details of action taken by the Ministry. The Department of Posts, however, did not provide the information sought.
In April 2025, India Post introduced a new service called Gyan Post, which the government has described as a mechanism to ensure educational material reaches all sections of society. Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said Gyan Post would serve as a “vital delivery mechanism for ensuring that education reaches every individual”.
However, unlike the Book Post service, Gyan Post is limited in scope. It is available only to registered and authorised educational institutions and cannot be used by individual readers, authors, libraries or commercial publishers. While the service is subsidised, its access remains restricted and regulated, leading stakeholders to argue that it does not serve as a replacement for the discontinued Book Post.
Together, the merger of Registered Post with Speed Post, higher postal tariffs, and the withdrawal of Book Post indicate a shift in India Post’s functioning. As affordable services shrink and costs rise, concerns remain over whether the public postal system is moving away from its role as an accessible service for ordinary citizens.
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth.