Request for Inclusion of HSG-I & HSG-I (NFG) Cadres in the Ongoing Cadre Review of Postal Service Group 'B' Cadre
ALL INDIA ASSOCIATION OF SUPERVISOR CADRE (Gr. B)
Central Head Quarter
By Regd/email
Sub:
Request for inclusion of HSG-I & HSG-I (NFG) Cadres in the ongoing Cadre Review of Postal Service Group 'B' Cadre.
Ref:DTE (PE-II Section) No. Y-23/2/2026-PE-II dated 09.07.2026
Respected Sir,
On reference subject, this association respectfully submits this representation for your kind and sympathetic consideration regarding the inclusion of HSG-I and HSG-I (NFG) cadres in the ongoing Cadre Review of Postal Service Group 'B', for which a Committee has recently been constituted by the Hon’ble Directorate.
- At the outset, the Association expresses its sincere appreciation to the Department for initiating the Cadre Review of the Postal Service Group 'B' Cadre after a long interval. The Terms of Reference of the Committee rightly envisage examining the cadre structure, functional requirements, promotional avenues, feeder cadres, and organizational needs in the backdrop of emerging business requirements, digital transformation and operational efficiency. It is therefore earnestly submitted that the review cannot be complete unless the highest supervisory cadre of the operational stream, namely HSG-I and HSG-I (NFG), is also examined alongside the Postal Service Group 'B' Cadre.
Historical Parity Ignored
- Sir, history itself establishes that the HSG cadres have always been integral to the supervisory framework of the Department. During the 3rd Central Pay Commission, the Department maintained complete parity between the supervisory and administrative streams:-
- LSG carried the same status and pay scale as Inspector Posts.
- HSG-II was placed at par with the Assistant Superintendent of Posts (ASP).
- HSG-I enjoyed a higher status and pay scale than the ASP cadre.
In fact, vacant HSG-I posts were frequently manned by ASP officers in an officiating capacity, which itself reflected the superior status and importance of HSG-I posts within the Department's operational hierarchy. Unfortunately, this historical parity has gradually disappeared due to successive cadre and pay revisions.
Persistent Discrimination Against Operational Supervisory Cadres
- While the Department has consistently upgraded the Inspector Posts and ASP cadres in successive Pay Commissions, the HSG supervisory cadre has remained neglected. During the implementation of the 5th, 6th and 7th Central Pay Commissions, the Inspector Posts and ASP cadres received substantial upward revision of pay levels, whereas the HSG-II and HSG-I cadres, despite discharging equally onerous—and in many cases more demanding—operational responsibilities, were denied corresponding improvements. This has resulted in widening disparities between two streams that originate from the same feeder cadre.
The situation has become even more anomalous today because:-
- Both Inspector Posts and HSG supervisory cadres originate from the Postal Assistant cadre.
- The administrative stream now enjoys a far superior promotional hierarchy.
- The operational stream, despite carrying the entire burden of public service delivery, has virtually stagnated.
Such differentiation between employees recruited from the same feeder cadre violates the principles of equity, fairness and equal opportunity.
Operational Cadres are the Backbone of India Post
- The Department's remarkable transformation over the last decade has been possible only because the operational cadres have implemented every reform at the field level.
Today, HSG-I officers supervise and administer:-
- Head Post Offices and major Sub Offices.
- Banking and financial services.
- DDO role (Gazetted in any Centre or State Govt.)
- India Post Payments Bank coordination.
- Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance policy improver.
- Core Banking operations.
- Business Development activities.
- Parcel and logistics services.
- Digital transactions.
- e-Commerce operations.
- Aadhaar-related services.
- Government schemes.
- Digital transformation initiatives under IT 2.0.
- Revenue realization and customer service management.
- Allotted targets achiever.
Every new flagship initiative introduced by the Department ultimately reaches the public through the operational establishment headed by HSG supervisory officers. The operational responsibilities of HSG-I officers have multiplied many times over the last three decades, yet their career progression has remained virtually stagnant.
Present Anomaly in Promotional Hierarchy
- Another serious anomaly has emerged over the years. Earlier, ASP officers were officiated against vacant HSG-I posts. Today, the situation has completely reversed. ASP officers are now regularly posted against vacant Postal Service Group 'B' posts, whereas HSG-I officers have no corresponding promotional avenue except qualifying through the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination (LDCE).
Thus, an officer who has spent decades heading major post offices, managing financial powers, supervising large establishments and implementing national programmes has virtually no assured promotional progression beyond HSG-I. This has created an unfortunate bottleneck in the operational stream.
Injustice to Former Postmaster Cadre Officials
- The Association also wishes to draw your kind attention to another significant issue. When the Postmaster Cadre was constituted in 2010, aspirants entered the cadre with the legitimate expectation that they would eventually become eligible for promotion as Senior Postmaster (Group 'B' Gazetted), which formed the promotional hierarchy of the Postmaster Cadre.
However, in 2019, the Postmaster Cadre was merged with the General Line without obtaining the consent of the affected officials. Consequently, the promotional hierarchy attached to the erstwhile Postmaster Cadre virtually disappeared, while the officers were absorbed into HSG-I posts without any compensatory career progression. This has further aggravated stagnation among HSG-I officers.
Natural Justice Demands Equal Opportunity
- Sir, every organization requires both operational leadership and administrative leadership. The Department of Posts cannot function without either stream. While the administrative officers formulate policies, the operational supervisory officers translate those policies into reality. Both streams are indispensable and complementary.
It is therefore against the principles of natural justice to provide continuous career advancement to one stream while denying similar opportunities to the other, particularly when both originate from the same feeder cadre and serve the same Department. True organizational excellence lies in strengthening both streams equally.
Inclusion Fully Fits the Terms of Reference
- The present Cadre Review Committee has specifically been entrusted to examine:-
- functional requirements,
- promotional avenues,
- cadre structure,
- feeder cadres,
- organizational priorities, and
- future manpower requirements.
These objectives cannot be achieved comprehensively unless the Committee simultaneously examines the role and future of HSG-I and HSG-I (NFG) cadres, which constitute the highest supervisory level of the operational establishment.
Our Humble Prayer
- In view of the facts stated above, the Association most respectfully requests your kind intervention to:-
- Include HSG-I and HSG-I (NFG) cadres within the scope of the ongoing Cadre Review of Postal Service Group 'B'.
- Examine the historical parity between HSG and IP/ASP cadres while recommending future cadre structure.
- Provide equitable promotional avenues to HSG-I officers in the Postal Service Group 'B' hierarchy.
- Remove the long-standing discrimination between the administrative and operational supervisory streams.
- Ensure that the highest operational supervisory cadre receives due recognition commensurate with its responsibilities in the modern Department of Posts.
Conclusion
- Sir, HSG-I and HSG-I (NFG) officers are not merely supervisory officials—they are the operational leaders who shoulder the responsibility of implementing every policy, every technological innovation, every financial service and every public welfare initiative of the Department. The Cadre Review presents a historic opportunity to correct a long-standing imbalance and restore confidence among thousands of supervisory officers who have devoted their careers to strengthening India Post.
- The Association sincerely hopes that your good office will consider this genuine and long-pending demand with utmost sympathy and fairness so that parity, justice and organizational harmony are restored.
With profound regards,
Copy to:
- The Director General (Posts), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
- The Member (Personnel), Postal Services Board, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
- The DDG (Personnel), Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
- The Chairman, Cadre Review Committee for Postal Service Group 'B', Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001.
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