Inland Postal Rates

Postal Rates : 15th August 1947 - 1st April 1957

The knowledge of Postal Rates of various Postal Services is essential component for the study of Postal History. It is the Postal rates, which can tell us, how a mail has travelled to its destination. Therefore, an effort has been made to compile a list of the Postal rates of different Postal Services of India Post from 15th August 1947 to 1st April 1957. This period is also known as Classic Period of Modern Postal History of India.

The following are the Postal Rates of the different Postal Services for the mentioned era :

Inland Postage Rates:

Sr. No. Postal Article / Item Effective Date Postal Rates

01. LETTERS 15.08.1947 1½ Annas for first Tola 1 Anna for every additional Tola     01.04.1949 2 Annas for first Tola       1 Anna for every additional Tola     01.04.1957 13 NP for first Tola       06 NP for every additional Tola

02. LETTER CARD (ILC) 02.10.1950 1½ Annas     01.04.1957 10 NP

03. POST CARDS 15.08.1947 ½ Anna (6 Pies)     01.04.1949 ¾ Anna (9 Pies)     01.04.1957 5 NP

04. REPLY POST CARDS 15.08.1947 ½ + ½ Anna (6 + 6 Pies)     01.04.1949 ¾ + ¾ Anna (9 +9 Pies)     01.04.1957 5 + 5 NP

05. LOCAL LETTERS 01.04.1950 1 Anna for first Tola 1 Anna for every additional Tola     01.05.1951 The service was abolished

06. LOCAL POST CARDS 01.04.1950 ½ Anna (6 Pies)     01.04.1957 3 NP

07. BOOK, PATTERN AND SAMPLE PACKETS 15.08.1947 ¾ Anna for first 5 Tola   ½ Anna for every additional 2½ Tolas     01.05.1953 1 Anna for first 5 Tolas     ½ Anna for every additional 2½ Tolas     01.04.1957 6 NP for first 5 Tolas     3 NP for every additional 2½ Tolas

08. BLIND LITERATURE PACKETS 15.08.1947 ½ Anna per 100 Tolas     01.04.1957 3 NP per 100 Tolas

09. REGISTERED NEWSPAPERS 15.08.1947 ¼ Anna for newspapers not exceeding 10 Tolas       ½ Anna for newspapers exceeding 10 Tolas but not exceeding 20 Tolas       ½ Anna for every additional 20 Tolas       ½ Anna for newspapers when posted  in  packet  of  more  than  one  not exceeding 10 Tolas       ¼ Anna for every additional 5 Tolas             01.04.1957 2 NP for Newspapers not exceeding 10 Tolas       3 NP for Newspapers exceeding 10 Tolas but not exceeding 20 Tolas       3 NP for additional 20 Tolas or part there of       3 NP when posted in packets containing more than one copy not over 10 Tolas       2 NP for every additional 5 Tolas

10. PARCELS 15.08.1947 6 Annas per 40 Tolas     01.05.1951 8 Annas per 40 Tolas     01.04.1957 50 NP per 40 Tolas

11. REGISTRATION FEES 15.08.1947 3 Annas for any postal article     01.04.1948 4 Annas for any postal article     01.05.1951 4 Annas 6 Pies for any postal article     01.04.1953 6 Annas for any postal article     01.04.1956 8 Annas for any postal article     01.04.1957 50 NP for any postal article

12. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF REGISTRATION FEES 15.08.1947 1 Anna     01.04.1957 6 NP

13. INSURANCE FEES 15.08.1947 4 Annas where value insured is up to Rs. 100/-       5½ Annas where value insured exceed Rs. 100/- but doesn't exceed Rs. 200/-       8 Annas where value insured exceed Rs. 200/- but doesn't exceed Rs. 300/-       2 Annas for every additional Rs. 100/- or fraction there of over Rs. 300/- but doesn't exceed Rs. 1000/-       1 Anna for every additional Rs. 100/-, over Rs. 1000/- (maximum limit Rs. 3000/-)     01.05.1951 4 Annas where value insured doesn't exceed Rs. 100/-       2 Annas for every additional Rs. 100/-, over Rs. 100/- (maximum limit Rs. 5000/-)     01.04.1953 6 Annas where the value insured does not exceed Rs. 100/-       3 Annas for every additional Rs. 100/-, over Rs. 100/- (maximum limit Rs. 5000/-)     01.04.1957 37 NP where the amount insured does not exceed Rs. 100/-       20 NP for every additional sum of Rs. 100/- (maximum limit Rs. 5000/-)

14. CERTIFICATE OF POSTING FEES 15.08.1947 ½ Anna per 3 unregistered articles     01.04.1957 3 NP per 3 unregistered articles

15. MONEY ORDER COMMISSION 15.08.1947 2 Annas every sum of Rs. 10/- or fraction   01.05.1951 2 Annas for a sum not exceeding Rs. 5/-       3 Annas for a sum exceeding Rs. 5/- but not exceeding Rs. 10/-       4 Annas for a sum exceeding Rs. 10/- but not exceeding Rs. 15/-       6  Annas  for  exceeding  Rs.  15/-  but  not exceeding Rs. 25/-       6 Annas for a sum exceeding Rs. 25/- and for each complete sum of Rs. 25/-. 6 Annas for the remainder provided when the remained doesn't exceed Rs. 5/- the charge for it will be 2 Annas. if the remainder doesn't exceed Rs. 10/- the charge will be 3 Annas, if the remainder doesn't exceed Rs. 15/- the charges for it will be 4 Annas.     01.05.1951 Air fee of 1 Anna on Inland M.O. was abolished     01.04.1957 15 NP for a sum of Rs. 10/- or part thereof

16. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF INSURED DELIVERY FEES 15.08.1947 No separate fee   01.09.1951 1 Anna     01.04.1957 6 NP

17. V.P. POSTING FEES 15.08.1947 No Posting Fee. Registration was compulsory. Insurance was optional. Minimum 4 Annas & Maximum amount of VPP is Rs. 1000/-.   01.05.1951 A posting fee was introduced for inland V.P.P. articles       1 Anna where the amount specified for remittance to the sender is not over Rs. 25/-       2 Annas for all other articles     01.04.1957 6 NP where the amount specified for remittance to the sender is not over Rs. 25/-       12 NP for all other articles

18. EXPRESS DELIVERY FEES 15.08.1947 2 Annas per article     01.04.1957 13NP per article

19. LATE FEE There was no change in Late Fee charges till 1st April 1957 when Decimal Coinage was introduced.     15.08.1947 ½ Anna if posted at authorised PO for late fee articles.       2 Annas for all registered articles       ½ Anna if posted within 30 minutes of the closing of mails for despatch from Calcutta, Bombay & Madras GPO and Delhi HPO.       1 Anna if posted from RMS offices including Sorting Transit & Mail office, during prescribed late fee time.       1 Anna if posted in train letter boxes at any time.       1 Anna if posted within 15 minutes of the closing of mail for despatch from Calcutta, Bombay & Madras GPO and Delhi HPO.     01.04.1957 3 NP if posted at authorised PO for late fee articles.       12 NP for all registered articles.       3 NP if posted within 30 minutes of the closing of mails for despatch from Calcutta, Bombay & Madras GPO and Delhi HPO.       6 NP if posted from RMS offices including Sorting Transit & Mail office, during prescribed late fee time.       6 NP if posted in train letter boxes at any time.       6 NP if posted within 15 minutes of the closing of mail for despatch from Calcutta, Bombay & Madras GPO and Delhi HPO. Notes: Section 1, Clause 13 of the Postal Guide of 1951, 1954 & 1957 says that any article of letter post will be received at the window of any post office authorised by the postal department as late fee article if presented within the hour prescribed for the posting of late letters. Late fee articles should be fully prepaid with postage and late fee charges or otherwise the article will be detained. Late fee on Registered Article is 2 Anna each. Parcels, MOs, Insured V.P.P. articles would not be accepted with late fee under any circumstances.

20. AIR SURCHARGE Since Independence on 15th August 1947, Inland articles, both registered & unregistered but not insured articles & parcels, were accepted for transmission by air, under Clause 154-A (2) of Postal Guide.   LETTERS OR PACKETS 15.08.1947 1 Anna for every Tola     20.11.1951 6 pies for every Tola (As per DGPO Circular 61 dt. 20.11.1951)   POST CARDS 15.08.1947 ½ Anna per Card     Air surcharge was abolished on and from 1st April 1949 for Letters and Post Cards. Air Surcharge on Packets remained in force at the rates mentioned above, as per postal notice no. 75 of 1st April 1949.   REGISTERED NEWSPAPERS AND BLIND LITERATURE PACKETS Air surcharge for Registered Newspapers and Blind Literature Packets was as follows:     01.04.1949 6 Pies (½ Anna) per Tola     01.04.1957 4 NP per Tola   SPECIAL AIR SURCHARGE ON REGISTERED NEWSPAPERS The rate for limited Air conveyance of Registered Newspapers, only for the following sectors, was as follows:   Calcutta - Gauhati and Calcutta - Silchar     01.04.1949 3 Pies for every 2½ Tolas     01.04.1957 2 NP for each 2½ Tolas     Amritsar - Srinagar and Amritsar - Jammu     01.08.1951 3 Pies for every 2½ Tolas     01.04.1957 2 NP for each 2½ Tolas     Patna - Kathmandu and Srinagar - Leh / Kargil     01.04.1957 2 NP for each 5 Tolas   MONEY ORDERS 15.08.1947 1 Anna per MO irrespective of the amount     01.04.1949 1 Anna per MO (Air surcharge on MO remained even after introduction of All UP MAIL Scheme)     On 1st May 1951 Air surcharge of MO was abolished vide Postal Notice No. 6 dated 24th April 1951.   INSURED ARTICLES The restriction on carriage of insured articles by air was removed from 1st September 1951 vide postal notice no. 27 dated 28.08.1951. It means that insured letters and insured air parcels would be given air transmission under the same conditions as for uninsured mails of the same class, wherever such air conveyance would be available.   PARCELS 30.01.1949 Parcels were allowed on Night Air Mail Service for transmission by air. Air surcharge was Rs. 2/- for a weight not exceeding 1 pound (40 Tolas approx.) and for every additional pound or fraction there of.     01.04.1949 Rs. 1/- for a weight not exceeding 40 Tolas and for every additional 20 Tolas of fraction thereof, the charge would be 8 Annas.     01.06.1950 10 Annas for a weight not exceeding 20 Tolas and 10 Annas for every additional 20 Tolas or fraction thereof. These charges were inclusive of postage and mail fees.     01.04.1957 63 NP for each 20 Tolas or part thereof, which were inclusive of postage and air surcharge.   SPECIAL AIR SURCHARGE ON PARCELS The rate for limited Air Conveyance of Parcels only for following sectors was as follows :     Calcutta - Gauhati and Calcutta - Silchar     01.04.1949 4½ Annas for every 40 Tolas     01.04.1957 30 NP for every 40 Tolas     Silchar - Imphal     01.04.1949 1 Anna for every 40 Tolas     01.04.1957 6 NP for every 40 Tolas     Amritsar - Srinagar and Amritsar - Jammu     01.08.1951 3 Annas for every 40 Tolas     01.08.1957 20 NP for every 40 Tolas     Patna - Kathmandu     01.04.1957 15 NP for every 40 Tolas     Note : Air Lift to all classes of mails including Packets, Parcels for and from Agartala, Tripura State without any surcharge, was allowed from 01.04.1949 through 01.04.1957. The revision of Postal rates accordingly to the class of postal article, weight and destination is a continued process. Hence, the story continues.

Information on Postal Rates from 15th August 1947 to 1st April 1957 has been provided on this website based on the article 'POSTAL RATES OF INDIA (1947-1957)', by Shri Ashok Kumar Bayanwala of Ahmedabad.