Refresher Questions for Exam Preparation (Set - 1)

 Volume VI Part I & Miscellaneous Rules - 5

Unclaimed Articles (General Procedures)
• Before forwarding unclaimed articles to the RLO, the cause of non-delivery must be clearly marked in red ink on them. The entries should be initialed and dated by the official marking them, and all articles should be impressed with the date stamp on the date of dispatch.
• Remarks such as ‘left India’, ‘left’, ‘not known’, ‘not claimed’, ‘deceased’, or ‘refused’ should be used as appropriate and legibly written on the address side of the article.
• For inland registered articles or unregistered parcels remaining unclaimed, in addition to the above treatment, if the article cannot be redirected to the sender, it should be forwarded to the RLO through the post office at the Headquarter of the circle with acknowledgment if any.
• For a registered article, a note showing its disposal manner should be made in the addressee’s receipt or on the delivery slip against the relevant entry. The addressee’s receipt for the article should be filed with the registered or parcel list.
• If the unclaimed article is a foreign registered letter mail article, the Registered Assistant should indicate the reason for non-delivery on the front side of the article.
• If a foreign parcel originally posted in India has been treated as unclaimed in the destination country and is returned to the Indian office of exchange, it should be forwarded directly to the office of posting for return to the sender.
• Unclaimed articles received from subordinate offices should be treated similarly to articles unclaimed at the office itself, except that they should be forwarded by the next dispatch to the RLO without being kept in deposit.
• In head offices, particulars of any foreign or inland parcels charged with customs duty that have been treated as unclaimed by either the HO or subordinate offices should be entered in the list of parcel receipts before being sent to the RLO or the office of exchange, as applicable.

Special Procedure for Delivering Registered Articles to Firms
• The following procedure should be followed for delivering ordinary registered articles to firms and others who receive a large number of such articles: 
o At each delivery, registered articles of other letter and parcel mails should be examined, and those for firms and addresses with three or more articles of either class should be separated and entered in duplicate in the special list form (RP 57).
o For firms and others who receive window delivery, the article with the list should be given to the window delivery assistant. The assistant should sign the duplicate copy of the list and also in the registered or parcel abstract, against the entry of the addressee’s name and the total number of articles.
• For firms receiving articles by delivery through a postman, the articles should be made over to the postman concerned along with the original and duplicate of the special list (RP 57). The postman should then deliver the articles and obtain the addressee's signature on the original list. This original list should be returned to the office and kept in the Delivery Department until the next delivery. The Postman may retain the duplicate copy for their own use if desired.
• For very large firms receiving many articles, the Postmaster may authorize the special list (RP 57) to be made out in triplicate. In this case, two copies will be given to the postman, one to be delivered to the firm, and the other to be signed and returned by the postman.

VP Articles Received (VPL)
• A separate list of VP articles (VPL) should be prepared from the registered or parcel list and checked with the respective VPMO form.
• The VPL will be sorted into groups for each Postman and Sub Account Assistant.
• The particulars of the article will be entered in the register of VP articles received, taking care to accurately write the number of the article, date of posting, the names of the office of posting, and the amount to be realized on the article.
• A receipt to be signed by the addressee will be prepared in the prescribed forms. When the amount to be received from the addressee of the article does not exceed Rs. 250/-, the article and its receipt will be made over to the concerned postman.
• In the case of articles to be delivered by GDS MD, it will be ensured that the value of the VP article is not more than Rs. 100. This limit of Rs. 100 may, however, be increased to Rs. 250/- at the discretion of the Divisional Superintendent/1st Class Postmaster.
• It will also be ensured that the aggregate value of all the VP articles of the letter and parcel mail entrusted to each postman does not exceed Rs. 400. Furthermore, the aggregate value of VP articles handed over to a postman for delivery, when added to the amount given to him for payment of Money Orders (MO), does not exceed the prescribed limit.
• The acquaintance of the postman/GDS MD for the VP article made over to him will be obtained in the register of VP article received against the particular entry. He will be required to note the amount to be recovered from the addressee while giving his acquaintance.

Mail Department
56. Supervision by Postmaster
• The Postmaster is responsible for ensuring that receipts are properly exchanged between the mail clerk and other relevant clerks for all bags received or handed over.
• They must also ensure that all bags are thoroughly examined by each clerk to verify the intactness of seals, cords, labels, and the overall condition of the bags.
• Upon the arrival of mail, the Postmaster is to examine the received bags and securely lock the mail in the mail box for the night.
Disposal of Mails Addressed to the Office
• Transit bags addressed to the office should be opened by the mail clerk.
• Any bags enclosed within these transit bags must be carefully examined and cross-referenced with the entries in the mail lists found inside the transit bags.
• Bags addressed directly to the office, whether from transit bags or received loose, are to be disposed of under receipt to the following departments: 
o Sorting mail bags: Sorting department 
o Station and combined mail bag: Delivery department 
o Branch office bags and loose account bags: Treasurer 
o Parcel bags: Parcel department 
o Registered packet bags: Registration department 
Disposal of Forward Mails
• If mail from a foreign post is received by an office that is not designated as a foreign exchange office, it must be forwarded unopened to the nearest foreign exchange office for proper disposal.
• Forward bags are to remain locked in the mail box until their scheduled dispatch time.
• Every mail box must be secured with double locks, and the hasps of the hinges should be fitted and fixed from the inside, not the outside.

309. Supervision of Sorting by Postmaster
• The Postmaster should pay particular attention to supervising the Sorting department's work to ensure sorting accuracy.
• Monthly, the Postmaster should examine every assistant in the sorting department regarding the sorting list and record the results in their order book.
• As frequently as possible, the Postmaster should examine the contents of mail bags being prepared for dispatch, checking the sorting, facing, proper bundling, and clear stamping of articles.
• The results of these examinations should be noted in their order book.