Post Office starts Gyan Post service to help you send books across India; check rates, book types

The Department of Posts has unveiled a new service called ‘Gyan Post’, providing concessional rates for transporting educational materials like textbooks, the Ministry of Communications said in a Gazette notification dated April 28, 2025.

The service will be available at affordable prices, ranging from ₹20 to ₹100 for packages that weigh between the range of up to 300 grams to 5 kg (5000 grams), respectively.

The Gyan Post service came into effect on May 1, 2025, and is operational at all departmental post offices in India.

Gyan Post highlights India Post’s continued commitment to supporting education and reaching learners all across the country, according to the Ministry of Communications.

Postage rates for Gyan Post items (Exclusive of applicable taxes)

Which types of books can you send through Gyan Post?

According to the notification, the following types of books can be transported as a ‘Gyan Post’ item:

• Books prescribed in the syllabus for correspondence and regular courses for students by:

1. Recognized boards of education, universities of the Government;
2. Autonomous bodies and statutory bodies under the Government

• Books containing literature related to social, cultural, and religious nature issued or published as per the relevant law of the land;

• Textbooks used by aspirants of various competitive examinations

The ‘book’ includes “every volume, part or division of a volume, in any language and every sheet of music, map, chart or plan separately printed and consists wholly or substantially of reading matter, paintings, photographs, diagrams or any other similar matter, with or without blank spaces, for notations by students.”

Magazines can’t be sent through Gyan Post

The books or the packet shall not include any publication that is published at regular intervals, like magazines, journals, etc.

Additionally, the books shall not have any advertisements other than ‘incidental announcements’ or the list of books.

The books shouldn’t be commercial in nature and must include the name of the publisher/printer. These items will also be eligible for real-time tracking.