India PIN Code

The postal code in India

A Postal Index Number (PIN), or also known as PIN code, refers to a six-digit code in the Indian postal code system used by India Post.

The PIN system was introduced on 15 August 1972 in order to simplify the manual sorting and delivery of mail by eliminating confusion over incorrect addresses, similar place names, and different languages used by the public.

• Postal zones The first digit of a PIN indicates the zone. There are nine postal zones in India, including eight regional zones and one functional zone (for the Indian Army);
• District The second and third digit of a PIN, combined with the first digit, represents a specific geographical region (except in the case of the functional zone for the Army) called a sorting district that is headquartered at the main post office of the largest city in the region and is known as the sorting office. A state may have one or more sorting districts depending on the volume of mail handled.
• Service route The fourth digit represents the route on which a delivery office is located in the sorting district. This is 0 for offices in the core area of the sorting district.
• Delivery office The last two digits represent the delivery office within the sorting district starting from 01 which would be the General Post Office (GPO) or head office (HO). The numbering of the delivery office is done chronologically with higher numbers assigned to newer delivery offices. If the volume of mail handled at a delivery office is too large, a new delivery office is created and the next available PIN is assigned. Thus, two delivery offices situated next to each other will only have the first four digits in common.