The Indian Postal Department offers various postal services. It delivers thousands of consignments to numerous addresses across the country on a daily basis. Among its many services, India Post’s speed post service stands out owing to its accurate and speedy deliveries. In order to ensure these speed posts reach the right address within the committed timeframe, the employees at India Post follow a strict protocol. One of the things, that helps in carrying out this service systematically is the use of consignment numbers. These are unique numbers assigned to various speed post parcels to distinguish them from each other.
In this article, we share what is consignment number in India Post, where to locate it, how to track a parcel using this number and more. Read on to find out!
What Does India Post’s Consignment Number Mean?
A consignment number is a unique number, containing alphabets and numerics, assigned to every parcel sent via speed post service offered by India Post. It is mandatory to assign a consignment number to every speed post to enable systematic delivery and easy tracking. This code is also needed to register a complaint related to the delivery of a speed post.
India Post’s speed post service is quite popular not only because of its speed and efficiency but also because of its affordability. It is used by a large number of Indians to deliver important documents and other things safely and timely. When you submit your parcel for delivery through the speed post service, you get a receipt in return. This is proof of acceptance shared by the Indian Postal Department. It must be kept safely for future reference. The receipt has details about your consignment that you can refer to know the status of your speed post. The receipt issued by India Post has a unique 13-digit alpha-numeric number referred to as the consignment number. It mostly includes 2 capital letters in the beginning, followed by 9 digits and 2 capital letters at the end.
To help you understand, what is consignment number in India Post, we have explained it in detail with an example. A consignment number allotted by India Post looks like this – EK*********IN. The alphabets and numerics that form a part of the consignment number have a specific meaning attached to them. Here is a look at their meaning in detail:
- The first alphabet denotes the type of service you are availing from India Post. Here, E indicates Speed Post service. A consignment number that begins with E is a clear indication that it is a speed post.
- The second letter describes the state where the speed post was booked. Each state has a unique alphabet assigned to it. For instance, the alphabet assigned to Karnataka is K. Likewise, W stands for West Bengal.
- A indicates that the speed post has been booked by a bulk sender. Bulk senders are mostly institutions that require sending bulk posts. This may include colleges, banks and government agencies among others.
- R indicates that the post being sent is a registered post
- P indicates that it is a passport letter
- C stands for registered post or registered parcel
- The 9 digits that form a part of the consignment number are computer-generated.
- The last two alphabets are IN which stands for India.
With this unique number, you can check the updated status of your consignment. You can track the location of your consignment online by keying in this number. The information is made available in a fraction of seconds after you follow a few simple steps to track your post. In addition to this, you can even track your consignment via SMS. To do so, you need to SMS the consignment number to India Post.
Where Can You Locate the Consignment Number in a Speed Post Slip?
It is easy to locate the consignment number in the speed post slip. It is mentioned in the second line. As stated above, it is a 13-digit number containing 9 digits and 4 alphabets. The code is unique and easy to identify.
Steps to Track Your Booked Parcel Using the Consignment Number
Tracking India Post’s speed post is a simple process. Here is a look at the easy steps involved in tracking your post using the consignment number allotted to you:
Step 1 – Log on to the official India Post website, https://www.indiapost.gov.in/ to track your speed post.
Step 2 – Select “India Post Tracking” to reach https://www.indiapost.gov.in/_layouts/15/dop.portal.tracking/trackconsignment.aspx.
Step 3 – Key in the consignment number mentioned on the receipt issued for your post.
Step 4 – Click on the “Track Speed Post” button to know the current location of your speed post.
Conclusion
We are sure, by now you know what is consignment number in India Post. To conclude, a consignment number is assigned to each speed post sent through India Post. Each parcel is given a unique number that proves to be helpful in tracking it. The 13-digit alphanumeric code is mentioned on the receipt you receive from the postal office when you submit your articles for mailing. It must be kept safely so that you can track your order anytime in the future. You can also register a complaint if you face any trouble delivering your consignment. The steps to track the consignment using this unique code are simple. You can do so by visiting India Post’s official website and entering the code.
You can use the consignment number as many times as you want to track your speed post. You may use it every day to keep a check on the whereabouts of your parcel until it reaches its destination. You can also use this unique alpha-numeric code to log a complaint if there is a delay in the delivery of your post or any other issue related to the same.
Most of you may think that if the website is not showing the tracking information then it means your article has not been mailed by India Post. However, this is not the case. If you are unable to see your tracking information, it does not mean that your items have not been mailed. This issue may occur if there is a gap between scanning events and the updating of tracking information pertaining to the same. You must also keep in mind that the tracking information may not be available immediately, especially when the post has been sent from a rural location. The same is the case when the information is shared by foreign postal administrations.
The different order status on the speed post tracking page and their meaning are as follows:
Item booked – Your item has been booked successfully for speed post at India Post
Item Received – Your item has been received at the post office
Item Bagged – Your item has been packed in a dispatch bag for mailing
Item dispatched – Your item has been dispatched
Out for Delivery – Your item has been sent out for delivery at the address mentioned by you.
Item Delivered: Your item has been delivered successfully at the mentioned address.
