Postal Index Number
A Postal Index Number, or sometimes redundantly a PIN code, refers to a six-digit code in the Indian postal code system used by India Post.
History
The PIN system was introduced on 15 August 1972 by Shriram Bhikaji Velankar, an additional secretary in the Union Ministry of Communications. The system was introduced 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.PIN structure
The first digit of a PIN indicates the zone, the second indicates the sub-zone, and the third, combined with the first two, indicates the sorting district within that zone. The final three digits are assigned to individual post offices within the sorting district.Postal zones
There are nine postal zones in India, including eight regional zones and one functional zone. The first digit of a PIN indicates the zone and is allocated over the 9 zones as follows:Sorting district
The third digit of a PIN, combined with the first two digits, represents a specific geographical region 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.PIN prefix | ISO 3166-2:IN | Region |
11 | DL | Delhi |
12–13 | HR | Haryana |
14–15 | PB | Punjab |
16 | CH | Chandigarh |
17 | HP | Himachal Pradesh |
18–19 | JK, LA | Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh |
20–28 | UP, UT | Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand |
30–34 | RJ | Rajasthan |
396210 | DD | Daman and Diu |
396 | DN | Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
36–39 | GJ | Gujarat |
403 | GA | Goa |
40–44 | MH | Maharashtra |
45–48 | MP | Madhya Pradesh |
49 | CT | Chhattisgarh |
50 | TG | Telangana |
51–53 | AP | Andhra Pradesh |
56–59 | KA | Karnataka |
605 | PY | Puducherry |
60–66 | TN | Tamil Nadu |
682 | LD | Lakshadweep |
67–69 | KL | Kerala |
737 | SK | Sikkim |
744 | AN | Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
70–74 | WB | West Bengal |
75–77 | OR | Odisha |
78 | AS | Assam |
790–792 | AR | Arunachal Pradesh |
793–794 | ML | Meghalaya |
795 | MN | Manipur |
796 | MZ | Mizoram |
797–798 | NL | Nagaland |
799 | TR | Tripura |
80–85 | BR, JH | Bihar, Jharkhand |
90–99 | APS | Army Postal Service |