Question

Explain the types of Mail Services?

Answer 1

Introduction: -A Mail service is one of the main services of a post office that deals with a collection of letters and parcels from the sender to distribute among the receivers. Indian postal service deals with inland and international mails.

1. Post Card: -Postcard is the cheapest means of written communication. It is a card on both sides of which we can write our message. It has a specified space to write the address of the receiver. In the post office, two different types of postcards are available. One is 'ordinary postcard' and the other is 'competition postcard'.

2. Inland Letter Card: -Like a postcard, a written message can also be sent using inland letter card. This card is sold by post offices and is commonly used for sending messages within our country. Unlike the postcard, the written portion of the inland card is folded and sealed. A special type of card just like inland letter card is used for sending messages to foreign countries is known as "aerogram".

3. Envelope: -As postcards are not suitable for sending confidential messages and in inland letter cards it is not possible to send any enclosure although it ensures secrecy of the message. If one wants to send an application or bio-data seeking employment in any organization, a postal envelop or an ordinary envelop with postage stamps affixed on it cab be used for sending enclosures.

4. Parcel Post: -The postal facility through which articles can be sent in the form of parcels is known as parcel post. It provides reliable and economical parcel delivery service. Under parcel post services, parcels of a specified size and weight can be sent across the country as well as outside the country. Postal charges vary according to the weight of the parcel.

5. Book Post: -Printed materials, printed books, periodicals, greeting cards can also be mailed as book posts. Under book post, envelopes containing books or documents should only be closed but not sealed. It should be mentioned on the face of the envelope as "Book Post". The postage on Book post mails is less than the postage on sealed envelopes.

6. Telegrams: -Telegram is an important medium of sending messages to distant places. Whatever message the sender writes in the telegram, it is communicated in the same form to the receiver. First of all the message is communicated by one post office to the other post office situated nearest to the place of the addressee (receiver). The expenses on the telegram are calculated on the basis of the words written in the message.

7.     Telephones: -In India, telephone service was started by the post and telegraph department in 1881. Talking to a person in the same city is called a local call and talking to a person in some other city is called a trunk call. A telephone is the best medium for quick communication both in and outside the country. These days the telephone services are being provided by the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (VSNL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), etc. Mostly business messages are communicated through the medium of the telephone.