
Full Forms of PIN is normally thought of when you use an ATM or write a letter/ send your application through post.
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What are the full forms of PIN?
पिन फुल फॉर्म?
There are two types of full forms of PIN. One is related to technology and the other relates to the postal sector/department.
First of all, one of the full forms of PIN used in the ATM /Debit card is the Personal Identification Number(PIN). This relates to technology. But, alternative full forms of PIN is Postal Index Number. However, this relates to the Postal sector/Department. One of the Full forms of PIN in Hindi is पोस्टल इंडेक्स नंबर or डाक सूचक सँख्या.
Let`s see both full forms of PIN and check out the differences and other details right now.
Full Forms of PIN: Personal Identification Number(PIN).
One of the Full Forms of PIN: Personal Identification Number(PIN). One of the Full forms of PIN in Hindi is पर्सनल आइडेंटिफिकेशन नंबर or व्यक्तिगत पहचान सँख्या
Firstly, this PIN is used for online passwords in Debit /Credit cards/online shopping. The PIN is rather a secret numerical code allocated to a user that can be used to authenticate the user to a secured system.
To validate the transactions made electronically either in banking, communications or in the payment process, a secret PIN is used.
In the year 1962, the creation of PIN was initiated first in an ATM in Barclays, London.
Further, the PIN is usually used as a passcode/password while making ATM transactions using an ATM card or shopping using a credit card or a mobile SIM card, etc. However, the PIN number is only known to the user and is a secret for both manufacturer/issuer of card. So, it allows users to make transactions securely, as required.
When you go to Bank or a Post office ATM to draw cash to pay your Recurring deposit or Postal life insurance(PLI) or LIC or any other payment, you need to use this secret PIN to complete the transaction.
The security is ensured by blocking the ATM Card if the PIN is wrongly used or fraudulently used. ATM card gets blocked once three wrong attempts are made with the wrong PIN instead of the correct one. This is an additional feature on security for your money in case any fraudulent attempt is made using probability.
Full Forms of PIN: Postal Index Number(PIN)
Other Full Forms of PIN include Postal Index Number(PIN).
Of course, often it is a surprise for the children, how a letter posted in a letterbox reaches his/her uncle residing in a far-off place. What is the mechanism involved and how it reaches the next day morning at a place that is hundreds of kilometers away?
The mail emanated from hamlets or Branch post offices or sub-post offices are sorted and also routed to respective RMS. During the night the RMS does the sorting with reference to PIN code majorly to different Sorting Hubs and is bagged and dispatched through Flights/Trains/buses as per the mail arrangements.
Of course, this swift movement with accuracy is possible only through the 6-digit PIN. So, writing PIN code on any letter posted is mandatory and advantageous for you and the postal department in sorting, dispatching, and delivering at the correct destination.
Indeed, Postal Index Number (PIN) is a 6-digit code system implemented by the Department of Posts for the benefit of the public to ensure prompt delivery of postal articles to the destinations without confusion.
There are 9 PIN regions in the country including APS( 9th Region).
The first digit indicates one of the regions.
The opening 2 digits together indicate the Sub Region/a Postal Circle.
The initial 3 digits shows the Sorting District.
The last 3 digits indicate the delivery Post Office intended for.
Differences between PIN of ATM and PIN used in the postal address.
SLNO | PIN for ATM is used for | Postal Index Number(PIN) is used for |
1 | Online Passwords | To simplify the manual sorting at RMS offices to have correct routing. |
2 | Plastic cards(Debit card/credit card/shopping purposes) | To simplify the delivery of mail by eliminating confusion over incorrect addresses. |
3 | It is a secret numerical code allocated to a user that can be used to authenticate the user to a secured system | To simplify the delivery of mail eliminating confusion over similar place names. |
4 | To validate electronic transactions across multiple sectors, including banking, payment processing, and communications. | To simplify the delivery of mail eliminating confusion over different languages used by the public |
Of course, PIN Codes are not unique. However, each country has its own system of postcodes, and they sometimes do overlap. After that, Delivery pin code is the one where you want to get your product delivered which is assumed to be your POSTAL PINCODE.
You write the name of the country it should reach at the end of the postal address just before PIN CODE.
ZIP Code
A ZIP code is a five-digit code implemented by UPPS w.e.f. 1963 and later on it was extended to ZIP+4 code in 1983. Further, 5 digits denote the ZIP-code followed by a hyphen and 4 digits denoting a specific location to understand better the destination.
PIN CODE Directory
Further, PIN code ensures speedy sorting and delivery as it increases the efficiency of the postal distribution system.
You can Find Pin code you wish to know.
Further, you can Download All India Pin code Directory to have access to the pin code directory of India. You can Download All India Pin code Directory – Village/Locality based Pin code
In fact, Shri Shriram Bhikaji Velankar, an additional secretary of the MoC has introduced the system of Postal Index Number on 15-08-1972.
The system of PIN codes eliminates the confusion over incorrect addresses, analogous place names, and various languages used by the members of the public by simplifying the manual sorting based on PIN and delivery of mail also.
Importance of PIN Code:
Indeed, PIN code has been made mandatory for generating an e-way bill to smoothen the experience of users generating e- waybills, according to the Goods and Services Network (GSTN).
PIN code has its advantages as follows:
(1) Streamlines sorting
(2) Differentiates places with indistinguishable name
(3) Removes the necessity for transcription
(4) Helps automated sorting
(5) Improves service productivity.
How to write the correct Address not to miss the delivery?
Many tend to write in a rush when they are supposed to write address in an application for ATM or application for an exam or any other Driving license or basically any letter. But, the result finally will panic you sometimes as you leave out basic things in writing an address.
The important details of Address are:
- Name of the addressee
- son of / daughter of
- Door Number /house number
- Flat Number/apartment number
- Apartment or House name
- Street name
- Colony name
- Locality
- City/Village
- District
- State
- Country
- PIN CODE(6 digits)
- Phone number of the addressee.
The phone number you write on the letter allows the postman to call the addressee in case he is out of the station to know the date of the possibility of delivery quickly.
Indeed, PIN Code is important so that the article booked by either it is speed post or registered post or ordinary mail or any parcel for that matter to enable India post to get it reached to the destination. Once the letter reaches the destination, the rest is taken care of by your postman.
PIN structure
In the PIN code, first digit indicates Zone. Second digit is Sub-zone. Third digit when combined with the first 2 digits implies the sorting district within that zone.
The last 3 digits in the 6-digit PIN code relates to the particular post office within the sorting district.
The PIN Code has a basic format of ZSDPPP .The details are as follows:
Z — Zone
S — Sub-zone
D — Sorting District
PPP — Post Office First Digit: Postal zones
Indeed, there are 9 postal zones in India. However, it includes 8 regional zones and 1 functional zone for APS.
First Digit: Zone.
In PIN code, the first digit implies the Zone. It is allocated over nine zones as mentioned here:
1st digit of PIN Code | Zone | Region |
1 | Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh | Northern Region |
2 | Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand | Northern Region |
3 | Rajasthan, Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli | Western Region |
4 | Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | Western Region |
5 | Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka | southern Region |
6 | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Lakshadweep | southern Region |
7 | West Bengal, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Sikkim | Eastern Region |
8 | Bihar, Jharkhand | Eastern Region |
9 | Army Post office(APO), Field Post office(FPO) | Army Postal Service |
2-digit : Sub-Zone:
PIN Code, the 2nd digits denote the Sub-zone areas in India.
3rd Digit:Sorting district
In a PIN code, the 3rd digit when combined with the first 2 digits indicates a particular topographical region also known as sorting district. In addition, the headquarters of a sorting district lies at the largest city in the region often called a sorting office. Based on the mail volume, a state may have one or more sorting districts also.
PIN Code 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 | Jammu and Kashmir |
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 |
Fourth Digit: Service route
Similalrly, the fourth digit denotes the route on which a delivery office is positioned in the sorting district. However, in the case of offices lying in the core area of the sorting district, it is represented as zero.
Fifth and sixth Digits: Delivery office
Finally, in the PIN code, the last 2 digits denote the office where delivery of the letters takes place. Meanwhile, for a General Post office(GPO) or a Head Post office(HO), it would be 01. Particularly, the newer offices will be assigned a higher number. Hence, chronological numbering is made for all the delivery offices within the vicinity of the sorting office.
In case a new delivery office is created owing to its handling of a huge volume of mail, it will be assigned with the next PIN code.
As such, there is a also possibility that 2 delivery offices situated next to each other do have only the same first 4 digits in PIN code.
Delivery system
In fact, each PIN is mapped to exactly one delivery post office which receives all the mail to be delivered to one or lower offices within its authority, all of which share the same code. The delivery office can either be a General Post Office (GPO), ahead office (HO), or a sub-office (SO) which are usually located in urban areas. However, Branch Post offices (BOs) do not have a separate PIN code. Hence, they use the PIN code of their respective delivery sub-office under which they are placed. The hamlets under Branch post offices or Sub post offices also carry the same PIN code of that of a delivery SO under whose authority it is placed.
One of the Full forms of PIN Plus:-
Of course, a new concept of PIN plus is derived to augment the delivery efficiency with swiftness. To achieve this, additional 5 digits are also added to the PIN code that denotes the postman beat and delivery point including the provision for the post box even.

Now it is your turn.
In conclusion, whether you understand the importance of the PIN Code now and write the PIN code mandatorily when you write a letter or apply for a job or send any application.
Thus, this article makes you know that the 2nd one Postal Index Number is still so important as you may get your articles delivered swiftly in case you write PIN code either in your job application/PAN application/ATM application or anything. However, why I say this is you already know the PIN of ATM is too important.
Finally, if you agree with me or not do post in the comment section below right now.