Hyderabad Passport Mela: Key Facts for UPSC

Hyderabad Passport Mela

Hyderabad Passport Mela will offer 4,000 appointments on 21 November 2026 across three service categories. The special drive is relevant to national current affairs and public service delivery.

Quick answer: The Regional Passport Office Hyderabad will hold the Hyderabad Passport Mela on 21 November 2026. It will make 4,000 appointments available for normal passports, Tatkaal passports and Police Clearance Certificates. The drive covers passport centres under its jurisdiction and aims to improve appointment availability amid growing demand.

Important for
Prelims
Passport services and Union List
Mains
GS Paper II: Governance
Date
21 November 2026
Appointments
4,000
Service categories
Three

What is the Hyderabad Passport Mela?

The Hyderabad Passport Mela is a special appointment drive organised by the Regional Passport Office (RPO) Hyderabad. It aims to respond to growing demand by making more appointments available.

Regional Passport Officer Madhav R. Sulphule announced that the drive covers three service categories. However, the announced total of 4,000 refers to appointments, not passports already issued.

Quick fact Details
Organiser RPO Hyderabad
Date 21 November 2026
Appointments 4,000 across three categories
Services Normal passports, Tatkaal passports and Police Clearance Certificates
Coverage Passport centres under RPO Hyderabad

Which centres and services does the drive cover?

The drive covers all Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) under RPO Hyderabad. Thus, its coverage depends on the office’s jurisdiction rather than a claim that every centre in India participates.

Applicants can seek appointments for normal or Tatkaal passports. In addition, the drive includes Police Clearance Certificates (PCCs), which are a separate service category from passport applications.

For information, applicants can use the Passport Seva website or the mPassport Seva mobile application. They can also contact the National Call Centre at 1800-258-1800, or the RPO helplines at 040-27715333, 27715115 and 27806657.

What should UPSC aspirants know about passport regulation?

Passports and visas fall under Entry 19 of the Union List in the Constitution’s Seventh Schedule. Therefore, they are subjects on which Parliament has exclusive legislative power under the normal constitutional distribution of powers.

The Passports Act, 1967 provides the statutory framework for issuing passports and travel documents. The Ministry of External Affairs administers passport services; thus, a regional passport office operates within a Union-level service framework.

Why does the appointment drive matter?

The drive addresses demand for passport-service appointments by adding a special opportunity for applicants. For Prelims, distinguish the appointment count from completed applications and recall that PCCs are also included.

More broadly, the event illustrates how a regional office and different service-centre formats support access to a Union government service. However, the announcement does not specify how the appointments are divided among the three categories.

Source: The Hindu, 2 November 2026

Punjab & Haryana PCS Angle

State PCS General Studies may test passport services alongside Union List subjects and public service delivery. Therefore, distinguish Union responsibility for passports from the location of individual service centres.

Prelims Practice Corner

Q1. Consider the following statements about the Hyderabad drive:
1. It offers 4,000 appointments across three service categories.
2. Police Clearance Certificates are excluded from the drive.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Show answer

Answer: (a) Because the drive includes Police Clearance Certificates alongside normal and Tatkaal passports.

Q2. With reference to passport regulation in India, consider the following statements:
1. Passports and visas are subjects in the Union List.
2. The Passports Act was enacted in 1967.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Show answer

Answer: (c) Because Union List Entry 19 covers passports and visas, and the Act dates to 1967.

More practice questions

Q3. Consider the following pairs:
1. PSK — Passport Seva Kendra
2. POPSK — Post Office Passport Seva Kendra
3. PCC — Police Clearance Certificate
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Show answer

Answer: (c) Because all three abbreviations match their respective service terms.

Q4. Which of the following centres are covered by the special drive?
1. PSKs under RPO Hyderabad
2. POPSKs under RPO Hyderabad
Select the correct answer using the code below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Show answer

Answer: (c) Because the announcement covers both centre types within RPO Hyderabad’s jurisdiction.

Mains Practice Questions

Q1. How can special appointment drives improve access to public services? Discuss with reference to passport services. (10 marks, GS Paper II)

Answer Structure

Intro: Introduce the Hyderabad drive and its 4,000 appointments.

Body: Discuss appointment availability, service-centre reach, information channels and the distinction between appointments and completed services.

Conclusion: Link special drives with accessible and responsive service delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Hyderabad Passport Mela?

It is scheduled for 21 November 2026. RPO Hyderabad will conduct the special appointment drive.

How many appointments are available at the mela?

There are 4,000 appointments across three service categories. However, the announcement does not give a category-wise division.

Are Police Clearance Certificates included in the drive?

Yes, PCC appointments are included. In addition, applicants can seek normal and Tatkaal passport appointments.

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