Selection policy for Forest Rangers ‘skewed’ in Tamil Nadu, aspirants call for amendment

Forest Ranger aspirants in Tamil Nadu seek eligibility rule changes to allow non-Forestry graduates equal opportunities for selection.

A section of aspirants for the post of Forest Rangers has called for amending eligibility norms under the Tamil Nadu Forest Subordinate Service Rules. Presently, the first preference is given to candidates with a bachelor’s degree in Forestry.

The rules mandate that students with a bachelors’ degree in allied subjects could be considered for the post of Forest Apprentice or Ranger only if the vacancies are not filled by candidates who have a degree in forestry. The Forestry degree programme is, incidentally, offered only by the Forest College and Research Institute in Mettupalayam.

Consequently, degree holders in subjects such as zoology and wildlife biology, contend they have almost zero chance of aspiring to be posted as Forest Rangers.

“This, despite a 2023 Madras High Court order striking down an amendment to the Tamil Nadu Forest Subordinate Services Rules, which excluded preferential treatment for post-graduate degree holders in wildlife biology,” said a student from the Government Arts College in Udhagamandalam. The student said despite the order being passed and the government being directed to include a post-graduate degree in Wildlife Biology along with B.Sc Forestry students to be given first preference for the post of rangers, the government has failed to act on it.

“At the moment, students from wildlife biology departments in the two colleges in the State offering the programmes can only hope to join NGOs as biologists, ecologists or corporate companies to be part of teams undertaking environmental impact assessments and so on,” said another student.

A senior faculty member said while the students of the Forest College in Coimbatore have a deep understanding of silviculture and management of woodlands as a resource, the wildlife biology students are better equipped at managing wildlife, negative human-animal interactions and other facets of modern ecology management.

C. Badrasamy, a retired DFO, said the existing policy has destroyed the heterogeneity of the forest department’s mid-range pool of staff. Mr. Badrasamy said it was almost impossible for students who did not obtain a B.Sc Forestry degree to become forest rangers.