Maharashtra Government Resumes Forest Guard Recruitment Process, Bringing Relief to Aspiring Candidates
Pune, 7th January 2024: The long-awaited recruitment process for forest guards is set to resume, bringing relief to aspiring candidates who have eagerly anticipated this opportunity. Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has directed the swift completion of the recruitment process, aiming to fill 1,256 forest guard positions.
The forest department initially advertised a total of 2,138 forest guard posts, with the online examination conducted through TCS-ION from August 2nd to August 11th, 2023. However, the recruitment processes faced disruptions due to legal challenges to government recruitment in scheduled areas under the PESA Act, leading to a hiatus.
Forest Minister Mungantiwar’s persistent efforts to resolve this issue have now proven successful. The government has taken a crucial decision to approve the recruitment of the remaining 1,256 forest guard posts, excluding those in the scheduled areas governed by the PESA Act. This decision brings relief to the candidates eagerly awaiting the forest guard recruitment.
Out of the 395,768 examinees who participated in the online examination, 271,838 candidates qualified for the subsequent recruitment process by securing over 45 per cent marks. The upcoming recruitment stages include document verification, physical fitness tests, and running tests for eligible candidates based on the merit list provided by TCS ION.
A new merit list will be generated by combining online examination marks and actual run test results. Once the Regional Selection Committee approves the list of qualified candidates, shortlisted individuals will undergo a 25 km or 16 km walk test, depending on the category.
The entire process is scheduled to commence on January 17th, and the duration for completion varies from 15 to 44 days based on the number of candidates in different forest reserves. The Amravati Forest Reserve, with the lowest number of candidates, is expected to conclude in 15 days, while the Kolhapur Forest Reserve, with the highest number of candidates, will take 44 days. The Thane and Nagpur Forest Reserves will take 40 days each, and the remaining reserves in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Yavatmal, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Dhule, Nashik, and Pune are projected to complete the process in 20 days.