S. Vishnu Sharma
HPPSC Range Forest Officer vacancies are announced and the last date to apply is April 19.
About the vacancy
Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) is inviting Online Recruitment Applications (ORAs) from eligible candidates for the post of Range Forest Officer on contract basis.
Range Forest Officer is a Class-II gazetted in the Department of Forests of Himachal Pradesh Government.
There are about 45 vacancies totally for which applications are invited currently.
HPPSC Range Forest Officer
Eligibility
Applicants for HPPSC Range Forest Officer post must have passed BSc in Forestry.
Even candidates who have passed a bachelors degree in science or engineering from a recognised educational institution can also apply.
Candidates who have passed bachelors in Science or Engineering must have one of the below mentioned subjects as one of their papers:
(i) Agriculture
(ii) Botany
(iii) Chemistry
(iv) Computer Applications / Science.
(v) Engineering Agricultural/Chemical/Civil/Computer/Electrical/
Electronics/Mechanical
(vi) Environmental Science
(vii) Forestry
(viii) Geology
(ix) Horticulture
(x) Mathematics
(xi) Physics
(xii) Statistics
(xiii) Veterinary Science
(xiv) Zoology
Point to remember
The prefrence is likely to more for candidates who have passed BSc in Forestry.
In case there are no enough number of candidates with BSc Forestry qualification, vacancies will be filled with non BSc Forestry candidates.
Applicants for HPPSC Range Forest Officer must be well-aware of customs, traditions and dialects of Himachal Pradesh and also must have the suitability for being appointed in the peculiar condition of Himachal Pradesh
Physical fitness
The height desirable for male applicants for HPPSC Range Forest Officer is 163 cms and the same for female candidates is 150 cms.
The chest girth for male candidates must be 79 cms normally and should be expandable upto 5 cms.
The chest girth for female applicants of HPPSC Range Forest Officer must normally be 74 cms and should expand to 5 cms.
If the candidates are from Scheduled Tribes and races like Assamese, Garhwalis, Kumoanis, Ladakhis, Mizo, Naga, Sikkimese and from states like Arunachal Pradesh, Lahaul & Spiti and Meghalaya, the male applicant height must be 152 cms and female applicant height can be 145 cms.
Physical test
Male/Female candidates for HPPSC Range Forest Officer must pass a physical test which involves a walking a distance of 25/16 kilometres.
Also read ‘Texas Instruments India and IIT Madras invite applications for joint MS programme. Apply till April 30‘
Applicants must cover the distance on foot within four hours.
Age limit
The minimum age limit for HPPSC Range Forest Officer applicants is 21 years. The maxium age limit is 31 years.
Point to remember
Age limit for applicants of HPPSC Range Forest Officer post is applicable as per the rules.
How to apply
The procedure to apply for HPPSC Range Forest Officer post is online.
Applicants have to visit the official website of Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) by typing the url ‘http://www.hppsc.hp.gov.in/hppsc/’
After the website downloads, applicants can see the button ‘Apply Online’ on the rightside of the website below the banner.
Candidates can click the button and commence registration to obtain the username and password.
Post obtaining them, applicants have to login using them and choose the advertisement of the post they wish to apply.
In this case, applicants have to click advertisement related to HPPSC Range Forest Officer and start applying.
After providing all the required information and uploading the required documents, applicants have to pay the fees and submit the application form.
Registration fee
The registration fee for General category applicants of HPPSC Range Forest Officer is Rs 400.
The fee is the same for the applicants from Economically Weaker Sections, Physically Challenged, Ex Servicemen of Himachal Pradesh (relieved from duty before the tenure completion) and candidates from other states.
The fees for applicants of SC/ST/OBC and BPL categories from Himachal Pradesh is Rs 100
Ex servicemen of Himachal Pradesh who have retired from services after completing the required tenure need not pay any registration fee.
Documents to be uploaded
Applicants for HPPSC Range Forest Officer post have to upload :
1. Matriculation marksheet (10th class) as a proof of age
2. The marksheets of their qualifying exam.
3. Category certificate (if applicable)
4. Certificate from Himachal Pradesh Government official claiming the age relaxation (if applicable)
5. If applicants are already in government service in Himachal Pradesh, they have to provide a certificate that they have intimated their required department head about their application for this post.
Selection procedure
Applicants for HPPSC Range Forest Officer will have to attend a screening test initially.
Applicants who pass this have to attend a written test and pass it.
Candidates who pass the written test will be called for a physical test. Those qualifying the written exam have to attend personality test or interview.
The screening test
The screening test for HPPSC Range Forest Officer applicants will be into two categories.
The first is for non-BSc Forestry candidates and the second is for BSc Forestry candidates.
Non BSc Forestry candidates
The questions will be regarding history, geography, socio economic development of Himachal Pradesh.
There will be questions related to current affairs, events of national and international importance in the written test for HPPSC Range Forest Officer post.
Even queries related to modern Indian History, Indian Culture, Indian Polity, Indian Economy, teachings of Mahatma Gandhi will have to be fielded in the written test.
For BSc Forestry Graduates
The questions related to forestry subject, general knowledge of Himachal Pradesh, national and international affairs will be asked in the written test.
Point to remember
The total marks in screening test for both the type of above mentioned applicants is 100 each.
The marks obtained in the above screening test by the candidates, who are declared qualified for admission to written examination, will not be counted for determining final order of merit.
Main written examination
Main written examination in connection with HPPSC Range Forest Officer recruitment has two papers – Compulsory and optional.
Candidates have at attempt four papers totally, two compulsory subjects and two optional subjects.
General Knowledge and General English are compulsory subjects.
The optional subjects are:
(i) Agriculture
(ii) Botany
(iii) Chemistry
(iv) Computer Applications/Computer Science
(v) Agricultural Engineering
(vi) Chemical Engineering
(vii) Civil Engineering
(viii) Computer Engineering
(ix) Electrical Engineering
(x) Electronics Engineering
(xi) Mechanical Engineering
(xii) Environmental Science
(xiii) Forestry
(xiv) Geology
(xv) Horticulture
(xvi) Mathematics
(xvii) Statistics
(xviii) Physics
(xix) Veterinary Science
(xx) Zoology
Point to remember
Candidates can choose any two from the above mentioned optional subjects.
Important dates
The last date to submit application for HPPSC Range Forest Officer post is 11:59 pm of 19 April.
The date for screening test is 30 May and this will be an offline exam.
The date for main written examination will be available on the official website of HPPSC.
Contact
In case of any guidance regarding online recruitment applications, candidates can contact HPPSC’s Reception Counter in person or on Toll Free No. 1800-180- 8004 or Ph. No. 0177-2629738 on any working day between 10:00 A.M. to 05:00 P.M.
The other contact numbers are 0177-2624313/2629739
Queries related to online applications can also be mailed by the candidates on e-mail ID: ‘hppsc_shimla@msn.com’
No candidate will interact directly with the staff in the recruitment section in the Commission’s office.
Admit cards
The admit cards in connection with HPPSC Range Forest Officer exam will be uploaded on the official website at the appropriate time.
Applicants can visit the official website for the halltickets at ‘www.hppsc.hp.gov.in/hppsc’