Editor,
We wish to draw the attention of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, Government of Arunachal Pradesh and the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) to a notable gap in the eligibility criteria prescribed for the post of dairy development officer (Group B) under APPSC Advertisement No 04/2026.
As per Section (B) (2), Sl No 5 of the notification, qualifications such as BTech biotechnology, BSc/BTech food technology, and BSc microbial & food technology have been recognised as eligible.
However, BSc biotechnology has inadvertently been omitted from the equivalence list.
This exclusion warrants technical reconsideration for the following key reasons:
1. Academic & practical relevance: A BSc biotechnology degree provides rigorous theoretical and laboratory exposure to microbiology, industrial fermentation, bio-processing, food technology and quality control - all of which directly align with core dairy operations.
2. Technical application in dairy science: Key responsibilities in modern dairy development - such as microbial testing, milk fermentation processes, safety monitoring and quality assurance - rely heavily on concepts central to the BSc biotechnology curriculum.
3. Parity & equal opportunity: Given that BTech biotechnology is accepted, excluding BSc biotechnology creates an arbitrary barrier for candidates who hold equivalent core competencies in biological and bioprocess sciences.
Rather than an automatic exclusion, this matter deserves an objective technical evaluation.
We respectfully appeal to the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary and the APPSC to refer this issue to an appropriate academic expert committee to assess the relevance of BSc biotechnology as an equivalent qualification for the role.
If deemed technically suitable, issuing a timely corrigendum or addendum would ensure equal opportunity, protect the principles of merit-based recruitment, and broaden the talent pool for the state's dairy sector.
Aggrieved BSc biotechnology graduates
