Editor,
We wish to draw the attention of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary and the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) to a notable gap in the eligibility criteria prescribed for the post of dairy development officer (DDO, Group-B) under the 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 this equivalence list.
Currently, candidates holding a BSc in biotechnology are unable to complete their applications because the commission's online portal does not accept this degree. Although a formal representation regarding subject eligibility was submitted two weeks ago - and the Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Sciences has already forwarded all supporting documents validating the course - administrative progress has stalled due to the official tour of the administrative secretary.
With the online application window closing on 30 September, time is of the essence. There is a clear precedent for parity within the advertisement itself: both BS c and BTech tracks are accepted for food technology, and BTech is accepted for biotechnology. Logically, BSc biotechnology graduates possess the exact same core foundational competencies and should by default be deemed eligible.
Therefore, we urgently appeal to the secretary and the director in-charge of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department to expedite this matter and update the equivalent subject criteria without delay.
This exclusion warrants technical reconsideration for the following key reasons:
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.
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.
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 before the 30 September deadline 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
