ITANAGAR, 12 Oct: The Citizens Right Protection Forum has appealed to the state government to frame separate recruitment criteria for forestry graduates, include forestry as an optional subject in examinations conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission [APPSC], and review the recruitment policies for range forest officer (RFO) and assistant conservator of forests (ACF).
Drawing the chief minister's attention to the concerns and demands raised by the Forestry Students' Association of Arunachal (FoSAA) during its peaceful dharna at IG Park 9 October, the forum's chairman Ajay Murtem in a memorandum stated that Arunachal Pradesh, being one of India's most forest-rich states, requires professionally qualified and technically competent personnel for effective management and conservation of its valuable forest resources, and therefore the concerns raised by forestry students and graduates deserve serious consideration.
In the memorandum, Murtem stated that forestry is a specialised professional discipline involving scientific forest management, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection, wildlife management, climate change mitigation, and sustainable utilisation of natural resources.
Murtem, also a public leader, said the government should initiate a comprehensive review and necessary amendment of the existing recruitment rules governing appointments to the Forest Department, particularly for the posts of range forest officer, assistant conservator of forests and other technical forestry positions.
He also urged the government to frame separate eligibility criteria for forestry graduates.
"Separate and clearly defined professional eligibility criteria should be framed for technical forestry posts, recognising the specialised academic qualifications of candidates possessing BSc forestry, MSc forestry and other relevant recognised degrees," Murtem stated.
Murtem said that the government should take immediate steps, in consultation with the APPSC, to examine the reintroduction of forestry as an optional subject in the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Combined Competitive Examination (APPSCCE).
This, he said, would provide forestry graduates an opportunity to compete through their specialised academic knowledge, subject to the overall examination framework and applicable rules.
Murtem also urged the government to review the existing examination patterns, eligibility conditions, syllabus and selection procedures for RFO and ACF recruitment.
"Pending such review, the authorities may examine the FoSAA's request regarding fresh examinations, while safeguarding the interests of candidates already participating in recruitment processes," he said.
He also sought the constitution of a high-level consultative committee, comprising representatives of the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, APPSC, Personnel Department, forestry academic experts and the FoSAA to examine the demands and recommend necessary reforms within a stipulated timeframe.
He urged the chief minister, the minister in charge of forests, the chief secretary, and other authorities of the state government to initiate a consultative meeting with the FoSAA and take appropriate action on its three-point charter of demands.
Murtem expressed hope that the government would examine these issues sympathetically and initiate appropriate action at the earliest, stating that legitimate academic qualifications and professional expertise of forestry graduates should receive due recognition in the state's recruitment framework.
