Applications are open. Apply before 31 Aug 2026 — 16 days left. Read the official notification in full before you submit the form.
About This Recruitment
Karnataka Forest Department has notified recruitment for 675 posts. Applications are accepted online from 01 Aug 2026 to 31 Aug 2026. The prescribed qualification is SSLC or an equivalent Class 10 qualification, and the age limit is 18 to 30 years before category relaxation is applied. The vacancies are spread across 11 distinct posts, and the category-wise split for each is set out in the vacancy table below.
Selection is made through Merit list, Physical standard test and Physical endurance and efficiency tests, followed by the remaining stages set out below. Selected candidates are placed in the pay scale of ₹29,600 – ₹52,800. The place of posting is Eleven forest circles across Karnataka.
The application fee is ₹200 for General and Categories 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B — men, and no fee is payable by Persons with Benchmark Disabilities. The entire process is completed online, from registration through to fee payment and the final printout of the confirmation page. Check the notification for whether a correction window is offered, because most fields cannot be amended once the form is submitted.
Read the official notification in full before you begin the form. Eligibility, fees and dates are revised through corrigenda more often than candidates expect, and an application submitted against the wrong criteria is rejected at document verification rather than at submission — by which point the cycle is over.
Key Highlights
- 675 vacancies notified
- Qualification: SSLC or an equivalent Class 10 qualification
- Age limit: 18 to 30 years, with relaxation by category
- Pay scale: ₹29,600 – ₹52,800
- Application fee: ₹200 for General and Categories 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B — men, no fee for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities
- Last date to apply: 31 Aug 2026
- Application mode: online
Quick Overview
The notification's own particulars, at a glance.
- Organization
- Karnataka Forest Department
- Total Vacancies
- 675
- Job Location
- Eleven forest circles across Karnataka
- Qualification
- SSLC or an equivalent Class 10 qualification
- Age Limit
- 18 – 30 years
- Salary
- ₹29,600 – ₹52,800
- Application Mode
- Online
- Official Website
- aranya.gov.in
Important Dates
Every date below is taken from the official notification. Portals close at the time stated in the notification, not at midnight, and the fee payment window often closes a day after the form does.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 20 Jul 2026 |
| Online application opens | 01 Aug 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 31 Aug 2026 |
| Last date to pay the fee | 02 Sept 2026 |
| Physical tests | To be announced on the official website |
Application Fee
Fee is paid on the official portal only. Category-wise exemptions are applied automatically once the category is declared correctly in the form.
| Category | Fee | Payment Mode |
|---|---|---|
| General and Categories 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B — men | ₹200 | Online or bank challan |
| General and Categories 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B — women and third gender | ₹100 | Online or bank challan |
| SC, ST and Category 1 — men | ₹100 | Online or bank challan |
| SC, ST and Category 1 — women and third gender | ₹50 | Online or bank challan |
| Persons with Benchmark Disabilities | Nil | — |
Vacancy Details
Vacancy counts are provisional and are revised through corrigenda. The category-wise split determines the cut-off you will actually be measured against.
| Post Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Chamarajanagar circle | 159 |
| Mysore circle | 121 |
| Bangalore circle | 82 |
| Bellary circle | 64 |
| Chikkamagaluru circle | 60 |
| Mangalore circle | 54 |
| Shimoga circle | 44 |
| Belgaum circle | 42 |
| Hassan circle | 31 |
| Dharwad circle | 12 |
| Kalaburagi circle | 6 |
| Total | 675 |
Educational Qualification
The qualification must be held on or before the cut-off date stated in the notification. Final-year candidates should check whether provisional applications are permitted for this recruitment.
| Post | Required Qualification |
|---|---|
| Forest Observer (Group D) | A pass in the SSLC examination or an equivalent Class 10 qualification — CBSE or ICSE Class 10, a state board examination, or the NIOS secondary course. Every one of the 675 posts carries the same requirement. |
- There is no written examination. The shortlist is drawn from SSLC marks alone, so your Class 10 percentage decides whether you reach the physical tests.
- Knock-knees, bow legs, flat feet, varicose veins, defective vision, colour blindness, night blindness, speech or hearing impediments, and hydrocele in men are disqualifying at the medical stage.
- Use only your own Aadhaar number — the notification provides for a ten-year debarment otherwise.
- Documents uploaded with the application cannot be changed later.
Age Limit & Relaxation
Upper age limits are relaxed by category. Read the row that applies to you before you conclude you are ineligible.
| Category | Upper Age Relaxation |
|---|---|
| General and unreserved | Upper age 30 years |
| Categories 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B | Upper age 32 years |
| SC, ST and Category 1 | Upper age 33 years |
| Forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribe employees with 5 or more years' service | Upper age 43 years |
| All categories, for notifications issued up to 31 December 2027 | 5 years in addition to the limits above |
| Ex-Servicemen | Length of service plus 3 years, on top of the category limit |
Age is reckoned as on the notification date. The upper limit is 30 years for General, 32 for Categories 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, and 33 for SC, ST and Category 1. A further five-year relaxation applies to every category for notifications issued up to 31 December 2027.
Pay Scale
Figures are the pay scale, not take-home pay. Dearness allowance, house rent allowance and other allowances are paid over and above the basic pay shown.
| Post | Pay Scale |
|---|---|
| Forest Observer (Group D) | ₹29,600 – ₹52,800 |
Selection Process
Each stage is qualifying for the next. Clearing a stage does not carry marks forward unless the notification says so.
- 1Merit list — drawn category-wise on SSLC marks alone, in a ratio of 1:20 to the vacancies; there is no written examination
- 2Physical standard test — 163 cm height and a 79 cm chest expanding by 5 cm for men, relaxed to 152 cm and 74 cm for forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes; 150 cm height and 40 kg for women, relaxed to 145 cm and 38 kg
- 3Physical endurance and efficiency tests — conducted under departmental guidelines
- 4Final selection — category-wise, in a ratio of 1:1 to the vacancies
How to Apply
Complete the form in one sitting where possible, and check the preview page carefully. Most fields cannot be changed once submitted, except during the correction window.
- 1Open the recruitment section on the Karnataka Forest Department website.
- 2Read the Karnataka Forest Department Services (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules, 2019.
- 3Register and complete the online application form.
- 4Upload your SSLC marks card, category certificate and the other documents listed on the portal.
- 5Pay the fee online or by challan at an SBI, Canara, Union or Central Bank branch.
- 6Check everything before submitting — uploads cannot be changed later — then keep the confirmation copy.
Important Links
Official Links
Links go to the recruiting body’s own website- Apply onlineApply Online
- Karnataka Forest DepartmentVisit
Verify before you apply. Eligibility, vacancy counts, fees and dates change through corrigenda. Job Times 24 is an information service, not a recruiter, and never charges candidates. Always confirm every detail in the official notification above.