Staff REPORTER
ITANAGAR, Oct 8: The Forestry Students Association of Arunachal (FoSAA) will stage a peaceful dharna at IG Park here on Friday, demanding correction of recruitment rules to ensure better employment opportunities for forestry graduates.
Addressing reporters at the APC here on Thursday, FoSAA president Ganguli Singhi alleged that the absence of specific eligibility provisions for BSc Forestry (Honours) graduates in recruitment rules has deprived many qualified candidates of employment opportunities.
He said that while specialised subjects and eligibility criteria have been prescribed for various examinations conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB), no specific provision has been made for forestry graduates.
The Association urged the State Government to recognise BSc Forestry as a specialised professional qualification and include Forestry as an optional subject in APPSC examinations. It also called for timely recruitment to posts such as Range Forest Officers (RFOs) and Assistant Conservators of Forests (ACFs).
Claiming that around 600–700 Forestry graduates are currently unemployed, FoSAA termed the situation a matter of serious concern. It alleged that several representations submitted to the authorities on the issue have not received due attention.
FoSAA appealed to students, parents and well-wishers to participate in the peaceful protest, which is scheduled to begin at 8 am on October 9.