Karnataka Forest Department Group D Recruitment 2026; Apply Online for Forest Watcher 750 Posts, Eligibility, Age Limit & Selection Process APPLY FROM 01 Aug 2026

Karnataka Forest Department Group D (Forest Watcher) Recruitment 2026 – Overview

Important Clarification on Total Vacancy Count

Karnataka Forest Department recruitment for Forest Watcher (Group ‘D’) posts is issued separately by each Circle / Divisional office across the state, not as a single combined notification. The official document used as the source for this article — issued by the Conservator of Forests & Selection Authority, Kodagu Circle, Madikeri, dated 20.07.2026 — covers 32 posts specific to Kodagu Circle, and separately references a state-level approval for 750 posts to be filled statewide through direct recruitment across all circles for 2026-27.

Various news portals are currently reporting different statewide totals — 675, 707, 750, and 775 — most likely because different circles/divisions across Karnataka are issuing their own notifications on different dates, and each portal is capturing the count available at the time of their report. Candidates should treat the statewide total as provisional and rely on their own Circle/Division’s specific notification, along with the official aranya.gov.in portal, for the confirmed number of posts relevant to them.

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Kodagu Circle — Division-Wise Vacancy Break-Up (32 Posts)

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidate must be an Indian citizen
• A married male candidate should not have more than one living spouse; a married female candidate whose husband is alive must obtain prior government permission to apply
• Candidates must be mentally and physically fit; those with a physical disability that could compromise the safe performance of duties will be assessed by a competent medical authority, with a minimum disability level exemption as per rules
• Candidates found permanently unfit at any stage, including after joining, are liable to have their candidature/appointment cancelled without any compensation

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Educational Qualification

• Candidates must have passed SSLC (10th Standard) conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, or an equivalent 10th standard examination from a recognized State Board
• Candidates who have completed the equivalent qualifying course through NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) or the Karnataka State Open School are also eligible

Age Limit

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Application Fee

Selection Process — No Written Exam

• Step 1 — Shortlisting by SSLC Merit: Based on marks scored in SSLC (or the equivalent qualifying exam), a provisional merit list is prepared in a ratio of up to 1:20 (post to candidate) for each category to shortlist candidates for the physical tests
• Step 2 — Physical Standard Test (PST): Candidates are checked against prescribed height, chest, weight, vision, and hearing standards
• Step 3 — Physical Endurance Test (PET): A qualifying run (1600m for men, 1000m for women/ex-servicemen) within a set time limit
• Step 4 — Physical Efficiency Test: Candidates must qualify in at least 3 of 5 listed athletic events (100m run, high jump, long jump, shot put, and 800m/200m run as applicable)
• Step 5 — Merit List: A merit list is prepared strictly from the marks/scores obtained in the Physical Endurance and Physical Efficiency Tests among candidates who qualified the Physical Standard Test
• Step 6 — Document Verification: Original documents and certificates are verified against the details submitted online
• Step 7 — Final Selection List: Prepared in a 1:1 ratio against the number of vacancies, based on final verified marks and category-wise reservation rules

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Physical Standard Test — Detailed Requirements

Physical Endurance Test (PET)

Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — Event-Wise Standards

Documents Required at Physical Test Stage

• Any valid original photo ID: Aadhar Card, Passport, Driving Licence, PAN Card, or a government/PSU service ID card with photograph
• Bank Passbook with photograph, or a registered property document/patta with photograph, as an alternative photo ID
• Community/Caste Certificate with photograph, where a reserved category is claimed
• Ex-servicemen’s pension book/pension payment order, where applicable
• NREGS job card with photograph, where applicable
• Voter’s EPIC card with photograph
• Hall ticket printout — candidates must carry it; hall tickets do not permit accompanying persons to the venue

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Reservation for Local Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes

• In the territorial jurisdiction of specific Wildlife Divisions/Tiger Reserves (including Bandipur, Nagarahole, BRT, Cauvery, Bhadra, Kudremukh, Madikeri, MM Hills, Bannerughatta, Kali, and Shivamoga Wildlife Divisions), 50% of the arising vacancies are reserved for local forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes such as Jenu Kuruba, Kadu Kuruba, Hakkipikki, Soliga, Soligaru, Yerava, Gowdlu, Irular, Iruliga, Koraga, Melakudi, Malaikudi, Maleru, Meda, and Thoda
• To claim this reservation, candidates must have studied for at least one year (from 1st to 12th Standard) in the taluk where the relevant Wildlife Division/Tiger Reserve is located, and must indicate their order of preference for the applicable Wildlife Division/Tiger Reserve while applying
• For Kodagu Circle specifically, this reservation applies to the Madikeri Wildlife Division, where 6 of the 12 posts are earmarked for Local Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribe candidates

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Probation, Training & Place of Posting

• Selected candidates undergo a departmental training period of 6 months followed by a probation period, with a combined qualifying period of 36 months (probationary training + probation) as per Karnataka Forest Department rules
• Posting will be within the recruiting Circle/Division as per departmental requirement — candidates cannot choose a specific range or beat
• Physical standards and fitness are expected to be maintained throughout the recruitment process and subsequent service

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How to Apply Online

• Visit the official Karnataka Forest Department portal — aranya.gov.in
• Click on the “ನೇಮಕಾತಿ” (Recruitment) link on the homepage
• Select the Forest Watcher Group ‘D’ notification relevant to your Circle/Division
• Register using your own Aadhaar (UID) number — using someone else’s Aadhaar number leads to rejection of the application at any stage and a 10-year departmental debarment for both the applicant and the person whose Aadhaar was misused
• Fill in personal, educational, and category details carefully — corrections or edits after submission are not permitted
• Upload the required documents/proofs in support of your qualification, category, and other claims — only complete and correct proofs uploaded within the deadline will be considered valid
• Pay the applicable application fee online or via bank challan
• Submit the form before 31 August 2026, 23:59:59 — no offline applications are accepted under any circumstances

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Key Instructions & Disqualification Grounds

• Fee once paid is non-refundable under any circumstances
• Candidates must bear their own travel and other expenses for attending all stages of the selection process
• Candidates who studied Kannada as a first or second language subject up to 10th standard are required to have this reflected in their qualification, in line with the department’s Kannada-medium recruitment policy
• Only candidates certified under LC (Leprosy Cured), AAV (Acid Attack Victims), or MI (Mental Illness) categories are eligible for the disability quota for this specific post, as per the Karnataka notification under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016
• Central/State government employees, or employees of government/semi-government bodies, are not eligible to apply
• Candidates dismissed or removed from any government service, or debarred from any public examination/recruitment process, are not eligible
• Candidates practising or supporting social boycott, or with links to organisations declared unlawful, are not eligible
• Candidates with criminal antecedents are not eligible
• A married male candidate with more than one living spouse, or a married female candidate whose husband is alive and who has not obtained the required government permission, is not eligible
• Submitting fake documents/certificates, discovered at any stage — including after appointment — will lead to cancellation of candidature/appointment along with legal action as applicable

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Preparation Tips for Physical Tests

• Since there’s no written exam, your SSLC percentage is what gets you shortlisted — the physical tests decide your final rank, so treat fitness preparation as seriously as any exam prep
• Start endurance training well in advance for the 1600m/1000m run — pace yourself against the exact qualifying time rather than just “finishing” the distance
• Practice all 5 Physical Efficiency Test events, even though only 3 need to be cleared — having a backup event or two reduces pressure on exam day
• Get a basic health check done beforehand, especially vision and hearing, since these are strict disqualifying criteria under the Physical Standard Test
• If applying under the Local Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes reservation, keep your school-study proof for the relevant taluk ready in advance, since this is a specific and often overlooked documentation requirement
• Double-check your Aadhaar details before registering — using anyone else’s UID leads to serious, long-term consequences under this notification

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