Karnataka Forest Department Group D Recruitment 2026 Notification Out - Apply Online for 675 Forest Observer Posts

A total of 675 Forest Observer (Group 'D') vacancies are notified for the Shimoga Circle, Bangalore Circle, Chamarajanagar Circle, Bellary Circle, Mysore Circle, Belgaum Circle, Kalaburgi Circle, Chikkamagaluru Circle, Hassan Circle, Mangalore Circle, Dharwad Circle.

The candidate must be an Indian citizen. A male candidate with more than one living wife, or a woman who has married a man who already has a wife, is not eligible for appointment without prior permission of the Government. The candidate must be mentally and physically fit, and free from any physical defect that could hinder the efficient discharge of duties. The Selection Authority reserves full discretion to reject a candidate found medically unfit, based on a Medical Board's report.

Candidates must have passed the SSLC examination conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, or an equivalent Class 10 qualification, as on the last date fixed for submission of application. The following qualifications are recognised as equivalent to SSLC: Class 10 examination conducted by CBSE or ICSE boards Class 10 examination conducted by the education boards of other State Governments Secondary-level course conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) Secondary-level course (KOS) conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board Candidates who do not hold the prescribed qualification, or who applied and appeared in the recruitment process while awaiting SSLC (or equivalent) results, are not eligible; no qualification other than the ones listed above will be considered.

Minimum age: candidates must have completed 18 years as on the date of the notification. As a one-time measure, a 5-year relaxation in the above maximum age limits has been granted vide Government Order No. CiAsuI 262 SoNeNi 2025 dated 29.01.2026, applicable to all category candidates participating in the selection process for notifications issued up to 31.12.2027. Age relaxation for ex-servicemen: the maximum age limit applicable to their category, plus the number of years of service rendered in the armed forces plus 3 years. Age limit for existing Forest Observers: Forest Observers who have completed a minimum of 5 years of continuous service in the Forest Department and are currently serving on honorarium are eligible under a separate, higher age limit - General: 40 years; Category 2A/2B/3A/3B: 42 years; SC/ST/Category-I: 43 years.

Selected candidates will be placed in the following pay scale (Karnataka Civil Services pay scale): Rs. 29,600-725-32,500-800-35,700-900-39,300-1,000-43,300-1,125-47,800-1,250-52,800 The take-home in-hand salary, grade pay/level, and probation period are not specified in the notification.

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) are exempted from the application fee as per Government Circular No. CiAsuI 431 SanNi 2016 dated 28.12.2016. Mode of fee payment: Application fee can be paid online through UPI, NEFT, Credit Card, Debit Card, or Internet Banking. Candidates who wish to pay by cash can select the cash option during the online application, download the generated challan, and pay in cash at any branch of State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, or Central Bank of India. No other payment mode (DD, cheque, postal order, etc.) will be accepted, and no offline, postal, courier, or email applications will be considered.

There is no written examination for the Forest Observer post. The selection process consists of the following stages: Merit List: Prepared category-wise based on the marks obtained by candidates in SSLC or an equivalent qualifying examination, in the ratio of 1:20 (posts to candidates). Physical Standard Test (PST): Candidates shortlisted in the merit list are checked against the prescribed height, chest measurement/expansion (for men), and height/weight (for women) standards. Physical Endurance Test (PET) and Physical Efficiency Test: Candidates who clear the Physical Standard Test undergo endurance and efficiency tests as notified by the Department from time to time. Final Selection List: Prepared category-wise in the ratio of 1:1 (post to candidate) based on performance in the above stages. Note: the male physical standards above apply to third-gender candidates who identify as male,

Physical Standards for Forest Observer (Male Candidates)

Physical Standards for Forest Observer (Female Candidates)

The notification does not carry a single, standalone "documents checklist" section. Based on the eligibility and reservation clauses in the notification, candidates claiming reservation benefits are required to upload a community certificate with photograph (particularly for Local Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribe claims) along with other supporting certificates at the time of online application. Candidates are advised to keep the following ready for upload, subject to confirmation from the full notification: SSLC/equivalent marks card, caste/category certificate (if applicable), community certificate with photograph (if claiming Local Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribe reservation), and any other certificate specified in the online application form. Not specified in the notification: a consolidated list of mandatory documents; candidates should refer to the online application portal for the

Candidates must use only their own Aadhaar (UID) number while applying online. Using another person's Aadhaar number leads to rejection of the application and a 10-year debarment from Karnataka Forest Department recruitments. Whichever certificates/documents are uploaded at the time of application will be considered at every stage of the selection process; these cannot be changed later. Candidates claiming Local Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribe reservation must carefully fill the relevant reservation column online; candidates are responsible for any errors here. Candidates dismissed from any Central/State Government department or government/quasi-government body are not eligible for this recruitment. Members of organisations declared unlawful, or those in close contact with such organisations, are not eligible. Candidates involved in anti-social activities or found guilty of an offence ar