Karnataka Forest Department KFD Forest Observer Recruitment 2026 - Apply Online for 750 Posts

The application period for KFD Forest Observer Recruitment 2026 has been extended more than once. The latest extension letter, dated 29.09.2026, extends the online application deadline to 30.10.2026. The first extension (01.09.2026 to 07.09.2026) was made for technical reasons, and the extension up to 30.09.2026 was directed in a meeting held on 04.09.2026 under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment. The latest extension to 30.10.2026 follows Government notification No. FEE 242 FNG 2026 dated 23.09.2026, which proposes to include some Scheduled Tribe sub-castes under the Scheduled Tribe – Local Forest Dwelling Tribes reservation. A draft notification amending the Forest Guard and Forest Watcher cadre and recruitment rules was published in the Karnataka Gazette (Extraordinary), inviting objections and suggestions.

KFD Forest Observer Vacancy 2026 stands at 750 posts. Of these, 700 are in the original cadre (Non-HK) and 50 are in the Kalyana Karnataka (HK) region. The posts are spread across 13 circles, and the circle-wise numbers are given below. The notification also lists vacancies for each division, wildlife unit and research or working plan circle. The unit names below are English renderings of the Kannada names in the notification. The vacancies are filled as per the Karnataka Forest Department Services (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules 2019 (Government notification No. FEE 203 FEG 2015 dated 06.08.2019) and the reservation rules in force. The category-wise reservation breakup of the 750 posts is not given in the provided documents, because the circle-level notification format is left blank for each circle to fill. The PCCF letter states that, because of the interim order of the Hon'ble High Co

KFD Forest Observer Division-wise Vacancy Details

To be eligible for KFD Forest Observer Recruitment 2026, candidates must meet all the conditions below, along with the qualification and age limit given in the next sections. The candidate must be a citizen of India. A male candidate with more than one living wife, or a female candidate married to 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 healthy and free from any physical defect likely to interfere with efficient performance of duties. The candidate must meet the physical standards and pass the physical endurance and physical efficiency tests described below. The recruiting authority may reject a candidate as physically unfit on the advice of a medical board, and the Government's discretion is not limited by these rules. Applying online does not by itself make a candidate eligib

The educational qualification for KFD Forest Observer is SSLC. The candidate must hold the SSLC examination conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, or an equivalent qualification, on the last date to apply. As per Government circular No. CASUE 81 SENENI 2017 dated 27.02.2018, the following are treated as equivalent to SSLC: Class 10 examination conducted by CBSE and ICSE boards, or Class 10 examination conducted by other State Government examination boards, or Secondary-level course conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), or Secondary-level course conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KOS). Candidates who have not received the result of the prescribed qualification, or who do not hold the marks card, as on the last date to apply are not eligible. No other qualification is considered in place of the above. If a ca

The minimum age is 18 years on the date the notification is issued. The maximum age limits are given below as on the notification start date. As per Government order No. CASUE 262 SENENI 2025 dated 29.01.2026, a one-time relaxation of 5 years has been added to these limits for recruitment notifications issued up to 31.12.2027. The exact calendar date used to calculate age is not stated in the provided PDFs, as the circle-level notification format leaves the notification date blank.

Age Relaxation

KFD Forest Observer Application Fee depends on the category and gender of the candidate. The fee is not refundable under any circumstances and cannot be adjusted against any other examination or recruitment of the department. Persons with disabilities are exempted from the application fee, as per Government circular No. CASUE 431 SENENI 2016 dated 28.12.2016. Online: After submitting the online application, pay the fee through the payment link provided, using UPI, NEFT, credit card, debit card or internet banking. Payment must be made on or before the last date fixed for fee payment. Cash: Select the cash option after submitting the online application, download and print the challan, and deposit the fee in cash at any branch of State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India or Central Bank of India. The fee can be paid before the last date to apply or within two days after it. If

KFD Forest Observer Salary is paid in the pay scale of Rs. 27,500-650-29,600-725-32,500-800-35,700-900-39,300-1,000-43,300-1,125-46,675 . Candidates appointed under this recruitment come under the Contributory Pension Scheme, as per Government order No. FD SPL 04 PTS 2005 dated 31.03.2006. Allowances are not listed in the provided documents.

KFD Forest Observer Selection Process is based on physical tests and SSLC marks. The notification does not mention any written examination. The stages below follow the order given in the notification. Screening of online applications: Applications are considered on the basis of the details filled in and the documents uploaded. Applications with incorrect, incomplete or unclear information are rejected at the initial stage. Provisional list for physical tests: Candidates are shortlisted in the ratio of 1:20 (post:candidate), based on marks obtained in SSLC or the equivalent examination. This list is for the Physical Standard Test, Physical Endurance Test and Physical Efficiency Test and is published on aranya.gov.in under "Nemakati" (Recruitment). The department does not correspond with candidates by letter. Physical Standard Test (PST): Height, chest, weight, eyesight, hearing and physic

Physical Standard Test (PST) – Height, Chest and Weight

Eye Vision Standards

Physical Endurance Test (PET)

Physical Efficiency Test (PEfT)

Reservation is applied as per the Karnataka Civil Services (Direct Recruitment) (General) Rules 2021 and the Karnataka Forest Department Services (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules 2019. The notification includes the following reservation provisions. Caste and category reservation: Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Category-I, IIA, IIB, IIIA and IIIB. Certificates must be in the prescribed formats: Form D for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, Form E for Category-I, and Form F for Category IIA, IIB, IIIA and IIIB, obtained from the Tahsildar and valid on the last date to apply. Backward class certificates are valid for 5 years. Ex-servicemen: Candidates with the prescribed discharge and no-objection documents. BSF, CRPF and CISF personnel are not treated as ex-servicemen. Persons with disabilities: For this post (Forest Watcher – Group D), only the categories LC (Leprosy Cured), AAV (Acid

All certificates must be uploaded with the online application. Candidates who claim a reservation but do not upload the prescribed certificate are not considered for that reservation. The documents uploaded at the time of application are the only ones considered at all stages and cannot be changed later. SSLC or equivalent marks card, as proof of date of birth (Class 10 marks card of the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, CBSE or ICSE) Marks cards relating to the educational qualification Caste certificate (Form D, E or F as applicable) for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and backward class candidates Certificates for ex-servicemen, persons with disabilities, project-displaced families, Kannada medium, rural, third gender and ST-LFDT claims, as applicable Aadhaar (UID) number of the candidate During document verification, candidates must produce the original documents of e

After appointment as a Forest Observer, the candidate must serve in the department for at least 3 years from the date of appointment. Otherwise, the full cost of training must be paid to the Government as per the prescribed norms. The candidate must execute a bond on Rs. 100 stamp paper, agreeing to serve at any place in Karnataka State specified by the Government. Candidates who successfully complete the induction training are posted as per the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfers of Officers and Staff) Act 2016 and the 2019 rules. Physical tests for all notified circles are conducted at the same time.

Apply only through the online mode. Applications by post, courier, e-mail, hand or any other mode are not accepted. Fee payment by demand draft, cheque or postal order is not accepted. Read the instructions and the Karnataka Forest Department Services (Recruitment) (Amendment) Rules 2019 carefully before applying. Once an application is submitted, changes or corrections are not allowed. A candidate must use only his or her own Aadhaar (UID) number. If a candidate has applied using another person's Aadhaar number, the application is rejected and the candidate is debarred from the department's recruitment for 10 years. Take a printout of the submitted online application and the fee payment receipt and keep them. A hard copy does not have to be sent to the department. The printout must be carried along with the hall ticket for the tests. Keep the mobile number and e-mail ID given in the app