Transforming Forestry Education for Better Job Prospects

Every year, nearly 1500 graduates in B Sc (Forestry) pass out from different colleges/universities across India, who are well trained in the sustainable management and utilization of forest resources in the country. However, the challenge is the unavailability of provisions for their direct recruitment in the field of forestry, specially in the State and Central Forest Services, when they are getting education which is equivalent to the curricula of training courses of the Indian Forest Service officers. When the nation is deeply devoted to improving its forest cover in order to fulfil the commitment given to UNFCCC of reducing the CO₂ emission and enhancing carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation along with extracting more from available renewable resources, proper management and sustainable utilization of forest resources is inevitable. So, the potential of these forestry graduates can be well utilized by enabling some structural reforms in the existing recruitment policy of the State and Central Forest Services by providing them job reservation and/or preference in forest and allied sectors, which will also justify the professional education and training provided to them.