• Educational Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Botany, Forestry, Horticulture, Zoology, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, Geology, or Agriculture) OR Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, or Civil Engineering) from a recognized University or UGC-approved institution.
• Physical Standards & Walking Test: Male candidates must walk 25 km within 4 hours; female candidates must walk 16 km within 4 hours. Minimum height: Male – 163 cm (chest 79 cm with 5 cm expansion); Female – 150 cm (chest 74 cm with 5 cm expansion).
PermanentSep. 15, 2026
APPSC Forest Section Officer Recruitment 2026 – Apply Online for 26 FSO Posts
Sourced from Official Government PDFVerified Government Notification • Sourced from Official PDF Notification
Sep. 15, 2026Forest Section Officer
★
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Quick Recruitment Snapshot
Key recruitment parameters at a glance before you apply
Vacancies
26 Posts
Pay Scale
₹32,670 – ₹1,01,970/- per month
Age Limit
18 to 30 Years (Subject to Detailed Notification)
Job Location
Crucial Recruitment Dates
Official schedule & key deadlines
Published
Sep 15, 2026
2
Starts
Oct 16, 2026
3
Deadline
Nov 5, 2026
4
Exam Date
TBA
Application Window16 Oct – 5 Nov 2026
Exam / Test DateTo Be Announced
Eligibility Criteria & Educational Qualifications
Who is eligible to apply for this recruitment? Check essential educational qualifications, branch/stream criteria, and age limits.
Educational Qualification
Age Limit & Relaxations
Standard age bracket for Forest Section Officer is 18 to 30 years. Category-wise relaxations (SC/ST/BC/EWS/ESM) and the crucial reference date will be confirmed in the detailed notification on or before 16/10/2026.
Selection Procedure & Screening Stages
Verified Official SourceHow will candidates be selected? Multi-stage screening roadmap from application to final merit list.
Written Examination (Single-Level CBRT Objective Type)
Online (CBRT)Merit Scored
Walking Test & Medical Examination (Ratio 1:2)
OfflineQualifying Only
Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)
Practical TypeQualifying Only
Document Verification
OfflineQualifying Only
The selection consists of a single-level Computer-Based Recruitment Test (CBRT) with no preliminary screening test. The written examination carries a total of 450 merit marks across Paper-I (General Studies & Mental Ability - 150 marks), Paper-II (Mathematics SSC standard - 150 marks), and Paper-III (General Forestry - 150 marks), preceded by a Qualifying Test in General English and Telugu (100 marks). Negative marking of 1/3rd applies. Qualified candidates in a 1:2 ratio undergo a physical walking test (25 km for men, 16 km for women in 4 hours) and medical examination by a Medical Board, followed by the Computer Proficiency Test (CPT, 100 marks, 60 mins) and certificate verification.
Syllabus & Exam Pattern Overview
Verified Official SourceWhat is the examination structure? Mode of test, total marks, duration, and negative marking rules.
Exam Tier / Mode
Tier 1
Total Duration
100 Minutes
Negative Marking
None / N/A
Exam Tier / Mode
Tier 2
Total Duration
150 Minutes
Negative Marking
None / N/A
Exam Tier / Mode
Tier 3
Total Duration
150 Minutes
Negative Marking
None / N/A
Exam Tier / Mode
Tier 4
Total Duration
150 Minutes
Negative Marking
None / N/A
Aspirant Ground Reality & Career Trajectory
Verified Official SourcePractical service rules, posting locations, transfer policy, and promotion ladder curated from official gazettes.
Work Culture & Environment
Office/fieldwork balance, duties, organizational environment.
Forest Section Officers (FSOs) hold frontline territorial executive jurisdiction over designated forest sections comprising multiple beats. Responsibilities include anti-smuggling patrolling (especially Red Sanders and timber protection), wildlife conservation, managing fire lines, inspecting nursery and afforestation plantations, investigating forest offenses, and enforcing the AP Forest Act. The role involves strenuous outdoor field duties in rough terrains and reserves, commanding Beat Officers and Assistant Beat Officers.
Posting & Transfer Policy
Initial posting criteria, zone preferences, transfer liability.
FSOs are posted across territorial forest divisions, social forestry ranges, and wildlife sanctuaries in Andhra Pradesh. Transfers follow standard state forest department tenure rotations. Field postings require residency within the section headquarters or range headquarters.
Career & Promotion Ladder
Promotion timeline, seniority ladder, pay grade scaling.
FSO is a supervisory executive tier in the A.P. Forest Subordinate Service. Direct recruits are in line for promotion to Forest Range Officer (FRO) upon completion of requisite service years, qualifying departmental tests, and physical fitness benchmarks, followed by entry into State Forest Service (Assistant Conservator of Forests - ACF).
Crucial Application Warnings & Eligibility Traps
Avoid common application rejection triggers, photo/signature guidelines, and certificate validity windows.
- No preliminary screening test will be conducted; selection is governed entirely by the single-level CBRT written examination consisting of 450 merit marks.
- Qualifying in both General English (50 marks) and General Telugu (50 marks) individually is strictly mandatory; failure in either language invalidates the merit evaluation.
- Rigorous walking test standards apply: male candidates must walk 25 km and female candidates 16 km within 4 hours; failure to complete the distance within the time limit disqualifies the candidate.
- A negative marking penalty of 1/3rd (0.33 mark) is deducted for every incorrect response in the objective papers.
- Detailed vacancy category distribution, exact age calculation dates, and fee requirements will be published on psc.ap.gov.in on or before 16/10/2026.
Category-Wise Vacancy Breakdown & Pay Scale
Detailed post distribution across UR, OBC, EWS, SC, ST quotas and 7th CPC Pay Matrix / Monthly Stipend.
Category-Wise Vacancy Distribution
- Forest Section Officer in A.P. Forest Subordinate Service26
Total Vacancies26 Posts
Pay Scale & Monthly Remuneration
Scale of Pay: ₹32,670 – ₹1,01,970/- per month in A.P. Forest Subordinate Service.
Pay Scale of ₹32,670 – ₹1,01,970/- per month in A.P. Forest Subordinate Service plus standard allowances (DA, HRA) as admissible under Government of Andhra Pradesh rules.
How to Apply Online Step-by-Step?
Follow this verified step-by-step application procedure on the official recruitment portal.
Application Procedure
- Visit the official Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) portal at psc.ap.gov.in.
- Complete One-Time Profile Registration (OTPR) if applying for the first time, or log in with your existing OTPR User ID and password.
- Click on the Online Application link for "Forest Section Officer in A.P. Forest Subordinate Service (Notification No. 17/2026)" (active from 16/10/2026 to 05/11/2026 up to 11:59 PM).
- Verify auto-populated personal and educational details from OTPR, select qualification and community details, and upload updated documents if prompted.
- Pay the requisite application processing and examination fee through the integrated online payment gateway (Net Banking / Credit Card / Debit Card / UPI).
- Submit the application form and download/print the finalized submission receipt and application PDF for future reference during document verification.
Application Fee & Category Concessions
To be specified in the Detailed Notification on 16/10/2026. Standard APPSC online application processing fee and examination fee rules apply with exemptions for reserved categories.
Official Notification & Portal Verification
Direct links to the authorized government portal, official notification PDF, and career portal.
Verified Official Domain
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Jobs by Qualifications & States
Crucial Recruitment Dates
Official schedule & key deadlines
Published
Sep 15, 2026
2
Starts
Oct 16, 2026
3
Deadline
Nov 5, 2026
4
Exam Date
TBA
Application Window16 Oct – 5 Nov 2026
Exam / Test DateTo Be Announced
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Selection Procedure & Screening Stages
Verified Official SourceHow will candidates be selected? Multi-stage screening roadmap from application to final merit list.
Written Examination (Single-Level CBRT Objective Type)
Online (CBRT)Merit Scored
Walking Test & Medical Examination (Ratio 1:2)
OfflineQualifying Only
Computer Proficiency Test (CPT)
Practical TypeQualifying Only
Document Verification
OfflineQualifying Only
The selection consists of a single-level Computer-Based Recruitment Test (CBRT) with no preliminary screening test. The written examination carries a total of 450 merit marks across Paper-I (General Studies & Mental Ability - 150 marks), Paper-II (Mathematics SSC standard - 150 marks), and Paper-III (General Forestry - 150 marks), preceded by a Qualifying Test in General English and Telugu (100 marks). Negative marking of 1/3rd applies. Qualified candidates in a 1:2 ratio undergo a physical walking test (25 km for men, 16 km for women in 4 hours) and medical examination by a Medical Board, followed by the Computer Proficiency Test (CPT, 100 marks, 60 mins) and certificate verification.
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Frequently Asked Questions & Crucial Aspirant Queries
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Online applications on psc.ap.gov.in will open on October 16, 2026, and close on November 05, 2026, up to 11:59 PM.
Sarkari Job Khojo is an independent information service and job discovery platform. All recruitment insights, syllabi, previous year exam cutoffs, and selection stages are compiled from official government notifications, gazettes, and recruitment portals. We are not affiliated with, authorized by, or an official representative of any government agency or recruitment board. Always verify details in the official advertisement PDF before applying.