• Name of Post: Himachal Pradesh Forest Service (HPFS) (Assistant Conservator of Forests)
• Department: Department of Forests, H.P.
• Job Type: Group-A (Gazetted)
• Pay Scale: Level-18 (Rs. 56100-177500)
• Number of Posts Advertised: 08

Who can apply? (Eligibility)

1. Age Limit:
   
   • You must be 35 years old or younger as of January 1, 2025.
   • If you are already a government employee (including ad-hoc or contract), the upper age limit is 42 years.
   • There’s a 5-year age relaxation for bona fide SC/ST/OBC candidates of Himachal Pradesh.
   • Age relaxation for H.P. Government employees and Ex-Servicemen of H.P. is as per government rules.
   • Important for out-of-state candidates: If you belong to a reserved category but are not from Himachal Pradesh, you will be treated as a GENERAL category candidate, and you won’t get reservation benefits or fee concessions.
2. Educational Qualification:
   
   • You need a Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in Science or Engineering from a recognized University.
   • This degree must include at least one of the following subjects:
     • Agriculture
     • Botany
     • Chemistry
     • Computer Applications/Science
     • Engineering (Agricultural/Chemical/Civil/Computer/Electrical/Electronics/Mechanical)
     • Environmental Science
     • Forestry
     • Geology
     • Horticulture
     • Mathematics
     • Physics
     • Statistics
     • Veterinary Science
     • Zoology
   • Alternatively, Honours Certificate holders from Government-run Forest Rangers Colleges (if sponsored by the State) are also eligible.
   • Special condition for Maths/Statistics graduates: If your degree is in pure Mathematics or Statistics, you must have studied Science subjects in your 10+2 (or equivalent) exam.
3. Number of Attempts:
   
   • General category candidates can appear for the exam a maximum of 6 times.
   • There is no limit on the number of attempts for SCs/STs/OBCs candidates.
   • For government servants, these chances include any attempts they might have made as direct candidates.
4. Physical Standards:
   
   • Male Candidates:
     • Height: 163 cms
     • Chest: 79 cms (without expansion), 84 cms (with expansion)
     • Walking Capacity: 25 Kms in 4 Hours
   • Female Candidates:
     • Height: 150 Cms
     • Chest: 74 Cms (without expansion), 79 Cms (with expansion)
     • Walking Capacity: 16 Kms in 4 Hours
   • Relaxation in Height: For candidates from Scheduled Tribes and certain races (Gorkhas, Assamese, etc.), the minimum height is 152.0 cms for males and 145.0 cms for females.
   • Health Certificate: Selected candidates will need to provide a medical certificate confirming their physical fitness for outdoor work.
5. Desirable Qualification:
   
   • Knowledge of customs, manners, and dialects of Himachal Pradesh and suitability for appointment in¹ the state’s unique conditions.

What is the exam like? (Scheme of Examination)

The selection process has three main stages:

1. Preliminary Examination (Screening Test):
   
   • This is an objective type test with 100 multiple-choice questions.
   • Duration: 2 hours.
   • Total Marks: 100 (1 mark per question).
   • Negative Marking: Yes, 1/3rd (0.33) of the marks assigned to a question will be deducted for each wrong answer. Giving more than one answer will also be treated as wrong. No penalty for unanswered questions.
   • The marks from this test are only for qualifying for the Main exam and won’t be counted in the final merit.
   • About 20 times the number of vacancies will be selected for the Main exam.
2. Main (Written) Examination:
   
   • This exam includes three compulsory papers and two optional papers.
   • You choose your optional subjects when you apply.
   • You can answer the Optional papers in either English or Hindi.
   • Qualifying Marks: At least 40% in each compulsory paper and 45% in aggregate (total). Marks in the English paper are not counted for ranking, but you still need 40% in it to qualify.
   • Each paper is 3 hours long.
   • Candidates who qualify the written exam (five times the number of vacancies) will be called for the physical standard test.
3. Physical Standard Test:
   
   • Candidates who clear the Main written exam will undergo a physical test as per the standards mentioned above.
4. Interview / Personality Test:
   
   • Candidates who qualify the written exam and the physical standard test (three times the number of vacancies) will be called for an interview.
   • This test assesses your personal suitability for the service, mental caliber, intellectual qualities, social traits, interest in current affairs, and knowledge of Himachal Pradesh’s customs, manners, and dialects.
   • Marks: 100.
   • Final ranking is based on marks from the Main Examination (written + interview).

What subjects to study? (Syllabus)

A. Preliminary Examination (100 Marks):

• History, Geography, and Socio-Economic development of Himachal Pradesh (30 Marks).
• Knowledge of current events (national and international) and everyday science (30 Marks).
• Modern History (from 1857 onwards) of India, Indian Culture, Indian Polity, Indian Economy, Geography of India, Disaster Management, Environment and Gender issues, and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi (40 Marks).

B. Main (Written) Examination:

• Compulsory Papers:
  
  • General Knowledge (100 marks): Current events, everyday science, Indian Polity & Constitution, History of India, Geography.
  • General English (100 marks): Essay (30 marks), summary/précis (20 marks), grammar, idiom, and usage (50 marks).
  • Hindi (100 marks): Essay (30 marks), translation from English to Hindi (10 marks), explanation of Hindi prose and poetry (20 marks), idioms, corrections, comprehension, and grammar (40 marks).
• Optional Subjects (Choose any two – 200 marks each):
  
  • Agriculture
  • Botany
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Applications / Computer Science
  • Engineering (Agricultural/Chemical/Civil/Computer/Electrical/Electronics/Mechanical)
  • Environmental Science
  • Forestry
  • Geology
  • Horticulture
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Statistics
  • Veterinary Science
  • Zoology
  • Important Restrictions on Optional Subjects:
    • You cannot choose more than one subject from groups like (Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, and Veterinary Science) or (Chemistry and Chemical Engineering), etc. (See Note-II on Page 7 of the document for all restrictions).
  • The standard of these optional subjects will be that of a Bachelor’s degree.
  • The detailed syllabus for optional subjects is available on the Commission’s website.

Important Dates & Website:

• Closing Date for Application & Fee: 10-06-2025 (11:59 P.M.)
• How to Apply: Online through the official website: http://www.hppsc.hp.gov.in/hppsc
  • You need to register on the “One Time Registration” (OTR) portal first.
• Examination Fees:
  • General, EWS (not BPL), Wards of Freedom Fighters, Wards of General Ex-Servicemen, and General Ex-Servicemen (who left service on own request): ₹600/-
  • Candidates from Other States (including reserved categories): ₹600/-
  • Male candidates of SC, ST, OBC, Wards of SC/ST/OBC Freedom Fighters, Wards of SC/ST/OBC Ex-Servicemen, EWS (UR-BPL) of H.P., and Ex-Servicemen of H.P. (SC/ST/OBC who left service on own request): ₹150/-
  • Ex-Servicemen of H.P. (completed normal tenure) and Female Candidates: No Fee
• Examination Stations (Preliminary): Dharamshala, Shimla, Mandi. The Main exam will be in Shimla.

Key Things to Remember:

• Read the instructions on the website carefully before applying.
• Make sure you have all the required documents (educational certificates, age proof, category certificate, etc.) ready for uploading.
• Provide your correct email and mobile number for updates.
• Benefit of reservation is mainly for bona fide residents of Himachal Pradesh.
• This is a summary. For complete and detailed information, please refer to the official advertisement on the HPPSC website.

For any guidance or clarification, you can contact the HPPSC Reception Counter or use their Toll-Free number/email mentioned in the advertisement.