Ponnampet Forestry Students in Kodagu Launch Indefinite Protest Demanding Recognition of Their Degree in Government Jobs

In a press statement released by the protesting students, they said that their indefinite agitation will continue until the government issues a written order meeting their demands.

Ponnampet: Students of the College of Forestry in Ponnampet, Kodagu, have launched an indefinite protest, alleging injustice in government recruitments. They are joined by peers from the forestry colleges in Sirsi and Aralukuppe (Iruvakki), demanding that their B.Sc. Forestry degree be recognised as the minimum and exclusive qualification for key positions in the State Forest Department.

In a press statement released by the protesting students, they said that their indefinite agitation will continue until the government issues a written order meeting their demands. “We, the students of Karnataka’s three forestry colleges, have been forced to take to the streets for justice. Instead of attending classes, we are fighting for our rights,” the statement said.

The protesters pointed out that despite undergoing four years of specialised study and practical training, forestry graduates are being sidelined in government recruitments. “Our degree is not being given due recognition in the appointment of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Range Forest Officer (RFO), and Deputy Range Forest Officer (DyRFO). The B.Sc. Forestry degree should be the minimum qualification and the only eligible degree for these posts,” the students demanded. They have also urged the government to reserve a fair percentage of posts for forestry graduates and to stop recruiting candidates from unrelated fields.

Explaining their academic rigour, the students said that forestry education involves 64 subjects and 3,444 hours of theoretical and practical training, including fieldwork with department officers on wildlife management, tiger sciences, and elephant sciences. “We are no less than any other graduates. Our parents have taken loans and endured hardships to educate us, but our degree has no value in the very department it serves,” a protesting student said.

According to the statement, forestry graduates were previously eligible for reserved posts in the department. “In 2003, we had reservation for ACF and RFO posts. After a protest in 2012, the quota for RFOs was raised to 75%, but it was reduced again in 2019,” the students said. They added that no direct recruitment has been held in the Forest Department since 2018, leaving nearly 3,000 forestry graduates unemployed.

Condemning what they termed the “government’s betrayal,” the students accused ministers and officials of offering only verbal assurances during past protests without issuing written orders. “We can no longer remain helpless. If this injustice continues, it will take just one student’s death for the government to take notice,” they warned.

The students have vowed to continue their indefinite strike and hunger protest (Satyagraha) until their demands are met. “We demand justice — we demand an official order,” they said.

To advertise on The Kodagu Express website, kindly call us at 9108795369 or mail us at thekodaguexpress@gmail.com 

Join The Kodagu Express WhatsApp Group: CLICK HERE 

Follow us on Instagram and X(Twitter)