This page condenses the scheme and syllabus annexed to APPSC's brief Notification No. 17/2026 (15 September 2026) for Forest Section Officer, 26 provisional posts. Marks and timings are on the exam pattern page; eligibility and dates in the FSO guide.
Syllabus at a glance
| Part | Content | Questions | Marks | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying test | General English (50) and General Telugu (50) | 100 | 100 (qualifying) | SSC |
| Paper I | General Studies and Mental Ability | 150 | 150 | Degree |
| Paper II | Mathematics | 150 | 150 | SSC |
| Paper III | General Forestry | 150 | 150 | Degree |
Qualifying test: General English and General Telugu
English: comprehension, idioms, vocabulary and punctuation, rearrangement of sentences. Telugu: synonyms, grammar, Telugu-English and English-Telugu meanings. Qualify in each language separately; the marks are not added to merit. The qualifying mark is not in the brief; check the detailed notification.
Paper I: General Studies and Mental Ability
Ten heads at degree standard:
- Major current events: international, national and Andhra Pradesh.
- General science, with information technology.
- History of India, with a focus on Andhra Pradesh and the national movement.
- Geography of India, with a focus on Andhra Pradesh.
- Polity and governance, including e-governance.
- Indian economy and planning.
- Sustainable development and environmental protection.
- Disaster management, including remote sensing and GIS.
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
- Data analysis: tabulation, charts, mean, median, mode and variance.
No head-wise split is given; prepare all ten.
Paper II: Mathematics (SSC standard)
Six units at Class 10 level: arithmetic (number system, time and work, percentages, interest, profit and loss, ratio, HCF and LCM, logarithms), algebra (polynomials, equations, indices), trigonometry (standard angles, heights and distances), geometry (triangles, similarity, circles), mensuration and statistics. The level matches the Forest Beat Officer maths block, but here it is a full 150-question paper.
Paper III: General Forestry
Eleven heads, the part of the syllabus specific to this post:
- Plant science: cell structure, classification, physiology, photosynthesis, propagation, seed biology, plant diseases, forests of Andhra Pradesh, afforestation.
- Forests and ecology: biodiversity, ecosystems and succession, hotspots, man-wildlife conflict, endangered species, in-situ and ex-situ conservation, carbon sequestration.
- Horticulture: branches, propagation by cuttage, layerage and grafting, greenhouse production.
- Soil science: rocks and minerals, soil types, erosion and conservation, shelter belts, saline and alkaline soils, manures and fertilisers.
- Water resources and watersheds: sources, demand, quality, waterborne diseases, forest hydrology, watershed management, water harvesting.
- Silviculture, agroforestry and social forestry: economic importance of named tree species, agroforestry systems, urban and community forestry in Andhra Pradesh.
- Animal health and nutrition: feed and fodder, deficiencies, contagious diseases of cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats, feed management in zoos.
- Economic zoology: beneficial and harmful insects, vectors, fish, prawns and molluscs, venomous animals, DNA as a forensic tool.
- Forest economics, legislation and administration: cost-benefit analysis; the AP Forest Act 1967, Wildlife Protection Act 1972, Forest Conservation Act 1980 and Forest Rights Act 2006; the forest services.
- Forest mensuration, remote sensing and working plans: girth, height and volume, yield tables, GIS, working versus management plans, sampling.
- Environmental science: pollution, solid waste, environmental ethics, climate change, renewable and non-renewable resources.
What this page does not have
The language-test qualifying mark and any head-wise question split (not in the brief); physical standards, age, fee and the exam date (detailed notification), so we quote none.
How to use this syllabus
Download the brief notification, tick each head as you finish it, and test each unit as you go. Topic-wise practice and full mocks on Pareeksha are Pro; the 10-question mini-mock and Daily Dangal are free.
Related: Exam pattern · Cut-off · Preparation strategy