If you grew up near a forest range in Bihar, you've probably seen a Van Rakshi on a bike, doing rounds near the check post. It's not a desk job. It's outdoor work, real responsibility, and a government salary that a lot of 12th-pass candidates in Bihar are chasing right now.
This post pulls together everything known about the Bihar Forest Guard recruitment as of August 2026 — the CSBC exam calendar, expected vacancy count, eligibility, pattern, syllabus and salary. Where the official notification hasn't dropped yet, I'll say so clearly instead of guessing dates.
Quick Answer
The Bihar Forest Guard (Van Rakshi) notification for 2026 has not been released yet as of early August 2026. CSBC's exam calendar has fixed the written exam for September 2026 (tentative), against an expected 1,816 posts under the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department. The formal advertisement, application dates and fee are still awaited — keep checking csbc.bihar.gov.in for the official PDF.
Latest notification and important dates
The Van Rakshi exam has a slot on the CSBC 2026 exam calendar, but the detailed notification with online form dates is still pending. Here's what's known, pieced from the calendar and last cycle's pattern.
| Event | Date / Status |
|---|---|
| Exam authority | Central Selection Board of Constable (CSBC), Bihar |
| Expected vacancies | 1,816 posts (tentative) |
| Notification release | Not yet out (expected soon, tentative) |
| Online application start | To be announced |
| Application closing date | To be announced |
| Written exam | September 2026 (as per CSBC calendar, tentative) |
| Result of written exam | November 2026 (tentative) |
| Physical Efficiency Test (PET) | December 2026 (tentative) |
| Final result | February 2027 (tentative) |
Nothing here is locked until CSBC uploads the actual advertisement. Bookmark the exam guides page and the exam news section — we update these the day a notification goes live.
What the job actually is
A Van Rakshi is the frontline guard of Bihar's forest department, posted at a beat or range under a Forest Range Officer. Your work involves patrolling assigned forest land, watching for illegal tree felling, poaching and encroachment, and reporting fires early, plus plantation drives, wildlife census work and record-keeping for your beat.
It's physically demanding. You walk or ride long distances, often in remote terrain, sometimes in tough weather. It suits someone who doesn't mind fieldwork and wants job security without a desk. Postings span Bihar's forest divisions, including Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Kaimur and Bhagalpur, so be ready for a rural posting away from your home district.
Vacancy details
The Bihar Forest Department is expected to release 1,816 Van Rakshi vacancies this cycle, spread across forest divisions under the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department. For context, the last full cycle in 2019 had 902 posts, so this round is roughly double — genuinely good news if you've been waiting for this vacancy.
Category-wise breakup (General, EWS, SC, ST, EBC, BC, women's reservation) will come with the official notification, following Bihar's usual state reservation policy.
Eligibility
You need to be an Indian citizen, a domicile of Bihar in most cycles, and meet the age and education bar below.
Age limit (expected, based on last cycle and current trend):
| Category | Minimum age | Maximum age |
|---|---|---|
| General/EWS (Male) | 18 years | 23 years |
| General/EWS (Female) | 18 years | 26 years (with relaxation) |
| BC/EBC | 18 years | 26 years |
| SC/ST | 18 years | 28 years |
Age relaxation for reserved categories and women typically adds 3-5 years over the general limit. Treat this table as indicative until CSBC confirms it in the notification.
Education: 12th (Intermediate) pass from a recognized board, any stream.
Physical standards (based on last cycle, expected to repeat):
| Parameter | Male (Gen/EWS/EBC/BC) | Male (SC/ST) | Female (all categories) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 165 cm | 160 cm | 160 cm (155 cm for SC/ST) |
| Chest (expanded) | 81 cm | 79 cm | Not applicable |
| Walking/endurance test | 25 km in 4 hours | 25 km in 4 hours | 14 km in 4 hours |
This walking test is what makes Van Rakshi different from a regular constable post — it checks whether you can actually cover forest terrain on foot. Don't skip daily walking or jogging practice while you prepare.
Application process and fee
You'll apply online once CSBC opens the portal, most likely at csbc.bihar.gov.in. Register, fill in education and category details carefully (corrections after submission are often not allowed), upload photo and signature, pay the fee online, and download the confirmation page.
Application fee (last cycle reference, subject to change):
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General/EWS/BC/EBC | ₹100 – ₹450 (varies by cycle; confirm in notification) |
| SC/ST | Lower fee, roughly ₹25 – ₹112 in past cycles |
| Female (all categories) | Often on par with SC/ST fee in Bihar recruitments |
Different sources quote different fee figures for this cycle. Don't trust numbers on Telegram channels — wait for the official PDF.
Exam pattern
The written exam is objective type, conducted offline (OMR-based) or online depending on CSBC's arrangement.
| Part | Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | General Knowledge, Current Affairs, History, Geography, Bihar-specific GK | 30 | 120 |
| Part 2 | Mathematics and Data Interpretation | 25 | 100 |
| Part 3 | General Science, Environment and Forest-related topics | 25 | 100 |
| Part 4 | Hindi Language | 20 | 80 |
| Total | — | 100 | 400 |
The paper is set at 12th standard level, but Math and Science questions are pegged at 10th standard, doable with three to four months of steady work. Duration is 2 hours. Negative marking isn't confirmed yet — many CSBC exams go without it, but verify in the final notification before guessing blindly.
After the written exam comes the Physical Efficiency Test, document verification, and a medical exam before the final merit list.
Detailed syllabus
General Knowledge and Current Affairs: events from the past 6-8 months, Bihar-specific GK (CM, governor, districts, rivers, schemes), Indian history basics, geography, polity, sports and awards.
Mathematics: number system, percentage, ratio and proportion, average, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, time and distance, mensuration, simplification, and data interpretation.
General Science: Physics and Chemistry basics at 10th level, human biology, plus environment and ecology topics like forest types, wildlife conservation, biodiversity and climate change. Being a forest department post, expect more weight on environment questions than a regular constable paper carries.
Hindi Language: grammar (sandhi, samas, alankar, vilom shabd, paryayvachi), comprehension passage, and sentence correction.
Build your foundation with the Quantitative Aptitude guide, the Reasoning guide and the General Awareness guide — all free on Pareeksha's Reading Room.
Salary, pay scale and career growth
Van Rakshi sits at pay level-3, ₹21,700 to ₹69,100. With DA, HRA and other allowances, in-hand salary at a starting posting usually works out around ₹25,000 to ₹28,000 a month, depending on location.
You also get standard government benefits — medical facilities, pension under the applicable scheme, and periodic increments. Career growth generally moves toward Forester and higher supervisory roles over the years, based on seniority and departmental exams. Not a fast-track ladder, but a stable one.
Previous cycle cut-off
The last major Van Rakshi cycle was in 2019, exam held on 16 June 2019 for 902 posts. Here's the cut-off (out of 400) that year.
| Category | Male cut-off | Female cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| General | 289.33 | 188.00 |
| BC | 284.00 | 172.00 |
| EBC | 276.00 | 160.00 |
| ST | 277.33 | 177.33 |
| SC | 266.67 | 142.67 |
Minimum qualifying marks were around 40% for General, 36.5% for OBC, 34% for EBC, and 32% for SC/ST. With double the vacancies this time, cut-offs could ease a bit, but don't bank on it — competition for government forest jobs in Bihar stays intense regardless of vacancy count.
Best books and preparation strategy
You don't need ten books for this exam. Pick one solid book each for Math, GK/current affairs and Hindi grammar, plus a science book covering class 9-10 NCERT content and basic environment topics.
A realistic plan if the exam is 4-5 months away: month 1 on NCERT-level Math and Science plus daily current affairs and Hindi grammar. Month 2, shift to Bihar-specific GK, history and geography while keeping Math practice going. From month 3, start weekly full-length mocks and actually review mistakes instead of just checking the score. In the last stretch, push mocks to twice a week, hammer weak sections, and add walking practice alongside study time.
Use free mock tests to get used to the 2-hour, 100-question format, and lean on topic-wise practice sets to fix weak areas. A proper study plan stops you wasting weeks on subjects you've already mastered.
Common mistakes and honest advice
Don't wait for the "perfect" notification date to start studying — the syllabus and pattern are largely known already. Aspirants who wait and start from zero usually rush the last month, and it shows in their score.
Don't ignore the physical test while buried in books, either. Plenty clear the written exam comfortably and then struggle with the walking endurance test because they never trained for it. Start walking or jogging from day one, not two weeks before the PET.
And don't trust fee amounts, vacancy splits or cut-offs from random YouTube videos until CSBC confirms them. Cross-check everything against the official notification.
Related reads on Pareeksha
Preparing for multiple Bihar exams at once? Check Bihar Police Constable recruitment, BPSC 72nd CCE, and more on our exam guides page. Open to central options too? SSC GD Constable shares a lot of GK and Math syllabus with Van Rakshi.
FAQ
Is the Bihar Forest Guard Van Rakshi 2026 notification out? No. As of early August 2026, only the exam calendar with a tentative September 2026 exam date is out, not the full notification.
How many vacancies are expected in Bihar Forest Guard 2026? Around 1,816 posts, under the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, based on the CSBC exam calendar.
What is the age limit for Bihar Van Rakshi? Expected age is 18 to 23 years for general male candidates, with relaxation for women, BC, EBC, SC and ST candidates. Confirm the exact figure once the notification is out.
What is the salary of a Van Rakshi in Bihar? Pay level-3, ₹21,700 to ₹69,100, with in-hand pay usually around ₹25,000 to ₹28,000 a month after allowances.
What is the educational qualification needed for Van Rakshi? 12th (Intermediate) pass from a recognized board, any stream.
Is there a physical test for Bihar Forest Guard? Yes. After the written exam comes height, chest and a walking endurance test — 25 km in 4 hours for men and 14 km in 4 hours for women, based on the last cycle's pattern.
How many questions come in the Van Rakshi written exam? 100 objective questions worth 400 marks, covering GK, Math, Science/Environment and Hindi, in a 2-hour duration.
What was the cut-off in the last Bihar Forest Guard exam? In 2019, general category male cut-off was around 289 out of 400, and general female cut-off around 188 out of 400. Other categories were lower, as shown in the table above.
Where do I apply for Bihar Van Rakshi recruitment? On the official CSBC website, csbc.bihar.gov.in, once the notification is released.
Is domicile of Bihar required for this post? Yes, generally only domiciles of Bihar can apply, in line with most CSBC recruitments. Confirm the exact clause in the final notification.
Final word
The Van Rakshi post is one of the better options for a 12th-pass candidate in Bihar who doesn't mind outdoor work and wants job security. The paper isn't brutally hard with consistent effort, but the physical test and the sheer number of applicants mean you can't take it lightly.
Since the notification hasn't come yet, this is the best time to prepare — you get a head start while others wait for the PDF before opening a single book. Keep checking csbc.bihar.gov.in for updates, and use these months to build your Math, GK and Hindi base solid.
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