If you grew up hearing forest department jeeps pass through your village, or you just like the idea of a government job that isn't a desk job, Forest Guard in Gujarat is worth a serious look. It's a Class-3 post under the Gujarat Forest Department, and GSSSB (Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board) handles the hiring.
This post has gone through a big cycle already, and a special one after that. If you're confused about which notification is "live" right now, you're not alone. Let's sort out exactly where things stand, what the job pays, and how to prepare if a fresh notification lands.
Quick Answer
As of August 2026, there is no fresh GSSSB Forest Guard notification open for general candidates. The last major recruitment was for 823 posts (Advt No. FOREST/202223/1), and its selection process is still being finalised, with a revised selection list released in January 2026 after a court-ordered height re-verification. A separate, smaller drive for 157 posts reserved for Divyang (PwD) candidates (Advt No. 335/202526) had its written exam on 9 December 2025. Watch OJAS and GSSSB's website for the next fresh notification, expected sometime in the 2026-27 cycle.
Latest Notification and Important Dates
Here's a plain table of both recent cycles so you know exactly which one applies to you.
| Detail | 823-post cycle (FOREST/202223/1) | 157-post PwD cycle (335/202526) |
|---|---|---|
| Notification released | November 2022 | 1 August 2025 |
| Application window | 1 Nov 2022 – 15 Nov 2022 | 1 Aug 2025 – 10 Aug 2025 |
| Fee payment last date | Along with application | 12 Aug 2025 |
| Written exam | Held (2023-24) | 9 December 2025 |
| Admit card | Released before exam | 2 Dec 2025 – 9 Dec 2025 (DigiALM) |
| PET / physical test | Completed | Tentative, per BTC schedule |
| Selection list | Original list 23 Nov 2025; revised list 7 Jan 2026 | Awaited |
| Status as of Aug 2026 | Final stages, some districts under revision | Result process ongoing |
There is no confirmed date yet for the next fresh Forest Guard vacancy announcement. If you're just starting your prep, treat this as the calm before the next notification and use the time well.
What the Job Actually Is
A Forest Guard, called Van Rakshak in Gujarati, is the field-level protector of a forest range. You're the person actually walking the beat, not sitting in an office reading reports about it.
Day to day, the work includes patrolling assigned forest sections, watching for illegal tree felling, poaching, and encroachment, helping during forest fires, assisting in wildlife census and plantation drives, and maintaining basic beat records. You'll often be posted in remote or semi-rural forest divisions, far from cities, and the job demands fitness since you're outdoors most of the time. It's not glamorous, but it's real government service with job security, and it suits people who prefer fieldwork over a desk.
Vacancy Details
The bulk of hiring came through the 823-post drive under Advt FOREST/202223/1, spread across Gujarat's various forest divisions and districts, with the usual reservation categories (SC, ST, SEBC, EWS, and general). On top of that, GSSSB ran a dedicated 157-post drive exclusively for Divyang (persons with disability) candidates under Advt 335/202526. Category-wise and district-wise breakups for both cycles were published as PDFs on gsssb.gujarat.gov.in and ojas.gujarat.gov.in at the time of notification — always download and check the official PDF for your district when a new notification comes, since numbers get revised.
Eligibility
Age Limit
You need to be at least 18 years old, with an upper limit around 33 to 34 years for general candidates depending on the cycle. Category relaxations bring the ceiling higher for reserved candidates.
| Category | Upper age limit (approx.) |
|---|---|
| General / Unreserved | 33–34 years |
| SC / ST / SEBC | 38–39 years |
| General Divyang (PwD) Male | up to 43 years |
| General Divyang (PwD) Female | up to 45 years |
| Reserved Category Divyang | up to 45 years |
Always check the specific notification for exact figures since GSSSB tweaks relaxation slabs cycle to cycle.
Education
You need to have passed 10th or 12th (Secondary/Higher Secondary) from a recognised board, along with basic knowledge of Gujarati and/or Hindi. Some cycles have also asked for basic computer familiarity. This is a low entry-barrier post compared to many other Class-3 jobs, which is exactly why the competition is heavy.
Domicile
Gujarat domicile is generally required, and knowledge of the local language (Gujarati) is compulsory for field communication with villagers and forest staff.
Physical Standards
This post has real physical cut-offs, so don't skip this part.
| Parameter | Male (General) | Male (ST/Reserved) | Female (General) | Female (ST/Reserved) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 163 cm | 155 cm | 150 cm | 145 cm |
| Chest (expanded) | 79–84 cm | 79–84 cm | — | — |
| Weight | 50 kg | 50 kg | 45 kg | 45 kg |
Conditions like knock knee, flat feet, varicose veins, and colour blindness usually disqualify a candidate at the medical stage, so get a basic health check done before you invest months in preparation.
Application Process and Fee
Applications for Forest Guard are always submitted online through the OJAS Gujarat portal (ojas.gujarat.gov.in), never offline.
| Fee category | Amount |
|---|---|
| General/Unreserved (823-post cycle) | Rs 100 + postal charges |
| Divyang candidates (157-post cycle) | Rs 400 (refundable if you appear for the exam) |
Steps to apply, once a fresh notification is out: register on ojas.gujarat.gov.in and get a confirmation number, fill the form carefully with district preference and category, upload photo, signature, and certificates, pay the fee online, and keep a printout of the confirmation page. Don't wait for the last day — OJAS servers get overloaded near the deadline for a post this popular.
Exam Pattern
The written exam is a Computer Based Recruitment Test (CBRT) held in Gujarati medium.
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 100 MCQs |
| Total marks | 200 |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Negative marking | 0.25 marks per wrong answer |
| Qualifying marks | 40% (80 marks) |
| Medium | Gujarati |
Subject-wise weightage:
| Subject | Weightage |
|---|---|
| General Knowledge | 25% |
| General Mathematics | 12.5% |
| Gujarati Language | 12.5% |
| Natural Factors / Forest & Ecology | 50% |
Notice that "Natural Factors" (forest, environment, ecology) carries half the paper. This is the subject most candidates ignore because it feels niche, and it's exactly where you can separate yourself from the crowd.
After the written exam, the stages that follow are Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Physical Standard Test (PST — height, chest, weight), document verification, and a medical examination.
The PET, going by past cycles, has included a 1600-metre run for men (around 6 minutes) and 800 metres for women (around 4 minutes), along with a walking test of roughly 25 km for men and 14 km for women within 4 hours, plus events like high jump, long jump, and rope climbing. These figures can shift between cycles, so treat them as reference and always verify against the current notification.
Detailed Syllabus
General Knowledge (25%): Geography of India and Gujarat, current affairs, Indian economy basics, science in daily life, famous places, sports, books and authors, tribal culture of Gujarat, history, and political awareness. Build a habit of reading current affairs daily.
General Mathematics (12.5%): Number system, percentage, ratio and proportion, average, profit and loss, simple and compound interest, time and work, time-speed-distance, and simplification. Nothing beyond 10th-12th level, so it's about speed and accuracy.
Gujarati Language (12.5%): Vocabulary, grammar rules, idioms and phrases, sentence correction, and comprehension passages. If Gujarati is your mother tongue, this should be an easy scoring zone.
Natural Factors / Forest & Ecology (50%): Forests, wildlife and natural resources of Gujarat and India, forest types and produce, water and land conservation, wood-based industries, environment and ecology basics, pollution and conservation, and wildlife sanctuaries and national parks of Gujarat. This section decides your rank, so spend real time on Gujarat-specific forest facts, not just generic theory.
Salary, Pay Scale, and Career Growth
For the first 5 years, a Forest Guard gets a fixed monthly pay of Rs 26,000. After 5 years, you move to the regular 7th Pay Commission scale at Level-4, roughly Rs 18,000 to Rs 56,900 basic, plus DA and standard allowances. In hand, that's around Rs 25,000-30,000 a month in the fixed period, rising steadily after regularisation.
Career growth from Forest Guard usually moves toward Forester, with further departmental promotions possible over the years through service and internal exams, though the ladder is slow like most field forest cadres across India.
Previous Cut-off
Exact category-wise cut-off marks for the FOREST/202223/1 written exam were published by GSSSB as a separate PDF after the result, and they vary by district since selection depends on local vacancy numbers. As a rough guide from past Class-3 Gujarat patterns with this question mix:
| Category | Approx. cut-off range (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General/Unreserved | 130–150 |
| SEBC | 115–135 |
| SC | 100–120 |
| ST | 85–110 |
These are indicative only — always check the official GSSSB cut-off PDF for the exact district and category when results are declared, since numbers shift every cycle based on vacancy count and difficulty level.
Best Books and Preparation Strategy
You don't need a mountain of books for this exam. What you need is consistency and focus on the 50% weightage subject.
Month 1-2: Build your base. Cover Gujarat geography, general science basics, and read forest and wildlife-related material daily. Pick up a standard Gujarati GK book and a basic environment/ecology book covering Indian forests and wildlife.
Month 3: Move to mathematics and Gujarati grammar, using the Quantitative Aptitude and General Awareness guides from Pareeksha's Reading Room to structure your revision.
Month 4 onward: Start full-length mock tests and track section-wise accuracy, especially in Natural Factors, using topic-wise practice sets to fix weak areas. Alongside this, start physical training early. Running, rope climbing, and the walking test can't be prepared for in a week, and most candidates who clear the written round but fail PET simply started fitness training too late.
The Reading Room has free reference material, and the Reasoning guide is worth keeping handy in case a future notification adds a reasoning section.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't ignore the physical test until after the written result. By then you have very little time left, and a missed PET wastes the whole written effort. Start fitness training from day one, not after.
Don't treat Natural Factors as a side subject. It's half the paper. Candidates who only study General Knowledge and Math stay stuck near the qualifying mark, while those who focus on forest and environment topics pull ahead comfortably.
Don't apply carelessly and skip document checks. Height, weight, and category certificates get verified strictly, and mismatches have disqualified genuine candidates before. Keep your documents ready and accurate before you even start writing exams.
FAQ
Is GSSSB Forest Guard recruitment 2026 notification out? No fresh general notification is out as of August 2026. The last cycles were the 823-post drive (FOREST/202223/1) and the 157-post Divyang-only drive (335/202526), both in final selection stages.
How many vacancies are there in GSSSB Forest Guard recruitment? The main recent cycle had 823 posts, and a separate drive had 157 posts for Divyang candidates. Numbers for the next notification will be announced fresh.
What is the age limit for GSSSB Forest Guard? Minimum age is 18 years, maximum around 33-34 years for general candidates, with relaxation up to 38-39 years for SC/ST/SEBC and higher for Divyang candidates.
What is the salary of a Gujarat Forest Guard? Fixed pay is Rs 26,000 per month for the first 5 years, moving to 7th Pay Commission Level-4 (Rs 18,000-56,900 basic) plus allowances after regularisation.
What qualification is needed for Forest Guard in Gujarat? 10th or 12th pass from a recognised board, with basic Gujarati/Hindi language knowledge.
What is the height requirement for GSSSB Forest Guard? 163 cm for general male, 155 cm for ST male, 150 cm for general female, and 145 cm for ST female candidates, along with matching weight and chest requirements.
Is there a physical test in Forest Guard recruitment? Yes. After the written exam, candidates take a Physical Efficiency Test (running, jumping, rope climbing) and a walking test, followed by a Physical Standard Test for height, chest, and weight.
How is the Forest Guard written exam conducted? It's a 100-question, 200-mark MCQ paper in Gujarati medium, for 2 hours, with 0.25 negative marking and a 40% qualifying mark.
Which subject carries the most weightage in the Forest Guard exam? Natural Factors, covering forest, ecology, and environment topics, carries 50% weightage, the highest of the four sections.
Where do I apply for GSSSB Forest Guard recruitment? Online through the OJAS Gujarat portal at ojas.gujarat.gov.in whenever a fresh notification is released.
Related reads on Pareeksha
If Forest Guard interests you, these other Gujarat government exam guides on Pareeksha are worth a look too: Gujarat Police Constable recruitment guide, GSSSB Talati cum Mantri recruitment guide, and our broader exam guides section covering other Class-3 Gujarat posts. If you're also open to central government options, check our SSC GD Constable and RRB Group D guides, since both share a similar physical-plus-written selection pattern.
Final Word
Forest Guard is a solid post if you like outdoor work and don't mind a physically demanding job over a desk one. The written paper isn't hard if you prepare properly, but the real filter is the Natural Factors section and the physical test, and both need early, sustained effort rather than last-month cramming.
Right now there's no live notification, so use this window to build your base. Get your fitness routine going, read up on Gujarat's forests and wildlife, and keep checking OJAS and GSSSB's site for the next announcement. Set up a study plan today so that whenever the notification drops, you're not starting from zero. Keep an eye on exam news for the moment it happens.
💬 Comments (0)
No comments yet — be the first to share your thoughts.