B.Sc. Forestry graduates seek justice: A humble appeal to J&K Govt

Let our education have a future and our qualification a fair chance

By Syed Tanzeela Mehraj and Zahib Gaffar (4th-year students, Faculty of Forestry, SKUAST-K)

When a professional degree offers specialised knowledge but no corresponding employment opportunities, who answers the students who have invested years, money and dreams in acquiring it?

Forestry is not merely an academic discipline. It is directly connected with forests, biodiversity, wildlife, climate, soil and water conservation, livelihoods and the ecological security of the country. Yet, hundreds of students pursuing B.Sc. Forestry in Jammu & Kashmir face an uncertain future because the professional qualification they are acquiring does not receive adequate recognition and corresponding opportunities in government recruitment.

As Forestry students, we undergo specialised training in Silviculture, Forest Management, Wildlife, Biodiversity Conservation, Soil and Water Conservation, Forest Mensuration, Remote Sensing and GIS, Forest Protection, Forest Economics, Agroforestry, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Nursery and Plantation Management and Environmental Sciences.

This is not a general academic qualification. It is a professional course designed to prepare students for work involving natural-resource management and environmental protection. Yet, despite this specialised training, Forestry graduates often find themselves excluded from recruitment opportunities where their academic background should reasonably be considered relevant.

A question of eligibility and equal opportunity

The concern becomes particularly serious when it comes to competitive and departmental posts. Forestry graduates aspire to serve the very forests they have spent years studying, yet the availability of posts and clear eligibility provisions remains limited.

Opportunities such as Forest Range Officer and other forestry-related government positions need to recognise B.Sc. Forestry as a core professional qualification wherever the nature of the post permits it. Recruitment rules should also be reviewed wherever Forestry graduates are excluded despite possessing directly relevant professional training.

The issue is not about seeking an advantage over others. It is about ensuring that a professional qualification is given a fair opportunity to compete where its training is directly relevant.

The Government has created professional programmes in Forestry with the expectation that students will develop specialised human resources capable of managing and protecting natural resources. A professional degree, however, becomes meaningful only when graduates have a reasonable pathway into the workforce.

We therefore humbly appeal to the Government and concerned recruiting authorities to clearly recognise B.Sc. Forestry as an eligible qualification for appropriate posts in Forest, Wildlife, Environment and allied departments.

Recruitment rules should be reviewed wherever Forestry graduates are unnecessarily excluded, and eligibility criteria for forestry-related posts should be transparent and rational. Forestry-specific vacancies should be created through the concerned recruitment agencies at regular intervals.

There should also be opportunities for Forestry graduates in departments and institutions dealing with biodiversity, plantations, watershed management, GIS and remote sensing, ecological restoration and broader natural-resource management.

Most importantly, Jammu & Kashmir needs a clear career pathway for B.Sc. Forestry graduates so that students entering the programme can see a realistic future for themselves.

More than a question of employment

For many students, this is not merely a matter of employment statistics. It is about years of sacrifice and the money their families have invested in their education.

As final-year students, we speak not only as Forestry students but also as self-financed students bearing a considerable financial burden for this professional degree. Every semester places an additional burden on our families. We continue our studies with the belief that these sacrifices will eventually lead to a respectable career and an opportunity to serve society.

But an increasingly difficult question confronts us: What happens after we complete this degree?

We spend years studying forests, wildlife, conservation and natural-resource management. We attend practical classes, field visits and technical courses and acquire professional knowledge. We invest our time, energy and our families’ hard-earned money in obtaining this qualification.

Yet, when we look at the employment opportunities available to us, we are often left wondering whether there is actually a future waiting for us.

A student should not have to regret choosing a professional degree simply because the system has failed to create a corresponding career pathway.

We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for recognition, equal opportunity and a fair chance to compete.

An appeal to the government

On behalf of the Faculty and students of Forestry, we humbly request the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, the concerned departments and recruitment authorities to examine this issue with seriousness and urgency.

The forests of Jammu & Kashmir require professionally trained young people. The existence of specialised Forestry education reflects the need for skilled human resources in this field. Students are willing to dedicate their knowledge and careers to protecting and managing these invaluable natural resources.

Please do not allow a professional degree to become a degree of uncertainty.

Give Forestry graduates an opportunity to serve the forests they have studied for years to protect.

We sincerely hope that the Government will review existing eligibility criteria, create adequate employment opportunities and establish a clear and dignified career pathway for B.Sc. Forestry graduates.

Our appeal is simple: Let our education have a future. Let our qualification be recognised. Let us have the opportunity to serve the land, forests and people of Jammu & Kashmir.

— On behalf of the Faculty and Students of Forestry

This version keeps the students’ personal voice and appeal, but makes it read more like a publishable newspaper op-ed rather than a memorandum or representation.