UPSSSC Forest Guard 2026 — 708 Forest & Wildlife Guard Online Form

The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) has opened recruitment for 708 Forest Guard (Van Rakshak) and Wildlife Guard (Vanya Jeev Rakshak) posts in 2026. The online application window runs from 30 June to 20 July 2026 on the official portal upsssc.gov.in. The single biggest thing to know before you read anything else: you can apply only if you hold a valid UPSSSC PET-2025 score card. No PET-2025 qualification means no application — there is no separate entry route for this drive.

This page walks through the vacancy split, who can apply, the two-stage UPSSSC process, the selection stages including the forest-specific walking test, the application fee, and a step-by-step guide to filling the form. Wherever a number depends on the detailed notification — physical standards, exact exam marks, syllabus weightage — we point you to the official notification rather than guess, because those figures matter and getting them wrong helps nobody.

Vacancy: 708 posts (647 Forest Guard + 61 Wildlife Guard)

The recruitment covers two related but distinct roles under the UP Forest Department:

A Forest Guard is the boots-on-the-ground protector of a forest beat. The work means patrolling assigned forest areas on foot, preventing illegal felling and encroachment, watching for and helping contain forest fires, supporting plantation drives, and keeping records of the beat. It is an outdoor, physically demanding posting, often in remote terrain.

A Wildlife Guard does similar field duty but with a focus on wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and protected habitats. The role leans toward anti-poaching patrols, monitoring animal movement, assisting in wildlife census work, and managing human-wildlife conflict situations. Both posts are Group-C field jobs that reward physical fitness and a genuine willingness to work in the field.

The PET-2025 score card is mandatory — here’s why

UPSSSC fills almost all of its Group-C vacancies through a two-stage system, and understanding it is the difference between applying successfully and being rejected at the gate.

Stage one is the Preliminary Eligibility Test (PET). This is a common screening exam held once a year. It is not tied to any single recruitment — instead, your PET score becomes a kind of eligibility passport that you use to apply for individual UPSSSC vacancies that open afterward. For this Forest Guard and Wildlife Guard drive, the relevant pass is PET-2025.

Stage two is this post-specific recruitment. When UPSSSC announces a particular vacancy like Forest Guard, only candidates who already hold a valid PET score card for the required year can apply. The Commission then conducts the main written examination and the physical tests specific to that post.

What this means in plain terms:

• If you appeared in and qualified PET-2025, you can apply for these 708 posts.
• If you did not sit for PET-2025, or did not qualify, you are not eligible for this recruitment — there is no alternative direct-entry path.
• You will need your PET-2025 details (registration and score-card information) on hand to complete the application form.

So before you do anything else, confirm you have a valid PET-2025 score card. Everything below assumes you do.

Eligibility criteria

Age is generally calculated as on the cut-off date stated in the official notification, so check that date against your date of birth. Category-based age relaxation follows the standard UP state rules — the exact number of years of relaxation for each category is listed in the notification, and you should confirm yours there before assuming you qualify.

Selection process

For candidates who clear the PET-2025 gate and apply, selection for these posts runs in stages:

1. Main written examination — the post-specific written test that shortlists candidates for the physical stage.
2. Physical Standards Test (PST) and Physical Efficiency Test (PET) — measurement of physical standards followed by efficiency tests. For forest posts this characteristically includes a long-distance walking test, which is a defining feature of Forest Guard and Wildlife Guard recruitment. The exact distance to be covered and the time allowed are specified in the official notification and differ by gender; we are not stating those figures here because they must match the notification exactly.
3. Document verification — verification of your educational certificates, age proof, category certificate, PET-2025 score card, and other documents before final selection.

Note that "PET" here is used in two different senses — the Preliminary Eligibility Test you cleared to become eligible, and the Physical Efficiency Test that forms part of the selection. Don’t confuse the two.

Main exam pattern

The written examination is the screening stage that decides who moves on to the physical tests. The exact mark scheme, number of questions, and section-wise weightage belong to the official notification and any change would mislead, so refer to the notification and the prescribed syllabus for the precise pattern, marking scheme, and negative-marking rule.

That said, based on the kind of syllabus UPSSSC typically prescribes for Group-C field posts, the written paper is likely to test a spread of these areas:

• General knowledge and current affairs — national and Uttar Pradesh-focused awareness.
• General intelligence and reasoning — logical and analytical questions.
• Numerical ability — basic quantitative aptitude.
• Hindi language — grammar and comprehension.
• UP-specific and forestry-related awareness — questions touching on Uttar Pradesh’s geography, environment, and forest/wildlife topics relevant to the role.

Treat the list above as an indicative guide to subject areas, not a confirmed blueprint. The syllabus in the notification is the authority on what is actually asked and how much each part counts.

Physical and medical standards

Both posts carry physical standard requirements — height and chest measurements for the physical standards test, and the walking and other efficiency benchmarks for the physical efficiency test. These standards vary by gender and category. Every one of these figures is specified in the official notification, and we are deliberately not stating any centimetre, kilometre, or timing figure here. Candidates must read the notification carefully and honestly assess whether they meet the prescribed physical standards before applying, because the physical stage is where many otherwise-strong candidates are filtered out. A medical fitness check, as described in the notification, also forms part of clearing the process.

Application fee

A flat ₹25 for everyone means there is no category-based fee difference for this drive. The fee is paid online during the application process through the available payment options on the portal.

How to apply: step-by-step

Applications are accepted online only, from 30 June to 20 July 2026. Here is the typical flow:

1. Go to the official UPSSSC website, upsssc.gov.in.
2. Log in using your One-Time Registration (OTR) credentials. UPSSSC applications run through the OTR system, so your basic profile is already on file.
3. Open the Forest Guard / Wildlife Guard recruitment advertisement and click to apply.
4. The form will pull your PET-2025 details — verify that your PET registration number and score-card information are correctly linked. This is the eligibility checkpoint.
5. Fill in or confirm your personal, educational, and category details, and select your post preference (Forest Guard, Wildlife Guard, or as the form allows).
6. Upload the required documents and a photograph and signature in the specified format and size.
7. Pay the ₹25 fee online.
8. Submit the form and download a copy of the final submitted application and the payment receipt for your records.

Apply a few days before the deadline rather than on 20 July itself — last-day server load and small upload errors cause avoidable misses.

Documents needed

• Valid UPSSSC PET-2025 score card details
• Intermediate (10+2) mark sheet and certificate
• High school certificate (for date of birth proof)
• Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS) if claiming relaxation
• PwD or other special-category certificate where applicable
• UP domicile certificate where required for relaxation benefits
• Recent passport-size photograph and signature in the prescribed format
• Valid photo ID (Aadhaar or equivalent)

Preparation tips

This recruitment rewards a two-track effort — books and body.

• Study smart for the written exam. Build a steady routine around general knowledge, reasoning, numerical ability and Hindi, and pay special attention to Uttar Pradesh general awareness and basic forest/wildlife topics. Practise previous-year UPSSSC question patterns and take timed mock tests so the exam-hall clock doesn’t surprise you.
• Train for the walking test now, not later. The long-distance walk is where Forest Guard aspirants often fall short. Start building stamina well in advance — regular brisk walking and running, gradually increasing distance, plus general fitness work. Don’t wait until you clear the written exam to start; conditioning takes weeks.
• Check your physical standards honestly. Read the height, chest and efficiency requirements in the notification and measure yourself against them early.
• Keep documents ready. Have your PET-2025 score card, certificates, and category papers organised before the form opens so you can apply early and calmly.

हिंदी सारांश

UPSSSC वन रक्षक और वन्य जीव रक्षक 2026 भर्ती में कुल 708 पद हैं। आवेदन 30 जून से 20 जुलाई 2026 तक upsssc.gov.in पर ऑनलाइन होंगे।

• पद: 647 वन रक्षक + 61 वन्य जीव रक्षक = 708
• योग्यता: इंटरमीडिएट (10+2) पास; आयु 18–40 वर्ष, यूपी नियमानुसार छूट
• अनिवार्य: वैध UPSSSC PET-2025 स्कोर कार्ड — इसके बिना आवेदन नहीं हो सकता
• शुल्क: सभी वर्गों के लिए ₹25
• चयन: मुख्य लिखित परीक्षा → शारीरिक मानक/दक्षता परीक्षा (पैदल चाल टेस्ट सहित) → दस्तावेज़ सत्यापन
• सभी शारीरिक माप और परीक्षा पैटर्न की सटीक जानकारी आधिकारिक नोटिफिकेशन में देखें।

Related links

Track this and other active openings on our latest jobs page, and always cross-check the final dates, vacancy details, and physical standards against the official UPSSSC notification on upsssc.gov.in before applying.