HC order to restore course helps students join forest dept: Experts

CHENNAI: Biologists and bird watchers in the State are upbeat over a recent Madras High Court order that had restored the qualification of MSc Wildlife Biology as a certified course to join the TN Forest department. Currently, only BSc Forestry is seen as a preferential qualification course.

“The wildlife biology graduates have filed several petitions to the State government and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest. According to a GO Environment and Forest Department dated April 24, 1992, the specialised degree in M Sc Wildlife Biology and Forestry was included as a preferential subject to the post of forest apprentice and other posts in the Forest department earlier, but this was scrapped after an amendment,” said KVRK Thirunaranan, founder, The Nature Trust.

Welcoming the court order, he added that such an order will now encourage students to take up wildlife biology as a professional course. A writ petition has been filed under Article 226 for the issuance of Writ of Declaration, declaring the amendment to Rule 5 (1) (a) of Tamil Nadu Forest Subordinate Service Rules for inclusion of BSc Forestry in the said rules as illegal and unconstitutional, and discriminately with consequential direction to restore the original position in 5 (1) (a) of TN Forest Subordinate Service Rules with inclusion of PG Degree in Wildlife biology along with BSc Forestry, the court said in its recent order.

“In view of the amendments made by the TN Forest Subordinate Service Rules against BSc Forestry course as the only criteria for recruitment in the Forest department, a petition has been filed in the Madras High Court. The petitioners – K Senthilkumar, A Samson, J Dinesh and S Karthik, after completion of their degree, got post graduate degree in wild life biology, which is a specialised subject in forestry and animal studies. The wildlife biology is a specialised subject which only two colleges in Tamil Nadu have. Petitioners, who have completed PG degree in wildlife biology and forestry, applied to the post of forest apprentice, which leads to that of forest ranger,” read an order by Justice G K Ilanthirayan.

“Wildlife biology degree being considered for forest department recruitments would be a good choice as students are trained in various ecological aspects, wildlife act, forest behaviour, habitat manipulation and protection, eco-tourism, animal behaviour etc,” said B Ramakrishnan, HoD-wildlife biology, Government Arts College, Ooty. “There must be at least 25-30% reservation for students who studied the course. In Ooty, most students who study the course are denizens so they have a better knowledge about the habitat.”