13
ANNEXURE – II
NOTIFICATION NO.21/2022
SCHEME & SYLLABUS FOR RECRUITMENT TO THE POST OF FOREST RANGE OFFICERS IN
A.P. FOREST SERVICES
GAZETTED SERVICES
WRITTEN EXAMINATION DEGREE STANDARD
SCHEME FOR WRITTEN EXAMINATION (OBJECTIVE TYPE) DEGREE STANDARD
Sl No. Subject Marks Questions Minutes
General English (50 marks) &
General Telugu (50 marks) 100 Marks 100 Minutes
1. 100 Questions
(To be Qualified in English & Telugu individually) (Qualifying Test )
(SSC STANDARD)
2. Paper-1: General Studies & Mental Ability 150 Marks 150 Questions 150 Minutes
150 Questions
3. Paper-2: Mathematics (SSC standard) 150 Marks 150 Minutes
150 Questions
4. Paper-3: General Forestry - I 150 Marks 150 Minutes
150 Questions
5. Paper-4: General Forestry - II 150 Marks 150 Minutes
Total 600 Marks
N.B.:1. Candidates are required to undergo a walking test and also a Medical Examination
(conducted by a Medical Board). Both the tests shall be arranged by the Forest
Department, duly taking concurrence of A.P.P.S.C. for this purpose the Commission will
pick up eligible candidates in the ratio of 1:3 with reference to total number of vacancies
as per General Rule 22 & 22A.
2. Computer Proficiency Test (Qualifying Test) for eligible candidates in the ratio of 1:3 with
reference to total number of vacancies notified.
3. Appearance at all the above tests is compulsory. Absence at any or all of the papers will
render the candidature invalid.
4. As per G.O.Ms. No.235 Finance (HR-1, Plg & Policy) Dept, Dt:06/12/2016, each wrong
answer will be penalized with 1/3rd of the marks prescribed for the question.
5. The minimum qualifying Marks for selection is 40% for OCs; 35% for BCs and 30% for SCs
&STs.
SYLLABUS FOR WRITTEN EXAMINATION
QUALIFYING TEST: SSC standard
GENERAL ENGLISH AND GENERAL TELUGU (100 Marks)
General English Test (50 Marks) General Telugu Test ( 50 Marks)
a) Comprehension a) Synonyms & Vocabulary
b) Phrases and idioms b) Grammar
c) Vocabulary and punctuation c) Telugu to English meanings
d) Logical re-arrangement of d) English to Telugu meanings
sentences
PAPER-1
GENERAL STUDIES & MENTAL ABILITY (150 Marks)
1. General Science – Contemporary developments in Science and Technology and
their implications including matters of every day observation and experience, as may
be expected of a well-educated person who has not made a special study of any
14
scientific discipline.
2. Current events of A.P state and national importance.
3. History of India – emphasis will be on broad general understanding of the subject in its
social, economic, cultural and political aspects with a focus on AP and Indian
National Movement.
4. Indian Geography with a focus on AP.
5. Indian polity and Economy – including the country’s political system- rural
development – Planning and economic reforms in India.
6. Mental Ability – Reasoning & Inferences.
7. Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection
8. Disaster Management-
a) Concepts in disaster management and vulnerability profile of India and State of A.P.
b) Earth quakes, Cyclones , Tsunami , Floods , Drought – causes and effects.
c) Manmade disasters - Prevention strategies.
d) Mitigation strategies and measures
PAPER-II
MATHEMATICS (SSC Standard) (150 Marks)
a)
b) 1.ARITHMETICS:
a) Number System-Natural numbers, Integers,
b) Rational and Real numbers,
c) Fundamental operations, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, square roots,
Decimal fractions.
d) Unitary method-time and distance, time and work, percentages, applications to
simple and compound interest, profit and loss, ratio and proportion, variation.
e) Elementary Number Theory – Division algorithm, Prime and composite numbers. Tests of
divisibility by 2,3,4,5,9 and 11.
f) Multiples and factors, factorisation Theorem. H.C.F. and L.C.M. Euclidean algorithm.
Logarithms to base 10, laws of logarithms, use of logarithmic tables.
g) 2.ALGEBRA:
h)
a) Basic Operations, simple factors, Remainder Theorem, H.C.F., L.C.M.
b) Theory of polynomials, solutions of quadratic equations, relation between its roots and
coefficients (Only real roots to be considered). Simultaneous linear equations in two
unknowns – analytical and Graphical solutions. Simultaneous linear in equations in two
variables and their solutions.
c) Practical problems leading to two simultaneous linear equations or in equations in two
variables or quadratic equations in one variable and their solutions.
d) Set language and set notation, rational expressions and conditional identities, laws of
indices.
a) 3.TRIGONOMETRY:
Sine x, Cosine x, Tangent x when Oo = x = 90o values of sin x, cos x and tan x, for x= O o , 30o, 45o,
60o and 90o, Simple trigonometric identities. Use of trigonometric tables, Simple cases of heights
and distances.
4. GEOMETRY:
i) Lines and angles, Plane and plane figures,
ii) Theorems on
a) Properties of angles at a point,
b) Parallel lines,
c) Sides and angles of a triangle,
d) Congruency of triangles,
e) Similar triangles,
f) Concurrence of medians and altitudes,
g) Properties of angles, sides and diagonals of a parallelogram, rectangle and square,
h) Circles and its properties including tangents and normals,
i) Loci.
5.MENSURATION:
a) Areas of squares, rectangles, parallelograms, triangle and circle.
b) Areas of figures which can be split up into the figures (Field Book),
15
Ec) Surface area and volume of cuboids, lateral surface and volume of right circular
N cones and cylinders, surface area and volume of spheres.
E
W
a) 6. STATISTICS:
A
b) B
La) Collection and tabulation of statistical data,
Rb) Graphical representation - frequency polygons, histograms, bar charts,
I pie charts etc.
.c) Measures of central tendency.
I. R
E PAPER - III
A
B GENERAL FORESTRY-I (150 Marks)
L
I. RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES:
a) Forest resources: Use and over-exploitation, deforestation, important case studies. Timber
extraction, mining, dams and their effects on forests and tribal people.
b) Water resources: Use and over-utilization of surface and ground water, floods, drought,
conflicts over water, dams-benefits and problems.
c) Mineral resources: Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using
mineral resources.
d) Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing,
effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity.
e) Energy resources: Growing energy needs, renewable and non-renewable energy sources,
use of alternate energy sources.
f) Land resources: Land as a resource, land degradation, man induced landslides, soil
erosion and desertification.
II. PLANT SCIENCES:
a) The diversity in the living world and biological classification.
b) Morphology of flowering plants-modifications and functions of roots, stems and leaves.
c) Basics of plant tissues and how they differ from animal tissues.
d) Basic anatomical structure of wood like annual rings, grain, texture, pores, fibers, pith,
rays, etc.,
e) Seed morphology- types of seeds viz., mono-cotyledonous and di-cotyledonous,
albuminous and endospermic and their development, structure, dormancy, dispersal
and germination.
f) Reproduction in plants:
g) Sexual incompatibility and sexual methods of reproduction in plants-Pollination,
fertilization, hybridization and development of the fruit.
h) Asexual and vegetative methods of reproduction
i) Principles of Plant propagation- production of varieties and hybrids.
j) Absorption and conduction of water and minerals salts translocation- transpiration –
photosynthesis, respiration, digestion and assimilation of food, anabolism and
catabolism- deficiency symptoms of essential elements, role of plant growth regulators in
plants.
k) Basic principles of inheritance and variation and molecular basis of inheritance with
special emphasis on DNA & RNA.
l) The most common diseases of plants, important factors affecting infections and the
chemical, biological and genetic methods of disease control.
III. BIODIVERSITY AND ITS CONSERVATION:
a) Definition and value of biodiversity, genetic, species and ecosystem diversity,
b) Biodiversity at global, National and local levels,
c) Hot-spots of biodiversity, causes of biodiversity losses, need and the measures for
biodiversity conservation.
d) Major biomes of India, major abiotic factors that influence the life of organisms,
responses of the organisms to such factors, adaptations for withstanding the extremes in
the environment and population ecology.
16
IV. SOIL SCIENCE & GEOLOGY:
a) Geological formation of the rocks and minerals of India.
b) Earth and its layers-domains of earth Types - of rocks and their formation- weathering
process of rocks- factors affecting soil formation-physical, chemical and biological
properties soil; minerals, their types and their conservation.
c) Soil conservation- definition, causes for erosion, types - wind and water erosion;
conservation and management of eroded soils/areas, wind breaks, shelter belts; sand
dunes; reclamation of saline and alkaline soils, water logged and other waste lands.
Role of forests in conserving soils.
d) Maintenance and build-up of soil organic matter; forest leaf litter and composting;
Role of microorganisms in ameliorating soils; N and C cycles.
V. WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND WATER SHED MANAGEMENT:
a) Basics of surface and subsurface water resources, pollution of water and water
resource management.
b) Concepts of watershed; role of mini-forests and forest trees in overall resource
management, forest hydrology, watershed development.
c) Water-harvesting and conservation; ground water recharge and watershed
management; role of integrating forest trees, horticultural crops, field crops, grass and
fodders.
VI. SILVICULTURE, AGRO FORESTRY, SOCIAL FORESTRY, COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT:
a) General Silvicultural Principles; ecological and physiological factors influencing
vegetation, natural and artificial regeneration of forests, methods of propagation,
grafting techniques; site factors;
b) Nursery and planting techniques — nursery beds, polybags and maintenance, water
budgeting, grading and hardening of seedlings, special approaches, establishment
and tending.
c) Silviculture of the following economically important species grown in Andhra Pradesh
such as
1) Acacia nilotica
2) Azadirachta indica,
3) Dendrocalamus strictus,
4) Casuarina equisetifolia,
5) Dalbergia sisoo,
6) Emblica officinalis,
7) Eucalyptus spp,
8) Gmelina arborea,
9) Pterocarpus marsupium,
10) Pterocarpus santalinus
11) Santalum album
12) Tectona grandis,
13) Melia dubia and
14) Leucaena leucocephala
d) Agroforestry: scope and necessity; role in the life of people and domestic animals and
in integrated land use, planning especially related to soil and water conservation,
water recharge, nutrient availability to crops, nature and eco -system preservation
including ecological balances through pest- predator relationships and providing
opportunities for enhancing biodiversity, medicinal and other flora and fauna.
e) Agro forestry systems under different agro-ecological zones, selection of species and
role of multipurpose trees and NTFPs, techniques, food, fodder and fuel security.
f) Objectives, scope and necessity of social forestry.
g) Genesis, principles, objectives and methodology of Community Forest management in
Andhra Pradesh.
17
PAPER – IV
GENERAL FORESTRY-II (150 Marks)
I. ECOSYSTEM & WILDLIFE:
a) Concept of an ecosystem, Structure and function of an ecosystem, the rate of biomass
production, GPP, NPP, decomposition and energy flow through different trophic levels.
Ecological pyramids and ecological succession.
b) Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure, functions and services of the
ecosystems such as Forest ecosystem, Grassland ecosystem, Desert ecosystem, Aquatic
ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries),
c) Wildlife of India, endangered species of India; sanctuaries and national parks of India
and Biological rhythms.
II. FOREST PROTECTION WILDLIFE BIOLOGY:
a) Injuries to forest - abiotic and biotic destructive agencies, insect — pests and disease,
effects of air pollution on forests and forest die back.
b) Susceptibility of forests to damage, nature of damage, cause, prevention, protective
measures and benefits due to chemical and biological control.
c) General forest protection against fire, equipment and methods, controlled use of fire,
economic and environmental costs;
d) Timber salvage operations after natural disasters.
e) Role of afforestation and forest regeneration in absorption of CO 2.
f) Rotational and controlled grazing, different methods of control against grazing and
browsing animals;
g) effect of wild animals on forest regeneration,
h) Human impacts: Forest encroachment, poaching, grazing, live fencing, theft, shifting
cultivation and control.
III. FOREST UTILIZATION:
a) Traditional and improved/modern tools used in logging, wood seasoning,
wood/timber preservation,
b) logging-transport methods,
c) Physical properties of wood and their importance in identification of timber species.
d) Uses of important MFP/NTFP species available in the forests of A.P.
e) List of plants known to be antidotes of snake and scorpion poisoning.
IV. ANIMAL MANAGEMENT:
a) Animal management – animal ailments and treatments.
b) Definition of some animals like human beings, wolf, jackals, lion rabbit etc., based on
incisors- canine/cuspids, pre-molars and molars,
c) Poisonous and non-poisonous snakes of India, symptoms following the snake bite,
treatment of snake bite.
d) Role of nutrition in animal health and production.
e) Nutrition deficiencies and their management.
f) Morphological features of a bird and the concept of migration in birds and the ecological
importance of birds.
V. ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY:
Beneficial and harmful insects including insect vectors of human diseases, Industrial fish,
prawn and molluscs of India, Non-poisonous and poisonous snakes of India, Venomous
animals-centipede, wasp, honey bee.
VI. FOREST ECONOMICS, FOREST LEGISLATION AND ADMINISTRATION:
a) Forest economics - fundamental principles, cost-benefit analyses; estimation of
demand and supply;
b) Forest economics – investment planning, depreciation, working capital, types of costs
viz., gross, fixed, variable, marginal & opportunity costs.,
c) Methods employed for investment calculations such as Net surplus method, payoff
time method, present value or capital value method, internal interest method, capital
cost method.
d) Forest Legislation-History of forest development; essence of Indian Forest Policy of
1894, 1952 and 1990. National Forest Policy -1988.
18
e) Forest laws, necessity; general principles, AP Forest Act-1967; Forest Conservation Act-
1980; Wildlife Protection Act-1972 and their amendments; Application of Indian Penal
Code to Forestry.
f) Forest Administration: Indian Forest Service, AP State Forest Service, AP State Forest
Subordinate Services, AP Forest Department-Its structure and activities.
VII. FOREST INVENTORY:
a) Scope and objectives of Forest inventory.
b) Complete enumeration vs. sampling, need for sampling, basic concepts in sampling,
designing large-scale sample surveys, sampling and non- sampling errors, simple
random sampling.
c) Properties of a good estimator, estimation of sample size, stratified random sampling,
systematic sampling cluster sampling, and ratio and regression methods of estimation
under simple and stratified random sampling.
VIII. FOREST MENSURATION & REMOTE SENSING:
a) Statistics- population parameters- measures of central tendency and dispersion, aim of
sampling, sampling methods, regression.
b) Methods of measuring —diameter, girth, height and volume of trees; form-factor;
volume estimation of stand, current annual increment; mean annual increment, Yield
calculation, yield and stand tables:
c) Forest planning, evaluation and monitoring tools and approaches for integrated
planning.
d) Modern instruments used in forest mensuration like RELASKOP, ALTIMETER, WEDGE
PRISM, PLANIMETER etc.,
e) Basic principles of Remote sensing- Air photo interpretation GIS, GPS, and GNSS.
f) Forest cover monitoring through remote sensing;
IX. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES:
a) Definition, scope and importance, need for public awareness on environmental issues.
b) Environmental Pollution: Definition, Causes, effects and control measures of Air
pollution, Water pollution, Soil pollution, Marine pollution, Noise pollution, Thermal
pollution &Nuclear hazards.
c) Solid waste Management: Causes, effects and control measures of urban and
industrial wastes.
d) Social Issues and the Environment: From Unsustainable to Sustainable development.
e) Urban problems related to energy, Water conservation, rain water harvesting,
Resettlement and rehabilitation of people; its problems and concerns,
f) Environmental ethics: Issues and possible solutions, Climate change, global warming,
acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust, Wasteland
reclamation, Consumerism and waste products.
g) Necessity of Environment Protection Act-1986, Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)
Act-1981, Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act-1974, APWALTA-2004.
X. FOREST SURVEY & ENGINEERING:
a) Basics of Survey and forest Engineering – bearings, Offsets- types of concrete, painting,
varnishing, glazing, pointing, plastering.
b) Road alignment- main considerations in road alignment,
c) Types of roads depending upon the duration of the use of road,
d) Use of ghat tracer, Dumpy level, IOP level and Theodolite.
XI. FIRST AID:
a) Primary goal, key aims and types of the first-aid.
b) First Aid- first aid for bleeding, drowning, venomous insects, burns and scalds, shock,
unconsciousness, fits, fainting, sun stroke, sprains, wounds, fractures.
19
SCHEME OF EXAMINATION (PRACTICAL TYPE)
Duration Maximum Minimum qualifying marks
TEST
(Minutes) Marks SC/ST/PH B.C’s O.C’s
Proficiency in Office
Automation with usage of
30 50 15 17.5 20
Computers and Associated
Software
SYLLABUS
The test shall comprise the following four parts:
Name of
Name of the Question to be answered Marks
the part
Example: Typing a letter/passage/paragraph ( about
Part A 15
100- 150 words ) in MS-Word
Example: Preparation of a Table/Graph in MS-Excel
Part B 10
Part C Example: Preparation of Power Point Presentations/Slides 10
(Two) on MS-Power Point.
Part D Example: Creation and manipulation of data bases. 10
Part E Example: Displaying the content of E-mail (Inbox). 05
Total 50
Note: The candidates shall be given the text / matter in the Question Paper and they must
type / reproduce it in the Answer Sheet. The formatting of the text should also be of the
same type as given in the Question Paper.
NAME CONTENTS OF PART-A MARKS
1. Create and save a document using MS WORD
a. Deletion of Character, Word, line and block of text
b. Undo and redo process
c. Moving, Copying and renaming
2. Format the Text document
a. Character formatting
b. Paragraph formatting
c. Page formatting
3. Spell check the document
a. Finding and Replacing of text
b. Bookmarks and Searching for a Bookmarks
c. Checking Spelling and Grammar automatically
d. Checking Spelling and Grammar using Dictionary
WORD 15
4. Print the document
a. Print Preview
b. Print Dialog box
5. Mail Merge in Ms-word
a. Create main document and data file for mail merging
b. Merging the files
c. From letters using mail merging
d. Mailing labels using mail merging
6. Table creation in Ms-word
a. Create a table in the document
b. Add row, column to a table
c. Changing column width and row height.
20
d. Merge, split cells of table.
e. Use formulae in tables.
f. sorting data in a table.
g. formatting a table.
7. Ability to type on Qwerty key board of Computer at a speed of
at least equivalent to 30 Words per 1 minute (Lower type writing
test).
NAME CONTENTS OF PART-B MARKS
1. Create and save a new work book in Excel
2. Entering Data into Worksheet
3. Editing data of Worksheet
4. Formatting the text in the cells
5. Formatting the numbers in the cells.
6. Formatting cells. 10
EXCEL 7. Copying format of cell along with data format.
8. Changing the height and width of cells.
9. Freezing Titles, splitting screen
10. Enter formulae for calculation in the cells.
11. Copying the formula over a range of cells.
12. Inserting built-in functions in to the cells.
13. Create graphs for the data using Chart Wizard.
14. Format graphs in Excel.
15. Printing of worksheet.
NAME CONTENTS OF PART-C MARKS
1. Create and save a new presentation using MS Power Point
layout of opening screen in Power Point
the tool bars in MS Power Point
2. Choose Auto Layout for a new slide.
3. Insert text and pictures into a blank slide.
POWER
4. Insert new slides into the presentation. 10
POINT
5. Apply slide transition effects.
6. Slide show.
7. Set animation to text and pictures in a slide
8. Set the sounds, order and timing for animation.
NAME
CONTENTS OF PART-D MARKS
Creation and manipulation of data bases 10
ACCESS
NAME CONTENTS OF PART-E MARKS
1. Browse the Net using Browser software (Internet Explorer,
Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome etc.)
2. Search the Web using Search Engines.
3. Create an E-mail account.
INTERNET 4. Send and receive E-mail.
5. E-commerce transactions.
6. Web content uploading.
7. Ability to operate Mac OS / pages / key note /
Numbers.
GRAND TOTAL 50
******
