MP Forest Guard Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility

One paper for Van Rakshak, Kshetra Rakshak and Jail Prahari: 100 multiple choice questions, 100 marks, 2 hours, in Hindi and English. Questions differ between shifts. The Board's conduct rules deduct 0.25 mark for a wrong answer.

The rulebook says the level is Class 10 of the MP Board.

The rulebook gives only the five subject headings above and sets the level at Class 10. It lists no topics under them.

Qualification: Class 10 pass (high school), or higher secondary under the old scheme.

Age: 18 on 1 January 2026. Unreserved candidates can be up to 33. The limit is 38 for women, for SC, ST and OBC candidates, for state government and board employees and for city soldiers. Only MP domicile holders get relaxations. Live MP employment exchange registration is required.

Marks to qualify: 33% for unreserved and 23% for SC, ST and OBC. EWS candidates get a 10% concession on the qualifying figure but are still picked on merit within the EWS list.

Physical standard:

In the Naxal-affected areas of the state the chest needs only 74 cm, expanding to 79. The post is a field job, so no posts are reserved for persons with disabilities.

1. Written exam by MPESB.
2. The Board gives the Forest Department a district-wise list. Candidates ranked up to five times the vacancies in a category and district are called for measurement and the walk.
3. Physical measurement by a Forest Department committee. A candidate unhappy with the result can ask for a second measurement once, on the spot, which an appeal committee with a doctor then does. That result is final.
4. Walking test: men 25 km and women 14 km, each in 4 hours. It only qualifies or disqualifies, with no marks.
5. Document and medical checks, then the Board draws up the final merit and waiting lists.

Candidates name district preferences while applying and are placed by merit in those districts only. Ties are broken on written exam marks, then on age.

₹19,500 to 62,000, as printed in the 2026 rulebook.

MPOnline portal charges are ₹60 at a kiosk and ₹20 through a registered citizen login. Correcting an entry costs ₹20, plus ₹40 in portal charges.

Baiga, Sahariya and Bhariya candidates send a hard copy form to the nodal forest officer of their district instead of sitting this exam.

Admit cards are on the Board's page. Pick the post (Van Rakshak) and paper, then enter application number, date of birth and the password built from the first two letters of your mother's name and the last four Aadhaar digits. The physical test has its own call letter on the Forest Department link below.

The first-phase result is a lookup on application number and date of birth, with a result note and a list of candidates eligible for the second phase. The final merit and waiting lists come only after the physical test.

No cut-off file is listed for the 2026 first phase. The qualifying marks (33% and 23%) are the only figures the rulebook fixes. The call-up for the physical test depends on how many people rank within five times the district vacancies.

The exam is Class 10 level, so start with the five subjects and the MP Board textbooks. In parallel, plan the 25 km walk: the Forest Department tests it, it is pass or fail, and nobody gets a second attempt.

• MPESB rulebook list
• Van Rakshak, Kshetra Rakshak, Jail Prahari and Assistant Jail Superintendent rulebook 2026
• First-phase result lookup
• Admit card page
• Physical test call letter
• Results page
• MPOnline application portal

How many Van Rakshak posts were advertised in 2026?

728.

What is the pay?

₹19,500 to ₹62,000.

Is there a walking test?

Yes. Men walk 25 km and women 14 km, each within 4 hours. It carries no marks.

Does one exam cover Forest Guard and Jail Prahari?

Yes, one paper is common to Van Rakshak, Kshetra Rakshak and Jail Prahari. Assistant Jail Superintendent has its own chapter in the same rulebook.

Can a candidate from another state apply?

Yes, but only against unreserved posts and with no age relaxation.