Forest minister ‘mislead’ assembly: Students

Students of College of Forestry, Sirsi charged that State Forest Minister Umesh Katti ‘mislead’ the assembly by presenting wrong facts about the results of college students.

Speaking to media persons here on Monday, the students said the minister during a recent debate on the need for BSc (Forestry) as the minimum qualification to be appointed as Range Forest Officer or Assistant Conservator of Forest, had told the assembly that they had reduced reservation from 75% to 50% as students were securing 35 to 40 marks.

The students showing the results for the last three years informed the media persons that the least marks secured by the students of Sirsi and Ponnampet college was 82. “We don’t know why the government in its 2022 gazette notification has reduced the reservation from 75% to 50% for the BSc (Forestry) student,” they said.

The students said that for four years they learn topics related to forests such as protection, management, economics, information technology, and engineering.

“We also undergo field training in forests. Apart from jobs in our ‘mother department’ Forestry, we do not have much scope outside. Moreover, the government also spends Rs 10 lakh on each student in their training. If, there is no future for the students after completing their studies then what is the use of spending so much money on students. So, the government should ensure that the College of Forestry gets maximum posts,” they added.

They said they have been staging a protest for the last eight days boycotting the classes and the government should heed their demands. They also said that more than 500 students, who graduated from the two colleges in the last three years haven't been recruited by the department and are facing an uncertain future.