Bhopal, March 6 (IANS) As the Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board (MPESB), earlier known as ‘Vyapam’ is set to conduct exams for the recruitment of forest guards on April 7, the Opposition Congress, on Friday, criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government for not “reserving” seats for the candidates belonging to the Schedule Castes.

Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition (LoP) and veteran Congress leader Umang Singhar shared a post on his social media account, alleging that the “process of forest guard recruitment in Madhya Pradesh is under serious scrutiny”.

The Congress leader claimed that not a single post is reserved for the Scheduled Caste category in the 728 recruitments of the forest guards.

“Of these 728 posts, 310 are reserved for the unreserved category, 143 for Scheduled Tribe, 198 for Other Backward Class, and 77 for Economically Weaker Sections. This is not only a shocking statistic but also a direct injustice to the spirit of social justice and the Constitution,” LoP Singhar said on X.

The Congress leader alleged that it is not merely an administrative lapse but a disregard for the rights of the marginalised.

The Leader of Opposition also demanded a reply from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on the matter, saying that “treatment of Scheduled Caste youth is highly condemnable and unacceptable”.

‘The Chief Minister should immediately address this issue and ensure that the constitutionally mandated reservation system is fully adhered to, so that injustice is not infringed upon the rights and future of Dalit youth,” LoP Singhar said.

According to MBESB’s notification on February 28, the exams will be conducted for recruitment of total 1,679 posts, including 728 for Forest Guard (Van Rakshak), while 169 Field Guard (Kshetra Rakshak) and 757 for Jail Prahari (Warder).

For these three posts, candidates must have passed Class 10 and the last date for submission of online applications is March 14, 2026.

The computer-based examination is scheduled to begin from April 7, 2026.

The minimum age limit for Forest Guard, Field Guard and Jail Prahari posts is 18 years, while the maximum age limit is 33 years.

For the Assistant Jail Superintendent post, candidates must be aged between 21 and 33 years. The age will be calculated as on January 1, 2026. Relaxation in the upper age limit will be provided as per the applicable government rules.

The selection process will consist of a written examination followed by a skill test. Shortlisted candidates will then undergo document verification and a medical examination before final appointment.

–IANS

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