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"Vast vistas in govt, forest-based firms"

WITH a need to reclaim and rejuvenate about 4-5 million hectare of land each year, the role of the foresters assumes significance, observes Dr V.K. Mishra, Dean College of Forestry, Dr Y.S.Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni. Having served the university for 23 years now, he shares his view on the prospects of foresters in the times to come.

Excerpts from an interview:

What is the scope of forestry in the country?

With our National Forest Policy stressing the need to bring about 66 per cent area in the hills and 33 per cent in the plains under forest cover, the forestry sector provides a vast job opportunities for the youth. This includes industries based on forest products like pharmaceutical firms using medicinal plants, industrial units manufacturing fertilisers, fungicides, pesticides, various units manufacturing plant oil like turpentine, eucalyptus, etc., After getting trained in forestry, the youth also find ready employment in the state Forest Department, where as much as 70 per cent quota is reserved for them. The various forestry institutes also offer jobs as faculty members.

The university is contemplating special modules for a short, postgraduate in-service course in watershed development. Its pros and cons were being weighed. With a view to making the students competitive at the national level, the course content has been designed according to the ICAR’s latest guidelines.

The forestry-related research being carried out by various universities also enables the youth to find gainful employment in various ICAR and state government projects. The discipline offers various self-employment opportunities in silk worm rearing, nursery production, seed technology, plant technology, fodder crops cultivation etc. Various NGOs also recruit foresters for their projects.

A placement cell which coordinates with top corporate houses and other forestry- related institutes provides regular guidance to the students. Campus interviews are also conducted from time to time. A number of students have found placements as faculty members in top institutes like the Forestry Research Institute of India, Dehra Dun, and various farm universities of the country. About 28-30 students, including girls, have been selected as rangers in the state forest service. Students have also been placed in top firms like Balarpur Paper Mills, Wimco Private Limited, Century Mills, Zandu Pharmaceuticals, Dabur India, Gujarat Ambuja Cement Limited, Nabard, etc.

Self-confidence, a thorough knowledge of forestry and a zest to shoulder responsibilities in addition to entrepreneurship skills can make a lot of difference.

— Ambika Sharma