Srinagar June 12 (KNS): Scores of students of Benehama campus of SKUAST-K on Monday staged a protest against authorities over draft amendments in the eligibility criteria for Range officer posts in the forest department.

Reports reaching Kashmir News Service (KNS) said that the students protested over recent proposal of the forest department to amend 1970, which previously stated that a bachelor’s forestry degree was the sole requirement for the Range officer position.

They said that the department is now going to change the criteria based on the 2004 State Forest Service rule, which allows all science graduates to be eligible for gazetted posts in the forest department.

This rule was formed due to the lack of availability of forestry degrees across the country at that time.

"What is the fun of spending 11 years obtaining higher forestry degrees if we have such limited opportunities,” said Jauhar Rafiq, a PHD scholar and president student council faculty of forest SKUAST-K.

He also said that every year more than 100 students complete their graduation or post-graduation in the field of forestry from SKUAST-K and other institutions across the country.

“The amendments in the eligibility criteria only adds to the distress of unemployed forestry professionals. We all are here to demand that no amendment be made to the eligibility criteria,” he said.

He warned that the protests will continue until they get justice and the department reverts its draft amended policy.

He said that a hunger strike will commence from tomorrow and some students plan to symbolically burn their degrees.

Sadiya Zargar, another protesting student said that the protest by forestry students at Benehama campus serves as a reminder to the challenges faced by unemployed forestry professionals and their demand for fair and inclusive eligibility criteria for Range officer posts. (KNS)