Wildlife biologists in the state feel ignored as the state forest department and Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission fail to recognise their degree. Most of the graduates now serving as biologists and scientists in prestigious wildlife institutions and NGOs lament that the forest department has been ignoring them and failed to provide government jobs over the past three decades.
“Most of us completed our courses in wildlife biology and are trained according to the prevailing biodiversity in our state. Our curriculum includes local forest management, study on indigenous species and efforts to conserve them but during government examinations conducted for the post of rangers, there is no preference for wildlife biology students,” opined a wildlife biologist.
We are ignored and there are no wildlife biology papers during the government selection examinations. Most of us take zoology, botany or general science as a common paper during the government examinations and our technical knowledge on Indian forests goes waste, he said.
The only opportunity left for us is to work in the forest areas and only the government can provide such employment. There is a need to boost the wildlife biology degree otherwise it’s high time the affiliated and other government colleges shut down such degree programmes, laments another wildlife biologist working in the Mudumalai tiger reserve.
According to principal of A.V.C. College, Myladuthurai, Prof K. Thiyagesan, who is also the head of the wildlife biology division, way back in 1980-81, the college had the privilege of launching the unique M.Sc. Wildlife Biology course and, thereafter, was recognised as a research department.
So far, more than 500 students have graduated from the Wildlife Biology department and are serving in high positions at several reputed wildlife organisations. Despite repeated reminders, the state fails to provide preference for wildlife biology students.
The students demand only the inclusion of an exclusive paper on wildlife biology as an option during the public service commission selection exams, he explained.
When contacted, a top forest department official said he was not aware of such a problem among wildlife biology graduates. If there is a proper recommendation, we would look into it and take it up with the government, the official added.