UPSSSC Forest Inspector Exam Pattern 2026: Van Daroga Stages

The UPSSSC Forest Inspector exam pattern decides how candidates move from a PET score to a Van Daroga posting in the Forest and Wildlife Department of Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission shortlists on PET scores, then holds one written mains exam, followed by physical tests, document verification and a medical examination.

This page explains each stage as it ran in the latest completed cycle, Advertisement 06-Exam/2022, which filled 701 posts. It also shows what the marking scheme means for your attempt strategy. As of 21 October 2026, no new Van Daroga advertisement has been issued, so confirm the pattern again when the next notification appears.

Table of Contents

UPSSSC Forest Inspector Exam Pattern at a Glance

This scheme is based on the 2022 cycle's scheme and syllabus notice and should be confirmed against the next official UPSSSC advertisement. Marks and duration for the written mains are as per the last cycle.

Stage 1: PET Shortlisting

You cannot sit the Van Daroga written exam without a valid UPSSSC PET score card. In the 2022 cycle, the commission used PET-2021 normalised scores and shortlisted 15 times the category-wise vacancies. Every candidate tied at the last cut-off score was also included.

• Zero or negative scores: Candidates with a zero or negative absolute or normalised PET score were not shortlisted.

• Provisional categories: Candidates under investigation or in provisional categories could apply, subject to the outcome of the commission's inquiry.

• Which PET counts: The advertisement names the PET year it accepts, so a newer advertisement may ask for a newer score card.

Stage 2: Written Mains Exam

This scheme is based on the 2022 cycle's scheme and syllabus notice and should be confirmed against the next official UPSSSC advertisement. As per the last cycle, it set one paper in one shift, with 100 objective, multiple-choice questions.

There is no sectional timing and no separate general studies, Hindi or reasoning section. The advertisement also said that if the written exam has to run over more than one shift or day, scores will be normalised.

Key Changes to Know

• Mains is subject-only: General studies, Hindi and reasoning are tested in PET, not in the Van Daroga written exam.

• PET year can change: The 2022 cycle used PET-2021 scores. A new advertisement will name the PET it accepts, and PET-2026 is being held in October and November 2026.

• Law references can change: Forest conservation law was amended in 2023, after the 2022 topic list was issued, so expect questions on the amended text.

• Shift count is not fixed: The 2022 paper was planned in one shift, but the advertisement allowed more shifts with normalised scores if needed.

Question formats to prepare for

The official scheme says only that questions are objective and multiple choice. Within that, prepare for direct fact questions on Acts and protected areas, statement-based questions where you judge which statements are correct, matching questions that pair parks or reserves with districts or species, and concept questions on ecology and climate. Practising all four formats keeps you from losing time on an unfamiliar layout.

Marking Scheme and Negative Marking

As per the last cycle, marking worked as follows.

• Correct answer: 1 mark.

• Wrong answer: A deduction of 25 percent of the marks for that question, which is one-fourth of a mark.

• Unanswered question: No marks and no deduction.

Four wrong answers cancel one correct answer. If you attempt 85 questions and get 72 right and 13 wrong, your score is 72 minus 3.25, or 68.75.

What the Pattern Means for You

• Every question is worth the same: A tough question on an Act section scores no more than an easy one on ecology, so clear the easy questions first.

• Blind guessing barely pays: If a question has four options, a pure guess is worth a small fraction of a mark on average, but one eliminated option makes a guess clearly worthwhile.

• The paper rewards precise facts: Schedules, years, penalties and protected areas are easy to frame as questions, so revise them repeatedly.

• The physical tests can undo a good score: The walk and height standards are pass or fail, so train for them alongside your studies.

The 2022 written exam cut-off for unreserved candidates was 71.50 out of 100, so plan for accuracy, not just attempts.

Physical Standards and Walking Test

These standards come from the Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Forest (Deputy Range Forest Officer and Van Daroga) Service Rules, 2021, as quoted in the 2022 advertisement.

In the 2022 cycle, 1,697 candidates were called to the physical standards test on the basis of their written scores, and 1,402 passed it.

Document Verification and Medical Examination

Candidates who clear the physical tests attend document verification at the commission's office in Lucknow. You need originals and self-attested copies of educational certificates, category and age-relaxation certificates, a photo identity card and two passport-size colour photographs, along with the verification letter and forms downloaded from the website.

Before final appointment, a candidate must pass a medical board examination and be free of any defect that would affect field duties. A woman candidate found to be 12 weeks or more pregnant is declared temporarily unfit and re-examined six weeks after delivery.

How the Final Selection Is Made

Under the 2022 advertisement, selection was made on the basis of the written exam, under the UP Group C direct recruitment rules and the 2021 forest service rules. PET scores only decide who sits the mains, and the physical tests, document verification and medical examination are pass-or-fail stages.

1. Rank by written score: Candidates are ranked category-wise on their mains score.

2. Clear the qualifying stages: Only those who pass the physical standards, walking test and document verification stay in the list.

3. Medical fitness: Final appointment depends on the medical board's clearance.

How Normalisation Works

Normalisation applies when the same exam is held in more than one shift and the papers differ in difficulty. The commission converts raw scores to a common scale so that candidates in a harder shift are not at a disadvantage. In the 2022 cycle, PET-2021 normalised scores were used for shortlisting, and the advertisement said written exam scores would also be normalised if that exam ran over several shifts.

For you, the practical point is simple: you cannot control normalisation, so aim for a margin over past cut-offs rather than calculating an exact score you need.

Stage-wise Preparation Focus

Time Management and Exam-Day Strategy

• First pass in 60 minutes: Answer every question you know at once and mark the rest.

• Second pass in 40 minutes: Return to marked questions and attempt those where you can eliminate at least one option.

• Last 20 minutes: Check your answer sheet entries and leave pure guesses blank.

• Practise this split: Use full-length timed tests so the rhythm feels normal on exam day.

For practice in the same 100-question format, use timed online tests on Testkart and the section-wise analysis to see where marks leak. Pair them with previous year papers to judge the real difficulty level.

Older pages may still show a general studies pattern for this post or mix it with the Forest Guard exam, so follow the official notification. All notices are published on upsssc.gov.in.