If you are looking for a secure government job surrounded by the pristine, untouched natural beauty of India's island territories, this is a remarkable opportunity. The Department of Environment and Forests, under the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, has officially released its 2026 recruitment notification for various Group C posts, primarily focusing on Mazdoors and other essential support staff.
This highly anticipated recruitment drive brings a total of 348 vacancies essential for maintaining, protecting, and developing the rich biodiversity of the islands. The application window is currently active, having opened on April 1, 2026, and will strictly close on April 29, 2026.
Let us break down absolutely everything you need to know about this recruitment. We will cover the specific job profiles, the salary structures under the 7th CPC, the exact educational and physical qualifications required, and a deep dive into the selection process to help you secure a position in the Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
About the Recruiter: Department of Environment and Forests, A&N Administration
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands boast some of the most diverse and dense tropical rainforests, mangroves, and marine ecosystems in the world. The Department of Environment and Forests is the nodal agency responsible for the conservation of this unique flora and fauna, managing wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and massive territorial forest divisions across the archipelago.
Working under the Andaman & Nicobar Forest Department is not just a standard desk job; it is an active field role dedicated to ecological preservation.
If selected, you will be appointed as a permanent government employee under the A&N Administration. You will enjoy excellent job security, 7th Pay Commission salary scales, Island Special Duty Allowance (ISDA), government residential quarters (subject to availability), and comprehensive medical facilities.
Posts and Breakdown: Qualification, Age, Location, & Salary Overview
Before diving into the specific roles, here is a quick overview of what the department demands from its applicants:
Basic Educational Qualifications:
For Mazdoor: A minimum of 10th pass (Matriculation) from a recognized educational board.
For Other Group C Posts (like Forest Guard / MTS): 10th pass or 12th pass depending on the specific designation. No highly specialized technical degrees are required, making this accessible to a large number of candidates.
Age Limit Criteria: (As of the crucial date: April 29, 2026)
For Male Candidates: 18 to 33 years.
For Female Candidates: 18 to 38 years. (Standard government age relaxations apply: 3 years for OBC, 5 years for ST candidates. Note: SC reservations are generally not applicable in A&N Islands recruitments due to the demographic structure, but check the official PDF for exact roster details).
Job Location: Candidates selected for these posts will be posted anywhere across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. You could be stationed in North & Middle Andaman, South Andaman, or even the remote Nicobar district depending on administrative requirements.
Salary Summary Overview:
Mazdoor / MTS (Group C): Placed in Pay Matrix Level 1 (INR 18,000 - 56,900).
Forest Guard (if included in Group C): Placed in Pay Matrix Level 2 (INR 19,900 - 63,200). Along with the basic pay, employees receive Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance, and the highly lucrative Island Special Duty Allowance (ISDA), which significantly bumps up the starting in-hand salary to around INR 28,000 - 35,000 per month.
Detailed Overview of Major Posts
Here is what your daily life and responsibilities will look like:
1. Mazdoor (Industrial / Forest Establishment)
Who can apply: 10th-pass candidates who are physically fit for arduous outdoor labor.
The Job Role: Mazdoors form the foundational workforce of the Forest Department. Your duties involve heavy outdoor field work. You will be assisting in plantation drives, clearing forest tracks, maintaining wildlife enclosures, handling timber loading/unloading at forest depots, and assisting senior forest rangers during anti-poaching patrols. It is a physically demanding job that requires excellent stamina and a willingness to work deep inside forest territories.
2. Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) / Other Group C
Who can apply: 10th-pass candidates.
The Job Role: The MTS staff handles the operational and administrative support for the forest divisional offices. Your duties will include maintaining files, dispatching official Dak (mail), assisting in the upkeep of forest guest houses, maintaining garden areas, and providing logistical support to the Range Forest Officers (RFOs).
Important Dates
Do not wait until the last minute to apply. Island recruitment portals can experience connectivity and server issues during the final days.
Event Description | Scheduled Date |
|---|---|
Official Notice Published | March 25, 2026 |
Online Application Portal Opens | April 1, 2026 |
Last Date to Apply Online | April 29, 2026 (11:59 PM) |
Last Date for Receipt of Hard Copies (if applicable) | May 10, 2026 |
Release of Admit Cards | To be notified soon |
Written Examination Date | To be notified soon |
How to Apply
The application process is handled through the centralized e-recruitment portal of the A&N Administration. Follow these exact steps:
Head to the Official Portal: Open your browser and go to the official Andaman & Nicobar e-recruitment portal at
https://erecruitment.andaman.gov.in/or access the link viahttps://forest.andaman.gov.in/.Register or Login: Click on the active link for "Recruitment of Mazdoor and Group C - Forest Department 2026". Register using your active mobile number and email ID to generate your login credentials.
Fill in the Details: Log in and meticulously complete the application form. Enter your personal details, exact educational marks, and local domicile status (if applicable). Your name must perfectly match your 10th marksheet.
Upload Documents: You will need scanned copies of a recent passport-size photograph, your signature, your 10th passing certificate, and age proof.
Submit Application: Carefully review all details and submit the form. Note: A&N Administration recruitments for Group C posts generally do not charge a heavy application fee, but you must check the official PDF to see if a nominal processing fee is required this year.
Save and Print: Immediately download the final application printout. Preserve this copy, as it will be strictly required during your Document Verification and Trade Test stages.
Selection Process
The Andaman Forest Department ensures a transparent, merit-based selection process tailored to the physical demands of the job:
Phase 1: Written Examination All eligible candidates will be called for an objective-type Written Examination.
Format: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).
Syllabus: The paper is generally of 10th-grade standard. It will cover General Knowledge (with a special focus on the history, geography, and environment of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Basic Mathematics/Arithmetic, General English, and General Hindi.
Merit Generation: The marks secured in the written exam will be the primary basis for the final merit list.
Phase 2: Trade Test / Physical Endurance Test (Qualifying) For posts like Mazdoor and Forest Guard, physical fitness is absolutely critical.
Candidates shortlisted from the written exam will be called for a physical test.
For Mazdoors, this may involve tasks demonstrating physical strength (like carrying a specified weight over a distance or digging/plantation tasks).
Note: This test is strictly qualifying in nature. You must pass it, but the marks are not added to the final merit list.
Phase 3: Document Verification & Medical Exam Selected candidates must present original educational certificates, age proof, and category certificates. Finally, you must clear a standard medical fitness test conducted by the A&N health department to ensure you are fit for forest deployment.
Last Exam's Details and Previous Trends
Understanding how Andaman & Nicobar recruitments operate provides a strategic edge:
Local Knowledge is Key: In almost all A&N Administration written exams, a significant portion of the General Knowledge section is dedicated to local island geography, tribal history (like the Jarawa, Onge, Sentinelese tribes), and endemic biodiversity. Candidates must study local Andaman GK thoroughly.
High Turnout for 10th Pass Jobs: Because the basic qualification is just Matriculation, these drives see a massive turnout from the local youth across the islands. The competition is fierce, pushing the written exam cut-offs quite high.
2026 (The Current Drive): With 348 vacancies, this is a very large recruitment for the island demographic. Your priority should be maximizing your score in the written exam (especially Math and Local GK) while maintaining excellent physical fitness for the subsequent trade test.
Important Links
Here are all the direct, official links you need for this recruitment. You can use the links below to navigate to the official career portal.
Link Description | Official Web Link |
|---|---|
Official A&N e-Recruitment Portal |
|
Department of Environment and Forests, A&N |
|
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can candidates from mainland India apply for these posts? Technically, as per central employment rules, Indian citizens can apply. However, A&N Administration recruitments often heavily prefer or restrict selection to local candidates who possess an Andaman & Nicobar Domicile certificate. You must carefully read the "Eligibility" section of the detailed 2026 official PDF regarding domicile rules before applying.
2. I am in the final year of my 10th board exams. Can I apply? No. Candidates must possess their final 10th-grade passing certificate and mark sheets on or before the crucial closing date of the application (April 29, 2026).
3. Is there a physical height requirement for the Mazdoor post? Usually, standard Mazdoor and MTS posts do not have strict height/chest requirements like police or forest guard posts. However, candidates must be robust and medically fit for hard outdoor labor.
4. Is this a permanent government job? Yes, this is a 100% permanent government job under the Andaman & Nicobar Administration. Candidates will be placed on a standard probation period (usually 2 years) before confirmation.
5. Are women candidates allowed to apply for the Mazdoor post? Yes. Women candidates are eligible to apply. The A&N administration provides a higher upper age limit (38 years) for female applicants compared to males (33 years).
6. Do I get extra allowances for working in the Andaman Islands? Yes. Central government employees posted in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands receive an Island Special Duty Allowance (ISDA) ranging from 12% to 20% of their basic pay, depending on how remote the specific posting area is (e.g., higher allowance for Nicobar district).
7. Is there an interview for these Group C posts? No. As per the Government of India guidelines, interviews have been discontinued for all Group C and Group B (Non-Gazetted) posts. Selection is based purely on the written exam marks and passing the qualifying physical/trade test.
8. Can I apply offline? No. The application process is completely online through the e-recruitment portal. No paper applications will be accepted at the forest department offices.
9. Will the written exam be conducted in mainland cities? No. The written examinations and physical tests for A&N Administration jobs are conducted exclusively within the Andaman & Nicobar Islands (usually in Port Blair, Diglipur, and Mayabunder).
10. What happens if I fail the Physical/Trade Test? The physical/trade test is qualifying in nature. If a candidate fails to pass this test, they will be immediately disqualified from the recruitment process, regardless of how high they scored in the written examination.
Govt job