APPSC Forest Section Officer Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025 (Detailed)

If you are aspiring to become a Forest Section Officer (FSO) in Andhra Pradesh, understanding the complete syllabus and exam pattern is the first and most crucial step toward success.

The Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has laid out a comprehensive selection process that includes a Screening Test, a Main Examination, and a Computer Proficiency Test (CPT). This detailed guide breaks down the official APPSC FSO syllabus and exam pattern to help you strategize your preparation effectively.

APPSC Forest Section Officer Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025 (Detailed)

APPSC Forest Section Officer Exam Pattern

The selection process is divided into multiple stages. Here is a clear breakdown of the exam pattern for both the Screening Test and the Main Examination.

Key Point: As per the official notification, there will be negative marking for wrong answers in both the Screening and Main exams. For each incorrect answer, 1/3rd of the marks prescribed for the question will be deducted.

Screening Test Pattern

The Screening Test is an objective-type (OMR-based) exam. Its purpose is to shortlist candidates for the Main Examination.

Part	Subject	Standard	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration
A	General Studies, Mental Ability & Mathematics	SSC	75	75	150 Minutes
B	General Forestry	Degree	75	75	(Composite Time)
Total			150	150

Main Examination Pattern

Candidates who qualify in the Screening Test will be eligible for the Main Examination.

Paper	Subject	Standard	No. of Questions	Maximum Marks	Duration
Qualifying Test	General English & General Telugu (Must qualify individually)	SSC	100	100	100 Minutes
Paper-I	General Studies & Mental Ability	Degree	150	150	150 Minutes
Paper-II	Mathematics	SSC	150	150	150 Minutes
Paper-III	General Forestry	Degree	150	150	150 Minutes
Total (for Merit)				450

Detailed APPSC Forest Section Officer Syllabus 2025 (Screening Test)

Part A: General Studies, Mental Ability & Mathematics (75 Marks)

General Studies & Mental Ability

General Science: Contemporary developments in Science and Technology and their implications, including everyday observations.
Current Events: National and Andhra Pradesh state-level importance.
History of India: Social, economic, cultural, and political aspects with a focus on the Indian National Movement and Andhra Pradesh.
Indian Geography: With a special focus on Andhra Pradesh.
Indian Polity and Economy: Political system, rural development, planning, and economic reforms in India.
Mental Ability: Reasoning & Inferences.
Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection.
Disaster Management: Concepts, vulnerability profile of India and AP, and management of natural and man-made disasters.

Mathematics (SSC Standard)

Arithmetic: Number System, Fundamental Operations, Unitary Method (Time, Distance, Work, Percentages, Interest, Profit & Loss), Elementary Number Theory, HCF & LCM, Logarithms.
Geometry: Lines and angles, Theorems on triangles, parallelograms, circles, and their properties. Loci.
Statistics: Data collection, tabulation, and graphical representation (histograms, pie charts, etc.). Measures of central tendency.

Part B: General Forestry (75 Marks)

This section covers a wide range of topics related to forestry and allied sciences.

Plant Science: Cell structure, plant physiology, genetics, propagation methods, plant diseases, and ecological adaptation.
Forests & Ecology: Biodiversity, ecosystem structure, food chains, biogeographical classification, conservation methods (in-situ and ex-situ), and threats to forests.
Horticulture: Branches of horticulture, propagation methods (cuttage, layerage, grafting), and greenhouse crop production.
Soil Science: Basics of rocks and minerals, soil types and classification, soil properties, and soil conservation methods.
Water Resource Management: Surface and subsurface water, water quality standards, and watershed management.
Silviculture, Agro-forestry & Social Forestry: Principles of silviculture, regeneration of forests, economic importance of tree species, and community forestry.
Animal Health & Nutrition: Role of nutrition, feed management, and major contagious diseases in livestock.
Economic Zoology: Beneficial and harmful insects, venomous animals, and DNA as a forensic tool.
Forest Administration: Structure and objectives of the Indian Forest Services and AP State Forest Services.
Remote Sensing & Satellite Communication: Forest cover monitoring and GIS.
Environmental Science: Pollution, solid waste management, climate change, and renewable/non-renewable resources.

Detailed APPSC Forest Section Officer Syllabus 2025 (Main Examination)

Qualifying Test: General English & General Telugu (100 Marks)

General English (50 Marks): Comprehension, Phrases and Idioms, Vocabulary and Punctuation, Logical Re-arrangement of sentences.
General Telugu (50 Marks): Synonyms & Vocabulary, Grammar, Telugu to English meanings, English to Telugu meanings.

Paper-I: General Studies & Mental Ability (150 Marks)

The syllabus for this paper is identical to the General Studies & Mental Ability section of the Screening Test.

Paper-II: Mathematics (SSC Standard) (150 Marks)

Arithmetic: Number System, Fundamental Operations, Unitary Method, Number Theory, HCF, LCM, Logarithms.
Algebra: Basic Operations, Remainder Theorem, Theory of Polynomials, Quadratic Equations, Simultaneous Linear Equations, Set Language.
Trigonometry: Sine, Cosine, Tangent (up to 90°), simple trigonometric identities, and applications in heights and distances.
Geometry: Lines, angles, and theorems related to triangles, parallelograms, and circles.
Mensuration: Areas of squares, rectangles, triangles, circles. Surface area and volume of cuboids, cones, cylinders, and spheres.
Statistics: Data collection, tabulation, graphical representation, and measures of central tendency.

Paper-III: General Forestry (150 Marks)

The syllabus for this paper is identical to the General Forestry section of the Screening Test.

Computer Proficiency Test (CPT) Syllabus

The CPT is a qualifying test conducted in a practical, computer-based format.

CPT Pattern & Qualifying Marks

Duration	Maximum Marks	OC	BC	SC/ST
60 Minutes	100	40	35	30

Detailed CPT Syllabus

Part-A (Concepts - 20% Weightage): Introduction to Computers, Software Types, Operating Systems (Windows, basic Linux/Mac), Internet Concepts, Email, and World Wide Web.
Part-B (Practical Test - 80% Weightage): This part assesses your hands-on skills using MS Office or equivalent open-source software.
1. Typing Speed Evaluation (25%): A document must be reproduced in a formatted manner to evaluate typing speed and accuracy.
2. Word Processing (MS Word - 15%): Organizing and inserting objects, tables, images, WordArt, and performing mail merge.
3. Spreadsheet (MS Excel - 20%): Preparing an Excel sheet, using formulae for calculations, conditional formatting, and creating graphs.
4. Presentation (MS PowerPoint - 20%): Preparing a presentation with formatted text, images, tables, transition effects, and animations.

For complete application details, eligibility, and to apply online, please refer to our APPSC Forest Section Officer Recruitment 2025 Notification Post. Good luck with your preparation