Kamal Ghorui
The Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board (MPESB), Bhopal, has issued the official notification for the direct recruitment examination for Forest Guard, Field Guard, Jail Prahari and Assistant Jail Superintendent posts. The recruitment drive will be conducted for vacancies under the Forest Department and the Jail Department of the Madhya Pradesh Government.According to the notification, the online application process will commence on February 28, 2026. The computer-based examination is scheduled to begin from April 07, 2026. Eligible candidates will be required to submit their applications through the official portals at esb.mp.gov.in or esb.mponline.gov.in.Key dates and application feesThe notification was released on February 27, 2026. The last date for submission of online applications is March 14, 2026. Candidates will be permitted to make corrections to their application forms until March 19, 2026. The examination will be conducted in computer-based mode from April 07, 2026.The application fee for candidates belonging to the General, OBC and EWS categories is Rs 500. Applicants from SC, ST and female categories are required to pay Rs 250. The fee for PH and PWD candidates has also been fixed at Rs 250. Payment of fees must be made through online mode only.Age criteria and selection processThe minimum age limit for Forest Guard, Field Guard and Jail Prahari posts is 18 years, while the maximum age limit is 33 years. For the Assistant Jail Superintendent post, candidates must be between 21 and 33 years of age. The age will be calculated as on January 01, 2026. Relaxation in the upper age limit will be provided as per the applicable government rules.The selection process will consist of a written examination followed by a skill test. Shortlisted candidates will then undergo document verification and a medical examination before final appointment.Post-wise vacancies and qualificationsA total of 728 vacancies have been announced for the post of Forest Guard (Van Rakshak), while 169 posts are available for Field Guard (Kshetra Rakshak). The Jail Prahari (Warder) position accounts for 757 vacancies. For these three posts, candidates must have passed Class 10.There are 25 vacancies for the post of Assistant Jail Superintendent, for which a graduate degree is required.
