The Forestry scenario in the country has witnessed significant changes during the last two decades. As a result, foresters need to possess a distinct set of skills to manage forests for their multiple functions. The Directorate of Forest Education is trying to enhance capacities expected out of modern foresters, which must be in tune with the emerging societal and governance conditions.

The Directorate of Forest Education is primarily engaged in conduct of induction and in-service training for SFS Officers /FROs and is also supporting in-service training for Forest Frontline Staff (Deputy Rangers/Foresters/Forest Guards). The directorate through its three central academies is also engaged in providing training to other stakeholders like NGO's, school teacher & children, and personnel of other services, etc. Customised modules on forest fire management have also been prepared to cater to the needs of NDRF battalions.

We are now concentrating on revision of Entrance and Training Rules 2004 for State Forest Service and Forest Range Officers to conform to the requirement of new developments in the National Working Plan Code 2023 like Forest Rights, Climate Change, use of geo spatial techniques, biodiversity, criteria and indicators for sustainable management of forests, etc.

Improved training design and development of course materials based on Systematic Approach to Training (SAT) is another area of focus of the Directorate. Faculty members as well as Forest officers from senior SFS batches participating in service workshops have been involved in brainstorming sessions leading to preparation of field-oriented training modules and improvement of existing training syllabus.

I would like to appreciate and commend the efforts of the heads and faculty members of all the Central Academies and the State Forest Training Institutes in building capacities of forestry personnel and I wish them all the best in their noble training endeavours.