KFRI Project Fellow Recruitment 2026: Walk-in Interview on 19 November

KSCSTE-Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) has announced one Project Fellow vacancy, with a walk-in interview on 19 November 2026 from 10:00 AM onward at Peechi, Thrissur. The position carries a monthly fellowship of Rs 32,560 and is stated to continue up to 17 July 2028. Applicants need a first-class MSc in one of the specified subjects and must meet the age and qualification-completion conditions. There is no application fee. The work involves field data collection in remote forest areas and the use of GIS tools.

KFRI Project Fellow Recruitment 2026: Interview Details

About KFRI and the Research Project

KFRI functions under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE). This vacancy belongs to project KFRI GOK RP 914/2026, titled “Comprehensive Red List Assessment of Ecosystems in Kerala: A Strategic Framework for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development”. The Registrar issued the recruitment notice, which was published on 4 November 2026. The position is a time-bound project engagement. Candidates should consider both its research focus and its stated end date when deciding whether to attend.

MSc Qualification, Age Limit and Work Requirements

The essential academic requirement is a first-class MSc in Forestry, Environmental Science, Botany, Plant Science or GIS & RS from a recognised university. Experience in forestry-related studies is desirable. These conditions serve different purposes: the specified MSc qualification is essential, while relevant experience is an additional desirable qualification. Applicants should check their degree subject and class against the stated requirement before planning their visit.

The upper age limit is 35 years, calculated as on 1 January 2026. The stated relaxation is five years for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates and three years for Other Backward Communities, subject to government rules. Use this reference date when checking age eligibility; the interview date is not the age cut-off.

Along with academic eligibility, the role has two stated work requirements that applicants should assess:

• Readiness and ability to make extensive visits to remote forest areas to collect project data.
• Working knowledge of GIS tools to analyse spatial data and present it visually.

The essential qualification must already have been acquired, the result declared and at least a provisional certificate available. Final-semester students and candidates awaiting results cannot appear for the interview. A completed course with results still pending therefore does not satisfy this condition. General guidance: check your result status and certificate availability before making travel arrangements, rather than relying only on having completed the examinations.

Documents to Bring to the Walk-in Interview

• Original certificates. General guidance: organise them in advance so that the documents supporting your qualification are easy to locate.
• Bio data. General guidance: clearly present your academic qualifications, relevant forestry experience and GIS knowledge, keeping the information consistent with your certificates.

Screening, Joining and Engagement Conditions

• Meeting the minimum qualifications does not create an automatic right to an interview. If applications are numerous, preference will be determined through the criteria adopted by the Screening Committee. Applicants should distinguish basic eligibility from the screening decision.
• KFRI will not pay travelling allowance for attending the interview. General guidance: account for your travel expenses when planning the visit to Peechi.
• A selected candidate must complete the pre-appointment formalities and join within the period specified in the offer letter. The joining time frame will therefore be communicated through that letter.
• Selection also carries a confidentiality obligation. The selected candidate must sign an undertaking covering project findings and information connected with intellectual property.
• Although the stated project tenure runs up to 17 July 2028, the engagement can end earlier with one month's notice, without a reason being assigned. A fellow wishing to leave must give one month's notice or pay one month's remuneration instead. The Competent Authority may condone or shorten this requirement at its discretion.
• Other engagement conditions are governed by the project-staff guidelines of the funding agency or KSCSTE-KFRI, including amendments made from time to time. Candidates should read these conditions alongside the fellowship amount and tenure when considering the position.

KFRI Project Fellow Notification and Website Links