Nagpur: Over 600 candidates, mostly girls and young women, aspiring to become forest rangers were stranded in the city on Wednesday after the forest department failed to complete the physical fitness test. The department is recruiting more than 2,400 forest rangers. The written exam was held last year. Those who qualify after medical examination undergo physical examination in all forest areas of the state in stages. In Nagpur circle, nearly 57,500 boys and girls have cleared the written examination for 277 posts. Of these, 25,000 people failed the recently conducted health examination. For the remaining 32,500 candidates, it was announced that a physical examination will be conducted in Mihan from February 21 to 25. The test includes a 3km run for girls and a 5km run for boys, and the test will be conducted on Wednesday in eight batches of 400 candidates each (five boys and three girls). Ta. According to officials, testing for the two groups of female students could not be conducted, and no announcement was made regarding future schedules. “Our test was scheduled to be held between 4pm and 5pm. At 11pm, we were told by forest officials that the test would not be conducted as there was a technical problem,” said some candidates. Ta. “We were preparing to go to the exam even late at night, but the officials refused and left in a hurry. The cans of drinking water were also dry and there was no food. The site of Mihan was isolated “They cannot go out to carry food at night. Some women brought their children with them to take the exam,” said a group of test takers. By evening, those from the city had left, while those from the western states of Maharashtra and Marathwada were waiting in tents at the venue, hungry and without water. Around 10:30 p.m., some candidates called to say that the department had made arrangements for their meals and lodging. Deputy conservator Bharat Singh Hada told TOI: Testing of candidates will only be conducted until 11 a.m., and appointments scheduled between 4 and 5 p.m. have been postponed. “We have asked candidates within the city to reappear on February 26th and those outside the city on Thursday. The process will begin early in the morning,” Hada said. Sources said the forest rangers were busy issuing transfer orders to forest guards due to promotions and could not reach the exam center in Mihan in time. Hada said the promotion order had nothing to do with the postponement of the exam.