•Questions arose in Himachal Pradesh over a 25 kg load test for Animal Friend recruitment, prompting a clarification from the Sukhu government.
•The Animal Husbandry Department stated the physical examination is a general functional fitness check, not an endurance competition, to ensure candidates can handle tasks like lifting sick animals or fodder sacks.
•The selection process adheres to the Animal Friend Policy, 2025, notified on August 14, 2025, and applies equally to all candidates.
•An honorarium of 5,000 rupees per month is fixed for part-time tasks, requiring minimum physical capacity due to the nature of animal husbandry work.
•The physical examination is conducted by an SDM-headed committee with video recording for transparency; 315 candidates have participated without injury reports.
