Overview

The Indian Forest Service (IFS) is one of the prestigious Civil Services Examinations conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the recruitment officers at the all India level by the Government of India for the scientific and progressive management of its forests. IFS is one of the three all India Services of the Union Government, the other two are Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS). The exam is conducted for recruitment to forestry services of India.  The IFS selection procedure consists of three stages – preliminary, main examination and personality test. Log on to the official website to apply online or to check other important details.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Conducting Body: 

The UPSC is India's Premiere Recruiting Agency for All India Services and Group 'A' and 'B' officers for Central Services. The Union Public Service Commission conducts Civil Services Examination every year for aspiring candidates.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Important Dates:

UPSC IFS/IFoS Selection Procedure:- The Indian Forest Service Examination consists of two major stages:-

• Preliminary Examination

• Mains Examination (Written and Interview)

The selection of the candidates purely depends on merit which is based on the performance in the above-mentioned rounds.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Exam Pattern:

Preliminary Examination:- The preliminary examination is the same as that of the other UPSC Civil Services Examinations. It is only a qualifying round and the score of this round is not taken into consideration in deciding the final merit list. It is an Objective type examination with two papers each carrying 200 marks, each of a duration of 2 hours. Paper 2 of the examination is only qualifying in nature. The Candidates need to score at least 66 out of the 200 marks to qualify in paper 2. The Merit list of the Preliminary examination is based on the marks secured by the candidates in the Paper-1.

Note:- There are four choices for the answers to every question. For every wrong answer to a question, 1/3rd of the marks allotted to that question gets deducted. Choosing more than 1 answer for a question also results in a deduction of 1/3rd marks of that question.

Mains Examination: The IFS mains examination consists of a written examination and a personal interview. The written examination is of 1400 marks. The final merit list is decided on the basis of the combined score of the written and the personal round. The scheme of the examination is as follows:-

List of Optional Subjects:

• Agriculture

• Agricultural Engineering

• Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science

• Botany

• Chemistry

• Chemical Engineering

• Civil Engineering

• Forestry

• Geology

• Mathematics

• Mechanical Engineering

• Physics

• Statistics

• Zoology

However, the candidates are not allowed to opt for the following combination of subjects :

• Agriculture and Agricultural Engg.

• Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.

• Agriculture and Forestry.

• Chemistry and Chemical Engg.

• Mathematics and Statistics.

• Of the Engineering subjects viz. Chemical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering not more than one subject.

Personal Interview:- The personal interview carries 300 marks. The purpose of the interview is to test the suitability of the candidate for the services. The candidates are expected to have a keen interest in not only the subjects opted by them but also in the major events happening across the globe.

Final Selection:- The final selection of the candidate depends on his/her performance in the mains examination only.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Eligibility Criteria:-

Nationality: Must be a citizen of India,

Age Limit:- 21 to 32 years. Relaxations to the reserved categories are as follows:-

Educational Qualification:- Graduation in any stream from any recognized university/institute.

No. of Attempts:

Eligbility

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Eligibility Criteria:-

Nationality: Must be a citizen of India,

Age Limit:- 21 to 32 years. Relaxations to the reserved categories are as follows:-

Educational Qualification:- Graduation in any stream from any recognized university/institute.

No. of Attempts:

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Selection Procedure

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Selection Procedure:

The Indian Forest Service Examination consists of two major stages:-

• Preliminary Examination

• Mains Examination (Written and Interview)

The selection of the candidates purely depends on merit which is based on the performance in the above-mentioned rounds.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Application Process

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Application Process:

The application form can only be filled in online mode. Applicants who are eager to apply for the test can apply in online mode through the official website. The applicants must fill the application form correctly, as sometimes there is no provision of correcting the application form after the submission. To apply for the exam the applicants are required to have a mobile number, date of birth, and an email id. The steps required to follow while filling the form are as follows:

• Applicants are required to visit the official website and after that the applicants must click on the new user, then the register window will open on a new page.
• Applicant must click on the new registration in the application page and then click on the register button of the page.
• Applicant is now required to fill the form and provide some basic information like the applicant’s name, parent’s name, date of birth, mobile number, email id etc.
• Now, the applicant must click on the submit button to submit the online registration form. All the applicants will be issued with a registration ID for the exam.
• So, now the applicant is required to login with the provided registration ID, date of birth, and password to complete the registration process.
• Now the applicant is required to upload a photograph and signature. The photo must be of white color or light color background and should be more than 4kb in size. The photograph resolution must be 100 by 120 pixels in WH. The signature should be only in blue or black ink on a white sheet. The scanned copy of the applicant’s signature should be in jpg format.
• Now the applicant must login with the registered ID and password to complete the part 2 of the application form.
• After filling the application form the applicant must preview the entire application form to look for any mistakes.
• Now click on the Final Submit button to complete the online application form. 
• The last step is the payment of the application fee for the exam. The applicant must make the payment to apply successfully. The payment can be made in online mode or as suggested by the organization.
• After the payment is made the applicant must submit the application form to complete the online application form process. The applicant must keep a printout of the application form for future use.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Syllabus

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Syllabus:

For Prelims-

Paper I - 2 hours, 200 marks

• General Science.

• Nationally and Internationally important Current events.

• History of India and the Indian National Movement

• India and World Geography 

• Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Public Policy, Panchayati Raj, Political System, Rights Issues, etc.

• Social and Economic Development, Sustainable Development, Poverty,  Social Sector initiatives, Demography etc.

• General issues on Bio-diversity, Environmental Ecology and Climate Change

Paper II - 2 hours, 200 marks

• Comprehension

• Interpersonal skills 

• Analytical Ability and Logical reasoning 

• Problem-Solving and Decision-making

• Mental ability

• Basic numeracy (10th level), Data interpretation (10th level)

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Results

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Results:

The applicant can check the result on the official website when the result is declared. The applicant is required to follow these steps to check the result:-

• Go to the official website.
• Select and click on the result tab.
• Then click on the result link.
• Then download the result PDF file.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Exam Pattern

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Exam Pattern:

Preliminary Examination:- The preliminary examination is the same as that of the other UPSC Civil Services Examinations. It is only a qualifying round and the score of this round is not taken into consideration in deciding the final merit list. It is an Objective type examination with two papers each carrying 200 marks, each of a duration of 2 hours. Paper 2 of the examination is only qualifying in nature. The Candidates need to score at least 66 out of the 200 marks to qualify in paper 2. The Merit list of the Preliminary examination is based on the marks secured by the candidates in the Paper-1.

Note:- There are four choices for the answers to every question. For every wrong answer to a question, 1/3rd of the marks allotted to that question gets deducted. Choosing more than 1 answer for a question also results in a deduction of 1/3rd marks of that question.

Mains Examination: The IFS mains examination consists of a written examination and a personal interview. The written examination is of 1400 marks. The final merit list is decided on the basis of the combined score of the written and the personal round. The scheme of the examination is as follows:-

List of Optional Subjects:

• Agriculture

• Agricultural Engineering

• Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science

• Botany

• Chemistry

• Chemical Engineering

• Civil Engineering

• Forestry

• Geology

• Mathematics

• Mechanical Engineering

• Physics

• Statistics

• Zoology

However, the candidates are not allowed to opt for the following combination of subjects :

• Agriculture and Agricultural Engg.

• Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.

• Agriculture and Forestry.

• Chemistry and Chemical Engg.

• Mathematics and Statistics.

• Of the Engineering subjects viz. Chemical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering not more than one subject.

Personal Interview:- The personal interview carries 300 marks. The purpose of the interview is to test the suitability of the candidate for the services. The candidates are expected to have a keen interest in not only the subjects opted by them but also in the major events happening across the globe.

Final Selection:- The final selection of the candidate depends on his/her performance in the mains examination only.

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Admit Card

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Admit Card:

The admit cards for the exam are issued by the TA in online mode. The applicants can download the admit card on the official website. The applicants are able to download the admit card by using details such as registration number and date of birth. The steps required to download the admit card is as follows:

• Go to the official website.
• Click on the admit card tab on the page.
• Click on the related website link.
• Now click on the link available for downloading the admit card then enter the required details asked like roll number, registration id and date of birth.
• Click on the search button.
• View, download, and print the admit card.

Download UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Sample Papers

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UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Fee

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Exam Fee:

The payment and fee details are given below:

• General - Rs. 100/-

• BC/OBC - Rs. 100/-

• SC/ST/Women - Exempted

• Payment Mode - Online through Debit card/Credit card/Net Banking etc.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

UPSC - Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) FAQs:

Ques 1. When is the Examination Notice issued?

Ans. UPSC Examination Notices encapsulate the Rules of Examinations notified by the Government. Examination Notices of all the examinations are uploaded around 3 months prior to the date of the exam on the Commission's website and are also published in the Employment News.

Ques 2. How can a candidate apply for exams conducted by the UPSC?

Ans. Candidates can apply online for the examinations through the UPSC's website https://upsconline.nic.in.

Ques 3. How much time is given to the candidates to apply online?

Ans. The time is always mentioned in the Examination Notice. A candidate gets at least 3 weeks' time to apply.

Ques 4. Which category is exempted from payment of examination fees?

Ans. Female candidates, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), and SC/ST categories belonging candidates are exempted from payment of examination Fee.

Ques 5. What action the Commission can take in case of submission of false information by the candidates?

Ans. If any candidate found producing false information, adopting various unfair means in the examination like impersonation, cheating, etc., is liable to be disqualified and/or debarred from writing UPSC examinations as decided by the Commission. In this regard, a detailed stipulation is incorporated in the examination Notice. 

Ques 6. Does swapping of photograph and signature or their poor quality affects the candidate's form?

Ans. Poor quality of uploaded photographs and signature or swapping of the same lead to complications in the future. Candidates are advised to read the relevant instructions carefully.

Ques 7. What are the provisions for reservation for SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwBD candidates?

Ans. Reservation is for candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC/ PwBD/EWS category in respect of vacancies as may be fixed by the Government.

Ques 8. Can a candidate choose an optional subject not studied at the graduate/post-graduate level?

Ans. Yes.

Ques 9.  How are the Question Papers for the Civil Services (Main) Examination structured and What is the duration of each paper?

Ans. The question papers are of conventional (essay) type and each paper is of three hours time.

Ques 10. How does a candidate get to know about the Cut-off marks for the compulsory Language papers?

Ans. The minimum qualifying standards are indicated in the Examination Rules for each of the two Qualifying Papers i.e. English and Indian Languages.

Ques 11. Whether the Indian Language paper, for candidates from the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, compulsory or not?

Ans. The Paper for Indian Language is not compulsory for the candidates from the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim. Even in the Online Application, if a candidate mentions that he/she is from these North-Eastern States, the option for Indian Language automatically gets disabled in the Online Application.

Ques 12.  How is merit between candidates decided If the overall marks of two or more candidates are equal?

Ans. 'Tie-breaking' principles are applied to decide merit among candidates having the same overall marks.

Ques 13. Can a candidate fill UPSC form twice?

Ans. Yes. He/she can change optional paper, medium, choice of location. They can fill as many times as they wish. But UPSC considers lastest filled form only and the rest all are considered null and void.

Ques 14. Is Tattoo allowed in UPSC?

Ans. It isn't advisable to have a tattoo (at least, not a visible one anyway) because Civil Services is a respectable job.

Ques 15. How can a candidate check the attempts in UPSC?

Ans. No, they can't check the number of attempts left for the UPSC examination. They need to count the number of attempts by themselves. If they have appeared in the Preliminary exam and not qualified it then it is also considered as a count.