Kamaldeep
07 February, 2024
Table of Contents
The prestigious UPSC Indian Forest Services (IFoS) examination is administered by India’s Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Indian Forest Service is a national government body in charge of administering and protecting the country’s forests and wildlife. Here’s everything you need to know about UPSC Indian Forest Services.
| Name of the Exam | Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Level | Preliminary |
| Exam Frequency | Once in a year |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Types of Questions | MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) |
| Exam Duration | 2 Hours (Each for Paper I and Paper II) |
| Total Questions | – Paper I: General Studies – 100 – Paper II: GS (CSAT) – 80 |
| Total Marks | 200 Marks(Each paper 1 and paper 2) |
| Marking Scheme | 1/3rd marks allotted to a question are dedicated for each wrong answer |
| Medium of Exam | Offline |
| Official Website | https://upsc.gov.in/ |
The Indian Forest Service (IFoS) is one of the three All India Services, along with the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS). Established in 1966 under the All India Services Act, of 1951, the IFoS is responsible for carrying out the National Forest Policy, which aims to maintain ecological stability through the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is responsible for conducting Indian Forest Service Recruitment Exams.
IFoS members are also responsible for managing national parks, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and other protected areas. In the State Forest Department, IFoS officers hold positions such as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chief Conservator of Forests, District/Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), and Conservator of Forests. The Head of Forest Forces is the most senior Forest Service representative in each state.
The UPSC Indian Forest Service-IFoS exam pattern is designed to identify and select individuals with the requisite aptitude, knowledge, and skills for IFoS employment. The exam consists of multiple phases: a preliminary exam, a mains exam, and a personality test (interview). These phases evaluate candidates on a range of subjects, including general studies, environmental science, and forestry. Each phase serves a distinct purpose in determining a candidate’s suitability for employment with the Indian Forest Service.
The Eligibility Criteria for Indian Forest Services can be summarised under the following subheadings
The candidate must be:
Candidates in categories (b), (c), (d), and (e) must hold a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India. A candidate whose certificate of eligibility is required may be allowed to take the examination. However, the offer of a job may be made only once the Government of India has provided him/her with the appropriate eligibility certificate.
To take the IFoS Prelims Exam, you must not be less than 21 years of age and not more than 32 years of age as of 1st August of the year in which the exam would be held. While the upper age limit is relaxed in the following cases:
The educational requirements for the Forest Services Exam differ from those of other Civil Services exams. For the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) prelims exam, you must have a bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering from a university recognised by UPSC. On the other hand, for the Civil Services Exam, any bachelor’s degree will suffice.
You must have a bachelor’s degree in at least one of the following disciplines: Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Zoology, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science. Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Forestry, or Agriculture is also acceptable.
The number of times you can sit in the exam has been mentioned below
| Category | Attempts |
| General | 6 |
| OBC | 9 |
| SC/ST | Unlimited |
| Physically Handicapped (General) | 9 |
| Physically Handicapped (OBC) | 9 |
| Physically Handicapped (SC/ST) | Unlimited |
Applicants interested in working for Forestry Services should know the UPSC IFoS Preliminary Exam syllabus. The UPSC IFoS 2024 exam will feature two question papers, the syllabus for each of them has been listed below:
| PAPER 1 | |
| Indian and World Geography- Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World | Current Events of National and International Importance |
| Indian Polity and Governance- Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. | History of India and the Indian National Movement |
| Economic and Social Development- Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. | General Science |
| General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation | |
| PAPER 2 | |
| Comprehension | Interpersonal Skills including Communication Skills |
| Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability | Basic Numeracy (Numbers and Their Relations, Orders of Magnitude, etc. – Class X level) |
| Decision-Making and Problem-Solving | Data Interpretation (Charts, Graphs, Tables, Data Sufficiency, etc. – Class X level) |
| General Mental Ability | |
Note:
The UPSC conducts exams for recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Forest Service (IFoS), both of which serve the whole country. Interested individuals can apply for both tests simultaneously through the UPSC’s official website. Both the administrative and forest services follow the same preliminary exam. The process only splits in the latter stages (interview and mains).
There are three stages in the IFoS examination journey which are prelims, mains and interview. To pass the test, you must complete all three phases. The three stages of the examination are summarised below:
The admit card for the IFoS is made accessible on UPSC’s official website around three weeks before the exam. Candidates can download their admit cards from the official website. After downloading the admit card, candidates must print it and present it to the exam centre on exam day, along with their original photo ID card. The admit card contains important information such as the exam date and specified testing site.
Here is the cut-off based on the UPSC Indian Forest Services prelims result for 2022. The cut-off for UPSC IFoS 2023 will be released once the examination procedure is completed.
| General | 103.03 |
| EWS | 100.34 |
| OBC | 102.36 |
| SC | 90.91 |
| ST | 88.89 |
| PwBD-1 | 43.78 |
| PwBD-2 | 57.23 |
| PwBD-3 | 47.13 |
You must bring all of the following documentation to the designated examination centre:
The list of the exam centres for the IFoS Preliminary Examination across India has been mentioned below:
| City / UT | |||
| Agartala | Dharwad | Kochi | Ranchi |
| Agra | Dispur | Kohima | Sambalpur |
| Ahmedabad | Faridabad | Kolkata | Shillong |
| Aizawl | Gangtok | Kozhikode (Calicut) | Shimla |
| Ajmer | Gautam Buddha Nagar | Lucknow | Siliguri |
| Aligarh | Gaya | Ludhiana | Srinagar |
| Allahabad | Ghaziabad | Madurai | Srinagar |
| Ananthapuru | Gorakhpur | Mumbai | Surat |
| Aurangabad | Gurgaon | Mysuru | Thane |
| Bareilly | Gwalior | Nagpur | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Bengaluru | Hyderabad | Nasik | Tiruchirapalli |
| Bhopal | Imphal | Navi Mumbai | Tirupati |
| Bilaspur | Indore | Panaji | Udaipur |
| Chandigarh | Itanagar | Patna | Varanasi |
| Chennai | Jabalpur | Port Blair | Vellore |
| Coimbatore | Jaipur | Puducherry | Vijayawada |
| Cuttack | Jammu | Pune | Visakhapatnam |
| Dehradun | Jodhpur | Raipur | Warangal City |
| Delhi | Jorhat | Rajkot | |
The Indian Forest Services play a crucial role in managing and preserving India’s diverse forest ecosystems sustainably. They work diligently to protect not only the priceless natural resources but also the welfare of the nearby communities that rely on these forests.
Despite facing several obstacles in their role as environmental stewards, such as wildlife protection and deforestation, they remain committed to their goal. The Indian Forest Services act as guardians of our natural heritage for future generations, demonstrating a harmonious balance between ecological protection and human needs.
Any graduate with a bachelor’s degree in at least one of the following disciplines: Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Zoology, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science. Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Forestry, or Agriculture is also acceptable.
The Indian Forest Service test follows the same format as the IAS Prelims exam. The IFoS Prelims exam consists of two tests, each of 200 marks. Candidates get two hours to complete each examination, which consists of multiple-choice questions.
The starting salary of an IFoS officer is ₹56,100 as per the 7th pay commission.
There are fewer vacancies for the IFoS exam as compared to the civil services. Every year approximately 100 vacancies come out for Indian Forest Services.
Both the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) come under the All India Services of the Government of India. You have the option to choose between the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) and the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), depending on your interests and professional goals. IFoS officers are responsible for managing, conserving, and protecting forests and wildlife, while IAS officers oversee the administrative operations of the government.
To help you make a decision, consider your passion for environmental conservation or administrative work. These services offer unique opportunities to contribute to the nation in various ways.
Male candidates must be at least 163 cm tall, with a 5 cm height relaxation for reserved groups, to meet Indian Forest Service physical qualification requirements. The minimum height requirement for women is 150 cm, with a 5 cm reduction for particular groups.
For general category candidates, the number of attempts is six. For candidates belonging to OBC, the number of attempts is nine and for candidates belonging to SC and ST the number of attempts is unlimited.
An Indian Forest Service officer may sit for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) and yet hold their existing post simultaneously. Officers from a variety of services, including the Indian Forest Service, are permitted to appear for the CSE conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Depending on their position in the CSE, the officer who succeeds can then opt to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or other civil services. However, there are limitations on IFoS Officers’ ability to take the Civil Services Exam while undergoing IGNFA training and until they have completed all academy exams.
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