Ready to Explore the colleges? Let's begin

UPSC IFS

UPSC IFS

Union Public Service Commission Indian Forest Service Exam

Overview

The Indian Forest Service, facilitated by the Union Public Service Commission, is known as the UPSC IFoS. The UPSC administers a national-level exam for recruiting suitable individuals for the Indian Forest Services (IFoS), specifically for roles within the environment, forests, and climate change sectors. This exam is conducted on an annual basis by the UPSC.

Candidates interested in applying for the IFoS must initially sit for the UPSC CSE Prelims exam. Following this, successful candidates are required to appear for the next stage, the IFoS Mains exam. The completion of the Main Exam leads to a personal interview stage for candidates who qualify. This video provides further details about the UPSC IFoS recruitment process, including details about eligibility and the number of allowed attempts.

Highlights

Particulars
Details
Exam Name UPSC IFoS
Full-Form Indian Forest Service Exam
Conducting Body Union Public Service Commission
Exam Level National
Application Mode Online Mode
Exam Mode Offline Mode
Number of Vacancies To be announced
Number of Attempts 6

Latest News

Eligibility

The primary criterion taken into account revolves around the aspirant's nationality. The specifics of this criterion are:

  • The applicant should have Indian citizenship, or
  • The applicant should be a national of Nepal or Bhopal, or
  • Applicants might be Tibetan refugees who arrived in India before January 1, 1962, and intended to settle in the country permanently, or
  • They may also be individuals of Indian origin who have migrated from countries such as Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Vietnam, and so on, with the plan to reside in India permanently.
  • It should be noted that for the recruitment process, all aspirants, excluding Indian citizens, need to present a validity certificate issued by the Indian Government.

Candidates should be between 21 and 32 years of age as of August 1, 2020, within the examination year. Their birthdate should not precede August 2, 1988, and should not surpass August 1, 1999.

Syllabus

The candidates are suggested to thoroughly review the UPSC Prelims Syllabus and plan their studies accordingly. The Prelims Paper 1 for the Indian Foreign Service syllabus covers the following topics:

  • National and international current events
  • Indian Historical Progression and The Movement for National Independence
  • Indian and World Geography, including Physical, Social, and Economic aspects in both India and the World
  • India's Political Structure and Administration which includes elements like the Constitution, the Political System, the Panchayati Raj, Public Policies, various Rights, related Issues, and so on.
  • Economic and Social Development topics, for example, Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
  • Environmental Ecology, General Issues on Bio-diversity, and Climate Change, which don't necessitate subject matter expertise.
  • General Science.

Exam Pattern

Paper
Subjects Total Marks
Paper I General English 300
Paper II General Knowledge 300
Paper III Optional I 200
Paper IV Optional I 200
Paper V Optional II 200
Paper VI Optional II 200

Exam Paper

The Indian Forest Service (IFoS) examination curated by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) comprises three stages-- the preliminary round, the mains, and the interview. Candidates are required to clear each stage in order to progress to the subsequent stage. The following offers a further breakdown of the examination pattern.

Preliminary Round

The preliminary round serves as a qualifying stage for the IFoS examination and replicates the structure of the UPSC IAS prelims. This stage includes two papers, namely the General Studies (GS I) and the Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT), both of which adopt an objective nature.

The General Studies paper questions are each worth 2 marks, while the Civil Service Aptitude Test questions carry a value of 2.5 marks each. It is important to note that for each incorrect answer, there is a deduction of 1/3 of a mark.

Main Examination

The main examination phase of the Indian Forest Service (IFoS), conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is distinctly different from the IAS (UPSC CSE) examination.

The IFoS Main examination comprises six descriptive-type papers, each having a duration of three hours. Candidates are required to choose two optional subjects from the provided list for this stage of the examination.

Exam Prepare

Review the IFS Exam Pattern and Syllabus: As a critical first stage in your IFS preparation, be sure to familiarize yourself with the exam pattern and syllabus. This information will provide insights into the core components of the exam, including the sections, stages, marking scheme, and subjects that inform the IFS question paper.

Obtain and Work Through Previous IFS Exam Papers: One of the frequently suggested preparation tips for the IFS exam is to practice with previous years' question papers. Reviewing these will help candidates understand the level of difficulty of the exam, as well as the distribution of weightage across different subjects. 

Attempt IFS Test Series: Engaging with test series provides an opportunity to experience an environment resembling the actual exam. The more test series candidates undertake, the better they can hone their preparation efforts.

Maintain Good Health and Serenity: As the preparation duration for UPSC IFS may span around a year, it is crucial for candidates to pay particular attention to their health and cleanliness. Falling ill can derail all your preparatory efforts, particularly on the day of the exam. Hence, it is highly recommended to stay hydrated, maintain a nutritious diet, perform regular exercise, and indulge in mindfulness activities.

Exam Important Date

Event Name
Important Dates
Notification Released Date February 14, 2024
Online Application Form Start Date February 14, 2024
Online Application Form Last Date March 3, 2024
Admit Card (Prelims) To be announced
IFS Prelims Exam Date May 26, 2024
Result of Prelims To be announced
Admit Card (Mains) To be announced
IFoS Mains Exam Date November 24, 2024
Result Announcement To be announced
Interview To be announced

Exam Application Process

  • Go to UPSC's official website.
  • Navigate to the "What’s New" section found on the website’s landing page.
  • Find the option for "UPSC IFoS Application Form" from the provided list.
  • Proceed to a new page by clicking on "New Registration".
  • Complete the registration process using a valid email address and mobile number.
  • After successful registration, you will receive an application number and password to proceed with the online application process.
  • Input all required personal, educational, and communication information.
  • Please upload scanned versions of your photo, signature, and any additional required documents.
  • Make payment for the application fee using an online payment method of your choice, such as a Debit Card, Credit Card, or Net Banking.

Exam Center

State/UT
UPSC Indian Forest Service Exam Centre
Andaman & Nicobar Port Blair
Andhra Pradesh Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Anantapur, Tirupati
Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar
Assam Dispur, Jorhat
Bihar Patna, Aurangabad, Gaya
Chandigarh Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh Bilaspur, Raipur
Delhi/NCR Delhi, Ghaziabad
Goa Panaji
Gujarat Ahmedabad, Rajkot
Haryana Faridabad, Gurgaon
Himachal Pradesh Shimla
Jammu & Kashmir Srinagar, Jammu
Jharkhand Ranchi
Karnataka Bengaluru, Dharwad, Mysuru
Kerala Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode (Calicut)
Madhya Pradesh Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur
Maharashtra Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Thane
Manipur Aizawl
Meghalaya Shillong
Mizoram Imphal
Nagaland Kohima
Odisha Cuttack, Sambalpur
Puducherry Puducherry
Punjab Ludhiana
Rajasthan Ajmer, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur
Sikkim Gangtok
Tamil Nadu Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Vellore
Telangana Hyderabad, Warangal City
Tripura Agartala
Uttar Pradesh Lucknow, Agra, Aligarh, Allahabad, Bareilly, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Gorakhpur, Varanasi
Uttarakhand Dehradun
West Bengal Kolkata, Siliguri

Admit Card

To download your UPSC IFoS Admit Card, please follow these steps:

  • Go to the UPSC official website.
  • Navigate to the section titled "Important Announcements". Here, locate and click on the link labeled "IFS Exam Admit Card".
  • You will be prompted to enter your registration ID and password. Fill in the necessary details.
  • Upon successful login, your IFS Admit Card will be displayed on the screen. Download the document and make sure to print out a hard copy for future reference.

FAQ

Ques. Who is eligible to take the UPSC IFoS Examinations?
Ans.
The Indian Forest Service (IFoS) exam is taken by the Union Public Service Commission. The official notification of the UPSC IFoS exam has been issued for almost 110 vacant posts.

Ques. How much weight does the UPSC IFoS Interview round carry?
Ans.
After completing the Mains examination, eligible candidates will be called for an interview session, which is conducted for a total of 300 marks. Subsequently, these candidates will undergo a physical examination.

Ques. Does the Stage 1 Prelims of the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) serve as a qualifying round?
Ans.
Indeed, the Preliminary examination serves as a qualifying assessment, and this is true for both the UPSC IFoS and UPSC IAS Prelims exams. They consist of two papers - GS I and CSAT, both of which feature objective questions. Additionally, each item in the General Studies paper is allocated 2 marks.

Ques. What are the necessary educational qualifications to qualify for the Indian Forest Services?
Ans.
To be eligible to apply for the IFoS exam, the candidates are required to possess a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in science or engineering, awarded by a university recognized by the UPSC.

Top Top