Indian Forest Services [IFoS]

Notification of Indian Forest Services
About Indian Forest Services

Indian Forest Service (IFoS) is one of the Civil Services of India, the other two being the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS). Created in 1966, the IFoS officers are recruited and trained by the Central government but their services are placed under state cadres, and they have to serve both under the state and Central governments.
The chief purpose of IFoS is the implementation of the National Forest Policy which aims to preserve the environment by maintaining strict vigil to sustain ecological balance that are critical for survival of all forms of life.
IFS officers while in field postings in their state cadres work for conservation, protection and development of forests and wildlife along with an aim to enhance livelihood opportunities of forest dependent communities of rural and tribal areas.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is the cadre controlling authority of Indian Forest Service.
IFoS officers are recruited through the IFoS examination conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission. The examination is open to graduates in any science or engineering discipline and has a three-stage selection process spanning nearly seven months.
The examination consists of the following three stages: Stage I: Preliminary examination (The Civil Services Preliminary exam).
Stage II: The Indian Forest Services Main examination.
Stage III: Personality Test (interview).

Eligibility Criteria

(I) Nationality:
A candidate must be either:
(a) A citizen of India, or
(b) a subject of Nepal, or
(c) a subject of Bhutan, or
(d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
(e) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Srilanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.
Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India. A candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment may be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

Age limit & Attempts in Tabular Format
Category Maximum Age No. of Attempts
General 32 6
OBC 32 + 3 = 35 9
SC/ST 32 + 5 = 37 As many as upto age limt
Physically disabled
(Low Vision/ Partially deaf)
32 + 10 = 42 If general then 9
OBC then 9
SC/ST- then upto age limt
J&K Domicile Candidates (1 January 1980 to 31 December 1989) If general then 32 + 5 = 37
OBC then 32 + 5 + 3 = 40
SC/ST then 32 + 5 + 5 = 42
PH then 32 + 5 + 10 = 50
Depending on above categories viz. Gen, OBC, SC/ST, Disabled
Ex-servicemen (Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs) If general then 32 + 5 = 37
OBC then 32 + 5 + 3 = 40
SC/ST then 32 + 5 + 5 = 42
-do-

(II) Age Limits:
NOTE I : Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes who are also covered under any other clauses of para 3(ii)(b) above, viz. those coming under the category of Ex-servicemen, Low Vision, Hearing Impaired (Partially deaf) and Locomotor disability (sub-category : Leprosy cured and Acid attack victims) person etc. will be eligible for grant of cumulative age relaxation under both the categories.
NOTE II : In regard to Functional Classification and Physical Requirements of PwBD candidates, the same procedure as has been followed till the previous examination may be followed by the Government (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change).
NOTE III : The term Ex-servicemen will apply to the persons who are defined as exservicemen in the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Civil Services and Posts) rules, 1979 as amended from time to time.
The age concession under para 3(ii)(b)(iv) and (v) will be admissible to ExServicemen i.e. a person who has served in any rank whether as combatant or noncombatant in the Regular Army, Navy and Air Force of the Indian Union and who either has been retired or relieved or discharged from such service whether at his own request or being relieved by the employer after earning his or her pension.
NOTE V : Notwithstanding the provision of age relaxation under para 3(ii)(b)(vi) above a person with benchmark disability candidate will be considered to be eligible for appointment only if he/she (after such physical examination as the Government or appointing authority, as the case may be, may prescribe) is found to satisfy the requirements of physical and medical standards for the concerned Services/Posts to be allocated to the person with benchmark disability candidates by the Government.
NOTE VI : The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate recognized by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a Register of Matriculates maintained by a University, which extract must be certified by the proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination certificate.

(III) Minimum Educational Qualifications: A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree with at least one of the subjects namely Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Forestry or in Engineering of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

Indian Forest Services Examination Pattern

The exam pattern for UPSC Indian Forest Services Exam for Prelims and Mains is tabulated below:

Preliminary Examination
Paper No of Questions Marks Allotted Time Allotted Nature of Exam
Paper I: General Studies (Objective-type) 100 200 2 hours The score will be considered for Cut-off
Paper-II: General Studies-II (CSAT) (Objective-Type) 80 200 2 hours Qualifying Nature - Candidates will have to score 33% to qualify for CSAT.
Main Examination
Paper Subject Duration Total Marks Nature of Paper Type of Paper
Paper I General English 3 hours 300 Qualifying Descriptive
Paper II General Knowledge 3 hours 300 Qualifying Descriptive
Paper III Optional Subject I- Paper 1 3 hours 200 Merit Descriptive
Paper IV Optional Subject I- Paper 2 3 hours 200 Merit Descriptive
Paper VI Optional Subject II- Paper 1 3 hours 200 Merit Descriptive
Paper VII Optional Subject II- Paper 2 3 hours 200 Merit Descriptive
List of Optional Subjects

(i) Agriculture.
(ii) Agricultural Engineering.
(iii) Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.
(iv) Botany.
(v) Chemistry.
(vi) Chemical Engineering.
(vii) Civil Engineering.
(viii) Forestry.
(ix) Geology.
(x) Mathematics.
(xi) Mechanical Engineering.
(xii) Physics.
(xiii) Statistics.
(xiv) Zoology .
Provided that the candidates will not be allowed to offer the following combination of subjects :
(a) Agriculture and Agricultural Engg.
(b) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.
(c) Agriculture and Forestry.
(d) Chemistry and Chemical Engg.
(e) Mathematics and Statistics.
(f) Of the Engineering subjects viz. Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering—not more than one subject;