Published on 20 January 2024

Indian Forest Services 2024,All Details, Roles, Hiring Process, Salary Structure

One of the Union Government’s three All-Indian Services is the Indian Forest Service (IFoS). Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) are the other two services. The Indian government hires officers at the All India Level to oversee its forests, and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) administers the Indian Forest Service test each year.
Established in 1966, the Indian Forest Service is currently a part of the highest ranking All India Services organization. The Preliminary, Mains, and Personality Test are the three CSE stages that candidates must pass in order to become an Indian Forest Service officer. The dates of the 2023 Indian Forest Service Exam have been announced by the commission, so applicants who are getting ready for the examination need to review the most recent syllabus and adjust their study schedule appropriately.

Indian Forest Service Exam
IFoS Full Form	Indian Forest Service
IFoS exam is conducted by	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Number of Attempts	6
Number of Vacancies	To be announced
IFoS Exam Pattern	Prelims exam, Mains exam, Personality test

IFoS Indian Forest Services 2024 Eligibility Criteria
Except for the education qualification, all the other eligibility criteria for UPSC IFoS examination is the same as UPSC Civil Services Examination.
UPSC Eligibility Criteria.

Age Eligibility for Indian Forest Service
IFoS Reservation Category	Upper Age Limit for IFoS
General	32
SC/ST	37
OBC	35
Ex-servicemen	37
Defence Services Personnel	35

The candidate must meet one of three nationality requirements to be eligible for IFoS:
1. be an Indian citizen;
2. be a subject of Bhutan;
3. be a subject of Nepal.
4. Tibetan refugees who entered India prior to January 1, 1962, with the intention of settling there permanently;
5. An Indian national who has immigrated to India with the intention of settling there permanently from Burma, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and East African nations such as Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Zaire, United Republic of Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zaire, and Vietnam.
Applicants falling under categories 2, 3, 4, and 5 must present an eligibility certificate issued by the Indian government.

Qualification for the Indian Forest Service 2024 – Educational
The educational qualification section’s 2023 IFoS Eligibility Criteria are still in place.
– Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or its equivalent in Forestry, Agriculture, or Engineering, or in at least one of the following fields: Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, or Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.
– Furthermore, though, they had to have chosen to graduate with the required subjects. In the final phase of the Indian Forest Service Exam, candidates must, however, provide verification that they passed the test along with a complete application.

India Forest Service 2024 Qualifications Based on Physical Status
Male candidates must be at least 163 cm tall, with a 5 centimeter height relaxation for reserved categories, in order to meet Indian Forest Service physical qualifying requirements. The minimum height requirement for women should be 150 cm, with a 5 cm reduction for special groups. The chests of the male applicants should expand to a minimum of 84 cm. For female candidates, the chest measurement should be 79 cm with a 5 cm extension. Furthermore, candidates should not stutter when speaking.

Number of Attempts in the Indian Forest Service Exam
Each applicant is only allowed a certain amount of attempts to pass the Indian Forest Service exam. This is the maximum number of tries that applicants from each category are permitted to make.

Category	Number of Attempts in IFoS Exam
General	9
SC/ST	No Restriction
OBC	9
Physically Handicapped	9 for General and OBC, Unlimited for SC/ST

Indian Forest Service Application Form
Candidates must apply for the Civil Service Prelims test if they want to work for the Indian Forest Service. While there isn’t a distinct application form for IFoS, applicants need to be aware of a few key points before submitting. The UPSC 2023 application form will soon be available.
– Applicants must fulfill UPSC’s requirements for IFoS eligibility.
– Candidates must pass the IFoS Prelims test in order to be eligible to take the IFoS Mains exam.

How to Apply for Indian Forest Service Exam?
– Candidates must apply online at UPSC’s official website in order to be considered for the Indian Forest Service Exam.
– Only one application per applicant is required.
If more than one application is submitted, the candidate must make sure that the one with the higher Registration ID is complete in every way.
– Applications should be sent directly to the commission by candidates who are currently employed by the government, in government-owned businesses, in the private sector, or in any other entity of a similar nature.
– It is important for candidates to keep in mind that their applications will be denied if the UPSC receives a notification from their employers denying them permission to attend or apply for the exam.

IFoS Indian Forest Services 2024 Exam Application Fee
There are two ways to pay the application fee for the Indian Forest Service exam: offline and online. Candidates may make online payments with debit, credit, Rupay, and internet banking cards. To make an offline payment, download the E-challan and pay the required amount in cash at an SBI bank.
– The price is INR 100 for male candidates in the general and OBC categories; female candidates in the SC/ST/PH categories are not required to pay this amount.

Indian Forest Service Exam Pattern
The primary objective of the Indian Forest Service Exam Pattern is to assess candidates’ academic proficiency. It looks at a candidate’s ability to communicate clearly and methodically. The IFoS test pattern for both the preliminary and main exams is covered below. For their preparation to be effective, candidates for the Indian Forest Service must comprehend before starting.

IFoS (Indian Forest Service) Exam Pattern for Prelims
The same applies to IFoS and Civil Services, as we have already stated. There are two 200-mark papers in the IFoS Pattern for Prelims.
– These are two two-hour multiple-choice questions (MCQ) papers.
– General Studies-1 and General Studies-2 (CSAT) are the two papers.
– Candidates must receive a minimum score of 33% on the qualifying paper.

UPSC Forest Service Exam Pattern
Papers in IFoS Pattern	Question	Marks
General Studies-1	100	200
CSAT	80	200

Mains Pattern for IFoS (Indian Forest Service)
Those who pass the Indian Forest Service exam preliminary round will be invited to the main round. For candidates to create a successful study plan, they need to be aware of the IFoS exam format. For candidates, the Mains exam is very important because the ultimate outcome is determined by adding the scores from the Mains exam and the interview.

– The IFoS Mains exam consists of six papers, all of which are descriptive in character.
– The IFoS Mains total score would be 1400.
– For the Mains test, candidates must select two optional subjects related to Indian Forest Service.
See here for the IFoS Mains exam pattern.

Indian Forest Service Mains Exam Pattern
Paper	Subject	Total marks	Time Duration
Paper I	General English	300	3 Hours
Paper II	General Knowledge	300	3 Hours
Paper III	IFoS Optional 1	200	3 Hours
Paper IV
Paper V	IFoS Optional 2	200	3 Hours
Paper VI

The Indian Forest Service Personality Test
E-summon letters for the Personality test round will be sent to applicants who pass the IFoS Mains exam.
– The final portion of the IFoS Exam, the personality test, is worth 300 points.
– The purpose of the personality test is to evaluate the applicant’s fit for the position.
– The final result of the Indian Forest Service Exam will be prepared based on the marks obtained in the Mains and Interview rounds of the exam.

Syllabus of the Indian Forest Service
Candidates should thoroughly comprehend the IFoS syllabus for both the preliminary and main exams as they prepare for the exam. There are several different subjects covered in the Indian Forest Service Syllabus. The whole syllabus for the IFoS Prelims and Mains test will be covered below.

IFoS (Indian Forest Service) Prelims Syllabus
The Forest Service of India The prelim syllabus is identical to the syllabus for the IAS prelims. The General Studies
-1 and General Studies
-2 (CSAT) papers make up the Prelims syllabus. Applicants can review everything below.

IFoS Exam Syllabus for Prelims
UPSC IFoS Syllabus for Prelims Paper 1	Current events of national and international importance, History of India and Indian National Movement, Indian and World Geography, Indian Polity and Governance, Economic and Social Development, General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change, General Science
CSAT Syllabus	Comprehension, Logical reasoning, and analytical ability. Decision-making, Interpersonal skills including communication skills and problem-solving, General mental ability, Basic numeracy – Class X level), and Data interpretation.

Indian Forest Service Main Course Curriculum
Candidates must show up for the IFoS Mains exam, which is separate from the IAS Mains exam, after passing the IFoS Prelims exam. The syllabus for the IFoS Mains is completely different.
– There are six papers in the IFoS test syllabus for the mains, and applicants must also select two IFoS optional courses.
– There will be four optional papers because each Indian Forest Service optional subject consists of two papers.
Let’s review each paper’s curriculum below.

IFoS Syllabus for Mains
Paper	Name of the Paper	IFoS Syllabus for Mains	Marks
Paper-1	General English	Comprehension of given passages, Precis Writing, Usage and Vocabulary, Short Essay	300
Paper-2	General Knowledge	Current events, Political system, the constitution of India, History, geography, etc.	300
Paper-3	Optional Paper-1	Depending on the chosen subject from the IFoS optional subjects	400
Paper-4
Paper-5	Optional Paper-2	Depending on the chosen subject from the IFoS optional list.	400
Paper–6

Optional Subjects for the Indian Forest Service
As the above indicates, applicants must select two electives. There will be two papers for each optional subject, for a total of four optional papers. It is for this reason that applicants must select the IFoS optional paper carefully.

IFoS Optional Subjects

List of UPSC Optional Subjects (two to be chosen) available for the IFoS main exam:

Agriculture
Agricultural Engineering
Civil Engineering
Forestry
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Physics
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
Botany
Chemical Engineering
Statistics
Zoology
Geology
Chemistry

The candidates will not be allowed to have the following combination of optional subjects:

Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering
Mathematics and Statistics
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
Agriculture and Forestry
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Of the Engineering subjects, namely, Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering – not more than one subject.

Indian Forest Service Ranks
IFoS officers’ duties and obligations vary according to their rank. The ranks of IFoS officers and the duties and responsibilities that go along with them are listed below.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests: Also known as the chief of the forest force, this rank’s main duties include overseeing an Indian state’s forests, wildlife, and environment. The highest rank held by an IFoS officer is this one.
– Deputy Chief Forest Conservator: This official supports the Principal Chief Forest Conservator. The senior chief is the person to whom the officer reports directly.
– Divisional Forest individual: Also referred to as the deputy conservator of the forest, this individual has this title. This officer’s primary duty is to oversee the environment, animals, and forest of a state’s forest division.
– The Assistant Conservator of Forests is responsible for carrying out the duties delegated to him or her by the department’s higher-ups.

FAQs Indian Forest Services

What is the Indian Forest Service?
One of the three All Indian Services, along with the Indian Police Service (IPS) and the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), is the Indian Forest Service (IFoS). To fill the position of IFoS officer, an exam is held annually.conducts this test, which is divided into three stages: UPSC Mains, UPSC Prelims.

How difficult is the Indian Forest Service Exam?
Union Public Service Commission administers the Indian Forest Service Exam, and UPSC is renowned for crafting challenging exam questions. It’s actually regarded as one of the [hardest tests in India]. However, candidates can achieve good grades and realize their dream of becoming an IFoS officer with the correct preparation plan and diligent work.

In what full form is IFoS?
Indian Forest Service, or IFoS as it is officially known, is a government agency. To find applicants, UPSC holds a Civil Service Exam each year. As one of the All India Services tasked with assisting both the state and federal governments, it is categorized under a number of state and joint cadres.

How should one get ready for the Indian Forest Service examination?
It won’t be simple to pass the Indian Forest Exam due of the fierce rivalry and lack of openings. However, applicants can ace this exam if they have a solid study plan and a successful preparation technique. Students need to carefully review the curriculum, use the appropriate study guides, and take practice exams.

How do you become an officer in the Indian Forest Service?
Candidates must pass the UPSC Main Exam, UPSC Prelims, and UPSC Interview in order to be considered. In the event that a candidate meets the qualifications to serve as an IFoS officer, they proceed through the training process and are appointed as such upon completion.

What is the Mains Syllabus for the Indian Forest Service?
The syllabus for the UPSC CSE Prelims and IFoS Prelims is identical; however, the syllabus for the Mains exam is different. Six papers total—four optional, General Knowledge, and General English—are part of the Mains curriculum.

Who can take the IFS exam?
Applications for the UPSC IFS post must be submitted between the ages of 21 and 32. In accordance with the UPSC IFS educational qualifications, candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field from an accredited UGC university and have passed their 10 + 2 secondary exams.

What does an Indian Forest Service Officer do for a living?
In a given area, an IFoS officer is in charge of overseeing the conservation of both flora and animals. In addition to protecting, conserving, and enhancing forests and wildlife, the Indian Forest Service officer strives to raise the standard of living for tribes and other groups that depend on forests.

How does one go about getting into IFS?
The IFS Recruitment ProcessThree testing phases make up the UPSC exam, which is used to choose candidates for Group A and Group B Central Services. These three are interviews, mains, and preliminary. The selected candidates also attend the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) for teaching.

How many times may one take the IFS exam?
Six
The number of IFS exam attempts The General category candidates are permitted a maximum of six attempts. The maximum number of attempts permitted for applicants from the Other Backward Classes group is nine.

What are the IFS exam passing scores?
Minimum Score Requirement for UPSC IFS Exam in 2024

Category	IFS Prelims: Minimum Qualifying Marks (Out of 200)	IFS Mains: Minimum Qualifying Marks (Out of 1400)
General	116	686
OBC	114.66	661
SC	101.34	609
ST	101.34	598

What is the best subject to take the IFS exam?
Which topics are appropriate for IFS? topics including the physical, social, and economic geography of India and the world. The IFS test should cover topics related to Indian Polity and Governance, including the Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

What is the IFS syllabus?
The Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test comprise the three phases of the IFS Syllabus. There are two objective-style examinations in the Prelims test, and nine total papers (two language, four general studies, and one essay) in the Mains exam.

What is the IFS training period?
I will discuss the training duration for each of the three civil service sections, which is as follows: IAS: A 21-month training term is required of an IAS officer. IFS: A 36-month training program is required of an IFS officer. IPS: The entire training program for an IPS officer lasts 27 months.

What is an Indian Forest Service Officer’s salary?
An Indian Forest Service Officer’s base pay is INR 56,100. Over time, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) may receive an increment of up to INR 2,25,000. In addition to high pay, allowance, travel allowances, Lease Allowance, Mediclaim, and other benefits.

What is the Main Exam Pattern for the Indian Forest Service?
The Indian Forest Service Mains Exam consists of six papers, four of which are optional. Papers 1 and 2 are worth 300 points apiece, and the remaining four are for 200 points each. The IFoS Mains exam marks are important since they will be taken into account for the final outcome.

What is the Preliminary Indian Forest Service Syllabus?
The UPSC Prelims Syllabus and the Indian Forest Service Prelims Syllabus are same, but the IFoS Mains syllabus is distinct. The General Studies-1 and General Studies-2 (CSAT) papers are part of the Prelims syllabus. The general studies-1 covers a variety of subjects, including geography, history, and current events. The candidates’ logical and analytical skills are put to the test.