• The Indian Forest Service (IFS) exams are conducted by the apex government recruitment agency — Union Public Service Commission.
  • The Indian Forest Service is one of the governments of India’s three all-India agencies and one of the country’s most important natural resource services.
  • The Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service are the other two central civil services.

IFS Examination Pattern

Stage I: Preliminary Written Test (IFS Exam)

Stage II: Main Written Test (IFS Exam)

Stage III: Interview

Eligibility Criteria

  1. Nationality: The nationality of a candidate must be either of the following:
  2. Citizen of India
  3. Subject of Nepal
  4. Subject of Bhutan
  5. A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, for permanent settlement in India.
  6. Migrant from any of the following countries for permanently settling in India: Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam
  7. Educational Qualification:
  8. Candidate should hold a degree from any of the recognised universities or must have an equivalent qualification
  9. Number Of Attempts:
  10. Every candidate appearing at the Examination, who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted six attempts at the examination.
  11. Provided further that the number of attempts permissible to candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are otherwise eligible, shall be nine.
  12. A person with benchmark disability belonging to the General and EWS Category shall be eligible for nine attempts.

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Indian Forest Service (IFS) 2022

  • In order to become an Indian Forest Service officer, candidates need to appear for the examination conducted by UPSC. The IFS selection procedure consists of three stages – preliminary, main examination and personality test. 
  • Aspirants have to note that they need to appear for the Civil Services (Preliminary) examination and qualify the same for the second phase of the examination, i.e., IFS (Main Examination).
  • Candidates who qualify in the Civil Services (Preliminary) and meet the eligibility criteria of IFS will be shortlisted for the IFS Main Examination. 
  • The desiring candidates can apply for the Indian Forest Service examination through a common online application form of Civil Services Examination (CSE).
  • The applicant has to submit the application form through online mode only. The important details regarding IFS 2022 are given below. 
  • The UPSC has released the tentative dates of Indian Forest Service Prelims & Main 2022 examination.
  • The UPSC IFS Preliminary Exam 2022 will take place on June 05, 2022, Whereas the IFS Main exam will be held on start from November 11, 2022 for 10 Days.
  • The online registration process has started from February 2, 2022, and it will end on February 22, 2022. The applicant has to submit the application form through online mode only, but there is no offline mode.

Roles and Responsibilities of IFS

  • One of the key responsibilities of an IFS officer is to maintain and conserve the forest’s heritage while also striving to preserve its resources.
  • Another crucial responsibility that must be taken carefully is the preservation of forest trees.
  • As an officer, you must keep an eye on illicit tree logging and collaborate with forest guards and security officers to remain vigilant at all times.
  • As an officer, you must work to increase the number of trees planted in the forest, as well as organise and participate in such events.
  • Animals are another valuable forest resource, and as a forest officer, you must ensure their protection and prevent any illegal activity that harms or kills them.
  • Being aware of poachers and unauthorised access into the forest region is also crucial as an officer.
  • As an officer, you’ll be in charge of carrying out the National Forest Policy. He’ll have to draw up plans for legitimate economic exploitation of timber and other resources.
  • As an officer, you’ll be responsible for filling out paperwork and completing reports that must be submitted to the forest department and government.
  • As an officer, you’ll be responsible for conducting regular forest surveys and ensuring that the work is done correctly. Travel will be included as well.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION:

  • The Examination shall comprise of two compulsory Papers of 200 marks each.

(i) Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions). (ii) The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.

(iii) The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English. (iv) Details of the syllabi are indicated in Part A of Section III.

MAIN EXAMINATION:

  • The written examination consisting of the following papers: —
  • Paper I—General English 300 Marks
  • Paper II—General Knowledge 300 Marks
  • Papers III, IV, V and VI. —Any two subjects to be selected from the list of the optional subjects set out in para 2 below.
  • Each subject will have two papers. — 200 marks for each paper.

C. INTERVIEW FOR PERSONALITY TEST:

The last and final stage is the Interview and it consists of 275 marks. In the interview stage, the board members evaluate the abilities of the candidate. The candidates selected for the Interview are twice as compared to the number of vacancies. They are selected on the basis of presence of mind and ability to communicate. The Interview panel will test the factors such as judgement capability, patience, awareness, morals and much more.

Training Period: After qualifying all three stages, candidates are trained for two years at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy.

IFS Syllabus

IAS Prelims Syllabus 

General Studies Paper 1
Current events of national and international importance. History of India and Indian National Movement. Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World. Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization. General Science
General Studies Paper 2
Comprehension Interpersonal skills including communication skills. Logical reasoning and analytical ability. Decision making and problem solving. General mental ability. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. — Class X level).

IAS Mains Syllabus 

PaperSubjectSyllabusMarks
Paper ACompulsory Indian languageComprehension of given passages Precis Writing Usage and Vocabulary Short Essays Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.300
Paper BEnglish 300
Paper IEssay 250
Paper-IIGeneral Studies IGeneral Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)250
Paper IIIGeneral Studies IIGeneral Studies -II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)250
Paper IVGeneral Studies IIIGeneral Studies -III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)250
Paper VGeneral Studies IVGeneral Studies -IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)250
Paper VIOptional IOptional Subject – Paper 1250
Paper VIIOptional IIOptional Subject – Paper 2250

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 Engineering

(b) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.

(c) Agriculture and Forestry.

(d) Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

(e) Mathematics and Statistics.

(f) Of the Engineering subjects viz. Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

Job Roles Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officer

  1. Deputy Conservator of Forest: A deputy conservator of the forest is also considered as Divisional Forest Officer. The major responsibility of these officials is to manage the forest, environment and wildlife-related issues in Forest Division of a state.
  2. Forest Range Officer (FRO): A forest range officer is responsible for the efficient management of the respective forest range, act as custodian of all government property associated with the respective forest range and follow the instructions or Deputy/ Divisional Conservator of Forest.
  3. Additional Chief Conservator of Forest: The additional conservator of forest plays a vital role in assisting the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest. He or She is directly answerable to the Principal Chief and must carry out the responsibilities assigned by the chief.
  4. Assistant Conservator of Forest: The major responsibility of these officers is to assist the higher-level officials in the department and completing the tasks assigned by them. They also carry out certain responsibilities applicable to their post.
  5. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest: This officer is also called as the head of forest force. The major responsibility of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest is to manage the forests, environment and wildlife issues of a state of India. It is regarded as the highest post/ position in Indian Forest Service in a state.

Salary of Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officer

The employment in the government sector is permanent with outstanding salary benefits.

Job ProfileSalary Per Annum
Principal Chief Conservator of ForestRs. 15,00,000
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of ForestRs. 14,00,000
Inspector General of Forest (Chief Conservator of Forest)Rs. 13,00,000
Deputy Inspector General of Forest (Deputy Conservator of Forest)Rs. 12,00,000
Assistant Inspector General of ForestRs. 10,00,000

How To Apply:

  1. Candidates are required to apply Online using the link www.upsconline.nic.in for Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination which will act as a screening mechanism for selection of candidates for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination.
  2. Candidates who wish to apply for Civil Services Examination also, have to apply once by appropriately indicating in the on-line application form that they intend to appear for both the Indian Forest Service Examination and the Civil Services Examination.
  3. Candidates, who will qualify for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, will have to fill in a Detailed Application Form subsequently as per further instructions to be provided to the candidates through the website (www.upsconline.nic.in) of the Commission.

Skillsets required to become an Indian Forest Service Officer

  1. Emotional Intelligence: – Emotional Intelligence is the measure of an IFS officer’s abilities to recognise and manage their emotions, and the emotions of other people, both individually and in groups. A logical assumption, therefore, is that people with higher IQs will be more successful at work and through life.
  2. Listening Skills: – Listening is the ability that IFS officers need to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. Without the ability to listen effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated.
  3. Analytical skills: The IFS officers must be able to absorb large quantities of information. Then they are required to filter it into something manageable, and logical content. The IFS officer must possess strong analytical skills in order to evaluate them in most applicable situations.
  4. Perseverance: – Perseverance is an essential element when IFS officer needs to achieve a high level of success. If the IFS officer has good reasons to reach, they will be more motivated to accomplish complicated tasks. It comes naturally and requires a strong will. The chances of your success depend largely on your willingness to persist and persevere.
  5. Communication Skills: – Good communication skills are essential to allow IFS officers to understand information more accurately and quickly. In contrast, poor communication skills lead to frequent misunderstanding and frustration. To become a good communicator, it is important to be a good listener. It is important to practice active listening – pay close attention to what others are saying and clarify ambiguities by rephrasing their questions for greater understanding.
  6. Self-Regulation: – Self-regulation or self-management is one of the important personal skills that IFS officers should have. Self-regulation is concerned with how you control and manage yourself and your emotions, inner resources, and abilities. Self-regulation also includes an element of taking responsibility for your own actions, and ensuring that what you do matches with your personal values.
  7. Research skills: Indian Forest Service Officers are required to perform extensive research work into relevant facts. To win an argument of any sort, one must be sure about the facts one is stating. No argument, especially legal, can be won without indisputable fact. As an IFS Officer, being able to research quickly and effectively is essential to understand the state’s situation, their needs, and to prepare legal strategies.

IFS Notification 2022

  • On February 2, 2022, the UPSC published the notification for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination 2022.
  • The Civil Service (Preliminary) Examination 2022 released the IFS (preliminary) notification.
  • Those interested in joining the Indian Forest Service (IFS) should apply online between February 2 and February 22, 2022.
  • For approximately 110 vacancies, the IFS 2022 notification was released. However, the number of openings is subject to change.

IFS Number of Vacancies 2022

  • The total number of vacancies announced in the official notification is approximately 151.
  • However, candidates belonging to SC, ST, OBC, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and PWD categories will be provided with the reservation according to the Government.
  • According to the official notification released by the UPSC, a few vacancies are reserved.
Total number of vacancies115 (approximately)
Reserved vacancies  5
 Low Vision category: 2   Partially Deaf category: 2   Locomotor disability (sub‐category: Leprosy cured and Acid attack): 1

IFS Application Form 2022

  • Candidates interested in joining the Indian Forest Service (IFS) should apply through the Civil Services Commission (Preliminary).
  • There is no separate application form for the IFS. However, there are a few things that aspirants should be aware of before registering for the IFS.
  • To be eligible for the IFS, candidates must meet the Commission’s educational requirements.
  • To advance to the second stage of the IFS (Main) examination, candidates must register for the Civil Services (Preliminary) examination and pass the screening test.
  • Candidates who pass the preliminary exam will be eligible to fill out a detailed application form, which will be available on the official website.
  • From November 11, 2022 onwards, the IFS Main Examination will be held.