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IFS Exam
Indian Forest Service Exam
What is IFS Exam?
The Indian Forest Service (IFS) is one of the Civil Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the recruitment officers at the All India level by the Government of India for the scientific management of its forests.
Importance
IFS is one of the three All India Services. The exam is conducted for recruitment to forestry services of India. The other two All India Services being Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS).
Indian Forest Service is one of the Civil Services of India and belongs to the apex All India Services group. IFS services are placed under various State cadres and joint cadres though they have the mandate to serve both under the State and Central Governments.
The main mandate of IFS service is the implementation of the National Forest Policy which aims to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance.
An IFS officer is largely independent of district administration and exercises administrative, judicial and financial powers in their own domain. All top positions in the state forest department are held by IFS officers.
IFS (Prelims) 2020 New Date
The UPSC has announced the new exam date for IFS 2020. The Civil Services (Prelims) 2020 exam will be held on October 4, 2020. The result will be released in November. Candidates who qualify in the screening round will be called for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination 2020, which will be held from February 28, 2021, onwards.
Earlier, the UPSC has postponed the Civil Services (Preliminary) 2020 examination due to the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID 19). The postponement of the Prelims exam will also affect the Indian Forest Service (IFS) selection process. Candidates for the IFS Main exam will be made through the Civil Services Prelims exam. The Commission will release the new exam date on May 20 after assessing the situation. Explore UPSC Coronavirus latest updates.
Indian Forest Service (IFS) 2020
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 2019 are given below.
The UPSC has released the tentative dates of Indian Forest Service Prelims & Main 2020 examination. The UPSC IFS Preliminary Exam 2020 will take place on October 4, 2020, Whereas the IFS Main exam will be held on start from February 28, 2021.
The online registration process will start from February 12, 2020, and it will end on March 03, 2020. The applicant has to submit the application form through online mode only, but there is no offline mode. Click here to know the important dates of the IFS 2020 Exam.
| Indian Forest Service 2020 | |
| IFS 2020 Notification | February 12, 2020 |
| Organising body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam mode | Offline |
| Number of attempts | 6 |
| Number of vacancies | 90 (approximately) |
| Starting date to apply online | February 12, 2020 |
| Last date to apply online | March 03, 2020 |
| IFS Admit card | September 2020 |
| Preliminary exam | October 4, 2020 |
| Preliminary result | November 2020 |
| IFS Main Examination | February 28, 2021 (10 days) |
| IFS Main result | March 2021 |
| IFS Interview | April 2021 |
| IFS final result | May 2021 |
IFS Notification 2020
The UPSC has released the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination 2020 notification on February 12, 2020. The IFS (preliminary) notification was released through the Civil Service (Preliminary) Examination 2020. Candidates who are aiming for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) can apply online between February 12 and March 03, 2020. The IFS 2020 notification was released for approximately 90 vacancies. However, the number of vacancies is liable to alteration.
Download UPSC IFS notification (2020)
IFS Number of Vacancies 2020
The total number of vacancies announced in the official notification is approximately 90. 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. Check the details below.
| Total number of vacancies | 90 (approximately) |
| Reserved vacancies | 3 |
| Low Vision category: 1 | |
| Partially Deaf category: 1 | |
| Locomotor disability (sub‐category: Leprosy cured and Acid attack): 1 |
Aspirants have to note that the final number of vacancies indicated are liable to further alteration.
IFS Application Form 2020
Candidates who are aspiring for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) should apply only through the Civil Services (Preliminary). There is no separate IFS application form. However, there are a few important points aspirants should know before IFS registration.
- Candidates should satisfy the educational prerequisites set by the Commission to get eligibility for IFS.
- Aspirants should register for the Civil Services (Preliminary) examination and qualify in the screening test for going to the second stage of IFS (Main) examination.
- The qualified candidates in the Preliminary will be eligible to fill a Detailed Application Form available on official site.
- The IFS Main Examination will be held from February 29, 2021. However, the Civil Services (Main) exam will be conducted from January 8, 2021, onwards.
Interested candidates are advised to visit our IFS online application form 2020 page for detailed information. One can also check the exam fee, exam dates and other important details here.
Eligibility Criteria
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Physical Criteria
Aspirants must be physically fit according to the physical standards for admission to Indian Forest Service Examination. Candidates are advised to visit the IFS official notification to check the detailed rules and regulations.
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Nationality:
A candidate must be
- A citizen of India, or
- The subject of Nepal, or
- The subject of Bhutan, or
- Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries like Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India
- Candidate belonging to categories b, c, d, and e should produce a certificate of eligibility, which has been issued by the Government of India.
Centers in India
- The Examination will be held at the most of states Centres in India like Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat etc.
- Applicants should note that there will be a ceiling on the number of candidates allotted to each of the Centres, except Chennai, Dispur,
Kolkata and Nagpur - Allotment of Centres will be on the "first-apply-first allot" basis, and once the capacity of a particular Centre is attained, the same will be frozen
- The Main Examination will be held on the following Centres like Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Dispur (Guwahati), Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Nagpur, Port Blair and Shimla
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Educational Qualification:
- Candidate should 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 or Forestry or Engineering of a recognised university or equivalent.
- Candidates appearing for their degree examination (with prescribed subjects) can also apply. If they qualify on the result of the written part of the examination, they have to submit the proof of passing the required examination along with their detailed application form to be filled in at that stage.
Age Limit :
Age of a candidate should be minimum 21 years and maximum of 32 years on 1st August, 2020 of the year of examination, i.e. he must have been born not earlier than 2nd August, 1988 and not later than 1st August, 1999. While the upper age limit will be relaxable in the following cases:
- For Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC /ST): Up to 5 years
- Other Backward Classes (OBC): Up to 3 years
- State of Jammu & Kashmir (Domiciled during the period from the 1st January 1980 to 31st December 1989: Up to 5 years.
- Defence Services personnel: Up to 5 years
- Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service as on and have been released: Up to 5 years
- ECOs/ SSCOs: Up to a maximum of five years.
(Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three month's notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment)
- Blind, deaf-mute and Orthopaedically handicapped persons: Up to 10 years.
Cumulative Age relaxation:
- SC, ST and the OBC who are also covered under other clauses mentioned above will be eligible to grant cumulative age-relaxation under both the categories
Number of attempts:
The maximum number of attempts restricted for candidates are as follows:
- General Candidates: 6 attempts
- Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates: No restriction
- Other Backward Classes: 9 attempts
- Physically handicapped- 9 attempts for general and OBC, while unlimited for SC/ST
Appearing for one or more papers of an examination will be counted as an attempt at the examination even if the candidate failed to qualify for the selection.
Roles and Responsibilities
Few of the roles and responsibilities of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer includes:
- One of the main roles of an IFS officer is to protect and conserve the heritage of the forest and working towards preserving the forest resources.
- Preserving the forest trees is another important task which needs to be taken seriously. As an officer one needs to keep a check on illegal logging of trees and work with the forest guards and security personnel to be alert at all times.
- As an officer one has to work towards planting more trees in the forest are and also initiate and participate in such events.
- Animals are another important forest resource and as a forest officer one needs to assure their safety and need to prevent any illegal activity that involves hurting or killing them. As an officer being alert of poachers and illegal entry in the forest area is also important.
- As an officer one will be responsible for implementing the National Forest Policy.
- As an officer one will have to chalk-out plans for legal commercial exploitation for timber etc.
- As an officer one will have to do the required paperwork and complete reports that have to be presented to the forest department and ministry.
- As an officer one will have to conduct regular surveys of the forest and guarantee that the work is rightly being done. Travelling will also be included.
The UPSC has activated the window for IFS (Prelims) 2020 exam centre. The window will be available until July 13, 2020. The IFS Prelims exam centre change option is available for Civil Services and Indian Forest Service examination 2020. The option will be again available from July 20 to 24, 2020.
The official website reads, "Candidates of CSE and IFoS Exams, 2020 if do not want to change Centre, are not required to log into the UPSC Change of Examination Centre system."
Earlier, the Commission has announced the revised exam calendar and new exam dates. The IFS Prelims 2020 will be conducted on October 4, 2020.
8 July 2020
The UPSC has released an important notice regarding the IFS Preliminary exam centre. Candidates who have registered for the IFS exam 2020 can now submit their choice of exam centre for IFS Preliminary exam, which will be conducted through the Civil Services (Preliminary) 2020.
The official notice reads, "The window of submitting the revised choice of Centres by the candidates will be operational in two phases i.e. 7th-13th July, 2020 (06.00 PM) and 20th-24th July, 2020 (06.00 PM) on the Commission’s website - www.upsconline.nic.in."
Candidates should note that the exam centres will be considered based on the principle of "first-apply-first allot" basis. The withdrawal option is available between August 1 and 8, 2020. The IFS Preliminary 2020 exam will be held on October 4, 2020.
1 July 2020
The UPSC has released the scores and other details of the willing non-recommended candidates of the Indian Forest Service Examination 2019. The marks and details are available only to candidates who have appeared for the final stage of an examination (interview).
The Commission has decided to disclose the marks and other details to provide a useful database to other employers to enable them to identify good employable candidates. The marks and other details of the non-recommended will remain on the official website from the date of disclosure.
Earlier, the UPSC has released the IFS 2019 final result on March 4. The Civil Services 2020 Preliminary will be held on October 4.
19 June 2020
The UPSC has released the new exam date for Civil Services (Preliminary) 2020 examination. The Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) will be held on October 4, 2020. The admit card will be released at least two weeks before the exam date.
The Commission held a special meeting on June 5 and released the revised programme of examination/ recruitment tests 2020. The Commission has also announced the new exam dates for Indian Forest Service (Mains) Examination 2020. The exam will be held for 10 days from February 28, onwards.
Around 1 lakh candidates to appear for the IFS (Prelims) exam. Earlier, the UPSC has postponed the exam due to the outbreak of Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic.
5 June 2020
The UPSC is likely to announce the new exam date for IFS (Preliminary) 2020 exam on June 5. The Commission also published a press release regarding the Preliminary exam date.
The notice reads, "the Commission will issue a revised schedule of examinations in its next meeting to be held on June 5, 2020. Details of the new calendar of examinations will be published on the UPSC website, after the Commission’s meeting on June 5, 2020."
The IFS screening round which will be held through the Civil Services Examination was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. The Commission will review the situation and release the new calendar on June 5. Aspirants are advised to visit the official website to check the latest updates.
23 May 2020