IFS Exam

What is IFS Exam?

The Indian Forest Service (IFS) is one of the Civil Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission for the recruitment officers at the All India level by the Government of India for the scientific management of its forests. 

Importance

IFS 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 state forest department are held by IFS officers.

Eligibility Criteria

1. 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

2. 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 at their degree examination (with prescribed subjects) can also compete. If they qualify on the result of the written part of the examination, they will have to submit the proof of passing the required examination alongwith their detailed application form to be filled in at that stage.

3. Age Limit :

   Age of a candidate should be minimum 21 years and maximum 30 years on 1st July of the year of examination. 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

4. Number of attempts:

   The maximum number of attempts restricted for candidates are as follows: 

   • General Candidates: 7 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 examination will be counted as an attempt at the examination even if the candidate failed to qualify for the selection.

    

Roles and Responsibilities

IFS officers deal with diplomacy, trade and cultural relations of the country

Responsibilities:

• Representing India in its embassies, high commissions, consulates and multilateral organizations
• Protecting India’s national interests in the country where the officer is posted
• Improving and promoting friendship between India and the country that the officer is posted in
• Including non-resident Indians or persons of Indian origin
• Informing about the developments in the foreign country that could affect India's policy

The role of an IFS officer is a very promising and a challenging one. Some of them are:

• To represent India on international forums and platforms and in the countries they are appointed, An IFS officer is thus a very important thread for India who plays vital role in shaping Indian foreign policy and building all diplomatic and economic ties with countries
• To handle and manage all diplomatic relations between India and of the country they are appointed
• To create, co-create and maintain economic cooperation between India and other countries
• To constantly keep updating Indian MEA office, about recent developments