UPSC Forest Services (IFS) Recruitment 2023 Notification for 150 Posts

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) administers the Indian Forest Service (IFS) examination for the Government of India's recruitment of officers at the All India level for scientific forest management. The UPSC IFS 2023 announcement, which contains a link to the UPSC IFS Application Form, was released by the Union Public Service Commission. Applications for the UPSC IFS were accepted from 01 February to 21 February 2023. The only place for candidates to apply was the official UPSC website. Along with the UPSC Notification 2023, the UPSC IFS Notification 2023 was made public.

UPSC IFS Examination 2023 - Overview

The Indian Forest Service is a prestigious and well-known position in Indian government services.

• Indian Forest Service is one of the 3 All-India Services- Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, and Indian Forest Service (also known as IFoS). 
• The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) conducts the IFS examination every year to select the best candidates for the Indian Forest Service. 
• In addition to being a Civil Service of India, the Indian Forest Service is part of the apex All India Services organization.

Check all the details of the Indian Forest Services Examination 202 in the table below:

Important Dates for UPSC IFS Recruitment 2023

All the important dates relevant to this examination can be found in the table below:

Important Links for UPSC IFS Recruitment 2023

As per the recent updates, the admit card for the IFS Mains Examination, which is scheduled to be held from 26 November 2023 onwards, will be uploaded on the website shortly.  Those shortlisted for the next stage of the recruitment process for UPSC IFS can directly use the given link to download or access the links as per their requirements:

UPSC IFS Recruitment 2023 - Eligibility Criteria

The registration process will strictly be based on the standards established by the commission; thus, applicants must carefully review the UPSC IFS Eligibility Criteria. A person who is not eligible but is still registering for the exam will be flagged as ineligible, which will prevent them from registering for the exam. Candidates are urged to study the eligibility requirements listed below carefully.

a. IFS Nationality

A candidate should be an Indian citizen in order to register for the exam. Nationals of the following countries may also apply for this examination, provided they are in possession of a valid Indian government document proving their nationality.

• Subject of Nepal, Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee who has immigrated to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of permanent residence. 
• Migrants from Pakistan, Sri Lanka,  Burma, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Vietnam are now permanently settled in India.

b. Age Limit & Relaxation

According to the UPSC IFS Eligibility Criteria, applicants for the Indian Forest Services must be between 21 and 32 years old as of 01 August 2023. Candidates for certain categories are offered specific age relaxations. Candidates should review the table given below to determine whether they meet the age requirements for the Union Public Service Commission's Indian Forest Services Examination.

c. Educational Qualification

• A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree with at least one of the following subjects:
  • Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
  • Botany
  • Chemistry
  • Geology
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Statistics
  • Zoology

OR

• Must have a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, forestry, or Engineering 

d. Medical and Physical Standards

For admission to the 2023 Indian Forest Service Examination, candidates must be physically fit as per the guidelines set by the commission for the post.

Application Process for UPSC IFS Recruitment 2023

The candidates have to apply for the Civil Services (Preliminary) examination for the post of Indian Forest Service (IFoS), as there will be a single preliminary examination conducted by the UPSC. Follow the steps given below to apply for IFS 2023

Step 1: Visit the UPSC website to submit the online application.

Step 2: Select the "New Registration" link on the One Time Registration Portal (OTR) and sign up as a new user (you can skip this step if you are already registered).

Step 3: To fill out your application, log in to the portal using your credentials (E-mail ID, mobile number, and OTR ID).

Step 4: The online application form is divided into two parts: Part I and II 

• Enter your personal data, such as name, birth date, etc., during Part-I registration.
• Before moving on to the following area after finishing this one, thoroughly check all of the entered information.
• Upload scanned copies of your diplomas, IDs, photos, and signatures during Part-II registration.

Step 5: Select the exam next to your preference.

Step 6: After entering all the required information, click the "I Agree" button to finish the application submission process.

Step 7: Print the completed application form for future reference.

Application Fee

In order to finalize your UPSC Forest Services application, you must pay the application fee according to your category:

Mode of Payment

You can pay the application fees by:

1. Visiting any State Bank of India branch and remitting the money, or
2. Using  RuPay Credit/Debit Card, Visa, MasterCard, UPI Payment, or Internet Banking from any bank

Note: During Part-II registration, print the system-generated Pay-in slip and deposit it at the SBI Branch counter the next working day only if you choose the "Pay by Cash" option.

UPSC IFS Selection Process 2023

There are two stages to the UPSC Exam, which applicants who aspire to become Indian Forest Officers should be aware of:

Stage I: Preliminary Written Test (IFS Exam)

In this stage, candidates will be shortlisted for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination through the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective type).

Stage II: Main - Written Test and Interview

The second stage of the IFS recruitment is divided into two parts, i.e., Written Examination and Interview.

UPSC IFS Exam Pattern 2023

The purpose of the IFS examination pattern is to evaluate a candidate's academic ability as well as their ability to express themselves in a systematic and coherent manner. Examining candidates' general intellectual capacity and comprehension levels is its goal. 

Preliminary Examination

• The exam consists of two 200-mark compulsory papers.
• Both of the paper’s questions will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions) in nature. 
• The minimum qualifying score for the General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be 33%.
• The question papers will be available in both Hindi and English languages.

Main Examination

In the Main Examination, answers to all question papers must be given in English only. 

• General English and General Knowledge are covered in Papers I and II, respectively.
• The selection of two optional subjects from the list provided below is required for Papers III, IV, V, and VI.

Note: There will be a negative marking of 0.33 marks for each wrong answer in the Prelims examination.

List of Optional Subjects for IFS Main Exam

Candidates have to select two subjects from the following optional subjects, each subject will have two papers.

UPSC IFS Personality Test (Interview) 2023

The final and most important step is the 300-mark Personality Test (Interview). 

A record of the candidate's career will be given to him or her before being interviewed by a board of knowledgeable and objective observers. The candidate's personal suitability for the Service is ascertained during the interview. The candidate should have demonstrated a keen interest in not only his or her academic fields but also in events occurring both inside and outside of his or her own state or country, as well as in modern philosophical currents and novel scientific discoveries that ought to fascinate well-educated young people.

UPSC IFS Exam Syllabus 2023

The UPSC IFS Exam Pattern and Syllabus are completely detailed, so students can make preparation plans based on this information. The given tables contain all the information on the UPSC IFS 2023 Syllabus.

IFS Prelims Syllabus

IFS Mains Syllabus

Number of Attempts for IFS Examination

Your steadfast resolve to study for the UPSC preliminary exam for the IFoS is the first step to joining the Indian Forest Service. Once you have received your diploma or are in the last year of your degree, you may submit an application for the UPSC IFoS- Forest Exam. Candidates are only permitted to administer the test once a year. It's also critical to understand how many times you can take the main exam to qualify for the Indian Forest Service. 

UPSC IFS Admit Card 2023

The UPSC IFS (Mains) Admit Card will soon be made available by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on their official website.  In order to enter the examination hall, candidates must provide their UPSC IFS Admit Card 2023. Those who fail to do so will not be permitted to take the UPSC IFS recruitment 2023 exam.

To download the 2023 admit card, just follow these easy steps: 

Step 1: Go to the UPSC website's official page.

Step 2: Click on the ADMIT CARD tab on the homepage and click the “Download UPSC IFS (Main) Admit Card 2023” link.

Step 3: Enter your login information, i.e., your registration number and password, and your admit card will be displayed on the screen.

Step 4: Save the Admit Card PDF to your device and print out two or three copies of it for later use.

UPSC IFS Result 2023

After the test is over, the UPSC Forest Services Result 2023 will be made public. The commission's official website will host the results for each stage. Using the URL provided below, you can view your UPSC IFS results. When the exam is over, the link for the UPSC IFS Main Exam 2023 will become active.

UPSC IFS Main Examination Result 2023 Link (Inactive)

Forest officers' roles and responsibilities

• The main goal of the Indian Forest Service Officer is to regulate the National Forestry Policy, which is intended to ensure environmental sustainability and the preservation of natural ecosystems. 
• The Indian Forest Service Officer is in charge of making sure that endangered and protected wildlife may survive, grow, and endure in their natural habitat. 
• The sustainable growth of the local fauna and flora is one of the responsibilities of Indian Forest Service officials. 
• In order to increase livelihood prospects for rural and isolated community members, Indian Forest Service officers work for sustainable agriculture, conservation, and management of animal habitats. 

FAQs on UPSC IFS Recruitment 2023