UPSC IFoS 2024 Notification (OUT) at upsc.gov.in: Apply Online Now

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) released the notification for the Indian Forest Service Exam 2024 on its official website on 14 February 2024. All male, female and transgender candidates with certain educational qualifications, including a Bachelor's degree in the subjects mentioned in the notification can apply for the UPSC IFoS Exam 2024 online through the commission's official online application portal, upsconline.nic.in. 

The Commission begins the registration process along with the release of notification on 14 February and the deadline to apply is 05 March 2024. Continue reading to learn how to apply for the UPSC IFoS 2024 and receive a direct link to the online application.

UPSC IFoS Examination 2024 - Overview

The Commission has posted a detailed notification for the IFS Exam 2024, including the online application schedule, on its official website. Candidates applying for the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) Examination should be aware that they must appear in the Civil Services (Preliminary) examination and qualify for the same to be eligible to appear for the second stage of the IFoS (Mains), i.e. written and personality test. 

You can find more information about this examination in the table below.

Note: The CSE Prelims and IFoS Mains Exam dates are announced earlier through the official UPSC Annual Examination Calendar.

UPSC Indian Forest Service Vacancy 2024

Approximately 150 vacancies are expected to be filled through the recruitment drive. These vacancies include 09 vacancies for Persons with Benchmark Disability Categories, including 02 vacancies for candidates with Low Vision, 03 vacancies for candidates with Hard of Hearing and 04 vacancies for candidates with Locomotor Disability (Leprosy Cured and Acid Attack Victims). 

Note: The number of vacancies can be changed by the commission. 

How to Apply for the UPSC IFoS Exam 2024?

Candidates are advised to carefully read the official advertisement before applying for the Forest Service examination. Candidates must apply online for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, which serves as a screening mechanism for selecting candidates for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination. Candidates who wish to apply for the Civil Services Examination must apply only once, indicating in the online application form that they intend to appear.

Before submitting the online examination application, the applicant must first register at the Commission's One Time Registration (OTR) platform, which is available on the website.

Candidates can apply for the UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination 2024 easily by following the steps listed below:

Step 1: Go to the commission's official website upsc.gov.in.

Step 2 - Click on the “Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2024 through CS(P) Examination 2024” link provided under 'What’s New'.

Step 3: After clicking on the apply online link you will be redirected to upsconline.nic.in 

Step 4: Click on the “One-time registration (OTR) for examinations of UPSC and online application” link to complete the OTR for the exam.

Step 5: After successful registration, log in with your valid credentials.

Step 6: After login, click on the application form and fill out all the details.

Step 7: Upload any necessary documents in the prescribed format.

Step 8: Pay the online application exam fee.

Step 9: Submit the application form after carefully verifying all details and take a printout of the final application form.

Note: The candidates will not be allowed to withdraw their applications after submission of the same.

Application Fees

Candidates must pay a fee of Rs.100/- (Rupees One Hundred Only) for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination by depositing the money in any branch of SBI by cash, using the net banking facility of State Bank of India, using Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit card/UPI payment, or using any bank's Internet Banking.

Note: Female Candidates/SC/ST/PwBD candidates are exempted from payment of the fee.

UPSC IFoS 2024 Eligibility Criteria

The candidates must fulfill the below-mentioned eligibility standards set by the commission, otherwise, their candidature will be cancelled:

• Nationality: Indian Citizen
• UPSC IFoS Age Limit: On August 1st, 2024, the candidate must be at least 21 years old but not yet 32 years old.
• UPSC IFoS Educational Qualification: A candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree in at least one of the following subjects: Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, and Zoology, or a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Forestry, or Agriculture.

UPSC IFoS Selection Process

The Indian Forest Service Examination will have two stages: 

• Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective type) to select candidates for the Main Examination. It is a qualifying stage, and the commission will not consider the score when determining final merit. 

Main Examination (Written and Interview): This stage is divided into two parts. The first is a written descriptive exam that evaluates knowledge, comprehension, and analytical skills across six papers. Candidates who pass the exam will be invited to a Personality Test (interview) conducted by a Board of competent and unbiased observers to assess their personal suitability for a career in public service.