The Indian Forest Service is a central civil service of Group A and Group B under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India (GoI). The Indian Forest Service aims at scientifically managing and protecting the forests of India. The main objective of the service is the implementation of the country’s National Forest Policy which envisages scientific management of forests and sustenance of the same.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Indian Forest Service Examination once a year to recruit officers for this service. Let us try to understand some of the details pertaining to the Indian Forest Service examination.
Educational Qualification:
In order to be eligible for this examination, a candidate must have 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 from a recognised university or equivalent. Candidates appearing for their final year degree examination (with prescribed subjects) are also eligible.
Age Limit:
A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not be of the age of 32 years or above on the date of Examination. The upper age limit is relaxed for three years and five years for candidates of OBC and SC/ST categories respectively.
Number of Attempts:
The maximum number of attempts permitted to General and OBC category candidates is six and nine respectively. Candidates from the SC/ST categories do not have any restriction on the number of attempts. Do note that an attempt at the Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the Examination.
Plan of Examination:
The Indian Forest Service Examination consists of two successive stages:
(i) UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective type) for the selection of candidates for the Indian Forest Service Main Examination
(ii) Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for the Indian Forest Service.
The Indian Forest Service (Main) written examination consists of the following papers:-
Paper I – General English – 300 Marks
Paper II – General Knowledge – 300 Marks
Paper III, IV, V, VI – Any two subjects to be selected from the optional paper list; two papers for each subject – 200 Marks for each paper
Total Marks (written examination) – 1400 Marks
The Interview/ Personality Test is worth 300 Marks. Only candidates who clear the written examination would be called for the Interview/ Personality Test.
Tentative Schedule of Examination
Date of Preliminary exam notification: 16th May 2015
Date of commencement of Preliminary exam: 23rd August 2015
Date of commencement of Mains exam: 21st November 2015
For further details about the exam, click http://www.upsc.gov.in/
Good Luck!