UPSCNotification expected
UPSC CSE
Civil Services Examination
- Age
- 21–32
- Qualification
- Graduate
- Next
- 13 Jan 2027
Indian Forest Service Examination
UPSC IFoS · also known as IFS exam, Forest Service
Overview
Recruits officers for the Indian Forest Service. The Prelims are the same paper as the Civil Services Prelims; a separate cut-off and a separate Mains follow.
Posts: Indian Forest Service (Group A).
Important dates
| What | Date | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Exam | 22 Nov 2026 in 13 days | Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2026 |
| Exam | 21 Nov 2027 | Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, 2027 |
From the UPSC calendar (source). Dates can change.
Usual yearly cycle
| Notification | February (with the Civil Services notice) |
|---|---|
| Applications | February |
| Exam | May–June (Prelims), November (Mains) |
| Result | June–July of the next year |
Eligibility
Age
21–32 years. Same age rules as the Civil Services exam.
| Category | Upper age limit | Attempts |
|---|---|---|
| General | 32 years | 6 |
| EWS | 32 years | 6 |
| OBC | 35 years (+3) | 9 |
| SC | 37 years (+5) | No limit |
| ST | 37 years (+5) | No limit |
| PwBD (General) | 42 years (+10) | 9 |
PwBD candidates from OBC/SC/ST get their category relaxation on top (central government rules). Ex-servicemen and some departmental candidates get further relaxation as per the notice.
Qualification
A bachelor's degree with at least one of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics or Zoology, or a degree in Agriculture, Forestry or Engineering.
Nationality
Citizen of India (some posts also accept subjects of Nepal or Bhutan and certain persons of Indian origin, as the notice states).
Exam pattern
1. Preliminary exam
The Civil Services Prelims, with a separate cut-off.
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies I | — | 200 | 2 hours | — |
| CSAT · Qualifying: 33% | — | 200 | 2 hours | — |
2. Main exam
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General English | — | 300 | — | — |
| General Knowledge | — | 300 | — | — |
| Two optional subjects, two papers each | — | 200 each | — | — |
3. Interview
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personality test | — | 300 | — | — |
Syllabus
An outline of the main topics. The official notification has the full syllabus.
Prelims
- Same as the Civil Services Prelims
Mains optional subjects (choose two)
- Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
- Botany, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering
- Forestry, Geology, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering
- Physics, Statistics, Zoology
Selection process
Prelims → Mains (1,400 marks) → Interview (300). Walking test and medical exam before appointment.
Salary and vacancies
Pay: Pay Level 10 (₹56,100 basic) at the start (approx.).
Vacancies: About 100–150 posts a year.
Latest notices
No recent notices found for this exam. Check the official website.
Frequently asked questions
Do I write a separate Prelims?
No. You tick the Forest Service option in the Civil Services application and the same Prelims is used.
This page summarises the most recent official notification and is approximate: age limits, pattern, fees and vacancies change from year to year. Always read the official notification on upsc.gov.in before applying.