UPSC Indian Forest Services Syllabus 2024 and Exam Pattern

UPSC IFoS Syllabus

UPSC IFoS Syllabus 2024: The UPSC Indian Forest Services (IFoS) syllabus is structured to evaluate aspirant’s depth of knowledge. The syllabus published by the Union Public Services Commission consists of details of exam pattern. The UPSC IFoS 2024 exam will have two papers for the Prelims and six papers for the Mains. UPSC IFoS Prelims syllabus cover General Studies (GS) and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). The UPSC IFoS Mainss syllabus include General English, General Knowledge and 4 optional Subjects.

The UPSC IFoS exam is conducted into two phases: The Prelims and The Mains followed by The Personal Interview. Prelims exam will be qualifying, and syllabus of Prelims will be same as the syllabus of UPSC CSE Prelims exam but the syllabus for Mains exam will be different from UPSC CSE.

UPSC IFoS Syllabus 2024: Overview

The UPSC IFoS is a significant exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) of India. Its purpose is to select candidates for different roles in the Indian Forest Services, a government organization that looks after the planning and protection of forests and wildlife in the country. To ace this exam, aspirants need to carefully go through the UPSC IFoS Syllabus released by the conducting commission.

A quick overview of the UPSC CSE Syllabus and exam pattern: –

ParticularsPrelimsMains
No. of PapersTwo Six
Types of QuestionsObjective TypeDescriptive Type
Total Marks4001400
Medium of ExamEnglish & HindiEnglish & Hindi
Negative Marking ⅓rd markNo negative marking
Marks Counted in MeritNoYes

UPSC IFoS Syllabus 2024: Prelims

The UPSC IFoS Prelims Exam is the first step of the process. Exam Pattern consists of two necessary papers. Paper-1 focuses on General Studies, and Paper-2 is about the Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT), each carrying 200 marks. Duration of both the papers will be of two hours each. There will be multiple-choice questions in the paper. The questions will be in both Hindi and English. However, for English Language, Comprehension skills and Passages will be from the English language at Class X level.

Indian Forest Services Prelims Exam Pattern

PapersSubjectNumber of QuestionsMaximum Marks
1General Studies (GS)200 questions200
2Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)200 questions200
  • The Prelims exam is a qualifying exam.
  • Each question in the General Studies paper carries 2 marks.
  • Each question in the Civil Service Aptitude Test paper carries 2.5 marks.
  • For every incorrect answer, 1/3 marks of the marks allotted for that question will be deducted.
  • For the blank answers, no marks will be deducted.

UPSC IFoS Prelims Exam Syllabus

UPSC IFoS Prelims Exam Syllabus is same as UPSC Civil Services Exam Prelims Syllabus. You can find out the Prelims exam syllabus by clicking on the given link below:

UPSC IFoS Syllabus 2024: Mains

The UPSC IFoS Mains exam is the second phase of the Indian Forest Services Exam and is completely different from the IAS (UPSC CSE) exam. It consists of 6 descriptive-type papers, each lasting for 3 hours. Candidates need to choose two optional subjects from a provided list of subjects.

Indian Forest Services Mains Exam Pattern

PaperSubjectsTotal Marks
Paper IGeneral English300
Paper IIGeneral Knowledge300
Paper IIIOptional I200
Paper IVOptional I200
Paper VOptional II200
Paper VIOptional II200

UPSC IFoS Mains Exam Syllabus

1. Paper-I: General English

  • Essay Writing.
  • Vocabulary.
  • Comprehension.
  • Grammar.
  • Other questions will be designed to test the understanding of workman and English like the use of words. Passages will usually be set for a Summary.

2. Paper-II: General Studies

  • Current Events of National and International Importance.
  • History of India and Indian National Movement Indian and World Geography- Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
  • Indian Polity and Governance- Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
  • Economic and Social Development- Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
  • General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.
  • General Science.

UPSC IFoS Syllabus for General Aptitude

  • Comprehension Interpersonal Skills including Communication Skills.
  • Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability.
  • Decision Making and Problem-Solving.
  • General Mental Ability.
  • Basic numeracy, Data Interpretation (Class X Level).

UPSC IFoS Syllabus for General Awareness

  • Current Affairs.
  • The Political System.
  • The Constitution of India.
  • History of India.
  • Geography of Nature.

3. Paper-III to VI: Optional Subject

In the IFoS exam, candidates need to choose two optional subjects wisely. Each of these subjects has two papers, making a total of four optional papers in the IFoS Mains examination. This emphasizes the significance of candidates making careful decisions when selecting their IFoS optional subjects.

Name of optional papers are listed below:

AgricultureAgriculture Engineering
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary ScienceBotany
Chemical EngineeringCivil Engineering
ForestryMathematics
Mechanical EngineeringPhysics
StatisticsZoology
GeologyChemistry

The aspirants will not be allowed to have the following optional subject’s combination:

  • Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
  • Agriculture and Forestry
  • Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
  • Of the Engineering subjects (Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering), not more than one subject.

UPSC Indian Forest Services Syllabus for Interview

  • The UPSC Interview, also known as the Personality Test, is the last stage of the exam. Unlike other stages, there’s no fixed syllabus for the interview. Questions cover a wide range of topics.
  • Candidates passing the UPSC IFoS Mains Exam are called for the interview. The interview is conducted by a board appointed by the UPSC. Board consists of competent and unbiased observers who evaluate the candidate’s personal suitability for a civil services career.
  • The Interview is meant for a purposive conversation which aims to explore the candidate’s mental qualities and analytical ability.
  • Cumulative marks from the interview and written exam determine the final merit list.

UPSC IFoS Syllabus FAQs

1. Which optional subjects are there in the UPSC IFoS Mains Exam?

There are a total of 14 optional subjects for the UPSC IFoS Mains, namely, Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Forestry, Geology, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Statistics, and Zoology.

2. How many optional subjects can a candidate choose for the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) 2024 exam?

From the list of optional subjects, candidates can choose only 2 subjects for the UPSC IFoS Mains.

3. Can a candidate choose any combination of subject?

No, there are some subjects which are not allowed for the combination: Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering; Agriculture and Forestry; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Mathematics and Statistics; and Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.

4. What are some important topics for the Statistics paper of the UPSC IFoS Exam?

Some important topics for the Statistics paper of the UPSC IFoS Exam are Probability, Statistical Inference, Linear Inference & Multivariate Analysis, Sampling Theory & Design of Experiments, Industrial Statistics, Optimization Techniques, Quantitative Economics & Official Statistics, and Demography & Psychometry.


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