UPSC IFS EXAM MAINS

The Indian Forest Service, or IFS, is one of many Civil Services Examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission also known as UPSC for the recruitment officers at the all India level by the Government of India for the management of the forests of India by scientists. 

Importance

• IFS is one of the three all India service exam. This examination is conducted for recruitment to forestry services of India and the other two exams being Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian police service exam or the IPS exam. 
• Indian Forest Service is one of the Civil Services of India and belongs to the group known as all India service group. IFS services are placed under various State and joint cadres though they have to serve both under the State and Central Governments.
• The main mandate of IFS service is the implementation of the NFP or National Forest Policy whose goal is to ensure environmental stability and maintenance of ecological balance around the globe.
• An IFS officer is totally independent of district administration and exercises administrative, judicial and financial powers in their own domain. IFS officers are the ones who are holding the highest positions in the department

ELIGIBILITY OF UPSC IFS EXAM MAINS

Nationality: to be eligible in nationality, the candidate should be:

• a citizen of India, or
• a subject of Nepal, or
• a subject of Bhutan, or
• a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 to permanently settle in India

Educational Qualification For UPSC IFS Exam Mains:

• Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree with at least one of this subject chosen in their studies: Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or Forestry or Engineering through a recognized university or equivalent.
• Candidates appearing at their degree examination with prescribed subjects can also give the examination. If candidates qualify on the result of the written part of the examination, then the candidates will have to submit the passing certificate the required examination along with their detailed application form to be filled in at that stage.

Age Limit:

• Age of the candidates should be between the ages of 21 and 30 years. The upper age limit will be relax able in the following cases according to the categories:
• For Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC /ST) : upto 5 years
• Other Backward Classes (OBC): Upto 3 years
• State of Jammu & Kashmir: Upto 5 years.
• Defence Services personnel: Upto 5 years Ex-servicemen including Commissioned officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least 5 years Military Service as on and have been released: Upto 5 years
• ECOs/SSCOs: Upto a maximum of five years.

Number of attempts:

 The maximum numbers of times a candidate can attempt this exam are given below:

• For general Candidates 6 attempts
• For scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Candidates: No restriction
• For other Backward Classes: 9 attempts appearing for one or more papers of examination will be counted as an attempt at the examination even if the candidate failed to qualify for the selection.

PATTERN  OF UPSC IFS EXAM MAINS

 The written examination consists of these following papers: ­

• Paper 1  - General English  of 300 Marks 
• Paper 2   - General Knowledge of 300 Marks 
• Paper 3 / Paper 4 / Paper 5/ Paper 6 - Any two subjects to be selected from the list of for each the optional subjects, which is given below, set given below Each subject will have two papers of 200 marks

Mentioned below is the list of optional subjects offered by the UPSC:

• Agriculture 
• Agricultural Engineering 
• Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science 
• Botany 
• Chemistry 
• Chemical Engineering 
• Civil Engineering 
• Forestry 
• Geology 
• Mathematics 
• Mechanical Engineering 
• Physics 
• Statistics 
• Zoology 

 Combinations that are mentioned below cannot be selected by any candidates:

• Agriculture and Agricultural engineering. 
• Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science. 
• Agriculture and ·Forestry. 
• Chemistry and Chemical engineering. 
• Mathematics and Statistics. 
• Of the Engineering subjects viz. Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering- not more than one subject; 

 General details:

• All the question papers for the examination will be of conventional or essay type. 
• The questions answered should be answered in English language. Questions are also going to be asked in English language only.
• The total duration for each of the three papers is set to 3 hours
• Candidates should know that there will be penalty and Negative Marking for every wrong answered questions marked by a candidate in the objective type question papers.  

SALARY OF UPSC IFS RECRUITS

• Junior Time Scale: The salary varies between Rs.15, 600 to Rs. 39,100 with a maximum payment salary of about Rs. 51000 along with a grade pay of Rs.5400. This is the main stage of the service in which the officers stay for approximately 2 years.
• Senior Time Scale:It is the first promotional level for Indian Forest officers with no alteration in designations having the salary between 15600- 39100 Rs. Along with grade pay as Rs. 6600. Then, the officers at this level become quite familiar with the regular functioning of the forest sector department.
• Junior Administrative Grade: This is the level in which the actual job begins with inclusions of some secretarial rules and alteration. The level has a pay scale between 15600-39100 Rs along with 7600 Rs. as Grade Pay.
• Deputy Conservator of Forest: This is more of dignity, reputation oriented grade job, and in which the officer gets to experience many powers and responsibility and managing activities relating to entire forest is one of such kind. The grade has pay scale between 37400-67000 Rs. Along with Rs. 8700 as Grade Pay.
• Conservator of Forests: This level has a grade pay of Rs. 8900 together with regular pay varying between Rs. 37400 to Rs. 67000.
• Chief Conservator of Forests: This serves the part of the most renowned field jobs in connection to environmental jobs in India. The pay schedule varying between Rs. 37400 to Rs. 67000.
• Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests: according to the rules and conditions of Sixth Pay Commission, salary starts incrementing steeply from this level, where it varies between 67000- Rs.79000
• Principal Chief Conservator of Forests: this job profile ranks second position from the top in the department of forestry and environment, with its salary in between Rs. 75000-Rs.80000
• Principal Chief Conservator of Forests or Chief of Forestry Department of a state: This is the first level designation with a fixed salary of Rs. 80000.

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