UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination 2026 - Complete Guide
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification for the Indian Forest Service Examination (IFoSE) 2026 with approximately 80 vacancies. This prestigious examination offers an excellent opportunity for science graduates to serve the nation by protecting and managing India's diverse forest resources, wildlife, and environment. The Indian Forest Service is one of the three All India Services along with IAS and IPS, offering a fulfilling career in forest conservation, wildlife protection, and environmental management.
Indian Forest Service officers play a crucial role in formulating and implementing policies related to forest conservation, wildlife preservation, biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, and sustainable development. IFS officers work across various capacities including forest management, wildlife sanctuaries administration, national park management, research and training, policy formulation at state and central levels, and international environmental conventions and treaties.
About Indian Forest Service
The Indian Forest Service was established in 1966 following the recommendations of the Kothari Commission. IFS officers are responsible for managing approximately 25% of India's geographical area covered by forests and protected areas. They work to balance environmental conservation with the developmental needs of forest-dependent communities, manage human-wildlife conflicts, combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade, implement afforestation programs, and promote eco-tourism.
Career in IFS offers diverse opportunities including field postings in forests and wildlife areas, administrative roles in state forest departments, positions in central government ministries like Environment, Forest and Climate Change, deputation to international organizations like CITES, IUCN, WWF, research and teaching positions in forestry institutes, and policy-making roles at national and international levels. The service offers adventure, challenges, job satisfaction, and the opportunity to make a tangible impact on environmental conservation.
Vacancy Details and Reservation
The total number of vacancies for Indian Forest Service Examination 2026 is approximately 80 posts. This number is tentative and subject to change based on actual requirements from various state cadres and the central government. The final vacancy position will be determined after receiving indents from all state governments and will be notified before the Main examination.
Vacancies are distributed among different state cadres based on population, forest cover, and administrative requirements. States with large forest cover like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, and northeastern states generally have more vacancies. The distribution follows reservation policy as per Government of India norms - 15% for Scheduled Castes, 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes, 27% for Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer), and 10% for Economically Weaker Sections from the unreserved category. Horizontal reservation of 4% is provided for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities in identified suitable services.
Educational Qualification Requirements
Candidates must possess a Bachelor's Degree with at least one of the specified subjects from a recognized university. The eligible subjects include Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Zoology, Agriculture, Forestry, and Engineering. The degree must be from a recognized university or institution as approved by UGC or AICTE.
Candidates who are in their final year of graduation or awaiting results can also apply provisionally. However, they must obtain their degree and produce the certificate before the commencement of the Personality Test (Interview), failing which their candidature will be cancelled. Foreign degrees must be recognized by the Association of Indian Universities. Distance education or correspondence degrees from UGC-recognized universities are acceptable. There is no minimum percentage requirement, but candidates must have passed the degree examination.
Age Limit and Relaxation
The minimum age for appearing in the Indian Forest Service Examination is 21 years, and the maximum age is 32 years as on 01 August 2026. This means candidates born between 02 August 1994 and 01 August 2005 are eligible to apply. Age calculation is done based on date of birth as recorded in the matriculation or equivalent certificate issued by a recognized Board.
Upper age relaxation is provided as per Government of India rules: SC/ST candidates get relaxation up to 5 years (maximum age 37 years), OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates get relaxation up to 3 years (maximum age 35 years), Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) get relaxation up to 10 years (General-PwBD up to 42 years, OBC-PwBD up to 45 years, SC/ST-PwBD up to 47 years). Ex-servicemen, defense personnel, and certain other categories also get age relaxation as per extant rules. Candidates claiming age relaxation must submit valid certificates issued by competent authority.
Number of Attempts
General category candidates can attempt the Indian Forest Service Examination a maximum of 6 times until they attain the age of 32 years, whichever is earlier. OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates are allowed 9 attempts until the age of 35 years. SC/ST candidates have no restriction on the number of attempts until they attain the maximum age limit of 37 years. PwBD candidates (UR-PwBD) get 9 attempts until 42 years, while OBC-PwBD, SC-PwBD, and ST-PwBD candidates have unlimited attempts within their respective age limits.
Examination Pattern and Scheme
The Indian Forest Service Examination is conducted in three stages: Civil Services Preliminary Examination (Common with CSE), Indian Forest Service Main Examination, and Personality Test (Interview). Candidates must first qualify the Civil Services Preliminary Examination to become eligible for IFS Mains.
Stage 1 - Civil Services Preliminary Examination: This is common for both Civil Services and Indian Forest Service. It consists of two papers - General Studies Paper-I (200 marks) and General Studies Paper-II or CSAT (200 marks). Candidates opting for IFS must also qualify the Prelims like CSE aspirants. The Prelims serves as a screening test, and marks obtained are not counted for final merit. Only candidates scoring above the cutoff in Paper-I (Paper-II is qualifying with 33% marks) qualify for IFS Main examination.
Stage 2 - Indian Forest Service Main Examination: The IFS Mains is separate from CSE Mains and consists of six papers totaling 1100 marks. Paper-I: General English (300 marks) - Tests writing ability, comprehension, and expression. Paper-II: General Knowledge (300 marks) - Covers current affairs, history, geography, polity, economy, science, and general awareness. Paper-III: Agriculture and Forestry (200 marks) - Optional paper covering various aspects of agriculture and forestry. Paper-IV: General Studies (200 marks) - Covers topics relevant to forestry, environment, and allied subjects. Paper-V: Forestry Subject Paper-I (200 marks). Paper-VI: Forestry Subject Paper-II (200 marks). Unlike CSE, there is no choice of optional subject in IFS - all candidates write papers on forestry-related subjects.
Stage 3 - Personality Test (Interview): Candidates qualifying in IFS Mains based on merit are called for Personality Test carrying 300 marks. The interview assesses candidate's suitability for a career in Indian Forest Service including personality traits, leadership qualities, decision-making ability, awareness about environmental issues, passion for nature and wildlife conservation, and overall suitability for a career involving field work in forests. The final merit list is prepared based on total marks in Main Examination (1100) and Personality Test (300), totaling 1400 marks.
Syllabus Overview
For Preliminary Examination, candidates should prepare General Studies covering Indian polity, history, geography, economy, environment and ecology, science and technology, and current affairs. For IFS Main Examination, Paper-I (General English) tests essay writing, precis, comprehension, and English language skills. Paper-II (General Knowledge) covers comprehensive general awareness.
The specialized papers (Papers III to VI) cover forestry subjects including General Forestry (silviculture, forest management, forest mensuration, forest economics), Social Forestry and Agroforestry, Forest Products and Utilization, Wildlife Management, Forest Protection, Range Management, Forest Engineering and Survey, Forest Policy, Laws and Administration, Environment and Biodiversity, and Climate Change and Forestry. Detailed syllabus is available in the official notification.
Application Fee
The examination fee for male candidates of General, OBC, and EWS categories is Rs. 100/- (Rupees One Hundred only). All female candidates, candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, and candidates from specified remote areas (Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, certain districts of Himachal Pradesh) are exempted from paying the examination fee.
The fee can be paid online through Net Banking, Credit Card, or Debit Card. Alternatively, candidates can pay offline by depositing cash at any State Bank of India branch using the system-generated SBI Challan. Fee once paid is non-refundable and non-transferable. Candidates must preserve the fee payment receipt for future reference.
Important Dates
Online application commencement date: 04 February 2026 at 10:00 AM. Last date for submission of online application: 24 February 2026 at 6:00 PM. Last date for fee payment (online mode): 24 February 2026 up to 11:59 PM. Last date for fee payment (offline mode via SBI): 24 February 2026 during banking hours. Candidates should not wait till the last date and complete their applications well in advance to avoid technical glitches or server issues.
Civil Services Preliminary Examination: Expected in May/June 2026 (exact date in admit card). Indian Forest Service Main Examination: Expected in November/December 2026. Personality Test for IFS: Expected in April/May 2027. Final Result: Expected in June/July 2027. All dates are tentative and subject to change. Candidates must regularly visit the official UPSC website for updates.
How to Apply Online
Visit the official UPSC website www.upsc.gov.in and navigate to the online application section. For first-time users, complete Part-I Registration by providing basic details including name, date of birth, gender, email ID, and mobile number. After successful Part-I registration, a unique Registration ID will be generated which can be used for all future UPSC examinations.
Using the Registration ID, proceed to Part-II Registration where you need to fill detailed information including educational qualifications, category details, choice of examination (mark IFS along with CSE if applying for both), examination center preference, correspondence address, and upload photograph and signature in prescribed format and size.
After completing Part-II, proceed to fee payment (if applicable) through online or offline mode. After successful payment, submit the final application. Take printouts of the completed application form and fee receipt for future reference. Candidates applying for both Civil Services and Indian Forest Service need to pay the fee only once.
Physical Standards
Selected candidates must meet certain physical standards for appointment to Indian Forest Service. Male candidates must have minimum height of 165 cm with chest measurement of 81 cm (unexpanded) and 86 cm (expanded). Female candidates must have minimum height of 155 cm. These standards are relaxable for candidates from certain communities as per government rules. Detailed physical standards are specified in the official notification.
Training and Career Path
Selected IFS officers undergo comprehensive training at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) in Dehradun for approximately 18 months. The training includes classroom instruction, field training in forests, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, study tours, adventure activities, and attachments with forest departments. The curriculum covers forestry science, wildlife management, environmental laws, public administration, leadership development, and practical forest management skills.
After completing training, IFS officers are posted as Assistant Conservators of Forests (ACF) or Deputy Conservators of Forests (DCF) depending on the state cadre. The career progression includes promotions to Conservator of Forests, Chief Conservator of Forests, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force in states), and Additional Director General/Director General level positions at the central government. IFS officers can also hold positions like PCCF and HOFF, Wildlife Wardens, Directors of national parks, and various administrative and policy-making positions.
Salary and Benefits
IFS officers are appointed in Level-10 of the 7th Central Pay Commission pay matrix with basic pay starting from Rs. 56,100 per month. Along with basic pay, officers receive Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance (or government accommodation), Transport Allowance, and various other allowances as applicable. The initial gross salary works out to approximately Rs. 80,000-90,000 per month including all allowances.
In addition to salary, IFS officers enjoy benefits including government accommodation or HRA, medical facilities for self and dependents, leave travel concession, pension and retirement benefits, deputation opportunities to international organizations, and various allowances for field postings, forest areas, and remote locations. The service offers not just financial rewards but also immense job satisfaction and the opportunity to contribute to environmental conservation and sustainable development.