UPSC Indian Forest Service (IFoS): Scheme and Syllabus

The Preliminary Test is the same for both UPSC civil services exam and Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS) Exam.

Main Examination (Conventional Type)

Syllabus for Main Examination

General English

Candidates will be required to write an essay in English. Other questions will be designed to test their understanding of English and workmanlike use of words. Passages will usually be set for summary or precise.

General Knowledge

General Knowledge includes knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation and experience in their scientific aspects as may be expected of an educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific subject. The paper will also include questions on Indian Polity including the political system and the Constitution of India, History of India, and Geography of a nature which the candidate should be able to answer without special study.

Optional Subjects
(i) Agriculture
(ii) Agricultural Engineering
(iii) Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
(iv) Botany
(v) Chemistry
(vi) Chemical Engineering
(vii) Civil Engineering
(viii) Forestry
(ix) Geology
(x) Mathematics
(xi) Mechanical Engineering
(xii) Physics
(xiii) Statistics
(xiv) Zoology

Provided that the candidates will not be allowed to offer the following combination of subjects :

• (a) Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering
• (b) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.
• (c) Agriculture and Forestry.
• (d) Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
  (e) Mathematics and Statistics.
• (f) Of the Engineering subjects viz. Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering- not more than one subject;