UPSC IFS 2023: Application Form (From 1 Feb), Exam Date, Online Registration

Candidates who wish to appear for the UPSC IFS 2023 exam can apply for the same in online mode. The application form is going to release by 1st February 2023. The candidates first need to clear the Civil Services preliminary exam only after which they can sit for the Indian Forest Service main exam. It is advised that the candidates ensure their eligibility before applying for the exam. The IFS main exam will be conducted on 28th May 2022 and will be followed by a Personality Test (Interview).

Latest: UPSC IFS 2023 application form will be released by 1st February 2023.

UPSC IFS 2023 Important Dates

Check out the table below for official dates related to UPSC IFS 2023:

Events	Dates
Online application form release date	1st February 2023
Last date for submitting the application form	21st February 2023
Commencement of application withdrawal process	2nd week of March 2023
Last date for withdrawing online application	3rd week of March 2023
Issue of preliminary exam admit card	3rd week of May 2023
Preliminary exam date	28th May 2023
Declaration of result	2nd week of July 2023
Online Detailed Application Form (DAF) release date	1st week of September 2023
Last date for submitting the DAF	3rd week of September 2023
Issue of main exam admit card	2nd week of November 2023
Main exam date	26th November 2023
Declaration of result	December 2023
Issue of interview admit card (through email)	December 2023
Interview date	December 2023

UPSC IFS 2023 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria mentioned below can apply for UPSC IFS 2023:

Nationality:

Candidate of the following nationality can apply:

• Citizen of India
• Subject of Bhutan or Bhutan
• Tibetan refugee, who came to India before 1st January 1962 with the intention of settling permanently
• Person of Indian Origin who migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of settling permanently

Age limit:

• The minimum and maximum age of the candidates should be 21 and 32 years respectively as on 1st August 2023.
• Relaxation in the upper age will be given to the candidates as per the rules given below.

Relaxation in upper age limit

Category	Relaxation
OBC candidates	3 years
Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof	3 years
SC/ ST candidates	5 years
Ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers & ECOs/ SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August 2023 and have been released on  completion of assignment (or will complete within one year from 1st August 2023) otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency, or on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service, or on invalidment	5 years
ECOs/ SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st August 2023 and whose assignment has been extended beyond 5 years & in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and will be released on 3 month’s notice upon selection from the date of receipt of appointment	5 years
PWD candidates	10 years

Academic criteria:

• A bachelor’s degree with any one of the following subjects- Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology is required.
• Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Forestry or in Engineering can apply too.
• Those in the final year of their graduation who will obtain the degree before the selection process begins are eligible too.

Physical standards:

Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for admission to Indian Forest Service Examination.

UPSC IFS 2023 Application Form

The UPSC IFS application form 2023 will be made available in online mode on the official website of UPSC upsconline.nic.in. Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria prescribed above can proceed towards filling of the application form.

• Candidates will be asked to provide their basic personal and academic details into the application form.
• Scanned copies of important documents like photograph and signature should also be uploaded into the form.
• Care should be taken while providing details into the application form as in case of any incorrect information, it will be rejected.
• The duly filled application form can then be submitted online along with the requisite application fee.
• A copy of the submitted application form should be kept safe by the candidates in case of future reference.
• There is absolutely no need to send a copy of the application form to the commission.

Application fee:

• The application fee for the exam will be Rs. 100/- except for female/ SC/ ST/ PWD candidates who are exempted from the payment of fee.
• Candidates can pay the fee either by depositing the money in any branch of SBI by cash, or by using SBI net banking facility or by using credit card/ debit card.

Detailed Application Form (DAF)

• A Detailed Application Form needs to be filled by the candidates who clear the preliminary exam.
• Basic details of the candidates along with the choice for zones/ cadre will be asked in the DAF.
• Scanned copies of important documents should also be uploaded into the application form.
• Only those who fill this form will be able to generate their admit card and appear for the main exam.

UPSC IFS Exam Pattern 2023

The exam pattern overview for UPSC IFS 2023 is provided below

Preliminary exam:

• Exam mode: Offline (Pen and paper-based exam)
• Number of papers: 2
• Total duration of exam: 4 hours
• Medium of test: English and Hindi
• Type of questions: Multiple choice questions
• Maximum marks: 400
• Negative marking: One-third of the allotted marks will be deducted for every incorrect answer.

Papers	Topics	Total marks	Duration
Paper I	General English	200	2 hours
Paper II	General Knowledge	200	2 hours
Total	————–	400	4 hours

Main exam:

• Exam mode: Offline (Pen and paper based exam)
• Number of papers: 6
• Duration of exam: 3 hours for each paper
• Medium of test: English
• Type of questions: Descriptive type
• Maximum marks: 1000

Papers	Topics	Total marks	Duration
Paper I	General English	300	3 hours
Paper II	General Knowledge	300	3 hours
Paper III & Paper IV	Any subject from the list of the optional subjects	200	3 hours
Paper V & Paper VI	Any subject from the list of the optional subjects, other than one selected above	200	3 hours
Total	————–	1000	12 hours

Interview:

• Maximum marks: 300

List of optional subjects

Candidates can choose any two subjects for appearing in the UPSC IFC optional paper:

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

UPSC IFS 2023 Syllabus

The syllabus for both IFS preliminary and main exam is provided below:

Part A- Preliminary Examination

• Paper I: Current events of national & international importance, Economic & Social Development, Indian & World Geography, General issues on Environmental ecology, General Science, etc
• Paper II: Comprehension, Interpersonal skills including communication skills, Logical reasoning & analytical ability, Decision making & problem solving, General mental ability, etc

Part B- Main Examination

• Paper I (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 précis.
• Paper II (General Knowledge): Indian Polity including the political system and the Constitution of India, History of India and Geography, etc
• Paper III & Paper IV: The syllabi will be from the optional subject selected by the candidates.
• Paper V & Paper VI: The syllabi will be from the optional subject selected by the candidates.

Note: Details of the syllabi can be found on the website upsconline.nic.in.

UPSC IFS 2023 Admit Card

• The admit card for the UPSC IFS 2023 exam will be released on the official website of the commission a few weeks before the exam.
• Separate admit cards will be released for the preliminary and main exams.
• The candidates should take a printout of the admit card to be carried to the exam center with a valid id proof.
• Details of the exam like center, schedule, etc will be communicated to the candidates through the admit card.
• Candidates are suggested to keep the admit card safe till the complete selection process is over.

UPSC IFS 2023 Result

• The authorities will declare the result of the IFS exam through online mode on the website upsconline.nic.in.
• Candidates who clear both preliminary and main exam will be shortlisted for the interview round.
• After clearing the interview round, the candidates will be eligible for final selection.
• Selection of the candidates to a particular zone/ cadre will be done on the basis of their overall performance and choice made in the DAF.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I withdraw my application after it is submitted?

Yes. A window will be provided by the commission to the candidates to withdraw their applications online.

Can I ask for change in the exam center allotted to me?

The exam center allotted to you once will not be changed under any circumstances. No request in this regard should be made by the candidates.

Is there any limit to the number of attempts for appearing in IFS exam?

Yes. General candidates will be given 6 chances to clear the IFS exam and OBC candidates 9 chances. However, there is no such restriction for the SC/ ST candidates.

Is it possible to get a refund on the application fee?

Fee once paid will not be refunded under any circumstances nor will be held in reserve for any other examination.

What if I am unable to download my admit card?

If case of difficulty in downloading the admit card or any other communication regarding candidature, you can contact the Commission three weeks before the commencement of the exam. Information in this regard can also be obtained from the Facilitation Counter located in the Commission’s office either in person or over phone.