UPSC IFS SCHEME AND SUBJECTS FOR PRELIMINARY AND MAIN EXAMINATION

A. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION :
The Examination shall comprise of two compulsory Papers of 200 marks each.
Note :
(i) Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions).
(ii) The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English. However, questions relating to English        Language Comprehension skills of Class X level will be tested through passages from English language only  without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.
(iii) Details of the syllabi are indicated in Part A of Section III.
(iv) Each paper will be of two hours duration. Blind candidates will; however, be
allowed an extra time of twenty minutes for each paper.

B. MAIN EXAMINATION :
The written examination consisting of the following papers:-
Paper I- General English 300 Marks
Paper II-General Knowledge 300 Marks
Papers III, IV, V and VI.-Any two subjects to be selected from the list of the optional
subjects set out in para 2 below. Each subject will have two papers.-:-200 marks for
each paper.
(C) Interview for Personality Test of such candidates as may be called by the Commission-Maximum Marks : 300

2. List of 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 Engg.

(b) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.

(c) Agriculture and ·Forestry.

(d) Chemistry and Chemical Engg.

(e) Mathematics and Statistics.

(f) Of the Engineering subjects viz. Agricultural Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering- not more than one subject.

General:

1. All the question papers for the examination will be of conventional (essay) type.
2. ALL QUESTION PAPERS MUST BE ANSWERED IN ENGLISH. QUESTION PAPERS WILL BE SET IN ENGLISH ONLY
3. The duration of each of the papers referred to above will be three hours.
4. Candidates must write the papers in their own hand. In no circumstances will they be allowed the help of a scribe to write the answers for them. However, blind will be allowed to write the examination with the help of a scribe. An extra time of 30 minutes for each paper will also be allowed to a blind candidate.
Note (I) : The eligibility conditions of a scribe, his/her conduct inside the examination hall and the manner in which and extent to which he/she can help the blind candidate in writing the Indian Forest Service Examination shall be governed by the instructions issued by the UPSC in this regard. Violation of all or any of the said instructions shall entail the cancellation of the candidature of the blind candidate in addition to any other action that the UPSC may take against the scribe.
Note (2): For purpose of these rules the candidate shall be deemed to be a blind candidate if the percentage of visual impairment is forty per cent (40%) or more. However, the extent of visual impairment should have to be corroborated by a certificate in the prescribed proforma from a Medical Board constituted by the Central/State Government along with their Detailed Application Form.
Note (3): The concession admissible to blind candidates shall not be admissible to
those suffering from Myopia.
5. The Commission have discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all the papers of
the examination.
6. If a candidate's handwriting is not easily legible, deduction will be made on this
account from the total marks otherwise accruing to him/her.
7. Marks will not be allotted for mere superficial knowledge.
8. Credit will be given for orderly, effective and exact expression combined with due
economy of words in all subjects of the examination.
9. In the question papers, wherever required, SI units will be used.
10. Candidates should use only international form of Indian numerals (e.g. I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.) while answering question papers.
11. Candidates will be allowed the use of Scientific (Non-programmable type) calculators at the conventional type examinations of UPSC. Programmable type calculators will however not be allowed and the use of such calculators shall tantamount to resorting to unfair means by the candidates. Loaning and interchanging of calculators in the Examination Hall is not permitted.

C PERSONALITY TEST

The candidate will be interviewed by a Board of competent and unbiased observers who will have before them a record of his/her career. The object of the Interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for the Service. The candidate will be expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in his/her subjects of academic study but also in events which are happening around him/her both within and outside his/her own state or country, as well as in modem currents of thoughts and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well educated youth.
2. The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross examination, but of a natural, though directed and purposive conversation, intended to reveal mental qualities of the candidate. The Board will pay special attention to assessing the intellectual curiosity, critical powers of observation and assimilation, balance of judgment and alertness of mind, initiative, tact, capacity for leadership; the ability for social cohesion, mental and physical energy and powers of practical application; integrity of character; and other qualities such as topographical sense, love for out-door life and the desire to explore unknown and out of way places.

SYLLABI FOR THE EXAMINATION

NOTE : Candidates are advised to go through the Syllabus published in this Section for
the Preliminary Examination and the Main Examination.

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks) Duration : Two hours

•  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, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that
• do not require subject specialization
•  General Science.

Paper II-(200 marks) Duration : Two hours

•  Comprehension
•  Interpersonal skills including communication skills;
•  Logical reasoning and analytical ability
•  Decision making and problem solving
•  General mental ability
•  Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. —Class X level)
•  English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).

Note 1 : Questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level (last item in the Syllabus of Paper-II) will be tested through passages from English language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.
Note 2 : The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.

Part B—Main Examination

The standard of papers in General English and General Knowledge will be such as may be expected of a Science or Engineering graduate of an Indian University. The Scope of the Syllabus for optional subject papers for the examination is Broadly of the Honours Degree level i.e. A level Higher than the Bachelors Degree and lower than the Masters Degree. In the case of Engineering subjects, the level corresponds to the
Bachelors Degree. There will be no practical examination in any of the subjects.

                                                   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 precis.
                                                   General Knowledge

General Knowledge including knowledge of current events and of such matters of every day 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

Total number of questions in the question papers of optional subjects will be eight. All questions will carry equal marks. Each paper will be divided into two parts, viz. Part A and Part B, each part containing four questions. Out of eight questions, five questions are to be attempted. One question in each part will be compulsory. Candidates will be required to answer three more questions out of the remaining six questions, taking at least one question from each Part. In this way, at least two questions will be attempted from each Part i.e. one compulsory question plus one more.


External Link:

OPTIONAL SUBJECT SYLLABUS
   
UPSC