A candidate should be minimum 21 years and maximum 32 years old.
Relaxation of 5 years - Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST)
3 years - Other Backward Classes (OBC)
(For more details visit www.upsc.gov.in)

I. Nationality:

1. Candidate must be a citizen of India.

2. Candidate must be a citizen of Nepal or a subject of Bhutan.

3. Candidate must be a Tibetan Refugee who came to India before 1st January 1962 to be settled permanently in India.

4. Candidate must be person of Indian Origin who has migrated from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zaire, or Zambia with an intention of permanently settling in India.

·    Candidate should hold a Bachelor’s degree with at least one of the subjects namely, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or Forestry or Engineering of a recognized university or equivalent. 

·    Candidates appearing at their degree examination (with prescribed subjects) can also compete. If they qualify on the result of the written part of the examination, they will have to submit the proof of passing the required examination along with their detailed application form to be filled in at that stage.

Exam Pattern details:
IFS Exam consists of two stages:
I. Civil Services Preliminary Examination (Objective Type)
II. Indian Forest Service Main Examination (Written and Interview).

I.Preliminary Examination: 

The Examination is comprise of two compulsory Papers of 200 marks each.
(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).There are four alternatives for the answers to every question. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one-third of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty.
(iv). Each paper will be of two hours duration. Blind candidates will; however, be allowed an extra time of twenty minutes for each paper.

Note I: Separate lists will be prepared for the candidates eligible to appear in the Civil Service (Main) Examination and Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, based on the number of vacancies to be filled through the Indian Forest Service Examination and Civil Services Examination.

Note II: There will be negative marking for incorrect answers. For each question for which a wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one-third of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as penalty.

Note III: 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 candidates will be allowed to write the examination with the help of a scribe.

II. Main Examination: 
The Main Examination will consist of written examination and an interview test. The written examination consisting of the following papers. All Question Papers must be answered in English. Question Papers will be set in English only. Time duration will be three hours for each paper.
1. Paper I- General English 300 Marks
2. Paper II-General Knowledge 300 Marks
3. Papers III, IV, V and VI.-Any two subjects to be selected from the list of the optional subjects. Each subject will have two papers, 200 marks for each paper.

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.

III. Personality Test/ Interview: 

The maximum marks for interview 300 marks. 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.