Indian Forest Officer (UPSC) Info

The competitive examination for the Indian Forest Service is conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
IFS exam is conducted annually in July. The recruitment exam consists of six different papers.
Candidates try to score maximum out 1400 marks allotted for written exam.
The written test is followed by an interview carrying 300 marks, conducted only for candidates selected in written test.

Pattern of the Written Exam (Total 1400 Marks):

Paper I (300 marks):

General English

Paper II (300 marks):

General Knowledge

Paper III, Paper IV, Paper V, Paper VI (4 x 200 = 800 Marks):

Any two subjects to be selected from the list of the optional subjects (Two Papers per Subject).

Interview for Personality Test (300 Marks):

Only for shortlisted candidates who may be called by the Commission.

Syllabus for the IFS Exam:

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.

1. Syllabus for 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.

2. Syllabus for 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.

3. Syllabus for Optional Subjects:[Two papers---Forestry and Mathematics]

A total of EIGHT (8) questions are asked in each question paper of optional subjects.
All questions carry equal marks. Each paper is 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.

4. Personality Test: The candidates will be interviewed by a Board of competent and unbiased observers
who will have before them a record of this 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
both within and outside his own State or country, as well as in modern currents of thoughts and in new discoveries
which should rouse the curiosity of well-educated youth. 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.


Forestry Paper I

Section A

1. Silviculture - General:

General Silvicultural Principles: ecological and physiological factors influencing vegetation,
natural and artificial regeneration of forests; methods of propagation, grafting techniques; site factors;
nursery and planting techniques-nursery beds, polybags and maintenance, water budgeting, grading and hardening of seedlings;
special approaches; establishment and tending.

2. Silviculture - systems:

Clear felling, uniform shelter wood selection, coppice and conversion systems. Management of
silviculture systems of temperate, subtropical, humid tropical, dry tropical and coastal tropical
forests with special reference to plantation silviculture, choice of species, establishment and management
of standards, enrichment methods, technical constraints, intensive mechanized methods, aerial seeding thinning.

3. Silviculture - Mangrove and Cold desert:

Mangrove: habitat and characteristics, mangrove, plantation-establishment and rehabilitation of
degraded mangrove formations; silvicultural systems for mangrove; protection of habitats against natural disasters.
Cold desert - Characteristics, identification and management of species.

4. Silviculture of trees:

Traditional and recent advances in tropical silvicultural research and practices. Silviculture of some of the economically
important species in India such as Acacia catechu, Acacia nilotica, Acacia auriculiformis, Albizzia lebbeck, Albizzia procera,
Anthocephalus Cadamba, Anogeissus latifolia, Azadirachta indica, Bamboo spp, Butea monosperma, Cassia siamea, Casuarina equisetifolia,
Cedrus deodara, Chukrasia tabularis, Dalbergia sisoo, Dipterocarpus spp., Emblica officindils, Eucalyptus spp, Gmelina Arborea,
Hardwickia binata, Largerstroemia Lanceolata, Pinus roxburghi, Populus spp, Pterocarpus marsupium, Prosopis juliflora, Santalum album,
Semecarpus anacardium,. Shorea robusta, Salmalia malabaricum, Tectona grandis, Terminalis tomemtosa, Tamarindus indica.

Section B

1. Agroforestry, Social Forestry, Joint Forest Management and Tribology:

Agroforestry - scope and necessity; role in the life of people and domestic animals and in integrated land use,
planning especially related to (i) soil and water conservation; (ii) water recharge; (iii) nutrient availability to crops;
(iv) nature and eco-system preservation including ecological blances through pest-predator relationships and (v) providing
opportunities for enhancing bio-diversity, medicinal and other flora and fauna. Agro forestry systems under different agro-ecological zones;
selection of species and role of multipurpose trees and NTFPs, techniques, food, fodder and fuel security. Research and Extension needs.

Social/Urban Forestry: objectives, scope and necessity; peoples participation.

JFM - principles, objectives, methodology, scope, benefits and role of NGOs.

Tribology - tribal scene in India; tribes, concept of races, principles of social grouping, stages of tribal economy, education,
cultural tradition, customs, ethos and participation in forestry programmes.

2. Forest Soils, Soil Conservation and Watershed management:

Forests Soils, classification, factors affecting soil formation; physical, chemical and biological properties.

Soil conservation - definition, causes for erosion; types - wind and water erosion; conservation and management of eroded soils/areas,
wind breaks, shelter belts; sand dunes; reclamation of saline and alkaline soils, water logged and other waste lands. Role of forests in conserving soils.
Maintenance and build up of soil organic matter, provision of loppings for green leaf manuring; forest leaf litter and composting;
Role of microorganisms in ameliorating soils; N and C cycles, VAM.

Watershed Management - concepts of watershed; role of mini-forests and forest trees in overall resource management,
forest hydrology, watershed development in respect of torrent control, river channel stabilization, avalanche and landslide controls,
rehabilitation of degraded areas; hilly and mountain areas; watershed management and environmental functions of forests;
water-harvesting and conservation; ground water recharge and watershed management; role of integrating forest trees,
horticultural crops, field crops, grass and fodders.

3. Environmental Conservation and Biodiversity:

Environment; components and importance, principles of conservation, impact of deforestation; forest fires and various human activities like mining,
construction and developmental projects, population growth on environment.

Pollution - types, global warming, green house effects, ozone layer depletion, acid rain, impact and control measures, environmental monitoring;
concept of sustainable development. Role of trees and forests in environmental conservation; control and prevention of air, water and noise pollution.
Environmental policy and legislation in India. Environmental Impact Assessment. Economics assessment of watershed development vis-a-vis ecological and
environmental protection.

4. Tree Improvement and Seed Technology:

General concept of tree improvement, methods and techniques, variation and its use, provenance, seed source, exotics;
quantitative aspects of forest tree improvement, seed production and seed orchards, progeny tests, use of tree improvement in natural forest
and stand improvement, genetic testing programming, selection and breeding for resistance to diseases, insects, and adverse environment;
the genetic base, forest genetic resources and gene conservation in situ and ex-situ. Cost benefit ratio, economic evaluation.

Forestry Paper II

Section A

1. Forest Management and Management Systems:

Objective and principles; techniques; stand structure and dynamics, sustained yield relation; rotation, normal forest, growing stock;
regulation of yield; management of forest plantations, commercial forests, forest cover monitoring. Approaches viz.,
(i) site-specific planning, (ii) strategic planning, (iii) Approval, sanction and expenditure, (iv) Monitoring
(v) Reporting and governance. Details of steps involved such as formation of Village Forest Committees, Joint Forest Participatory Management.

2. Forest Working Plan:

Forest planning, evaluation and monitoring tools and approaches for integrated planning; multipurpose development of forest resources
and forest industries development; working plans and working schemes, their role in nature conservation, bio-diversity and other dimensions;
preparation and control. Divisional Working Plans, Annual Plan of Operations.

3. Forest Mensuration and Remote Sensing:

Methods of measuring - diameter, girth, height and volume of trees; form-factor; volume estimation of stand, current anuual increment;
mean annual increment. Sampling methods and sample plots. Yield calculation; yield and stand tables, forest cover monitoring through remote sensing;
Geographic Information Systems for management and modelling.

4. Surveying and Forest Engineering:

Forest surveying - different methods of surveying, maps and map reading. Basic principles of forest engineering.
Building materials and construction. Roads and Bridges; General principles, objects, types, simple design and construction of timber bridges.

Section B

1. Forest Ecology and Ethnobotany:

Forest ecology - Biotic and aboitic components, forest eco-systems; forest community concepts; vegetation concepts, ecological succession and climax,
primary productivity, nutrient cycling and water relations; physiology in stress environments (drought, water logging salinity and alkalinity).
Forest types in India, identification of species, composition and associations; dendrology, taxonomic classification, principles and establishment of
herbaria and arboreta. Conservation of forest ecosystems. Clonal parks,

Role of Ethnobotany in Indian Systems of Medicine; Ayurveda and Unani - Introduction, nomenclature, habitat, distribution and botanical features of
medicinal and aromatic plants. Factors affecting action and toxicity of drug plants and their chemical constituents.

2. Forest Resources and Utilization:

Environmenatlly sound forest harvesting practices; logging and extraction techniques and principles, transportation system, storage and sale;
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) definition and scope; gums, resins, oleoresins, fibres, oil seeds nuts, rubber, canes, bamboos, medicinal plants,
charcoal, lac and shellac, Katha and Bidi leaves, collection; processing and disposal.

Need and importance of wood seasoning and preservation; general principles of seasoning, air and kiln seasoning, solar dehumidification,
steam heated and electrical kilns. Composite wood; adhesives-manufacture, properties, uses, plywood manufacture-properties, uses,
fibre boards-manufacture properties, uses; particle boards manufacture; properties uses. Present status of composite wood industry in
India in future expansion plans. Pulp-paper and rayon; present position of supply of raw material to industry, wood substitution,
utilization of plantation wood; problems and possibilities.

Anatomical structure of wood, defects and abnormalities of wood, timber identification - general principles.

3. Forest Protection & Wildlife Biology:

Injuries to forest - abiotic and biotic, destructive agencies, insect-pests and disease, effects of air pollution on forests and forest die back.
Susceptibility of forests to damage, nature of damage, cause, prevention, protective measures and benefits due to chemical and biological control.
General forest protection against fire, equipment and methods, controlled use of fire, economic and environmental costs; timber salvage operations
after natural disasters. Role of afforestation and forest regeneration in absorption of CO2. Rotational and controlled grazing, different methods of
control against grazing and browsing animals; effect of wild animals on forest regeneration, human impacts; encroachement, poaching, grazing, live fencing,
theft, shifting cultiation and control.

4. Forest Economics and Legislation:

Forest economics-fundamental principles, cost-benefit analyses; estimation of demand and supply; analysis of trends in the national and
international market and changes in production and consumption patterns; assessment and projection of market structures; role of private
sector and co-operatives; role of corporate financing. Socio-economic analyses of forest productivity and attitudes; valuation of forest goods and service.

Legislation-History of forest development; Indian Forest Policy of 1894, 1952 and 1990. National Forest Policy, 1988 of People's involvement,
Joint Forest Management, Involvement of women; Forestry Policies and issues related to land use, timber and non-timber products, sustainable forest management;
industrialisation policies; institutional and structural changes. Decentralization and Forestry Public Administration. Forest laws, necessity; general principles,
Indian Forest Act 1927; Forest Conservation Act, 1980; Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and their amendments; Application of Indian Penal Code to Forestry.
Scope and objectives of Forest Inventory.

Mathematics Paper I

Section-A

Linear Algebra

Vector, space, linear dependance and independance, subspaces, bases, dimensions. Finite dimensional vector spaces.

Matrices, Cayley-Hamiliton theorem, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, matrix of linear transformation, row and column reduction,
Echelon form, eqivalence, congruences and similarity, reduction to cannonical form, rank, orthogonal, symmetrical, skew symmetrical, unitary,
hermitian, skew-hermitian forms-their eigenvalues. Orthogonal and unitary reduction of quadratic and hermitian forms, positive definite quardratic forms.

Calculus

Real numbers, limits, continuity, differerentiability, mean-value theorems, Taylor's theorem with remainders, indeterminate forms, maximas and minima,
asyptotes. Functions of several variables: continuity, differentiability, partial derivatives, maxima and minima, Lagrange's method of multipliers,
Jacobian. Riemann's definition of definite integrals, indefinite integrals, infinite and improper intergrals, beta and gamma functions. Double and
triple integrals (evaluation techniques only). Areas, surface and volumes, centre of gravity.

Analytic Geometry:

Cartesian and polar coordinates in two and three dimesnions, second degree equations in two and three dimensions, reduction to cannonical forms,
straight lines, shortest distance between two skew lines, plane, sphere, cone, cylinder., paraboloid, ellipsoid, hyperboloid of one and two sheets and their properties.

Section-B

Ordinary Differential Equations:

Formulation of differential equations, order and degree, equations of first order and first degree, integrating factor, equations of first order but not of first degree,
Clariaut's equation, singular solution.

Higher order linear equations, with constant coefficients, complementary function and particular integral, general solution, Euler-Cauchy equation.

Second order linear equations with variable coefficients, determination of complete solution when one solution is known, method of variation of parameters.

Dynamics, Statics and Hydrostatics:

Degree of freedom and constraints, rectilinerar motion, simple harmonic motion, motion in a plane, projectiles, constrained motion, work and energy,
conservation of energy, motion under impulsive forces, Kepler's laws, orbits under central forces, motion of varying mass, motion under resistance.

Equilibrium of a system of particles, work and potential energy, friction, common catenary, principle of virtual work, stability of equilibrium,
equilibrium of forces in three dimensions.

Pressure of heavy fluids, equilibrium of fluids under given system of forces Bernoulli's equation, centre of pressure, thrust on curved surfaces,
equilibrium of floating bodies, stability of equilibrium, metacentre, pressure of gases.

Vector Analysis:

Scalar and vector fields, triple, products, differentiation of vector function of a scalar variable, Gradient, divergence and curl in cartesian,
cylindrical and spherical coordinates and their physical interpretations. Higher order derivatives, vector identities and vector quations.

Application to Geometry: Curves in space, curvature and torision. Serret-Frenet's formulae, Gauss and Stokes' theorems, Green's identities.

Mathematics Paper II

Section-A

Algebra:

Groups, subgroups, normal subgroups, homomorphism of groups quotient groups basic isomorophism theorems, Sylow's group, permutation groups,
Cayley theorem. Rings and ideals, principal ideal domains, unique factorization domains and Euclidean domains. Field extensions, finite fields.

Real Analysis:

Real number system, ordered sets, bounds, ordered field, real number system as an ordered field with least upper bound property, cauchy sequence,
completeness, Continuity and uniform continuity of functions, properties of continuous functions on compact sets. Riemann integral, improper integrals,
absolute and conditional convergence of series of real and complex terms, rearrangement of series. Uniform convergence, continuity, differentiability and
integrability for sequences and series of functions. Differentiation of fuctions of several variables, change in the order of partial derivatives, implict
function theorem, maxima and minima. Multiple integrals.

Complex Analysis: Analytic function, Cauchy-Riemann equations, Cauchy's theorem, Cauchy's integral formula, power series, Taylor's series, Laurent's Series, Singularities, Cauchy's residue theorem, contour integration. Conformal mapping, bilinear transformations.

Linear Programming:

Linear programming problems, basic solution, basic feasible solution and optimal solution, graphical method and Simplex method of solutions. Duality.

Transportation and assignment problems. Travelling salesman problmes.

Section-B

Partial differential equations:

Curves and surfaces in three dimesnions, formulation of partial differential equations, solutions of equations of type dx/p=dy/q=dz/r; orthogonal trajectories,
pfaffian differential equations; partial differential equations of the first order, solution by Cauchy's method of characteristics; Charpit's method of solutions,
linear partial differential equations of the second order with constant coefficients, equations of vibrating string, heat equation, laplace equation.

Numerical Analysis and Computer programming:

Numerical methods: Solution of algebraic and transcendental equations of one variable by bisection, Regula-Falsi and Newton-Raphson methods, solution of system of
linear equations by Gaussian elimination and Gauss-Jordan (direct) methods, Gauss-Seidel(iterative) method. Newton's (Forward and backward) and Lagrange's method of
interpolation.

Numerical integration: Simpson's one-third rule, tranpezodial rule, Gaussian quardrature formula.

Numerical solution of ordinary differential equations: Euler and Runge Kutta-methods.

Computer Programming: Storage of numbers in Computers, bits, bytes and words, binary system. arithmetic and logical operations on numbers.
Bitwise operations. AND, OR , XOR, NOT, and shift/rotate operators. Octal and Hexadecimal Systems. Conversion to and form decimal Systems.

Representation of unsigned integers, signed integers and reals, double precision reals and long integrers.

Algorithms and flow charts for solving numerical analysis problems.

Developing simple programs in Basic for problems involving techniques covered in the numerical analysis.

Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics:

Generalised coordinates, constraints, holonomic and non-holonomic , systems. D' Alembert's principle and Lagrange' equations, Hamilton equations, moment of intertia,
motion of rigid bodies in two dimensions.

Equation of continuity, Euler's equation of motion for inviscid flow, stream-lines, path of a particle, potential flow, two-dimensional and axisymetric motion,
sources and sinks, vortex motion, flow past a cylinder and a sphere, method of images. Navier-Stokes equation for a viscous fluid.