This blog post is made as a sequel to two of my previous post titled: Indian Forest Service (IFS) exam: an Introduction & IFS exam 2...
This blog post is made as a sequel to two of my previous post titled: Indian Forest Service (IFS) exam: an Introduction & IFS exam 2013 Notification Form & Eligibility which tells you what is an IFS (Indian Forest Service) exam as well as how to apply for it.
This blog post focuses on what is the pattern of IFS exam and also gives you the sources for downloading IFS exam syllabus
IFS exam plan/pattern:
IFS exam selection process consists of a written test, followed by Interview for those selected in the written test.
IFS written test consists of following papers:
Paper I: General English: 300 marks.
Paper II: General Knowledge: 300 marks.
Optional Papers:
Paper III: 200 marks.
Paper IV: 200 marks.
Paper V: 200 marks.
Paper VI: 200 marks.
Total: 1400 marks
IFS interview carries 300 marks.
Optional Papers:
In the Optional Papers of IFS exam, you need to choose two subjects, each of which would have two papers and contain eight questions, from which five questions are to be answered in three hours.
Following illustration would help you understand question distribution of each paper:
Paper-I: There are total eight questions (in two parts), out of which five questions are to be answered. Each question carries equal marks.
Part-A: Q1 to Q4, out of which one is compulsory. Out of the remaining three, you must choose at least one.
Part-B: Q1 to Q4, out of which one is compulsory. Out of the remaining three, you must choose at least one.
Thus you will have to attempt two questions (including compulsory question) from one part and three questions from the other part.
While choosing your Optional papers for IFS exam, you can not choose a combination of following subjects:
(a) Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering.
(b) Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science.
(c) Chemistry and Chemical Engg.
(d) Mathematics and Statistics.
(e) Not more than one Engineering subjects.
IFS (Indian Forest Service) exam syllabus:
IFS exam syllabus for General English and General Knowledge:
For English & GK paper, no syllabus has been prescribed by UPSC for IFS exam. However as per the IFS exam notification, the questions are of that standard, which can be answered by a Science or an Engineering graduate from an Indian university. Further, UPSC has given following guidelines for preparation of these two papers:
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.
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.
IFS exam syllabus for optional subjects:
As per UPSC IFS exam notification, 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.
You can find the IFS syllabus for each of fourteen optional subjects in page4-12 of this notification.
Online sample papers & books for IFS exam:
IFS Exam Sample/Previous years papers:
There is a good collection of the actual IFS Exam papers in the UPSC website and you can click the links below to download these Previous years papers. These actual exam papers are in pdf format. After arriving at the link page, scroll down to the section meant for IFS exam.
IFS Exam Prep Books:
I found following books on net for preparation for UPSC IFS exam. These books are available in most of the bookstores, but you can also order them online by clicking the links below. Flipkart.com offers huge discounts up to 30%, apart from free shipping/postage in India if the order exceeds Rs. 200/=. You can choose to pay through Credit Card/Debit Card/Internet Banking. You can also choose to pay through “Cash-on-Delivery” i.e. you pay in cash only when the same is delivered at your doorstep.
UPSC-IFS Compulsory (Paper I & II) Exam Guide by RPH Editorial Board
Cover Price: Rs. 415 Offer Price: Rs. 291 Discount: Rs. 124 (30%)
UPSC-IFS Exam—Forestry (Including Paper I & II) Guide by RPH Editorial Board
Cover Price: Rs. 265 Offer Price: Rs. 204 Discount: Rs. 61 (23%)
UPSC-IFS Exam—Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Guide (Paper I & II) by RPH Editorial Board
Cover Price: Rs. 310 Offer Price: Rs. 233 Discount: Rs. 77 (25%)
UPSC-IFS Exam—Agriculture (Including Paper I & II) Guide by RPH Editorial Board
Cover Price: Rs. 265 Offer Price: Rs. 201 Discount: Rs. 64 (24%)
UPSC-IFS Exam—Botany (Including Paper I & II) Guide by RPH Editorial Board
Cover Price: Rs. 195 Offer Price: Rs. 137 Discount: Rs. 58 (30%)
Cover Price: Rs. 245 Offer Price: Rs. 184 Discount: Rs. 61 (25%)
UPSC-IFS Exam—Physics (Including Paper I & II) Guide by RPH Editorial Board Cover Price: Rs. 245 Offer Price: Rs. 201 Discount: Rs. 44 (18%)
UPSC-IFS Exam—Chemistry (Including Paper I & II) Guide by RPH Editorial Board
Cover Price: Rs. 275 Offer Price: Rs. 206 Discount: Rs. 69 (25%)
Cover Price: Rs. 245 Offer Price: Rs. 201 Discount: Rs. 44 (18%)
Hope above IFS exam pattern, syllabus, sample papers & books helps you prepare for the exam well. I would be on the look out for more materials for the IFS exam and post the same on this blog once if I find them. So please visit me again!
Best wishes!
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