UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination 2026
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the notification for Indian Forest Service Examination (IFoSE) 2026. Candidates must appear in Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 and qualify to be eligible for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination (Written & Interview). Online applications can be submitted through upsconline.nic.in. Last date to apply online is 24 February 2026.
| Organisation | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Examination Name | Indian Forest Service Examination 2026 |
| Total Vacancy | Approximately 80 |
| Starting Date of Application | 04 February 2026 |
| Ending Date of Application | 24 February 2026 |
| Preliminary Exam Date | 24 May 2026 |
| Age Limit | 21 to 32 Years (as on 01 August 2026) |
| Nationality | Citizen of India / Subject of Nepal / Subject of Bhutan / Tibetan refugee (before 1 Jan 1962) / Person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries with eligibility certificate |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor’s Degree with at least one of the subjects: Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Zoology OR Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture / Forestry / Engineering from recognized university |
| Age Limit | Minimum 21 Years and Maximum 32 Years as on 01 August 2026 |
| Age Relaxation | SC/ST: 5 Years | OBC: 3 Years | PwBD: up to 10 Years | Ex-Servicemen: As per rules |
| Number of Attempts | General/EWS: 6 | OBC: 9 | SC/ST: Unlimited | PwBD: As per category |
| Preliminary Examination | Objective-type multiple choice screening test. |
| Paper-I | General Studies – 200 Marks | Current Events, History of India, Geography, Polity, Economy, Environment, General Science. |
| Paper-II | CSAT – 200 Marks | Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Ability, Decision Making, General Mental Ability, Basic Numeracy, Data Interpretation. |
| Total Marks (Prelims) | 400 Marks (200 + 200). |
| Duration | 2 Hours for each paper. |
| Qualifying Rule | Paper-II is qualifying with minimum 33% marks. |
| Negative Marking | One-third (1/3) mark deducted for each wrong answer. |
| Main Examination | Descriptive/Conventional type examination. |
| Main Exam Papers | General English (300) | General Knowledge (300) | Optional Subject Paper-I (200) | Optional Subject Paper-II (200) | Second Optional Paper-I (200) | Second Optional Paper-II (200). |
| Total Marks (Mains) | 1400 Marks. |
| Interview / Personality Test | 300 Marks. |
| Final Merit Basis | Main Examination Marks + Interview Marks. |
| Category | Vacancy |
| UR | 33 |
| SC | 12 |
| ST | 06 |
| OBC | 21 |
| EWS | 08 |
| Total | 80 |
| Preliminary Examination | Candidates must appear in Preliminary Examination which is only a screening test. |
| Shortlisting for Mains | Candidates are shortlisted for Main Examination based on Prelims cut-off. |
| Main Written Examination | Candidates securing minimum qualifying marks in Mains are considered for Interview. |
| Interview / Personality Test | Candidates approximately twice the number of vacancies are called for interview. |
| Final Selection | Final merit is prepared based on Main Examination and Interview marks. |
| Pay Level | Pay Scale |
| Level 10 | ₹56,100 – ₹1,77,500 (as per 7th CPC) |
| General / OBC / EWS Candidates | ₹100 |
| SC / ST / PwBD / Women Candidates | No Fee |
| IFS Main Exam Fee (if qualified) | ₹200 (except exempted categories) |
| Official Notification | Click Here |
| Apply Online | Click Here |
| Official Website | Click Here |
| What is the starting date to apply for UPSC IFoS 2026? | 04 February 2026 |
| What is the last date to apply? | 24 February 2026 |
| What is the age limit? | 21 to 32 Years |
| What is the selection process? | Prelims → Mains → Interview |
| How many vacancies are available? | Approximately 80 Vacancies |
