UPSC Indian Forest Service (IFS) Recruitment 2026

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially released the notification for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Recruitment 2026. This recruitment is part of the prestigious All India Services, aimed at selecting science and engineering graduates to lead India’s environmental and wildlife conservation efforts. UPSC IFS Recruitment 2026

Job Details

The Indian Forest Service is one of the three All India Services. Officers are responsible for the implementation of the National Forest Policy, ensuring ecological stability, and managing wildlife resources.

Organization: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Service: Indian Forest Service (IFS/IFoS)
Job Category: Government Job (Group A)
Job Location: All India (Cadre-based)

Vacancies

Total Posts and Category Distribution

The tentative distribution of the 80 vacancies across various categories is as follows:

Category	Vacancies
Unreserved (UR)	33
Other Backward Classes (OBC)	21
Scheduled Caste (SC)	12
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)	08
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	06
Total	80

Additional Reservation Details

Locomotor Disability: 3 vacancies (includes backlog)

Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): A total of 5 vacancies are reserved for PwBD candidates, which includes:

Low Vision: 1 vacancy

Hard of Hearing: 1 vacancy

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for UPSC IFS 2026, candidates must meet specific educational and physical standards.

Nationality: Must be a citizen of India (or meet specific criteria for subjects of Nepal/Bhutan).
Educational Qualification: A Bachelor’s degree with at least one of the following subjects:
- Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, and Zoology.
- OR a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Forestry, or Engineering.

Age Limits and Relaxations

Minimum Age: 21 years (as of August 1, 2026).
Maximum Age: 32 years.

Relaxations in Upper Age Limit:

Category	Age Relaxation
SC / ST	5 Years
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)	3 Years
Defense Personnel	3 Years
PwBD	10 Years

Salary and Benefits

IFS officers enjoy a lucrative pay scale along with significant perks.

Starting Pay Scale: Level 10 of the 7th CPC ( $cap P a y cap M a t r i x colon 56 comma 100 – 1 comma 77 comma 500$ 𝑃𝑎𝑦𝑀𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑥∶56,100–1,77,500)
Allowances: Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), and Transport Allowance (TA).
Perks: Government accommodation, official vehicle, domestic help (based on rank), and high-level medical facilities.

Selection Process

The recruitment follows a rigorous three-stage process. Note that the IFS Preliminary exam is common with the Civil Services Examination (CSE).

Preliminary Examination: Objective type (Paper I: General Studies & Paper II: CSAT).
Main Examination: Written descriptive test consisting of 6 papers (English, GK, and 2 Optional subjects with 2 papers each).
Personality Test (Interview): Conducted at UPSC, Dholpur House, New Delhi.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Notification Release	04 February 2026
Last Date to Apply	24 February 2026
Preliminary Exam Date	May/June 2026
Mains Exam Date	November 2026

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Application Instructions

OTR Registration: Candidates must first register on the One Time Registration (OTR) platform on the UPSC website.
Fill Application: Log in and complete the application for “Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination” and select “Indian Forest Service” under the exam category.
Upload Documents: Ensure your photograph and signature meet the specified dimensions.
Fee Payment: General/OBC candidates must pay a fee of ₹100. Females and SC/ST/PwBD candidates are exempted.
Submit: Print the final confirmation page for future reference.