The Indian Forest Service (IFoS) is a notable division of the Indian government. It is one of the three All India Services of the Union Government is the Indian Forest Service (IFoS), the other two are Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS). Even though the Forest Service was first created in 1864 as the Imperial Forest Service under the British Raj, the service was only officially founded in its current form in 1966.
In the state forest department, IFS officers hold the top positions. The district administration has no influence over the officials of the Indian Forest Service. They focus on the responsibilities that fall under their purview: administrative, judicial, and financial authority. In addition, the Junior Grade salary for the Indian Forest Service starts at Rs. 56,100 and can reach Rs. 2,25,000. Indian Forest Service officers also receive a number of benefits and allowances in addition to their handsome IFoS salary.
The article gives a detailed description of the job and responsibilities of an IFoS Officer as well as the rank-wise pay and various allowances received while working with the Government of India.
Note: The notification for Indian Forest Service Examination will be released on 14th February 2024. Aspirants can check the latest UPSC Notification in the linked article.
Indian Forest Services Examination: Overview
The Prelims exam is the same for both the Administrative Service and the Forest Service. It is only in the subsequent stages (Mains and Interviews) that the process differs. The overview of the exam is given below:
| UPSC IFoS 2024 Exam | |
| Event | Important Dates |
| Exam | Indian Forest Services |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Services Commission |
| Selection Process | Prelims
Mains |
| Release Of Official Notification | February 14th, 2024 |
| Last Date to Apply | March 05th, 2024 |
| Date Of Prelims | May 26th, 2024 |
| Date Of Mains | September 20th, 2023 |
| Date Of Interview | To be notified |
To learn about the differences between the Indian Administrative Services and the Indian Forest Services, visit the linked article.
| Aspirants should begin their preparation by solving UPSC Previous Year Question Papers now!!
To complement your preparation for the upcoming exam, check the following links:
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UPSC Indian Forest Officers: Job Responsibilities
India is the homeland of many forests. As one of its most prized treasures, Indian culture highlights endangered species of animals. Therefore, there should be a reputable organisation that endeavours to conserve and develop the splendour, history, and culture of such unique flora and fauna. The Indian Forest Service is responsible for this power in India. The officers of the Indian Forest Service occasionally have to cope with calamities that endanger ecosystems and the lives of wildlife. The main roles and responsibilities of the Forest Officers are given below:
- The Indian Forest Service’s primary duties include implementing the National Forest Policy, ensuring the nation’s ecological stability through inclusive sustainable management, and protecting natural resources.
- Collection of forest data is one of the roles of the Forest Officers. The collection of data is the process of gathering and analysing data about forests involves measuring information within the current framework.
- The Indian Forest Service Officer of the various state governments and frameworks oversees the safety and growing environmental problems of that particular area.
- It is the duty of the Indian Forest Service Officer to make sure that animals and different species can live, grow and survive in the environments that the natural environment has provided for them. The personnel of the Indian Forest Service are tasked with solving any issues that arise in the way they live.
- The responsibilities of the Indian Forest Services officers include managing the nation’s national parks, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and other protected areas.
- The sustainable growth of the local fauna and flora is also one of the responsibilities of Indian Forest Service officials.
- Officers from the Indian Forest Service work to promote sustainable agriculture, wildlife habitat conservation and management in order to increase the opportunity for rural and remote community members to earn a living.
- Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officers inspects forestry goods and livestock to look for harmful diseases, pest infestations or rates of growth. They also examine the habitat together with the efficacy of treatments and other programmes.
Aspirants can read UPSC Current Affairs For IAS Exam, which will help them for their preparation of the exam.
The Indian Forest Service officer pertains to a range of positions in state forestry departments. The Head of the Forest Forces is the highest-ranking member of the Indian Forest Service in each state. It is one of the prestigious careers that offers competent employees stable employment and career growth. Indian Forest Service Officers work in a variety of capacities for state forestries. To know what are the other civil services posts, visit the linked article.
Aspirants must also carefully review the CSE syllabus and exam pattern for a better understanding of the examination and accordingly move ahead with the preparation plan.
| Related Links: | |
| IAS Eligibility | UPSC 2024 |
| IAS Online Application | UPSC Syllabus |
| UPSC Books | NCERT Notes |
| UPSC Question Papers | UPSC Monthly Current Affairs Magazine |
Indian Forest Services: Career Growth & Promotions
After passing IFoS, all candidates are required to complete two years of training at IGNFA (Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy). After training, candidates are recruited as Assistant Forest Conservators (ACF). The IFoS remuneration for this position is INR 56,100. The officer may receive numerous promotions over the years if they put in the necessary effort. Promotion results in an increase in the IFoS salary.
The ranks that candidates can get through promotions throughout the years are listed below:
| Indian Forest Services Promotion and Ranks | ||
| S.No. | Rank | Duration |
| 1. | Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF/ DFO) | After 2-3 years of service |
| 2. | Conservator of Forests | 14-15 years of service |
| 3. | Chief Conservator of Forests | 5- 6 years as Conservator |
| 4. | Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) | — |
| 5. | Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) | — |
| 6. | Head of Forest Force (HoFF) | — |
For the central department, the ranks and posts are different such as
| 1. | Assistant Inspector General of Forests (AIGF) | |
| 2. | Deputy Inspector General of Forests (DIGF) | |
| 3. | Inspector General of Forests (IGF) | |
| 4. | Additional Director General of Forests (ADGF) | |
| 5. | Director-General of Forests (DGF) | |
The criterion for nationality, age limit and number of attempts is the same as for the civil services exam. Read the detailed IAS/IFoS eligibility criteria at the linked article.
Indian Forest Services: Salary Structure
Indian Forest Officer salaries are attractive, which attracts many applicants for this position. The candidates chosen for the position of Indian Forest Officer are entitled to a handsome pay that ranges from Rs. 38,000 to Rs. 44,000 for the junior scale and Rs. 55,000 to Rs. 60,000 for the senior scale. Candidates selected for this position also receive a number of benefits and allowances in addition to a decent salary.
The details of the salary structure and allowances of the Indian Forest Officers is given below:
| Grade Wise Monthly Salary of Forest Officials | ||||
| S. No. | Grade | Designation in Government of India | Basic Monthly Salary | Designation in State Government |
| 1. | Junior Time Scale | Assistant Inspector General of Forests | INR 56,100 | Assistant Conservator of Forests/ Assistant Deputy Conservator of Forests |
| 2. | Senior Time Scale | Assistant Inspector General of Forests | INR 67,700 | Deputy conservator of Forests |
| 3. | Junior Administrative Grade | Assistant Inspector General of Forests | INR 78,800 | Deputy conservator of Forests |
| 4. | Selection Grade | Assistant Inspector General of Forests | INR 1,18,500 | Deputy conservator of Forests (Selection Grade) |
| 5. | Super Time Scale | Deputy Inspector General of Forests | INR I,50,000 | Conservator of Forests/Chief Wildlife Warden |
| 6. | Senior Administrative Grade | Inspector General of Forests | INR 1,75,000 | Chief Conservator of Forests |
| 7. | HAG Scale | – | INR 2,00,000 | Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests |
| 8. | HAG+ Scale | Additional Director General of Forests | INR 2,05,400 | Principal Conservator of Forests |
| 9. | Apex Scale | Director-General of Forests | INR 2,25,000 | Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) |
Read more on the UPSC Prelims exam (common round for IFoS and CSE) at the linked article.
The Grade Pay of the Indian Forest Officer with the promotional level has been listed below:-
| Pay Grade For Indian Forest Services | ||
| S. No. | Pay Scale/ Salary | Level |
| 1. | Rs.56100-132000 (Pay Level 10) | At Entry |
| 2. | Rs.67700-160000 (Pay Level 11) | After 5 years of service |
| 3. | Rs.78800-191500 (Pay Level 12) | After 12 years of service |
| 4. | Rs.118500-214100 (Pay Level 13) | After 16 years of service and based on seniority |
| 5. | Rs.131100-216600 (Pay Level 13A) | Completed minimum 5 years of service in previous Pay Level and also based on seniority |
| 6. | Rs.144200-218200 (Pay Level 14) | Completed minimum 1 year of service in previous Pay level and also based on seniority |
| 7. | Rs.182200-224100 (Pay Level 15) | Completed minimum 5 years of service in previous Pay Level and based on seniority |
Given below are a few important links that will give a boost to your upcoming UPSC exam preparations-
Indian Forest Services: Perks & Allowances
Candidates are promoted to various grades at the end of five, eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty, and twenty-seven years in the Indian Forest Service. Their basic IFoS salary rises with each promotion. The officers of the Indian Forests Department receive numerous added benefits and allowances in addition to their handsome remuneration package. These allowances are listed below:
- Travel Allowance For Work: The position necessitates regular travel from one location to another, and the government covers all costs in addition to providing a travel allowance.
- House Allowance: The Government of India offers its employees a house in the district where they are posted, where they must relocate with their families throughout the term.
- Dearness Allowance(DA): The Government also pays the IFoS officials a Dearness Allowance (DA), which is a cost-of-living adjustment.
- Domestic help: For the homes, they reside in, each officer also receives a domestic assistant and a security guard.
- Medical Allowance: For the duration of the officer’s tenure, the entire family of the officer is entitled to medical coverage.
- Transportation: Each officer is assigned a car and a driver to travel to their field duties.
- Lease Allowance: Up to a cap that the government has set, employees may choose to rent their homes. But it depends on the location.
- Other Allowances: The telephone, electricity, newspaper and water costs are also paid for by the government.
- Study Leave: The IFoS officer also receives study time off for further education.
Aspirants can learn from the success stories of previous year IAS Toppers and accordingly prepare for the upcoming civil services exam.
To find out details about the IAS Exam, visit the linked article. For more exam-related preparation materials, refer to the links are given in the table below:
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