UPSC IFoS 2027: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
The Indian Forest Service Examination is how the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recruits officers for the Indian Forest Service, an all-India service. There is no separate IFoS Prelims: candidates are screened through the Civil Services Prelims, and UPSC's Annual Calendar 2027 puts that on Sunday 23 May 2027, with the IFoS Main Examination 2027 from 21 November 2027 (checked 20 October 2026). For this year's candidates, the IFoS Main 2026 runs from 22 to 29 November 2026. This guide covers both, plus how to apply, the pattern and the syllabus.
UPSC IFoS at a glance
| Conducting body | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| What it is for | Indian Forest Service (Group A, all-India) |
| Stages | Prelims (the Civil Services Prelims), Mains (written), interview |
| Prelims mode | Pen and paper, OMR sheet, two papers on one day |
| Prelims questions | GS Paper I: 100; GS Paper II (CSAT): 80 |
| Time | 2 hours for each Prelims paper; 3 hours for each Mains paper |
| Marking | One-third of a question's marks taken away for a wrong answer in Prelims |
| Languages | Prelims in Hindi and English; Mains in English only |
| How often | Once a year |
| Official website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC IFoS exam date
From UPSC's own pages, read on 20 October 2026:
| Event | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| IFoS Main Examination 2026 | 22 to 29 November 2026 | Time-table of 17 September 2026 (PDF) |
| Notification of CSE and IFoS 2027 | 13 January 2027 | Annual Calendar 2027 (PDF) |
| Last date to apply | 2 February 2027 | Annual Calendar 2027 |
| IFoS Prelims 2027 (through CS Prelims) | Sunday 23 May 2027 | Annual Calendar 2027 |
| IFoS Main Examination 2027 | From Sunday 21 November 2027 (seven days) | Annual Calendar 2027 |
In the 2026 Main timetable, General English and General Knowledge are on the first day, 22 November, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; the optional papers follow on the other days. UPSC's calendar says dates can change, so keep an eye on the exam calendar page. Our IFoS exam-dates page has the same dates.
How to apply for UPSC IFoS 2027
You apply for IFoS in the same window as the Civil Services exam, and you can apply for both. Applications are online at upsconline.nic.in, which UPSC's notices name as the only way to apply.
- Create an account on the portal.
- Get your Universal Registration Number (URN). It is made once and used for every UPSC exam.
- Fill in the Common Application Form: personal and education details, an uploaded photograph and a live photograph. UPSC advises Aadhaar as the ID document.
- Fill in the examination-specific form between 13 January and 2 February 2027, choose your centre and pay the fee unless exempt.
Keep ready: photo ID, scanned photograph and signature, date-of-birth proof, your degree, and any category certificate.
Eligibility (2026 notice): a bachelor's degree with at least one of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics or Zoology, or a degree in Agriculture, Forestry or Engineering. Age at least 21 and below 32 on 1 August of the exam year, relaxed by five years for SC and ST, three for OBC, and up to ten for listed disabilities. Attempts: six for General and EWS, nine for OBC, no limit for SC and ST. The service also has physical standards, set out in the rules; check the 2027 notice.
UPSC IFoS exam pattern
Prelims (the Civil Services Prelims; marks do not count in the final merit, and UPSC makes a separate IFoS Main list):
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies Paper I | 100 | 200 | 2 hours |
| General Studies Paper II (CSAT) | 80 | 200, qualifying at 33% | 2 hours |
Main Examination (all papers in English):
| Paper | Marks |
|---|---|
| Paper I: General English | 300 |
| Paper II: General Knowledge | 300 |
| Papers III and IV: first optional subject | 200 each |
| Papers V and VI: second optional subject | 200 each |
| Interview | 300 |
The written total is 1,400 and the final total 1,700. Unlike CSE, both English and General Knowledge count for merit. A scientific non-programmable calculator is allowed in the Mains papers, not in Prelims.
UPSC IFoS syllabus
- Prelims: the CSE Prelims syllabus: current events, history, geography, polity, economy, environment and science in Paper I; comprehension, reasoning and Class X numeracy in CSAT.
- Mains General English: an essay, comprehension and précis.
- Mains General Knowledge: current events, everyday science, polity and the Constitution, history and geography.
- Optionals: any two of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Forestry, Geology, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Statistics and Zoology, with some pairs not allowed (for example, Mathematics with Statistics).
Details are on our IFoS syllabus page.
A plan for the months that are left
If you are writing the Main 2026 (about five weeks): revise both optionals paper by paper, and write at least two full three-hour answers a week under time. Keep General English and General Knowledge alive with one essay and one précis a week; they are 600 marks together.
If you are aiming at Prelims 2027 (about 31 weeks):
- To January: one full pass of the GS Paper I subjects, with environment, ecology and geography read closely; start a weekly CSAT set.
- January: apply for both CSE and IFoS. Start a full timed IFoS Prelims mock test every week.
- February to April: second revision and two mocks a week. Since the IFoS cut-off is set separately, aim for a safe Paper I score rather than a borderline one. Use how to use mock tests to plan them.
- May: revision only, with two or three mocks at the real morning and afternoon timings.
Begin your two optionals in parallel from December if you can: the gap between Prelims and the IFoS Main is long, but two optionals is four papers.
Useful links
- Apply online: UPSC portal (upsconline.nic.in)
- IFoS 2026 notice with the scheme and syllabus (PDF)
- IFoS Main 2026 time-table (PDF)
- Free UPSC IFoS mock tests
- UPSC IFoS syllabus
- UPSC IFoS exam dates
- UPSC CSE 2027: exam date and how to apply
- UPSC Prelims and CSAT explained
Frequently asked questions
When is the UPSC IFoS 2027 exam date?
The Prelims is the Civil Services Prelims on Sunday 23 May 2027, and the IFoS Main 2027 starts on 21 November 2027, according to UPSC's Annual Calendar 2027 (checked 20 October 2026). The notification is due on 13 January 2027.
Is there a separate Prelims for the Indian Forest Service?
No. You take the Civil Services Prelims, but UPSC prepares a separate list for the IFoS Main, so the IFoS cut-off differs from the CSE one.
Is there negative marking in the IFoS exam?
In Prelims, yes: a wrong answer loses one-third of that question's marks, and marking more than one answer counts as wrong. The Mains papers are written answers.
Can I write the IFoS Mains in Hindi?
No. Every Mains paper is set in English and must be answered in English. Prelims papers are in Hindi and English.
Can I apply for both CSE and IFoS?
Yes. Both are applied for in the same window, and one Prelims sitting serves for both. Eligibility for IFoS is narrower because of the degree subjects it requires.