The Indian Forest Service (IFS) preliminary examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), consists of two papers: General Studies (Paper I) and Aptitude Test (Paper II). Here’s a detailed overview of the IFS Prelims syllabus for both papers:
Paper I: General Studies
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
- Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.
- General Science
Paper II: Aptitude Test
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision making and problem-solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level)
- Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc.) (Class X level)
It’s important to note that both papers are objective type (multiple choice questions) and the marks obtained in Paper II (Aptitude Test) are only considered to qualify for the Mains examination; however, its marks are not counted for the final ranking.
Candidates should focus on comprehensive preparation covering a broad range of topics mentioned in the syllabus. It’s also advisable to practice previous years’ question papers and mock tests to gauge one’s preparation level and improve time management skills during the examination.