Forestry Optional for Indian Forest Service (IFoS) Exam

Forestry is a specialised knowledge about forest ecosystems, forest management, wildlife conservation, forest laws and policies, and sustainable practices. This knowledge is highly valuable if you aspire to work in the field of forestry or environmental conservation.Recognizing its significance, the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) Exam provides Forestry as an optional subject for candidates appearing for the IFoS examination.

1.Relevance to the Exam: If you have a genuine interest in forestry, nature, wildlife, and environmental conservation, selecting forestry as your optional subject can be highly rewarding. It allows you to delve deeper into the subject and explore your passion while preparing for the exam. It helps you develop a strong understanding of the subject matter and its practical applications.

2.Career Prospects: Choosing forestry as an optional subject for the IFoS exam opens up various career opportunities in the field of forestry and wildlife conservation. If you are genuinely interested in working in these domains, selecting forestry as your optional subject can provide you with a solid foundation and a competitive edge in your future career.

3.Domain Expertise: Opting for forestry as your optional subject allows you to develop expertise in the field. It equips you with specialised knowledge about forest ecosystems, biodiversity, wildlife management, forest conservation, and sustainable forest practices. This expertise is highly valuable if you aspire to work in the field of forestry or conservation.

• The syllabus of Forestry is short, easy and interesting.
• The syllabus of the forestry optional overlaps with the general studies paper of the preliminary and main exams. This overlap provides you an unique advantage to consolidate your knowledge and save time in your overall preparation.
• Forestry is the optional subject with the highest success rate (27.2%) in the IFoS exam.
• The subject- content is straightforward.
• There is little factual data involved in this subject and hence you do not have to memorise too many dates and events.
• Forestry is considered a scoring subject in the IFoS examination.

Forestry Optional Paper 1 Syllabus: 

• Silviculture – General
• Silviculture-Systems
• Silviculture – Mangrove and Cold desert
• Silviculture of Trees
• Agroforestry, Social Forestry, Joint Forest Management and Tribology
• Forest Soils, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management
• Environmental Conservation and Biodiversity
• Tree Improvement and Seed Technology

 Forestry Optional Paper 2 Syllabus 

• Forest Management and Management Systems
• Forest Working Plan
• Forest Mensuration and Remote Sensing
• Surveying and Forest Engineering
• Forest Ecology and Ethnobotany
• Forest Resources and Utilisation
• Forest Protection & Wildlife Biology
• Forest Economics and Legislation              

• Class starts on 04^th October and ends by 31^st October 2023.
• Classes - 3 Days a week – Wednesday & Thursday, Friday
• Class timing: 8.30 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. with 30 min break
• Classes would be held in both Offline cum Online class modes at both Chennai and Delhi centres.
• Classes available in offline, online and hybrid mode.
• Classroom Program schedule is inclusive of tests (4+2) and daily answer writing practice.
• Class will cover both core forestry subjects and enable one to the dynamic pattern change of UPSC Forestry question paper of last 3 years.
• Science optional paper writing is unique compared to writing an art optional paper. The classroom program will Impart the Skill of writing science optional papers to the candidate.
• Strengthening the subject knowledge and interlinking the subjects.

• Total of 6 tests. 4 sectional tests and 2 full tests.
• All tests answer paper will be evaluated and feedback will be provided within the timeline of maximum 10 days from the date of your submission.
• Students can write the test up to 3 days from the scheduled date.
• Test discussion by the optional faculty through recorded video.
• One on one discussion and mentoring either personally or via call whenever required.

• Daily answer writing starts on 01^st November and ends on 20^th November 2023.
• Test discussion for daily answer writing practice by the optional faculty.