Eligibility

Candidates who qualify the civil services (for Indian Forest Service) exam can work as Forest Officers in the forest areas, as well as with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, after training. Candidates with postgraduate degrees in forestry also have enough opportunities for employment in the government and private sector.

Training

Various courses in forestry are available, at the graduate, postgraduate and diploma level, as well as at the Ph.D. level. 

Candidates can join the Indian Forest Service by clearing the UPSC examination and a series of other requirements. Candidates in the age group of 21 to 28 years, having a Bachelor's degree in science, are eligible for taking the exam, though for a maximum of four times. Initially, there is a written examination of 700 marks, divided in to four papers (English, general knowledge and two papers in science). 

The candidates who are selected after this examination have to go through a personality test and interview, which carries a total of 150 marks. This is followed by a medical test and an endurance test, which requires the selected male candidates to walk 25 kms, in four hours, whereas the female candidates have to walk 15 kms. Those candidates who are successful in all these phases of the examination are recruited for training. 

The training begins at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, in Dehradun. It is divided into five phases. The first phase (induction phase) is of four months' duration; this is followed by a `Foundation course' of 14 months' duration; followed by on-the job training in the officers' respective cadres, for a period of eight months; and the final phase, known as the `Advanced managerial phase' is an interactive phase of six months' duration. 

After this training, the candidates are sent back to their states for a period of one year, to begin their work as Indian Forest Service officials. Similarly, the State Public Service Commissions (SPSCs) also conduct competitive examinations for the State Forest Service (SFS). The eligibility criteria for these examinations are the same as that for the UPSC exam, and the examination is followed by a similar series of tests and interviews. 

The selected candidates are sent for training in government institutes in Dehradun, Coimbatore and Burnihat. Range level examinations are also held for Range Officers, who are selected by the state government. These forest rangers are trained at the various state-run institutes.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Love for nature and 'the outdoors, spirit of adventure, good health, stamina and physical fitness, patience, scientific temperament, organizing ability, ability to interact with people of all kinds, practicality, courage, decision-making ability, capacity to work long hours, a genuine interest in the preservation of the natural environment and habitat, inclination for research and academic bent of mind, (in some cases) ability to concentrate on the work, curiosity, interest in agriculture and geography.