UPSC IFS Notification 2026 – Apply Online for 80 Posts
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination 2026 Notification, thus beginning the recruitment procedure for eligible Indian citizens. It is important for interested candidates to understand that this recruitment procedure is a multi-step process, where candidates are first required to appear for and qualify the Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2026, which is the first stage of recruitment for this high-level PSC jobs recruitment. Only candidates who qualify this civil services jobs stage will be eligible to appear for the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, which includes a written examination followed by a personality interview. The official notification for the UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination 2026 has been issued, where applications are invited for these highly coveted jobs for the government until the cutoff date of February 24, 2026.
UPSC IFS Notification 2026 Vacancy Details
| Post Name | Category | No. of Posts |
| IFS Examination 2026 | Unreserved (UR) | 33 |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 21 | |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 12 | |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 08 | |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 06 | |
| Total Posts | 80 | |
Eligibility Criteria
| Post Name | Eligibility Criteria |
| Indian Forest Service |
|
Important Dates for UPSC IFS Notification 2026
- Application Begin: February 04, 2026
- IFS Exam Important Dates (Last Date): February 24, 2026 (until 18:00 hours)
Age Limit (as on Aug 01, 2026)
- Minimum Age: 21 Years
- Maximum Age: 32 Years (born between August 02, 1994 and August 01, 2005)
Age Relaxation
- SC/ST: 5 years
- OBC: 3 years
- PwBD: up to 10 years
Application Fee
- General / OBC / EWS: Rs. 100/-
- Female / SC / ST / PwBD: Exempted
Application Mode
- The UPSC Online Application Form must be submitted exclusively through the official portal.
Pay Scale
- Officers are appointed to Group ‘A’ Central Services with pay scales as per the 7th CPC recommendations.
Selection Process for UPSC IFS Notification 2026
- Candidates must clear the Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2026 to qualify for the next level of selection.
- Shortlisted candidates then take the Indian Forest Service (Main) Examination, a competitive written test.
- The Commission makes final selections for PSC jobs based on a Personality Test (Interview).
- The Commission determines the final ranking for PSC jobs recruitment by totaling the marks from the Main Examination and the Interview.
How to Apply for UPSC IFS Notification 2026
- Access the UPSC Online Application Form portal at https://upsconline.nic.in
- Check the ‘What’s New’ section for the “Indian Forest Service (Preliminary) Examination, 2026” notice.
- Finish your Universal Registration Number (URN) profile before proceeding to fill the main form.
- Fill in the Common Application Form (CAF) that is necessary for the Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2026.
- Choose the examination-specific module for the UPSC Indian Forest Service Examination 2026.
- Applicants are required to take a live photo as part of the UPSC Online Application Form process.
- Pay the fee of Rs. 100/- through net banking or cards (if not in an exempted category).
- Submit the form after verification; the UPSC IFS 2026 Notification clearly states that no changes are allowed after the form has been submitted.
- Take a printout of the submitted application as instructed in the UPSC IFS 2026 Notification.
FAQs
Applicants should have a Bachelor in Degree in a recognized university with one of the subjects including Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics or Zoology. Instead, one can have a degree in Agriculture, Forestry or Engineering (meeting the eligibility criteria of the UPSC IFS Notification 2026). Individuals who are waiting to have the final results of a qualifying exam can also apply to the preliminary stage though they must provide evidence of passing before the interview.
The test has two consecutive stages. Initial, the applicants should pass the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination exam, which acts as a screening examination. Top candidates subsequently take the UPSC IFS Notification 2026 Main Examination comprising of a competitive written examination, which is followed by personality interview. The ultimate merit is calculated as a combination of marking in written main papers and performance in the interview.
The application online submission portal is open until February 24, 2026, but it closes exactly at 18:00 hours. The UPSC IFS Notification 2026 should be consulted to provide a detailed explanation of how an examination center should be conducted on the first-apply-first-allot basis. They will not accept late submissions and once the applications are successfully submitted the Commission will not permit the withdrawal of the applications.
Important Links
| Official Notification | www.upsc.gov.in |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
| Apply Online | www.upsconline.nic.in |
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Category
Qualification
Location
Last date to apply
24 Feb, 2026
