Why I chose IFS?

Posted by vejayinjananam on August 20, 2020 · 17 Comments 

I have cleared IFS at 3rd attempt. I still have 4 more attempts left. I went till interview in Civils.

Many were asking why I didnt write again .Why not once for IAS or IPS? . Why IFS, what is special in it? .These questions keep on coming in my inbox.Though i have written about IFS here and there many times, i would like to finally write once, “WHY IFS”?.

As like everyone, i too came into civil services examination for IAS only. And yes, my first preference is IAS only. Till my 2nd attempt my second preference was IPS (I even reduced my weight by undergoing strict exercise routine and diet) as i was sure about my interview call.

Till my second attempt, i was away from reality.My decision was based on movies, external things like media,some festivals were IAS/IPS were cheif guests etc… But during my third attempt (failure of going till interview and not securing rank might have given me that), i was little mature.

I started to ask myself,

1.Why IAS

2.Why Civil services ?

3.Why I came to write this exam?

My decision of Why IAS/IPS ,why not IFS created a huge war inside me.

Then i sat for an analysis which i often do when i make any decisions. That is, Suitability test.

A comparative analysis between What is my character and desire Vs What is the character of the job.

My Character and Desire	Character of IAS	Character of IFS
I need a field job.I dont want a desk job.	Field job -yes	Field job-yes
I want to interact with my people and beneficiaries of my job often	yes	yes
I like constant appreciation to push my limits.	Works of IAS are covered in various news paper articles	Comparatively less but IFS officers getting recognition via social media etc…
I cant do just one job at a time.I need diverse domains.	Diversity is huge.	Diversity is less compared to IAS but it has enough domains like Forest,wildlife,tribal welfare,climate change,law and order wing like WCCB. Good enough for my 30 years of tenure.
I would like to visit many places in India	Little difficult as work is related to villages and cities	IFS provides immense opportunity to visit pristine locations of India. Its training itself covers almost 25+ states
Service for people	Yes	Service for people indirectly through service to nature
Need all facilities and perks of being a Public Servant	Yes	Yes (As its All India Service, one gets all the perks and facilities equivalent to IAS and IPS) – Aspiration of every middle class guy!. AM not an exception
Want to go abroad	Yes	Yes , both during training and also during service.
Respect	Yes	Yes
I would like to be in my home cadre	Only if i Secure top rank	Only if i secure top rank. Else i have to opt for Central services . Here both are equal, with respect to zonal system,getting even neighbor state of our home cadre is difficult.So,cant write once just for cadre as all the expectations of mine is fulfilled by IFS itself and uncertainty owing to zonal system.

My Suitability Analysis

Thus i made a table and finally concluded that ,when IFS gives me almost all that i wanted ,why to write again ? . Just for sake of writing, just because others writing ?,why I should write ? . I didn’t have solid reason to write,many are settling with their second preference like IPS ,IRS IT. Likewise i settled for my second preference. I am happy till now and i will be ,as I settled in IFS not because of any aimless goal but a thoughtful decision.

Proud Me!

These kind of analysis is much needed for any major decisions like buying a home, car, shifting to new place. Just sit, write your expectations and desires on one side and the character or outcome of what u want on another side, if both matches atleast 80-90% then goahead.Else, think once again.

And i want to goto field soon.I dont want to waste my 20’s in writing an exam. So, when i got IFS at 26 years of age, i entered with full energy and now at my 29 I am in field. This doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t keep on trying, its more of a personal decision but i took after knowing that IFS can give me what i always wanted for. And it does!. Its upto you to decide.

I already have written about opportunity in IFS, once again copy pasting :

What are all the Duties of IFS officer , we don’t know much about IFS officers, tell us about their duty and powers!

Most asked question, i am listing out basic functions.

Duties: In field ,as DFO (Like DM in IAS and SP in IPS . IAS,IPS and IFS are administrative pillars of a district each with their own set of duties and powers)

• Conservation – Protecting forest and wildlife as per all the environment acts present in India.
• Establishment function – office and function ,as like any other office ,taking care of your employees.
• Development function -for forest dependent communities and tribal communities. In urban area – for urban people and tourism.

Duties : Once you are going up in your career ladder:

• Policy making
• Representation of India in meetings and international organizations
• heading institutions like IGNFA,FRI,ICFRE etc…
• Join secy,Additional Secy and Secy posts

Post retirment :

• NGT judge
• Environmental consultant
• Expert in climate change,global warming,tribal welfare etc..

Opportunities in IFS:

Many have doubts about working of Forest department and IFS officers in a district. Is their work restricted to Forest and wildlife alone?. Big no. Since their works are in remote parts of India its not getting adequate attention in general media.
Their works are
1. Forest – which is wide including water conservation, plantation, urban forestry including establishing parks, eco tourism sites, smart city mission
2. Wildlife – national parks, sanctuaries, tiger reserves etc… 3. Tribal welfare – employment generation and general welfare.
4. Employment generation for forest department communities
5. SHG in forest villages
6. Construction of roads, bridges etc… In forest areas and dependent villages.
7. Crime detection, investigation, quasi judicial power etc...
8. Disaster management in forest and tribal areas – eg: kerala flood.
9. International projects – JICA
10. In agriculture sector – social forestry, agro forestry etc…
11. International assignments – UNFCC, UNEP, IUCN etc..
12. Water bodies – wetlands, ocean and seas and biodiversity in the same.
13. Environment clearance – mining areas, development activities etc…
14. Tribunals – NGT.
Etc…

Thus it provides diversity which gives you enough learning experience.
Their work is combination of administrative (IAS) and law&order (IPS) in forest areas and dependent communities.Shorty it’s a combination of IAS and IPS in environment sector. NITI Ayog listed around 166 districts of India as aspirational Districts most of which falls under tribal areas. So development is need of the hour there. Let the best minds come to IFS.

Filed under UPSC · Tagged with cse, ifos, ifs, indian forest service, UPSC