Dear Aspirants
As you maybe aware that the examination process for Indian Forest Service(IFS/IFoS) has been changed in 2013, which to my understanding and as evident from the attached data is detrimental to the service and to the Conservation of Biodiversity, Forests and Natural Resources of this country. Let me first elaborate of why I think so. I am a conservation professional working in a premier science-based nature conservation non-profit organization with over six years of experience in wildlife science and nature education. Indian Forest Service officials not only play a administrative role but are a linchpin for conservation in this country, which is increasingly becoming a specialized field. The staff in many wildlife,biodiversity,natural resource conservation NGOs consists of specialists in their respective field with relevant Post-graduate and PhD degrees and/or impact factor publications in scientific journals, whereas most IFS officers don't know the difference between a Gorilla and Guerrilla or a Genus and a Species !!! It is becoming increasingly difficult to communicate conservation matters rooted in ecology with a force which consists of mostly non-specialists, this when India produces high quality of students who have studied Forestry, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Environmental Management, Forest Management etc form reputed institutions funded and/or run by the government such as Wildlife Institute of India, National Center for Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Forest Management, Forest Research Institute etc. Many of these graduates discontinue their chosen vocations, or go and settle abroad and conserve biodiversity in North America !!! isn't this ludicrous ? tax-payer's money being spent to train conservation professionals and then Forest Services dumping them in favor of generalists? Moreover many people who get selected don't even join IFS, it clearly shows that a Majority of 'successful' candidates aren't interested in IFS at all which reflects a travesty of examination process. I propose certain changes as follows.
1) Eligibility - Open to all Graduates with Biology as a subject till 12th Std
2) Mains Examination Pattern - Replace Optional Subject Papers with four Papers : -
1) Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
2) Forest & Wildlife Management - History & Current Practice
3) Sociology and Human Ecology - Tribes and Forest Dwellers of India, Participatory Forest Management, Community based Conservation, People-Park Interface, etc
4) Climate Change, Pollution and Environmental Management.
If you support this idea do reply to converse with me so that we can together develop a petition to be sent to relevant authorities.
Comments
Itna ghuma firaa ke kyun kah rahe ho?
Aur yeah IFoS for forestry people, geology for geologists, IES for engineers , CSE for humanities people is a flawed theory ..
Dude. Don't Engineers study Biology atleast till 12std ?
Why I am saying Biology till 12th is that it is necessary to understand Forest Biology and Management. This I am saying because I am a Postgraduate in Forest Management. You can't conserve a Species without knowing what it is.
@IceMan
Can you explain why having Subject Specialist in any specialized service is a bad idea ? Check out how the United States Forest Service and National Park Service recruits specialists.
Seconldly I am not even implying that everyone should be a forestry graduate .. I am merely stressing that everyone Should have knowledge of Foresty, Ecology and Environment it doesn't necessarily matter what field you graduated in. if you think thats too much of an expectation .. then I just end here.
IPS guys do learn the administrative stuff and criminal codes during training. Prior technical knowledge is good, but it can't be the sole critetia as administrative role takes lead in such tech public service in india. I think you are mentioning about the role of scientist conservatist or environmentalist in states which is a bit different coz of administrative,quasi-judicial,cultural,tribal stuff.