UPSC has officially declared the final results for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination 2024, with Kanika Anabh taking the All India Rank 1. The Union Public Service Commission chose a total of 143 candidates for appointment to the Indian Forest Service, following a tough multi-stage process involving written examinations and personality tests.
The UPSC IFS 2024 written test was held from November 24 to December 1, 2024. This was followed by the interview or Personality Test round, held from April 22 to May 1, 2025. The shortlisted candidates will proceed to their postings now, pending verification of eligibility documents and medical fitness.
Kanika Anabh, the topper of the exam, is from Ranchi, Jharkhand. She is a graduate from JVM Shyamali and had a good academic record. Her father, Abhay Kumar Sinha, is a retired Khunti Principal District Judge, and her mother, Anita Sinha, is a housewife. Kanika credited her success to rigorous preparation and constant encouragement from her family.
The first three positions in the UPSC IFS 2024 final merit list are:
- Kanika Anabh
- Khandelwal Anand Anilkumar
- Anubhav Singh
The UPSC IFS exam is prestigious in nature and attracts candidates from all over the country who want to serve India’s top environmental and forestry management service. The results this year again depict a tough and diverse selection.
UPSC: What Makes the Indian Forest Service Exam One of the Most Challenging in the Country?
The UPSC IFS exam is unique in depth, challenging candidates to not only show subject-matter expertise but also a sound grasp of environmental, ecological, and administrative concepts. Held in two phases — the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination and the IFS Main (written) Examination, after which comes an interview — the process sifts out only the most dedicated and knowledgeable minds.
In the 2024 cycle, the category-wise breakup of the 143 recommended candidates was as under:
- General: 40 candidates (2 Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) in Category 2 and 2 in Category 3)
- Economically Weaker Section (EWS): 19 candidates
- Other Backward Classes (OBC): 50 candidates (1 PwBD in Category 2)
- Scheduled Castes (SC): 23 candidates
- Scheduled Tribes (ST): 11 candidates
The outcome of 7 candidates has been withheld, and the appointment of 51 candidates is subject to confirmation after documents are verified and all the conditions of eligibility are met.
The UPSC has also stated that candidates may get information about their marks in 15 days from the result declaration date. The marks will be published on the UPSC website, and any questions can be answered at the UPSC facilitation counter in New Delhi during working hours.
The final list was drafted in consultation with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), which is the cadre-controlling authority for the Indian Forest Service.
Indian Forest Service is one of the three All India Services, the other two being the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS). The officers who are chosen via the UPSC IFS exam are tasked with important duties in the area of forest conservation, environmental protection, and wildlife management throughout the nation.
Kanika Anabh’s achievement has been a source of pride for the state of Jharkhand, particularly Ranchi, where she did her schooling. Her success story is likely to inspire a fresh crop of UPSC aspirants, especially those aspiring for specialized services like the IFS.
The UPSC reiterated that all the steps were carried out with transparency and equity, and the candidates are advised to wait for instructions from time to time on training and cadre allocation, which will be made shortly by the concerned authorities.
With this final step in the UPSC IFS 2024 selection process, the Commission has again reasserted its status as India’s most prestigious recruitment agency for civil and allied services. The declaration of results and the rise of new talent like Kanika Anabh indicate a continued commitment to merit-based, inclusive governance.
This year’s outcome reinforces the Indian Forest Service as an indispensable pillar in India’s administrative structure, especially when environmental concerns are at the forefront of the nation’s policy agenda. The officers chosen this year will soon start training at Dehradun’s Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy to become tomorrow’s tomorrowists in one of public service’s most demanding and vital jobs.
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