IFS Application Form
Last verified 07 Oct 2026
📅 IFS Important Dates
| Notification | 04 Feb 2026 |
|---|---|
| Last Date to Apply | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | Prelims (via CS Prelims): 24 May 2026 | Mains: 22 - 29 Nov 2026 |
| Result | Prelims: Declared 15 Jun 2026 |
| Mains Admit Card | Expected: Nov 2026 |
| IFoS 2027 Notification | 13 Jan 2027 (Last date: 02 Feb 2027) |
| IFoS 2027 Prelims Exam Date | 23 May 2027 |
Checked against official notices · updated 07 Oct 2026. Dates marked “Expected” are tentative until the conducting body announces them.
UPSC Indian Forest Service (IFS) applications are submitted online at upsconline.nic.in. Since 2025 UPSC uses a four-module portal, and three of those modules can be completed before the notification is even published.
Important dates — IFoS 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification released | 4 February 2026 |
| Last date to apply | 27 February 2026 (extended from 24 February 2026) |
| Preliminary Examination (through CS(P) 2026) | 24 May 2026 |
| Main Examination | 22 November 2026 (7 days) |
| IFoS 2027 notification | 13 January 2027 |
| IFoS 2027 Preliminary Examination | 23 May 2027 |
Application fee
₹100 for the Preliminary Examination and a further ₹200 for the Main Examination. Female, SC, ST and PwBD candidates are exempted from both.
The URN and the Common Application Form
UPSC issues every candidate a Universal Registration Number (URN), which is registered once in a lifetime and is common to every UPSC examination. The Application Number, by contrast, is generated per examination and changes each time. Keep both — UPSC asks for them in any future correspondence.
How to apply
- Create an account on upsconline.nic.in.
- Complete Universal Registration to generate your URN. This can be done at any time — you do not need to wait for a notification.
- Fill the Common Application Form (CAF) with your personal details, qualification and category, and upload the supporting documents. A live photograph must be captured at this stage in addition to the uploaded photo.
- Open the examination-specific module during the application window, choose your centre and options, pay the fee and submit.
UPSC advises using an Aadhaar card as the identity document, because it verifies automatically and avoids manual checks later.
Correcting your application
UPSC provides a one-time facility to update the URN profile. Changes made to the profile do not flow back into applications already submitted — they apply only to applications made after the profile is re-locked. This catches people out every cycle.