Do you love nature and wildlife? Do you want to work for the conservation and management of forests and their resources? Do you aspire to become a Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in the forest department? If yes, then this article is for you.

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about becoming a DFO in the forest department, such as the eligibility criteria, selection process, career prospects and more. We will also provide some tips and resources to help you prepare for the UPSC IFS exam, which is the gateway to becoming a DFO.

But first, let us understand what DFO stands for and what are the roles and responsibilities of a DFO.

What is DFO and what are the roles and responsibilities of a DFO?

DFO stands for Divisional Forest Officer. A DFO is a designated Group B gazetted officer of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) and is the executive in charge of a forest range. A forest range is a territorial division of a forest division, which is further divided into forest beats and sections.

A DFO is responsible for the conservation, protection and development of forests and wildlife in his or her range. He or she also oversees the revenue and expenditure related to forest activities and submits work reports to the higher authorities. A DFO delegates tasks to and supervises a subordinate staff of forest guards, forest watchers, forest section officers and forest deputy rangers. He or she also reports to and takes orders from the Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) and the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO).

Some of the specific duties of a DFO include:

• Conducting regular surveys of forest flora, fauna, topography, soil and acreage
• Remaining alert to prevent poachers, hunters, trespassers, vandals and encroachers
• Relocating or providing medical aid to injured animals and birds
• Guarding against and fighting forest fires
• Preventing sheep, goats and cattle from grazing on forest land
• Initiating tree plantation in the forests to expand the forest cover
• Overseeing the legal, commercial exploitation of forest resources
• Collecting forest revenue and paying for executed forest works
• Seizing illegally cut timber or poached animals or animal parts
• Supervising the construction of forest trails, roads, bridges, canals, dams, cabins and fences
• Examining the setups for telephone and electricity lines
• Considering claims for agriculture, mining, sawmills and other plants
• Attending to special privilege cases like hotels, tourist rest places, food outlets or stores
• Placing informative signboards and warning placards at appropriate locations
• Completing paperwork and reports for the forest department and forest ministry
   

A DFO is an important and prestigious position in the forest department and the society. He or she plays a vital role in ensuring environmental stability and maintaining ecological balance which are essential for sustenance of all life forms, human, animal and plant. A DFO also contributes to enhancing livelihood opportunities of forest-dependent communities of rural and tribal areas.

According to the India State of Forest Report 2019, India has 21.67% of its geographical area under forest cover, which amounts to 712,249 sq km. India also has rich biodiversity with 8% of the world’s species of plants and animals. India has 18 biosphere reserves, 104 national parks, 551 wildlife sanctuaries and 50 tiger reserves. All these natural resources need to be protected and managed by dedicated and competent forest officers like DFOs.

Becoming a DFO has many benefits such as:

• Working in close contact with nature and wildlife
• Having a secure and respectable government job
• Having a good salary and allowances
• Having opportunities for travel and adventure
• Having scope for learning and growth
• Having satisfaction of serving the nation and society
   

However, becoming a DFO also has some challenges such as:

• Facing physical and mental stress
• Working in remote and harsh conditions
• Dealing with hostile elements like poachers, smugglers, encroachers etc.
• Handling administrative and legal issues
• Balancing between development and conservation
   

If you are ready to face these challenges and enjoy these benefits, then read on to find out how to become a DFO in the forest department.

Eligibility Criteria

To become a DFO in the forest department, you need to fulfill certain eligibility criteria related to your education, age, physical fitness etc. These criteria are as follows:

Educational Qualifications

To become a DFO, you need to have:

• Passed your 12th class in science subject with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects.
• Completed your graduation in any discipline from a recognized university or institution.
• Studied at least one of the following subjects at the graduation level: Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics and Zoology or Agriculture, Forestry or Engineering.
   

Age Limit and Relaxation

To become a DFO, you need to be:

• Between 21 and 30 years of age as on 1st August of the year of examination.
• Eligible for age relaxation of 5 years if you belong to SC/ST category or 3 years if you belong to OBC category.
• Eligible for age relaxation of up to 10 years if you are a person with benchmark disability or a domiciled resident of Jammu and Kashmir during the period from 1st January 1980 to 31st December 1989 or an ex-serviceman.
   

Physical and Medical Standards

To become a DFO, you need to have:

• A minimum height of 163 cm for male candidates and 150 cm for female candidates. The minimum height is relaxable by 5 cm for candidates belonging to ST and races such as Gorkhas, Garhwalis, Assamese, Kumaonis, Nagas and members of similar hill tribes.
• A minimum chest girth of 84 cm (79 cm for female candidates) fully expanded with a minimum expansion of 5 cm.
• A normal eyesight with a distant vision of 6/6 in one eye and 6/9 in the other eye. The near vision should be J2 in one eye and J3 in the other eye. The candidates should not suffer from colour blindness or any other eye disease. The use of corrective lenses is permitted.
• A sound health and free from any physical defect or deformity that may interfere with the performance of their duties.
   

Number of Attempts and Reservation Policy

To become a DFO, you can attempt the UPSC IFS exam:

• Up to six times if you are a general category candidate.
• Up to nine times if you are an OBC category candidate.
• As many times as you want if you are an SC/ST category candidate.
   

The reservation policy for becoming a DFO is as follows:

• 15% of the total vacancies are reserved for SC candidates.
• 7.5% of the total vacancies are reserved for ST candidates.
• 27% of the total vacancies are reserved for OBC candidates.
• 10% of the total vacancies are reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) candidates.
• 4% of the total vacancies are reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities.
   

Selection Process

The selection process for becoming a DFO in the forest department consists of three stages: the UPSC IFS exam, the training and the posting. Let us look at each stage in detail.

UPSC IFS Exam

The UPSC IFS exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) every year along with the Civil Services exam. The UPSC IFS exam is divided into two parts: prelims and mains.

Prelims

The prelims consist of two objective type papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (also known as CSAT). Each paper carries 200 marks and has a duration of two hours. The questions are set in both English and Hindi languages. The syllabus for the prelims is as follows:

General Studies Paper I

The General Studies Paper I covers topics such as:

• Current events of national and international importance
• History of India and Indian National Movement
• Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
• Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues etc
• Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives etc
• General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization
• General Science
   

General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

The General Studies Paper II covers topics such as:

• Comprehension
• Interpersonal skills including communication skills
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Decision making and problem solving
• General mental ability
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude etc.) (Class X level)
• Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc.) (Class X level)
• English language comprehension skills (Class X level)
   

The prelims are qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in the prelims are not counted for the final ranking. However, candidates need to score at least 33% marks in General Studies Paper II (CSAT) and a minimum aggregate cut-off marks in both papers as decided by UPSC to qualify for the mains.

Mains

The mains consist of six descriptive type papers: four papers on optional subjects chosen by the candidates from a list of subjects given by UPSC, one paper on general English and one paper on general knowledge. Each paper carries 300 marks and has a duration of three hours. The questions are set in English only. The syllabus for the mains is as follows:

General English

The General English paper covers topics such as:

• Essay writing
• Precis writing
• Comprehension
• Usage and vocabulary
• Report writing
• Letter writing
   

The marks obtained in the General English paper are counted for the final ranking.

General Knowledge

The General Knowledge paper covers topics such as:

• Current events of national and international importance
• History of India and Indian National Movement
• Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
• Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues etc
• Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives etc
• General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization
• General Science
• Statistics
   

The marks obtained in the General Knowledge paper are counted for the final ranking.

Optional Subjects

The candidates have to choose two optional subjects from the following list of subjects given by UPSC:

• Agriculture
• Agricultural Engineering
• Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
• Botany
• Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Forestry
• Geology
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Physics
• Statistics
• Zoology
   

Each optional subject has two papers: Paper I and Paper II. The syllabus for each optional subject is available on the UPSC website. The candidates have to choose their optional subjects carefully as they cannot change them later. The marks obtained in the optional papers are counted for the final ranking.

The candidates who qualify the mains are called for an interview or personality test.

Interview or Personality Test

The interview or personality test is conducted by a board of competent and unbiased observers who have before them a record of the candidate’s career. The interview carries 300 marks and has no fixed duration. The objective of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in IFS. The board tests the candidate’s mental caliber, intellectual qualities, social traits, interest in current affairs, etc. Some of the qualities that are judged are:

• Mental alertness
• Critical powers of assimilation
• Clear and logical exposition
• Balance of judgment
• Variety and depth of interest
• Ability for social cohesion and leadership
• Intellectual and moral integrity
   

The marks obtained in the interview are added to the marks obtained in the mains to form the final merit list.

Training

The candidates who are selected for IFS after the final merit list are given training for two years by the Central Government. The training consists of two phases: foundation course and professional course.

Foundation Course

The foundation course is a common course for all civil services including IAS, IPS, IFS etc. It is conducted at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) at Mussoorie for four months. The foundation course aims to impart basic knowledge and skills required for a civil servant such as:

• Administrative theory and practice
• Constitutional law and public administration
• Economics and public finance
• Ethics and integrity
• History and culture of India
• Indian society and polity
• International relations and diplomacy
• Management and leadership
• Science and technology
   

The foundation course also includes physical training, yoga, meditation, sports, cultural activities, field visits etc. The candidates are evaluated on their performance in various tests, assignments, projects etc.

Professional Course

The professional course is a specialized course for IFS officers only. It is conducted at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) at Dehradun for 18 months. The professional course aims to impart comprehensive knowledge and skills required for a forest officer such as:

• Forest ecology and management
• Wildlife management and conservation
• Forest policy and legislation
• Forest economics and valuation
• Forest survey and working plan
• Silviculture and agroforestry
• Forest engineering and hydrology
• Forest protection and fire management
• Forest products and industries
• Social forestry and extension
• Climate change and carbon sequestration
• Remote sensing and GIS
• Biodiversity and biotechnology
   

The professional course also includes practical training, field visits, study tours, attachments, etc. The candidates are evaluated on their performance in various tests, assignments, projects, etc.

After completing the professional course, the candidates are awarded a Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry Management (PGDFM) by IGNFA.

Posting

After completing the training, the candidates are allotted to various state cadres and joint cadres based on their preferences, rank, availability of vacancies, etc. The candidates have to undergo a probation period of one year in their respective cadres before they are confirmed as IFS officers.

The candidates are initially posted as Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) or Assistant Divisional Forest Officer (ADFO) in their cadres. After gaining some experience, they are promoted to the rank of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) and take charge of a forest range.

The candidates can also opt for deputation to the Central Government or other organizations such as:

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
• Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
• Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
• National Afforestation and Eco-development Board (NAEB)
• Forest Survey of India (FSI)
• National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
   

Career Prospects

The career prospects of a DFO in the forest department are bright and rewarding. A DFO can rise up to the highest level of hierarchy in the forest department and enjoy various powers and privileges. A DFO can also switch to other domains of forestry or related fields and explore new opportunities.

Career Progression and Hierarchy

The career progression and hierarchy of a DFO in the forest department are as follows:

Salary and Allowances

The salary and allowances of a DFO vary with experience, location, cadre, etc. However, a rough estimate of the salary structure of a DFO is as follows:

Apart from the salary and allowances, a DFO also gets various perks and benefits such as:

• Official vehicle with driver
• Official residence or quarters
• Medical facilities
• Leave travel concession
• Pension and gratuity
   

Opportunities and Challenges

The opportunities and challenges of a DFO depend on the nature and scope of work, personal interest, aptitude, etc. However, some of the common opportunities and challenges are:

Opportunities

• Working in close contact with nature and wildlife
• Having a secure and respectable government job
• Having a good salary and allowances
• Having opportunities for travel and adventure
• Having scope for learning and growth
• Having satisfaction of serving the nation and society
   

Challenges

• Facing physical and mental stress
• Working in remote and harsh conditions
• Dealing with hostile elements like poachers, smugglers, encroachers etc.
• Handling administrative and legal issues
• Balancing between development and conservation
   

Conclusion

Becoming a DFO in the forest department is a dream come true for many nature and wildlife lovers. It is a challenging and rewarding career that requires dedication, passion and hard work. To become a DFO, you need to clear the UPSC IFS exam, undergo rigorous training and get posted in a forest range. You also need to fulfill certain eligibility criteria related to your education, age, physical fitness etc.

As a DFO, you will be responsible for the conservation, protection and development of forests and wildlife in your range. You will also oversee the revenue and expenditure related to forest activities and submit work reports to the higher authorities. You will delegate tasks to and supervise a subordinate staff of forest guards, forest watchers, forest section officers and forest deputy rangers. You will report to and take orders from the ACF and the DFO.

As a DFO, you will enjoy various powers and privileges such as official vehicle, residence, medical facilities, etc. You will also have opportunities for travel and adventure, learning and growth, satisfaction and recognition. You will also face various challenges such as physical and mental stress, remote and harsh conditions, hostile elements, administrative and legal issues, etc.

If you are ready to face these challenges and enjoy these opportunities, then you should start preparing for the UPSC IFS exam today. You should also keep yourself updated with the latest information and trends in forestry and related fields. You should also develop your personality, communication skills, leadership skills, etc.

To help you prepare for the UPSC IFS exam, we have provided some tips and resources below:

• Read the NCERT books from class 6 to 12 for basic concepts of general studies subjects.
• Read newspapers and magazines regularly for current affairs and general knowledge.
• Refer to standard books and websites for optional subjects as per your interest and background.
• Join a reputed coaching institute or online course for guidance and practice.
• Solve previous year question papers and mock tests to assess your preparation level and improve your speed and accuracy.
• Revise your notes and concepts regularly and make short notes for quick revision.
• Stay healthy, positive and confident.
   

We hope this article has given you a clear idea of how to become a DFO in the forest department. We wish you all the best for your future endeavors.

Remember the words of Mahatma Gandhi:

“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

So, go ahead and make India proud by becoming a DFO in the forest department.

Some Common FAQs

How is DFO selected?

DFO stands for District Forest Officer or Deputy Field Officer. The selection process for these two positions is different.

For the position of District Forest Officer, candidates must go through an examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and then the candidate is appointed by the president of India based on the performance of the written examination.

What is the salary of DFO in India?

The salary of a District Forest Officer (DFO) in India varies depending on factors such as their experience level, the state they are working in, and the specific duties and responsibilities of their role. However, on average, DFOs in India can expect to earn a salary in the range of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 80,000 per month.

Which subject is best for DFO?

For District Forest Officer, one should possess a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, mathematics, physics, geology, botany, zoology, animal husbandry, statistics, and veterinary science. He should also hold an engineering degree in agriculture or in forestry.

Is DFO an IFS officer?

District Forest Officer (DFO) is not an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer. IFS officers hold different positions in state forest departments. The highest-profile Indian Forest Service official across each state shall be known as the Head of the Forest Forces.

What are the duties of DFO?

The duties of District Forest Officer (DFO) include managing and protecting forests within their jurisdiction.

What is the rank of DFO?

District Forest Officer (DFO) is among the top five officials of a district along with District Magistrate (DM), Superintendent of Police (SP), Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and District Judge (DJ).