INDIAN FOREIGN SERVICE EXAM

SYLLABUS
Paper I:
▪ 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 specialisation
▪ General Science.
Paper II:
▪ 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)

MAIN EXAM:
Paper – Any Indian Language:
▪ For this examination, candidates have to choose one language from the
Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
▪ This exam is not compulsory for applicants hailing from the States of
Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
Paper-B English:
▪ This paper is conducted to test the eligibility of aspirants and to check skills of
aspirants in English and Indian Language concerned.
▪ Aspirants are selected on basis of some facts like how they understand these
languages and how they express their ideas clearly and correctly.
▪ The pattern of questions would be generally as follows:-
1) Comprehension of given passages
2) Precise Writing
3) Usage and vocabulary

Paper 1- Essay:
▪ Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics.
▪ They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange
their ideas in orderly fashion and to write concisely Credit will be given for
effective and exact expression.

Paper 2– General Studies 1:

Indian Heritage/ Culture, World History & Geography:

▪ Indian culture will cover the main feature of Art Forms, Literature and
Architecture from olden to present times.
▪ Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until
the present- significant events, personalities, issues
▪ The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors
/contributions from different parts of the country.
▪ Post-independence consolidation and restructuring within the country
▪ History of the world will include events from 18th Century.
▪ Salient Features of Indian Society, Diversity of India
▪ The role of women and women’s organisation.
▪ Effects of globalisation on Indian Society
▪ Social Empowerment
▪ Salient Features of world’s Physical Geography
▪ Distribution of Key Natural Resources Across the world
▪ Important Geographical Phenomena
▪ India and its neighbourhoods-relations
▪ Bilateral, Regional and global groupings
▪ Effects of policies
▪ Important international institutions etc

Paper 3– General Studies 2:

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations:

▪ Functions and duties of the Union and the States, issues and challenges
pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to
local levels and challenges therein.
▪ Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India
and/or affecting India’s interests.
▪ Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s
interests, Indian Diaspora.
▪ Important International institutions, agencies and for- their structure,
mandate.
▪ Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors
and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
▪ Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs,
SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and
other stakeholders.
▪ Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, the conduct of
business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
▪ Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
▪ Government Policies and interventions for development in various sectors
▪ Development process and the development industry
▪ Welfare schemes for vulnerable section of the population by centre and states.
▪ Issue relating to development
▪ Issues relating to poverty and hunger
▪ Important aspects of Governance
▪ Role of Civil Services in a democracy
▪ Role of external state
▪ Challenges of internal security through communications networks
▪ Security challenges
▪ Various security forces and agencies and their mandate etc

Paper 4- General Studies 3:

 Technology, Economic Development, Bio-Diversity, Environment, Security &
Disaster Management:
▪ Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
▪ Government Budgeting.
▪ Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
▪ Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of
organised crime with terrorism.
▪ Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance,
location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
▪ Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.
▪ Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources,
growth, development and employment.
▪ Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental
impact assessment.
▪ Disaster and disaster management.
▪ Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
▪ Land reforms in India.
▪ Effects of Liberalisation on the economy
▪ Infrastructure: Energy, ports, roads etc
▪ Investment models
▪ Science and technology
▪ Achievements of Indian in Science and technology
▪ Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers etc.
▪ Conversation, environmental pollution and degradation.
▪ Disaster and Disaster Management
▪ Linkages between development and spread of extremism etc

Paper 5– General Studies 4:

Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude:

▪ Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of
Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public
relationships.
▪ Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought
and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
▪ Emotional intelligence concepts, and their utilities and application in
administration and governance.
▪ Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.
▪ Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders,
reformers and administrators; the role of family, society and educational
institutions in inculcating values.
▪ Probity in Governance: Concept of Public Service
▪ Case studies on Above Issues etc

Paper 6 & 7 Optional 1 (Of your choice)/ Optional 2 (Of your choice):
Applicants can choose any optional from the subjects, which are giving.

List of Optional Subjects for Main Examination

S.No. Topics

1. Chemistry

2. Electrical Engineering

3. Physics

4. Agriculture

Animal Husbandry and

5. Veterinary Science

6. Anthropology

7. Botany

8. Civil Engineering

9. Commerce and Accountancy

10. Economics

11. Geography
12. Geology

13. History

14. Law

15. Management

16. Mathematics

17. Mechanical Engineering

18. Medical Science

19. Philosophy

Political Science and

20. International Relations

21. Psychology

22. Public Administration

23. Sociology

24. Statistics

25. Zoology

26. Literature
 INDIAN FOREIGN SERVICE EXAM
PATTERN
▪ The Prelims Examination is an Objective type of Examination with Multiple
Choice Questions(the candidate has to choose an option from the given
options for that question).
▪ This examination consists of two papers namely Paper I and Paper II.
▪ The Paper I contains 200 marks and Paper II also contains 200 marks.
▪ The Duration for Paper I is 2 hours as well as Paper II is also 2 hours.

Max
Paper No. Duration Marks

General
Studies 1 2 hours 200

General
Studies 2 2 hours 200

▪ The Mains Examination is a written Examination.

▪ It consists of 9 Papers out of which 2 are Qualifying in nature namely Paper A
and Paper B; remaining 7 papers which are namely Paper I to Paper VII which
is based on Ranking.
▪ The Questions will be available in Hindi as well as English in the Question
Papers.

Interview Test:
Contenders, who have declared qualified in UPSC Preliminary or Mains
examination, are called to attend interview rounds. It is the final round to select an
application for particular posts and the interview session will be of 275 marks.
INDIAN FOREIGN SERVICE EXAM
CUT OFF
The cut off as per the 2015 exam is mentioned below:

Cut off (out of

Category 2025)

ST 801

SC 810

OBC 834

GENERAL 877

PH1/2 802/830

PH3 697

INDIAN FOREIGN SERVICE SALARY

The current pay scale of various IFS officers who are posted in foreign missions
abroad:

BASIC
POSTED SCALE
GRADE AS (MONTHLY)

Junior Time Under Rs. 8000 –

Scale Secretary Rs. 14000
 BASIC
POSTED SCALE
GRADE AS (MONTHLY)

Senior Time Under Rs. 10700 –

Scale Secretary Rs. 16000

Junior
Administrative Deputy Rs. 12800 –
Scale Secretary Rs. 17000

Selection Counsellor Rs. 15100 –

Grade Director Rs. 18500

Senior
Administrative Joint Rs. 18500 –
Scale Secretary Rs. 22500

High
Commissioner Foreign Rs. 26000
/ Ambassador Secretary (Fixed)