Indian Forest Service (Probationers Training And Evaluation) Rules, 2023

[23rd November 2023]

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the All India Service Act, 1951 (61 of 1951) and in supersession of the Indian Forest Service (Probationers' Final Examination) Regulations, 2016, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government, after consultation with the Governments of the States concerned, hereby makes the following rules, namely :-

Rule - 1. Short title and commencement

(1)     These regulations may be called the Indian Forest Service (Probationers Training and Evaluation) Rules, 2023.

(2)     They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

Rule - 2. Definitions

(1)     In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires-

(a)      "Academy" means the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy;

(b)      "Academic Council" means the Academic Council constituted under Rule 9;

(c)      "Director" means the Director of the Academy;

(d)      "internal assessment" means the assessment of the probationers based on general discipline and personality by the Academy; and

(e)      "Schedule" means Schedule appended to these rules.

(2)     The words and expressions used in these rules and not defined herein but defined in the Indian Forest Service (Probation) Rules, 1968 shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in the said rules.

Rule - 3. Training format, content and curriculum

(1)     The format and contents of the training at the Academy shall be as follows, namely:

(2)     The curriculum framework of the training may comprise of core courses, elective courses, internship projects or courses of independent studies and report work in the subject areas prescribed in Part I of the Schedule with the corresponding assignment of marks mentioned therein;

Provided that the Academic Council may modify the distribution of marks among the subject areas in the groups A, B and C subject to maximum of twenty percentage in a group and ten percentage among the groups ensuring that the weightage for each group remains in the range of twenty-five percentage to forty percentage of the aggregate of these groups.

(3)     The core courses with broad listing of topics and themes in the pre-arranged subject areas and the allocation of elective courses and projects or courses of independent studies in the subject areas or related fields of study shall be as specified and shall be dealt with during the training phases in the order and manner as may be determined by the Director on the recommendation of the Academic Council.

(4)     The detailed syllabus, contents and inputs in the courses shall be as may be determined by the Director for each batch at the commencement of the training program.

(5)     The training inputs and engagements shall consist of theoretical and practical studies, exercises, hands-on learning, tours, excursions, internship or attachments related to the prescribed subject areas and shall be dealt with in the core courses, elective courses and projects or courses of independent studies or other similar academic or training module as may be determined by the Director on the recommendation of the Academic Council.

(6)     The exercises, tours and excursions shall be as specified in Part II of the Schedule.

(7)     The teaching-learning activities shall comprise of class-room and laboratory sessions, assignments and attachments, exercises, tours and excursions utilizing various modes of learning engagements as may be determined by the Director for each batch at the commencement of the training program.

Rule - 4. Qualifying subjects and skills

Every probationer shall be required to obtain such standards of proficiency in the subjects and skills mentioned in Part III of the Schedule.

Rule - 5. Evaluation

(1)     Every probationer shall be evaluated during the training, subject to these rules through various methods of assessment including the following:

(a)      written and practical examinations;

(b)      assignments and project work;

(c)      exercises, skills, tours and excursions;

(d)      qualifying tests; and

(e)      internal assessment.

(2)     The evaluation under sub-rule (1) shall be held at the Academy or at other places and in such manner as may be deemed fit by the Director.

(3)     The schedule for conducting various evaluations shall be fixed by the Director.

(4)     Final evaluation of performance in terms of marks shall be as follows:

Rule - 6. Internal assessment

(1)     The maximum internal assessment of two-hundred fifty marks shall be awarded by the Academy based on general discipline and personality development during the training in Phase 1A and II and evaluated as per the standards determined by the Academy.

(2)     The internal assessment of fifty marks on general discipline and personality development during Phase IB of the training shall be awarded by the concerned designated authority in their respective Cadre States or Union territories.

Rule - 7. Attendance in the training programme, other trainings and courses etc

Every probationer shall attend and participate in all components of the training programme and all assessment tests and examinations for evaluations specified under these rules and attend such other non-evaluated training items or courses or attachments with organisations and institutions as may be decided by the Director.

Rule - 8. Minimum pass standards for evaluations in the assessments or examinations and standards for qualifying tests

(1)     Every probationer shall obtain a minimum of fifty percentage of marks in assessments or written and practical examinations in the courses of studies, exercises and tours, to pass in the evaluation prescribed under rule 5.

(2)     For the qualifying tests under rule 4, the probationer shall be required to attain such standards of proficiency as the Director of the Academy may determine.

Rule - 9. Academic Council

(1)     The Academic Council shall steer the training of the Probationers determined under these rules and undertake monitoring, reviewing, updating and improvement works for ensuring high standards.

(2)     The Academic Council shall consist of the following members, namely.-

(1)     Director, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy Chairperson;

(2)     Additional Director General of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India Member;

(3)     Additional Director, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy Member;

(4)     Three faculty members of Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, as under:

(i)       Professor (In charge, In-service Training),

(ii)      Additional Professor and Controller of Examinations,

(iii)     Associate Professor to be nominated by the Director Members;

(5)     Director, Directorate of Forestry Education, Dehradun Member;

(6)     Joint Secretary (Training), Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India Member;

(7)     Inspector General of Forests/ Joint Secretary, Indian Forest Services Division, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India Member;

(8)     Director General, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education or an officer not below the rank of Deputy Director General, nominated by the Director General, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education Member;

(9)     Director, Wildlife Institute of India or an officer not below the rank of Scientist F nominated by the Director, Wildlife Institute of India Member;

(10)   Director General, Forest Survey of India or an officer not below the rank of Joint Director nominated by the Director General, Forest Survey of India Member;

(11)   Director, Indian Institute of Forest Management or an officer not below the rank of Professor nominated by the Director, Indian Institute of Forest Management Member;

(12)   Members to be nominated by the Director, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy

(i)       Three senior faculty members/ officials from premier institutions or organisations conducting programmes in higher studies or trainings or organizations associated with research, training and academic activities in forestry, wildlife, natural resource management, environment protection, administration or other relevant fields in the Government or Non-Government sector;

(ii)      Two eminent persons from the field of forestry, wildlife, natural resource management, environment, administration or relevant fields.

(iii)     Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and the Head of Forest Force of the State/ Union territories or his representative nominated by the Director Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy on rotation basis. Member; and

(13)   Professor (Academics), Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy Member Secretary.

(3)     The functions of the Academic Council shall include the following, namely: -

(i)       Steer, regulate and guide the training programme for each batch as under:

(a)      to determine the courses along with the listing of topics and themes under the subject areas under rule 3 and mentioned in Part I of the Schedule;

(b)      to recommend or approve curriculum framework with the number and duration of terms during Phase IA and Phase II of the training programme and the term-wise scheduling of the courses.;

(c)      to provide guidance for the design of courses, content setting and treatment of the syllabus, topics, themes and detailing thereof to be done by the Academy faculty for the training batches and to recommend alteration in distribution of marks among the subject areas as mentioned in the Part I of the Schedule;

(d)      to specify or approve the methods of evaluation and assessment and marking therein including suggestion appropriate component of continuous evaluation;

(e)      to recommend the necessary adaptations in the curriculum framework in consonance with contemporary professional and academic practices for bench marking of the training programme subject to the provisions of the Indian Forest Service (Probation) Rules 1968.

(ii)      to undertake monitoring, feedback and review of the training program.

(iii)     conduct annual workshop of the Principal Chief Conservators of Forests and Members for assessment of the effectiveness of training imparted to the probationers and formulate measures for improvement on regular basis;

(iv)    obtain feedback from the field and other stakeholders including periodic conduct of competency-based training needs assessment on triennial basis;

(v)      undertake overall review of curriculum framework and methods of evaluation every three years and recommend modifications as deemed appropriate within the provisions of these rules;

(vi)    to guide research activities on training and related academic activities;

(vii)   to guide the faculty development programme;

(viii)  to consult specialised bodies and institutions for infusing new technologies, developing mechanism for institutional tie-up with national and international organisations in the field of the forestry, environment, wildlife, and human resource capacity building.;

(4)     The Academic Council shall meet at least twice in a year and the quorum for the meetings shall be one third of the council membership.

(5)     The Academic Council shall resolve any incidental matters in course of implementation of the provisions of these rules, in accordance with the provisions of the Indian Forest Service (Probation) Rules, 1968.

SCHEDULE

Part I

Part II

EXERCISES, TOURS AND EXCURSIONS

The exercises, tours and excursions assigned from the following shall be performed and undertaken as per instructions for each training batch to be tutored by the Director based on curriculum, detailed content and design of the relevant courses, and the recommendations of the Academic Council.

(A)     Exercises: -

(a)      Field Methods and Techniques in Ecology and Conservation Science and Management;

(b)      Forest Fire Mapping;

(c)      Land Survey Techniques, Forest Mensuration, Forest Biometry/Inventory;

(d)      Soil and Water Conservation Measures and Watershed Management;

(e)      Wildlife Techniques; Forests and Wildlife Crime Detection;

(f)       Management Planning - Formulation of Forest Working Plan, Forest Restoration Plan, Plantation Exploitation & Renewal / Reafforestation Scheme for non-forest landscapes;

(g)      Protected Area Management Plan, Species Recovery Plan; and

(h)     Project planning and formulation, Contract Management and Procurement Processing.

Marks: - Total marks shall be determined by the Academic Council subject to minimum and maximum of 10% and 12.5% respectively of sum of full marks in subject areas of Groups A, B and C and the allocation of marks among the exercises shall be done by the Director of the Academy for the training course of each batch.

(B)     Tours and Excursions:-

(a)      Introductory Tour for familiarisation with features and characteristics of forests and associated landscapes, forest vegetation and fauna; and acquaintance with different forestry operations and practices and associated factors etc.

(b)      There shall be normally three tours in different regions or landforms in the country broadly covering the themes or topics in the subject areas and complementing and supplementing the inputs in the courses.

(c)      Excursions: Local excursions for observational, experiential and other activity - based learning engagements related to inputs in the courses as assigned, directed or organised by the Academy

(d)      Special exposure to overseas forestry practices in selected foreign countries to study the forest and natural resource management practices, research and development initiatives and the best practices.

Marks: - Total marks shall be determined by Academic Council subject to minimum and maximum of 15% and 17.5% respectively of sum of full marks in subject areas of Groups A, B and C and allocation of marks among the tours and excursions shall be done by the Director for the training course of each batch.

The number of tours and excursions may be varied or may be conducted in combined form as decided by the Director in case of exigencies or for other operational reasons.

Part III

Qualifying Subjects and Skills

(a)      Regional Language: The probationer shall be examined in the language specified against the allotted State /Union territory cadre as mentioned in the following table. In case of more than one regional language shown against the concerned cadre, the Director of the Academy may decide the assignment of regional language in consultation with the State Government /Union territory Administration and ascertaining about the familiarity of the probationer on the subject matter. 

(b)      Official Language: Qualifying the Official language shall be compulsory even if a probationer has studied Hindi as language.

(c)      First aid and Ambulance Drill, Weapons Training, Swimming, Equitation, Jungle Survival Skills, other outfield and adventure skills: The mandatory and optional skills shall be prescribed by the Director of the Academy.