THE INDIAN FOREST SERVICE (PROBATIONERS' FINAL EXAMINATION) REGULATIONS, 1968.

In pursuance of rule 8 of the Indian Forest Service (Probation) Rules, 1968, the Central Government, in consultation with the State Governments and the Union Public Service Commission, hereby makes the following regulations namely:-

1. Short title and commencement.-1(1) These regulations may be called the Indian Forest Service (Probationers' Final Examination) Regulations, 1968.

1(2) They shall be deemed to have come into force on 1st April, 1968.

2. Definitions.-2(1) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, "Schedule" means a Schedule appended to these regulations.

2(2) All other words and expressions used in these regulations and not defined shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Indian Forest Service (Probation) Rules, 1968.

3. Final Examination.-3(1) Every probationer shall, during and at or about the end of the period of training at the Institute, appear at the Final Examination comprising:

(i) written and practical examinations.

(ii) exercises, and

(iii) qualifying tests.

3(2) The written and practical examinations shall, subject to these regulations, be held at the Academy in the manner as decided by the Director.

3(3) Exercises in field work shall be held during the course of training at the Institute and during tours undertaken according to a phased programme.

3(4) The final Examination shall be conducted by the President in the manner laid down in these regulations.

3(5) The dates on which and the places at which the various examinations and tests shall be held shall be fixed by the Central Government in consultation with the President.

4. Subjects and Syllabus for (A) Written and Practical Examinations and (B) Exercises.- The subjects for written and practical examinations and exercises shall be as mentioned below namely:-

14(A) Part-I

Written and Practical Examinations-The subjects for written and practical examinations and the maximum marks allotted to each of them shall be as follows :-

(B) Exercise

The subjects of these exercises and the maximum marks allotted to each of them shall be as follows:

(B).Part-II

Exercises and Tours:- The subjects of exercises and names of tours and the maximum marks allotted to each of them shall be as follows:-

The syllabus for the written and practical examinations and exercises shall be as specified in Part I of the First Schedule.

5. Qualifying tests-(1) Every probationer shall also be required to obtain such standards of proficiency in the following subjects as the Director of the Academy may, with the prior approval of Central Government, determine:-

(i) A regional language, shown in the second column of the Second Schedule against the cadre to which he is allocated. Where more than one regional language is shown against the cadre concerned, the Director of the Academy shall ascertain whether the probationer was already familiar with any of them and thereafter decide in consultation with the State Government in which one of the regional languages, the probationer shall be examined:

Provided that the probationers allocated to the cadres as mentioned in column (1) of the Table below shall be examined in one of the regional languages shown against them in column (2) of the said Table only with effect from such date as the Central Government may, by order, specify in this behalf, namely:-

TABLE

(ii) Hindi, except for candidates who are examined in Hindi as a regional language under clause (i). The test in regional language and Hindi will comprise translation, free composition, set composition and conversation. The probationer's knowledge of grammer would be tested chiefly by composition, conversation and passage for comment.

(iii) Forest Administration and Accounts.

(iv) First Aid and Ambulance Drill. The probationers shall be trained and tested in First Aid and St. John's Ambulance Drill.

(v) Weapon Training

(vi) Swimming

(vii) Motor Mechanics

(viii) Equitation Training

(2) The syllabus for the qualifying tests shall be as specified in Part-II of the First Schedule.

6. Minimum pass marks for examinations and standards of qualifying tests -

Every probationer shall obtain in each group of subject a minimum of 50 per cent at the written and practical examinations and exercises in the final examination under regulation 4, and to pass the qualifying tests conducted by the Director under, regulation 5, by such standards as he may specify.

7. Omitted

FIRST SCHEDULE

(See regulations 4 and 5)

Part I

SYLLABUS FOR THE INDIAN FOREST SERVICE PROBATIONERS' FINAL EXAMINATION

Theory:- ELEMENTARY BIOLOGY

Botany:

Morphology-classification of plant kingdom; Parts of an angiospermic plant, the seed, germination, root, stem - their functions and modifications, the leaf, inflorescence, flower and fruit, Histology the cell, the tissues, cell division, histology of stems, root and leaf, Secondary growth, Physiology-absorption, and conduction of water and mineral salts, metabolismphotosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen fixation and reproduction. Tree Genetics - genetics and its application to plant improvement.

Zoology :

Classification of animal kingdom - economic importance and distinguishing features of different classes.

Practical:- Laboratory work and excursions.

ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS

Fundamentals of algebra, arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, mensuration, use of logarithms - graphs and introductory calculus.

STATISTICS

Role of statistics and definitions. Organisation of data and its representation. Measures of central tendency. Measures of dispersion. Frequency distributions. Regression and correlation. Simple examples of fitting of curves - least square method. Analysis of variance. Statistical inference - estimation and testing of hypothesis. Enumeration and sampling.

ECONOMICS

Basic concepts of economics. Features of traditional and modern economy. Micro and macro- economics. Forestry sector, relevance of economics to forestry. The law of scarcity, society's production possibility frontier and its uses, national income and product. Concept of demand, utility, supply, price and related laws. Factors affecting supply of forest products, production theory as applies to forestry; production function, marginal physical product theory of a single firm. Market - main features, different forms, types of competition, cost and revenue, various concepts, cost of production, marginal cost and marginal revenue. Determination of rent, interest and wages.

FOREST ECOLOGY

Basic principles and concepts, forest ecology and silviculture. Ecological succession, plant formations, classification and ordination of communities. Ecological/environmental/site factors. Effect of vegetation/forests on environment. Measurement of environmental factors. Pollution. Autecology, ecological adaptations, population ecology.

The eco-system : The concept, components and its functions. Forest ecosystems, production ecology/forest productivity: concept, phytogeographical and zoogeographical ecology : salient features of Indian flora and fauna, regions of the World/India. Classification of Indian vegetation, Eco-botanical regions of India. Classification of forest types with emphasis on Champion and Seth's classifaction.

ECOLOGY AND SOIL SCIENCE

Geology theory:-

Topography and geomorphology as related to the forest, Rocks, minerals and fossils. Geological structures and their topographic expressions. Phytogeology in Indian context. Mineral constituents of various rocks and their effects on soil properties. Parent materials leading to different types of soils.

Soil Science theory:-

Physicochemical and biological properties of forest soil, classification and survey of forest soils. Improvement of problem soils.

Practicals:-

Geology - Identification of important rocks, minerals and fossils, simple geological maps and their reading.

Soil Science - Analysis in laboratory, study and description of forest soil profile. Collection of soils samples and analysis of important physico-chemical properties.

FOREST MENSURATION

Scope and Objectives. Measurement of tree diameter, height, girth, bark thickness, weight, tree cross-sectional area, form, crown width, emporical formulae, methods and instruments used. Calculation of log volume. Volume estimation of standing trees, stack of logs, bark and cull - methods, construction and application of tables, mathematical models. Determination of age, increment and growth of trees. Stump analysis and stem analysis. Field exercises.

OVERVIEW OF FORESTRY - NATIONAL AND GLOBAL

Forest and forestry, history of management of forests, development of systems of forest management in recent years, emerging trends. Forest geography of the World - factors influencing the distribution of forests, critical analysis of forest recources, forest policies, wood based industries, forestry practices, forestry research and training. Trade patterns in forest products. International organisations related to forestry. Congresses, Commissions, Conferences and Convertions relevant to forestry on global basis. World forestry literature (Periodicals, Journals, etc.) with display.

COMPUTER AWARENESS

Elementary ideas on computers, introduction to the computer hardware and software. Operating system, single user and multiuser - definition and functions. Word processing - components and feature. Data based management - definitions, create and edit data base files. Report generation. Electronic spread-sheet: definition and capabilities. Elementary ideas on Computer Virus.

SOIL CONSERVATION AND LAND-MANAGEMENT

Soil Conservation and Land Reclamation - Introduction : historical review of land use pattern and land degradation, rational land use policy, soil conservation, its scope and role in national economy. Erosion - agencies, extend, causes, effects and controlling measures. Land recalamation - programmes and practices, land use classification.

Grazing and Fodder Management - Cattle and their fodder requirements. Grass lands in India, distribution, management & improvement and carrying capacity. Fodder resources of India, forest grazing and its management.

Watershed and its Management - Water resources of India. Watershed definition, classification and characteristics.

Watershed management planning - preparation and analysis of integrated watershed management project.

Field Study - preparation of an integrated watershed development project for a micro-watershed.

SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES

Definition, Role of forests, Silviculture-foundation and practices. Regeneration : Natural and Artificial - object, principles, methods and alternatives. Basic principles of nursery and afforestation techniques, recent techniques of production and out planting of bare root & container seedings, afforestation in problem sites, energy plantations, urban forestry, planning, costing & records of regeneration operations.

Silviculture of Indian trees - General description - dealing with distribution, phenology, growth characteristics, autecology synecology, community environment, regeneration methods of Indian species of economic importance.

Demonstration and Field Exercises - Seed quality testing, nursery operation, regeneration techniques of important species and site treatment.

SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS

Definition, scope, objectives and classification. SystemsClearfelling, Shelterwood, Selection, Coppice, Indian modifications and applications. Conversion from one system to other. Concept of Dauerwalda, Silvicultural system for bamboos. Biodiversity - a silvicultural concern. Emerging trends and future strategy.

SYSTEMATIC BOTANY

Theory:-

Plant Nomenclature : Importance, brief history, taxonomy, classification systems.

Angiosperms : Origin and life history. Principles and systems of classification. Modern trends in taxonomy. Systematic Botany of Indian forest plants following Bentham and Hooker System. Their distribution, field characters and economic importance. Salient features of following families -

Magnoliaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Meliaceae, Sterculiaceae, Leguminosae, Rosaceae, Lythraceae, Myrtaceae, Rhizophoraceae, Rubiaceae, Lauraceae, Anachardiaceae, Cupuliferae Verbenaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Gramineae and Coniferae.

Ethnobotany and its importance in forest and protected area management.

Practicals:-

Floral parts, dissection and characteristics of one specimen each of 15 families with identification of species.

FOREST BIOMETRY

Measurement of forest crop-diameter, height, age and volume, Yield tables, Mathematical models. Stand structure - evenaged and unevenaged. Management of sample plots. Forest inventory - Planning, design, alternatives, sampling, execution, compilation and reporting. Forest Site - classification and evaluation, quality classes and site index models. Stand growth and its current estimation and prediction - various methods.

FOREST MANAGEMENT

Introduction, object and principles. Resource base - present and future demands, current practices. Valuation and Appraisal - methods for trees, stump age, evenaged and unevenaged stand, non-wood forest outputs. Concepts of normal forest, increment and yield. Sustained yield, sustainable forestry, rotation. Evaluating intensive management decisions - spacing and thinning. Classical approaches to forest yield regulation - Principles and its application to Indian forests. Working plan.

FOREST SURVEY

Theory:-

Object, scope, principles and types of surveying in forestry. Scales and errors, Chain survey - equipments, field works, recording, plotting. Compass Survey - procedure for traversing. Plane table survey - equipments, setting and methods. Types of levels, levelling and topographical survey - hand levels, clinometer, Ghat tracer & Dumpy level. Computation of area, maps - classification, reprography, indenting and map reading.

Practicals:-

Drawing equipments and their uses. Practice of survey methods - chain, compass and plane table. Use of compass and map reading, computation of areas.

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOREST ENGINEERING

Theory:-

Building construction, Quality of materials, specification & field checks. Preparation of estimate of a building, requirement of building material for construction, plinth area and cube rate estimates, analysis of rates, foundation design for load bearing walls. Forest roads - classification, geometric design, alignment and earth work estimation. Design of retaining wall and construction etc. Bridges - types of forest bridges with span upto 6 m, wooden bridges, small culverts.

Water harvesting structures for soil conservation works - check dams, anicute, spill ways, design of river training works etc.

Practicals:-

Drawing - Plan, elevation and section of buildings, check - dams, wooden bridge with span upto 6 m, estimating earth work from longitudinal section.

Field exercises:-

Alignment of fair weather truckable forest hill road. Reconaissance survey, preliminary survey etc. Preparation of longitudinal sections, cross sections, site plan and estimating earth work etc.

FOREST HARVESTING AND WOOD BASED INDUSTRIES

Theory:-

Definition, scope, terminology. Basic logging hand tools and power chain saws - operation and maintenance. Felling operations, dragging, transporting - various methods and equipments. Loss in process. Management of departmental harvesting. Investment decisions and planning - road design, work study and costing of operations. Marketing.

Establishment of forest based industries. Policy on raw material supply and problems. Composite wood products and their manufacture. Paper industries. Saw milling - techniques and equipments. Wood based small and cottage industries in rural development. Wood for other uses. Grading of wood. Record keeping.

Practicals:-

Maintenance of saws and hand tools. Work study methods. Visit to timber depot.

NON - WOOD FOREST PRODUCE

Introduction, different types of Non-wood Forest Products (NWFP) - their changing role, availability, collection, processing, marketing and pricing. Credit, financing, training and extension on institutionalising cultivation. Protection of biodiversity and conservation of genepool of Non-Wood Forest Produce.

WOOD TECHNOLOGY

Theory:-

Wood anatomy, scope, structure, physical features and strength properties of wood, evaluation of defects & abnormalities for various uses. Wood seasoning, preservation - concepts and practices, other improvement techniques of timber utilization.

Practicals :-

Identification of timbers with key for 20 important timbers. Wood seasoning and wood preservation.

BIO-DIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Bio-diversity and Wildlife. Objects of conservation, life support systems. Principles of management, animal-habitat studies, conservation biology, wildlife behaviour studies, management of animal communities, habitat management. Conservation strategy - ex situ and in situ, protected area network, agencies for conservation, human dimension, wildlife in managed forests. Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

FOREST PROTECTION

Agencies causing forest damage - fires, man, cattle, insects and pathogens. Nature and extent of damage. Fire damage - causes, character, control and protection. Shifting cultivation, illicit felling, encroachments - problems and remedial measures. Grazing regulations. Diseases of plants and trees - symptoms, casual organisms, identification and control. Common forest insect pests and their control. Protection against damages by atmospheric agencies.

FOREST POLICY & LAW

Forest Policy : foundation, need and scope. Critical evaluation of National Forest Policies of 1894 and 1952. National Forest Policy 1988 and its objectives assessment.

Forest Law: Legal definations, application of penal code to forests, general principles of criminal law, legal principles of punishment, criminal procedure code, the law of evidence and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 as applied to forestry matters. Objects of special forest law: the Indian Forest Act, 1927 general provisions, detailed study. Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

ADVANCED FOREST MANAGEMENT

Forestry sector and national economy. Goods and services from forests. Demand estimation - non-timber product economics. Project formulation and appraisal management, NCT work analysis. MIS, monitoring and evaluation. Decision making in forest management - various techniques. Forestry planning and Budgeting.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT

Organisational behaviour - structure & suitablity, motivation, leadership, group dynamics, management of conflict & stress. Human resource management, manpower planning selection, placement, career development, management communication - types and skill. Production and operation management - forecasting, methods & work study, performance and productivity. Material management.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Environment - Definitions, components and importance. Principles of Environmental conservation. Impact of deforestation, forest fires, mining, development of civilization, population growth, industrial revolution and of various development projects on environment. Water - Various water ecosystems, its uses and problems. Pollution - different types & effects & control measures, environmental monitoring. Global warming, ozone layer depletion and acid rains and strategy for sustainable energy use. Environmental impact Assessment of projects. Concept of sustainable development, environment management, education, policy and legislation in India.

COMPUTER APPLICATION IN FORESTRY

Planning for computers. Selection of hardware system. Development of application software. Computer maintenance.

Introduction to Geographical Information System Package (GIS); remote sensing; project management system(PRISM); sensitivity and regression analysis; operation research package; expert system; data communication and networking (LAN). District Information System(DISNIC). Computer aided working plan exercise; and MIS development.

REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN FORESTRY

Theory:-

Basic principles, types and scope of remote sensing. Introduction of aerial photography and photo grammetry. Measurements from aerial photographs, photo-interpretation, area determination and forest mapping. Use of aerial photographs in forest inventory and management. Introduction to various types of satellites and sensors - resolution and form of data available. Acquisition and interpretation of satellite data for forestry purpose. Thematic mapping, vegetation mapping. GIS and its use in Forest Management.

Practicals:-

Stereoscopic vision test, interpretation and measurements on aerial photographs, transference of details to base map. Vegetation mapping work. Identifying the objects. Digital and visual interpretation of satellite image. Field application of GIS.

SPECIAL PAPER

PEOPLE AND FOREST

Forests in rural development - Forests - people symbiotic linkage; Forests and tribals, forests and employment generation, forest dweliers - their tradition of forest conservation, rights and concession. People's participation in forest management - concept to commissioning and review. Management of local community action, forest management strategy - social forestry programmes & Joint Forest Management programme (JFM). Various strategies, micro level planning & participatory rural appraisal. Monitoring and evaluation of JFM behavioural dimensions in people centered forest management. Forestry extension - communication, extension work; Programme planning & methods. Management of extension organisation.

EXERCISES AND TOURS :

1. Working Plan Exercise - Preliminary Working Plan Report; field work - stock mapping, checking of maps, compartment description, collection of statistical data, collection of other data, evaluation of management alternatives.

2. Road Alignment Exercises - alignment, mapping, and estimation of forest motor road through a hilly country.

3. Integrated Watershed Management - Selection of macro and micro watershed, data collection, socio-economic survey, formation of an integrated watershed development project comprising various sectoral development plans.

4. Tours :-

(i) Introductory Tour - Familiarisation with forest and forestry operation, field botany, forest management, study of wildlife, study of forest administrative and management units, locality factors, silviculture, utilisation, forest terminology.

(ii) Hill Tour - Study of working plans and management of conifers and temperate broad-leaved species, introduction of exotics, mechanised logging, stem analysis, stump analysis, increment boring, sample plot lay out, enumeration.

(iii) West India Tour - Soil Conservation, grazing and fodder management, ravine reclamation, combating desertification, social forestry and other silvicultural practices for other problem sites.

(iv) South India Tour - Study of working plans and management of teak, bamboo, deciduous species, evergreen species; thinning research;utilisation methods including visits to wood-based industries, industrial plantations.

(v) East India Tour - Study of ecological succession, natural and artificial regeneration, tending, mechanised plantations of fast growing species, yield and volume tables, forest types, taungya technique, afforestation technique in various types of areas, study of mangrove ecosystem.

PART II

Qualifying Tests:-

(i) First Aid - The probationers shall be trained and tested in civil defence, first aid and St. John's Ambulance drill.

(ii) Weapon Training - The probationers shall be trained and tested in the use of light machine gun, rifles, pistols and revolvers.

(iii) Equitation Training - shall include the walk, trot, canter.

(iv) Regional Language - The test shall comprise of translation, free composition, set composition, conversation and dictation. The probationer's knowledge of grammer shall be tested chiefly by composition, conversation and passages for comment.

(v) Hindi - The test shall comprise of translation, free composition, set composition, conversation and dictation. The probationer's knowledge of grammer shall be tested chiefly by composition, conversation and passages for comment.

(vi) Motor Mechanics - Petrol and diesel engines; four stroke and two stroke engines; fuel system; ignition system; Iubrication system; transmission system; cooling system; fault detection and daily checks.

(vii) Forest Administration and Accounts - (a) Introduction, need, organisational set up, types of administrative and management units and their set up, management information system in forest department, inter-departmental coordination, forest manuals. (b) Generally accepted accounting principles. Convention and concept, Cash Book and other

subsidiary registers maintained in division and range offices. Analysis of check and post-check, budget and grant, power of sanction, appropriation and reconciliation, issue of cheques, payments, muster-roll, measurement book, forest advances, advances of contractors.

Forest Corporation : Analysis of balance sheet and profit and loss account, ratio analysis and fund flow analysis.

(viii) Swimming - The standard of training and proficiency shall be determined by the Director."

SECOND SCHEDULE

(See regulation 51)