- This year UPSC had combined the prelims for Civil Service Exam (CSE) and Indian Forest service exam (IFoS). But their mains were kept separate.
- IFoS has a combined question paper cum answer sheet (like UPSC plans to do for CSE-Mains2013).
- But a separate “take home” Questionpaper was also attached with this answer sheet. (so we can hope similar for Civil Service Mains 2013: a ‘takehome’ question paper!)
- The question paper didnot mention word limit for the 8 markers or 6 markers.
- They gave one page space for writing each 6/8 marker.
IFoS GK paper 2013 (compared to earlier years)
- In earlier years, for IFoS GK, they used to ask ‘big’ questions 10 marks, 15 marks, 20 marks per question. But this time, maximum mark for a question =only 8 marks.
- No options (i.e. write any 3 out of 4). All question were compulsory.
- Only one question on abbreviation (HTML). Earlier they used to ask plenty of abbreviations.
- No question on Maps.
anyways, without much ado, here is the IFoS GK Mains paper is given below. @CSE Mains 2013 aspirants also try to solve these questions.
Q1: Answer all five (8×5=40)
- Briefly highlight the contribution of Mauryas in the spread of Buddhism.
- Write a short note on the administration of Sher Shah Suri.
- Discuss ancient India’s trade with China.
- Write about the efforts of Congress party to solve the problems of Peasants during pre-independence period.
- Describe the achievement of Indian national army during British period.
Q2: Answer all five (8×5=40)
- What is a ‘cloudburst’? Explain the impact of cloudburst.
- Where are the major coal mines located in India? Discuss the current issues concerning the mining of coal.
- What is ‘spot-fixing’ in cricket? Briefly discuss the impact the spot-fixing had on the IPL Tournament.
- Why do the petrol and diesel prices increase in India frequently? What impact these price rises have on the economy?
- Discuss the reasons as to why ‘outsourcing’ has become an economic beneficial mechanism for both ‘rich’ and ‘poor’ countries.
Q3: Answer all five (8×5=40)
- Define the role of the Governor of an Indian State during emergency.
- What are the main functions and responsibilities of the Gram Sabha under Article 243(A) of the Constitution?
- What is the impact of coalition politics in India’s decision-making process?
- Explain the implication of the Supreme Court ruling in 2013 in the context of electoral reforms in India.
- Give an account of the State reorganization process in modern India.
Q4. Answer all five (8×5=40)
- What is Television Rating Point (TRP)? Briefly point out the utilization of TRP in management of media channels.
- What is Breaking News? What purpose does Breaking new serve? Point out the misuses of the same.
- Advantages of remote sensing in forest management
- Explain: Carbon footprint, Carbon credit and Carbon sink
- Difference between Computer hacker and cracker? Discuss importance of firewall
Q5. Answer all five (8×5=40)
- What are the objectives of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission?
- Discuss the main provisions of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) Act, 2005.
- Explain the Food Security Bill. What are its implications?
- What is acid attack? What direction the Supreme Court has given to the Government of India to curb these attacks?
- What is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of FDI in multibrand retail sales.
Q6. Answer all five (8×5=40)
- Discuss the impact of opencast mining on environmental degradation.
- What is Jhum? How does it affect the environment?
- Explain the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Programme 2013-2016 on biodiversity
- Explain the causes of forest fires and describe the methods of controlling it.
- What is an ecosystem? Classify them on the basis of risk or threat they are facing at present.
Q7. Answer all FIVE questions (6×5=30)
- What is dark matter? Discuss how it has opened a new area of research in Physics?
- What is wilting in plants? What effect does it have on food production? What
- measures can be taken against wilting in plants?6
- What is fibre-optic cable? How does it work?6
- Differentiate between ‘broadsheet’ and ‘tabloid’ newspaper. Discuss the content of ‘page-3’ and ‘op-ed’ page of a newspaper.
- What is HTML? What for it is usually used and how?
Q8. Explain the following in about 20 words each:
- Oriental Despotism
- Diaspora
- Digital Slavery
- Politicides
- Nirankari Movement
Q9. Who/What are the following and why were they/these in the news recently?
- Razia Sultana
- Chris Gayle
- Ravuri Bharadwaj
- Adli Mansour
- Keonjhar
- Rituparna Ghosh
- Bodh Gaya
- Edward Snowden
- Miguel Trevino Morales
- Amar G. Bose
answersheet was plain …if you are having this question in ur mind
mrunal……. same question pattern (8*5=40) will be asked from CSE2013 MAINS onwards…OR conventional questional 15/20/25/30 markeers will be asked ??
Thank You mrunal. Kindly upload botany paper ( IFS 2013 mains).
How about optional paper??? Were there choices in optional paper today??
Mrunal.. The dates of elections are announced.. Will it affect the exam dates?? Any idea?
@mrunal :
have upsc cs mains ever been postponed due to elections??EC announced rajasthan and delhi polls on the 1st and 4th of december!
Election in delhi on 4th dec and in rajasthan on 1st dec, clashing with mains exam date, whether exams will be postponed?
Hi Mrunal,
Can you please put up a preparation plan for Forestry optional?
It is very difficult to make a strategic preparation plan for this optional.
OHH YAA..PLZZ MRUNAL…M ASKING TO U FROM LONG TIME FOR IFoS STRTGY PLAN…
un predictable service commission…
this gives me hope…but at the same time efforts must be tripled! meanwhile a warning to those filing for high court clerkship in chandigarh, the exam may not even happen! thats what they did to me last year, its a total waste of money don’t do it!
thanx a lot sir.
Hello Mrunal,
Can you please upload the general English paper of ifos.
for Mains 2013.
Query: Were all the parts of a particular questions clubbed together and then space left for all parts (for ex. 5 sides left after Ques 1. containing 5 parts after mentioning all parts of the question at the same place)? Secondly, other than the known changes, is the answersheet same as usual in terms of space provided after margins etc.?
IFoS physics papers are same like last year …
1 and 5 are compulsory (no choice in this sub part) ..
attempt any 3 in remaining 6 questions at least one question from each section …
Hi Sandeep,
Can you please explain more, assuming you have given the exam. Were the sub-parts of a question clubbed together or each had answering space attached? Did they provide answering space for all questions? I thought UPSC would not waste paper like this.
Thanks in anticipation.
Actually I did not given my exam..
I got paper from orkut community (interview prep for ias)
Will there be postponement of UPSC Mains due to elections in DECEMBER 2013
Please clarify us about exam dates..
Please Mrunal sir
mrunal sir
please tell if 5 out of 8 questions to attempt in optional is continued in forest service exam . I have language as my optional for CS mains and we used to prepare only 6 questions as topics where more or less fixed. Please confirm
Can anyone please tell the name of books for preparing FORESTRY and GEOLOGY subjects for IFoS exam.
This is nice information, and very good for the early preparation.The subject here are published is very much helpful for the advance preparation of story writing and essay.
Hopefully it is stone of the mile.
sir , plz mail me question paper of ifos 2013 mains ( english , agri , zoology , botany ) .
reply soon
This is what really happened in UPSC IFS mains. A real witness account embellished with keen analysis of the situation.
http://akashacharyaindia.blogspot.in/
PLZ MAIL ME ZOOLOGY, FORESTRY MAIN 2013 IFOS PAPER….littlesundew@gmail.com
plz mail me zoology, forestry qesn paper ifos main 2013….littlesundew@gmail.com
plz some one upload zoology, forestry , botany paper…………
rahul bhai… prelims ki prep karo… optionals baad mein dekh lena
BOSS….PRELIMS K BAAD TIME NAHI MILEGA MAINS K LIYE….
@rahul : what is your graduation subject and optional for ifs
catapult: i m B. PHARMA graduate, my optional are ZOOLOGY and FORESTRY..WAT ABOUT YOU???
SOME SERIOUS IFS ASPIRANT CAN EXPRERSS THEIR FEELING @http://sudhanshushekhar.wordpress.com/
Hi mrunal ,
Are combined answer booklet also there for IFS optional pspers
SOME ONE HAVING ZOOLOGY, FORESTRY, BOTANY PAPER…PLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
RAHUL SIR
COULD YOU SUGGEST ME BOOK FOR BOTANY OPTION
COULD YOU SUGGEST ME BOOK FOR BOTANY OPTION
n.sukhbir@gmail.com SEND ME REPLY ON THIS ID
sir, plz mail me the zoology,& english paper 2013-ifos