The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had released the official cut-off marks for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination 2018 on its website, along with the final results. These cut-offs highlight the minimum scores required by candidates to qualify at different stages – Preliminary, Main, and Final. As many aspirants look back at previous year trends to plan their strategy, the IFS 2018 cut-off remains an important benchmark to understand competition levels in one of India’s most prestigious civil service exams.
I am writing about this because serious IFS aspirants often study past cut-offs to identify how hard they need to work for each stage. Forest Service is not only a career in environmental protection and wildlife conservation, but it also demands the same level of preparation seen in the IAS and IPS exams. The 2018 cut-off gives clarity on how marks fluctuate based on difficulty level, number of vacancies, category-wise competition, and the overall performance of candidates. With this reference article, students will be able to download the official cut-off PDF and use it to plan their upcoming attempt with realistic expectations and better exam planning.
Indian Forest Service Exam 2018: Overview of Cut-Off
The Indian Forest Service Examination is conducted in three stages:
- Civil Services (Preliminary) Exam
- IFS Main Exam
- Personality Test (Interview)
The cut-offs are released separately for each stage and vary across categories.
Why Check IFS 2018 Cut-Off?
Studying past trends helps candidates:
- Compare difficulty levels over the years
- Evaluate which subjects need more focus
- Set a realistic target score for Prelims and Main
- Understand competition category-wise
- Prepare strategically rather than randomly
For example, a difference between the Prelims cut-off of General and ST categories shows how reservation impacts scoring expectations. Similarly, the final interview cut-off gives clarity on how performance must remain consistent at every stage.
How to Download the Official IFS 2018 Cut-Off PDF
Candidates can download the official document from the UPSC website. Follow these steps:
- Visit the official UPSC website
- Click on the “Examination” tab
- Select “Cut-Off Marks”
- Look for Indian Forest Service Examination, 2018
- Click and download the PDF
It is recommended to save PDFs of past years for regular reference during preparation.


















