While scrolling through Instagram, Harsimran Singh Cheema came across a profile suggestion for an Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer from Madhya Pradesh. As he explored the officer’s feed, he learned about the prestigious Indian Forest Service.
“I was amazed by the diverse responsibilities of a forest officer in protecting our forests and supporting the community. With the growing impact of climate change and heightened focus on environmental issues, I realised there are many opportunities for meaningful work in this field,” he says.
“This realisation sparked my interest in the service, and it was then that I decided to take the exam,” he adds.
Prior to this, Harsimran had already attempted the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examinations (UPSC CSE) . “I was also approaching the age of 32, the maximum limit for a general candidate in the UPSC. I wanted to give it one last try since I had nothing to lose,” says Harsimran, who was then working as the Inspector of Cooperative Society in Punjab.
After multiple in UPSC CSE, Harsimran finally achieved a remarkable feat on his first attempt in the UPSC IFS (Indian Forest Service) examination in 2022, securing an All India Rank of 16 on his first attempt.
Currently, Harsimra is undergoing training at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy in Dehradun.
We sat down with him to understand the difference between IAS and IFS and the preparation strategy that led him to success in his first attempt at IFS.
Originally from Jalandhar, Punjab, Harsimran shares the story behind his inspiration to join the civil services. “When I was a child, my mother would tell me stories about her dream of becoming an IAS officer. However, at that time, the environment was not conducive for women to pursue higher education and jobs. Opportunities were limited, and parents primarily focused on marrying off their daughters. She hoped to fulfil her dream through me, and I wanted to achieve this for her,” he shares.
After completing his civil engineering degree from the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology in 2013, Harsimran worked in the private sector for a year. In 2014, he decided to leave his job and prepare full-time for the UPSC-CSE.
Harsimran cleared the Prelims on his first attempt but couldn’t clear the Mains. This pattern continued in his successive attempts in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, he managed to clear the Mains but did not make it to the final list after the interview round. “By that time, I was unemployed, and I was not getting success in my attempts. I was disheartened,” he says.
He felt it was high time to work on his Plan B — securing a government position in the Punjab State Civil Services. “In 2017, I took up a job as an Inspector of Cooperative Society. This role allowed me to observe the functioning of the Government at the grassroots level. It was an eye-opener for me. I realised that while civil services are often glamourised, the work of government officers is similar to any other job, with targets and goals to meet,” he adds.
Harsimran secured an All India Rank of 16 on his first attempt at UPSC-IFS.
Talking about the importance of having a plan B, he says, “I wouldn’t advise aspirants to spend years and years solely on exam preparation. This exam isn’t everything. It’s important to diversify and not put all your eggs in one basket. That should be your initial approach. Many people waste years chasing glamour. Instead, dedicate two to three years of hard work, and if you’re unable to clear it, it’s perfectly fine to explore other opportunities.”
“ . Hard work never goes to waste; I can attest to this after almost 10 years of my journey, which fortunately culminated in success in this field,” he adds.
In 2021, he began preparing for forest services alongside his full-time job. “As this was my last opportunity to get into the service, I was nervous. But finally, I tasted success in my first attempt at IFS,” says Harsimran, who clenched an AIR of 16 in the 2022 examination.
In UPSC, candidates can choose their preferred ranks, opting for either IAS, IFS, or both. They have separate attempts for each. Initially, Harsimran focused solely on IAS (CSE). However, on his final attempt, he decided to pursue IFS, a decision that proved fruitful as he successfully cleared it on his first attempt.
Talking about the changes that he made in his strategy before appearing for forest services, he says, “The cutoff for the forest service exam is generally higher than that for civil services, requiring candidates to put in more effort right from the preliminary stage. I had to elevate my Prelims preparation to a whole new level.”
Harsimran secured 210 marks out of 300 in the personality test round.
He continues, “To prepare effectively, I searched for from the last 10 years. This helped me understand UPSC’s expectations and gauge the adequacy of my preparation. Additionally, I focused on mastering subjects that typically challenge other candidates, giving me a competitive edge.”
To gain an edge over his competitors, Harsimran stressed reverse engineering. “I identified the most challenging questions from previous years’ question papers and diligently searched for relevant information online. Once I found the appropriate source books, I stuck to them to gain a deeper understanding of the subjects,” he adds.
With this strategy, he successfully cleared the Prelims and Mains stages in 2022. He mentions that he dedicated approximately a month and a half to prepare for the interview round. “It is to be noted that the interview rounds for both CSE and IFS are different. While the former is on general questions, the latter stresses on technicalities of the forest service,” he informs.
“While general answers might suffice in the Civil Services Examination (CSE), the board for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) expects scientific and sustainable solutions,” says Harsimran, who secured 210 marks out of 300 in the .
“While preparing for the interview, I covered basic questions about my background, job experience, degrees, hobbies, and interests. Additionally, I focused on technical aspects related to forestry,” he says, adding that during the interview round, he was asked about various types of forest fires and strategies to improve groundwater quality affected by the overuse of chemical fertilisers in farms.
Edited by Pranita Bhat. All photos: Harsimran Singh.
“I was amazed by the diverse responsibilities of a forest officer in protecting our forests and supporting the community. With the growing impact of climate change and heightened focus on environmental issues, I realised there are many opportunities for meaningful work in this field,” he says.
“This realisation sparked my interest in the service, and it was then that I decided to take the exam,” he adds.
Prior to this, Harsimran had already attempted the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examinations (UPSC CSE) . “I was also approaching the age of 32, the maximum limit for a general candidate in the UPSC. I wanted to give it one last try since I had nothing to lose,” says Harsimran, who was then working as the Inspector of Cooperative Society in Punjab.
After multiple in UPSC CSE, Harsimran finally achieved a remarkable feat on his first attempt in the UPSC IFS (Indian Forest Service) examination in 2022, securing an All India Rank of 16 on his first attempt.
Currently, Harsimra is undergoing training at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy in Dehradun.
We sat down with him to understand the difference between IAS and IFS and the preparation strategy that led him to success in his first attempt at IFS.
Decade-long journey to becoming an IFS Officer
Originally from Jalandhar, Punjab, Harsimran shares the story behind his inspiration to join the civil services. “When I was a child, my mother would tell me stories about her dream of becoming an IAS officer. However, at that time, the environment was not conducive for women to pursue higher education and jobs. Opportunities were limited, and parents primarily focused on marrying off their daughters. She hoped to fulfil her dream through me, and I wanted to achieve this for her,” he shares.
After completing his civil engineering degree from the DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology in 2013, Harsimran worked in the private sector for a year. In 2014, he decided to leave his job and prepare full-time for the UPSC-CSE.
Harsimran cleared the Prelims on his first attempt but couldn’t clear the Mains. This pattern continued in his successive attempts in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, he managed to clear the Mains but did not make it to the final list after the interview round. “By that time, I was unemployed, and I was not getting success in my attempts. I was disheartened,” he says.
He felt it was high time to work on his Plan B — securing a government position in the Punjab State Civil Services. “In 2017, I took up a job as an Inspector of Cooperative Society. This role allowed me to observe the functioning of the Government at the grassroots level. It was an eye-opener for me. I realised that while civil services are often glamourised, the work of government officers is similar to any other job, with targets and goals to meet,” he adds.
Harsimran secured an All India Rank of 16 on his first attempt at UPSC-IFS.
Talking about the importance of having a plan B, he says, “I wouldn’t advise aspirants to spend years and years solely on exam preparation. This exam isn’t everything. It’s important to diversify and not put all your eggs in one basket. That should be your initial approach. Many people waste years chasing glamour. Instead, dedicate two to three years of hard work, and if you’re unable to clear it, it’s perfectly fine to explore other opportunities.”
“ . Hard work never goes to waste; I can attest to this after almost 10 years of my journey, which fortunately culminated in success in this field,” he adds.
In 2021, he began preparing for forest services alongside his full-time job. “As this was my last opportunity to get into the service, I was nervous. But finally, I tasted success in my first attempt at IFS,” says Harsimran, who clenched an AIR of 16 in the 2022 examination.
IAS vs IFS — How different is the preparation process?
In UPSC, candidates can choose their preferred ranks, opting for either IAS, IFS, or both. They have separate attempts for each. Initially, Harsimran focused solely on IAS (CSE). However, on his final attempt, he decided to pursue IFS, a decision that proved fruitful as he successfully cleared it on his first attempt.
Talking about the changes that he made in his strategy before appearing for forest services, he says, “The cutoff for the forest service exam is generally higher than that for civil services, requiring candidates to put in more effort right from the preliminary stage. I had to elevate my Prelims preparation to a whole new level.”
Harsimran secured 210 marks out of 300 in the personality test round.
He continues, “To prepare effectively, I searched for from the last 10 years. This helped me understand UPSC’s expectations and gauge the adequacy of my preparation. Additionally, I focused on mastering subjects that typically challenge other candidates, giving me a competitive edge.”
To gain an edge over his competitors, Harsimran stressed reverse engineering. “I identified the most challenging questions from previous years’ question papers and diligently searched for relevant information online. Once I found the appropriate source books, I stuck to them to gain a deeper understanding of the subjects,” he adds.
With this strategy, he successfully cleared the Prelims and Mains stages in 2022. He mentions that he dedicated approximately a month and a half to prepare for the interview round. “It is to be noted that the interview rounds for both CSE and IFS are different. While the former is on general questions, the latter stresses on technicalities of the forest service,” he informs.
“While general answers might suffice in the Civil Services Examination (CSE), the board for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) expects scientific and sustainable solutions,” says Harsimran, who secured 210 marks out of 300 in the .
“While preparing for the interview, I covered basic questions about my background, job experience, degrees, hobbies, and interests. Additionally, I focused on technical aspects related to forestry,” he says, adding that during the interview round, he was asked about various types of forest fires and strategies to improve groundwater quality affected by the overuse of chemical fertilisers in farms.
Edited by Pranita Bhat. All photos: Harsimran Singh.