"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord"

So before my memory fades, let me recapitulate my tryst with IFoS Exam 2014.

I never knew abt IFS before n how to enter into it. It all started when Civils n IFS prelims got merged in 2013. I dint even opt for IFS in 2013 simply becoz i was ignorant. I totally lived in the darkness. But goodness me, the failure in Mains 2013 opened my eyes. I felt it to be disastrous to base all my future on 1 single exam that is Civil Services. Soon i decided not to skip other exams... keep attempting them but the ultimate Goal is the IAS...

In the process, i applied for Bank POs(Just to get CSAT practise), CAPF (PET clashed with IFS mains, hence left it), RBI Grade B(again for apti practise) and ultimately Indian Forest Services. IFoS never loomed large even now coz of my ignorance. Still it was just one of those exams which gives me practise for civils. But how ignorant i was....I was just underestimating an All India Service just because it was not included in Civil Services Exam..

Anywayz, with my civils prelims going pretty well, i was confident of clearing IFS cutoffs too, but the tragedy was i was not even sure of which optionals i opted for IFS mains. How idiotic i was!!! The day the Civils prelims results came, i was very relaxed as i was confident. But,Once i knew i cleared IFS cutoffs too, i was determined to make it count. That is when i started digging into "What is this IFS?" and to my surprize i actually was totally ignorant in estimating its status. Being a Geography student, i found IFS to be a more apt job for me, than lets say IRS or IRTS. I love nature, environment and visiting places & IFS suits me lot better.

I chose Agriculture and Geology as my optionals. Geology was my default optional coz of its overlap with Geography. I was confused between Agriculture and Forestry, but finally went with Agri as i found it to be more interesting.

And then started my journey of preparing for both Civils Mains(9 papers) n IFS Mains(6 papers)... The gap between these two mains was hardly 10days. Civils syllabus was mammoth. I was reading two new subjects Agri n Geology which are noway connected to civils. I was feeling like "What the hell am i doing?","What junk am i reading?" "Do i need to know how plants breath, eat n drink?" "Am i compromizing with my civils mains and unnecessarily wasting time on IFS which is tough to clear for a CS grad like me?" n so so many questions abt IFS mains. But i was determined to clear IFS or atleast make the oppurtunity count. Many die for a rank 4m UPSC n i shudn't be taking this oppurtunity litely. Every mark was crucial and i wanted to give my best.

Moreover my IFS mains centre was Hyderabad and i live in Bangalore. I had to go to Hyd by night train, get down at mrng 6, write the exams without even bath and come back and catch the train at evenin 7 back to bangalore. I had to do like this 2 times as there was gap between exams.  What if the train is late? What if i dont perform due to journey lag? What if i screw my civils which is just 10days away? So many doubts hovering in my mind. But I always knew that i was a tough guy to beat...I cleared IFS Mains..:)


in Between, i got a Research Scientist post in Central Research Labs, Bharat Electronics Ltd., Joined there for few days and quit immediately after getting IFS interview dates. i worked there for 13 days  n it took guts to quit so fast !!!  People scratched their heads as to Y any1 quits a Gazetted Govt job in 13 days !!!! My mom was again crying by repeatedly telling me that i was screwing my life wantedly....but i knew my destiny. I got interview call 4m UPSC which is a rare chance...I am going to enter into that UPSC building after 2 full years n This is the Moment n if not now, its never... Only i knew what i was doing... Rest of the world showed pity on me, scolded me, suggested me and ordered me... They all did out of the care they have in my future...
But the Future is not decided by the emotions but by the bold audacious decisions....

n Today I am an Indian Forest Services Officer with AIR 38!!!
Thankyou Everyone for the love you have showered on me... I truely cherish these moments n this journey... :D

P.S. Will tell abt my Interview n Mains strategy in the coming posts.. cheers.. :)