IFoS Mains 2025 — General English & GK Question Paper

Cover — Question Paper Specific Instructions

Indian Forest Services (Main) Examination-2025 — GENERAL ENGLISH. Time Allowed : Three Hours. Maximum Marks : 300.

• Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions. All the questions are to be attempted. The number of marks carried by a question/part is indicated against it. Word limit of the answers, if specified, should be adhered to. You must not disclose your identity in any of your answers. Answers must be written in ENGLISH only.

Q1 — Essay (100 marks)

Write an essay in about 800 – 1000 words on any one of the following :

• (a)Childhood in conflict zones
  100 marks1000 words
• (b)Wildlife preservation and the development drive
  100 marks1000 words
• (c)Freedom in the age of digital surveillance
  100 marks1000 words
• (d)Impact of Artificial Intelligence on employment sector
  100 marks1000 words

Q2 — Expansion and Report Writing (50 marks)

• (a)Expand the idea given in the following proverb in a paragraph of about 200 words : 'Grey hair is a sign of age, not of wisdom.'
  25 marks200 words
• (b)Write a newspaper report on the rise of young Indian grandmasters in chess in recent years. (Do not write your name or address or give any information revealing your identity. Use only ABC/XYZ for all proper nouns)
  25 marks

Q3 — Précis (50 marks)

Write a precis of the following passage in about 165 words, one-third of the original length. Do not give it any title.

• [Passage of ~498 words (word count printed on paper) on places as synthetic compositions of meaning, social relations and nature, and the cultural trauma of 'place annihilation' in natural disasters — see official PDF]
  50 marks165 words

Q4 — Reading Comprehension (10×5=50 marks)

Read the following passage and answer the questions given below in your own words :

• [Passage of ~750 words on the process of urbanization — surplus food production and its extraction by urban centres, trade networks as a prerequisite for urbanization, factors behind the decline of pre-industrial cities, and what the settlement pattern of towns indicates about social organization — see official PDF]
• (a)What role does surplus food production play in the process of urbanization ?
  10 marks
• (b)What does the author mean by the term 'trade' in the given passage ?
  10 marks
• (c)What are the factors that contribute to the growth of a city ?
  10 marks
• (d)Give the reasons responsible for the decline of a city.
  10 marks
• (e)How is the history of a town reflected in its pattern of growth ?
  10 marks

Q5 — Grammar and Usage (50 marks)

• (a)Rewrite the following sentences after correcting the grammatical errors in each : (1×10=10) (i) The chief guest gave out prizes to the meritorious students. (ii) You love singing, aren't you ? (iii) Last month, I bought a lot of furnitures for my new home. (iv) The Indian wrestler knocked down her opponent from the contest. (v) One should perform his duties. (vi) Shubhman Gill has scored a century in his last innings. (vii) Neither of them were invited to the party. (viii) He insisted to leave immediately. (ix) What beautiful image ! (x) India is heading fastly towards a phase of high economic growth.
  10 marks
• (b)Write the adjective forms of the following words : (1×5=5) (i) Mortality (ii) Modification (iii) Sensibility (iv) Providence (v) Prophecy
  5 marks
• (c)Make one sentence with each of the following idiomatic expressions bringing out their meanings clearly : (2×5=10) (i) Smell a rat (ii) Hit the nail on the head (iii) Split hairs (iv) Keep one's head above water (v) Let sleeping dogs lie
  10 marks
• (d)Rewrite the following sentences as directed without changing their meaning : (2×5=10) (i) He was obstinate. He was punished. (Combine into one sentence using 'as') (ii) She said to him, "Please wait here till I return." (Change into Indirect Speech) (iii) He is too ignorant to be a postman. (Rewrite the sentence omitting 'too' and 'to') (iv) Are they not praising me ? (Change into Passive Voice) (v) No building in the city is as tall as Ushakiran. (Rewrite using the Superlative Degree)
  10 marks
• (e)Change the Gender of the following words : (1×5=5) (i) Fox (ii) Nun (iii) Sorceress (iv) Stag (v) Abbot
  5 marks
• (f)Make one sentence with each of the following words to make the meaning clear : (2×5=10) (i) Accede, Exceed (ii) Ascent, Assent (iii) Corporal, Corporeal (iv) Extant, Extent (v) Feat, Feet
  10 marks

Q1 — History & Culture (50 marks)

• (a)Discuss the contribution of Vedic philosophy in promotion of sustainable forest management.
  15 marks200 words
• (b)Bring out the political significance of the first three decades of 16th century.
  15 marks200 words
• (c)What were the basic features of the Gandhara school of art?
  10 marks125 words
• (d)Assess the role played by revolutionary nationalists in India's struggle for freedom.
  10 marks125 words

Q2 — Economy (50 marks)

• (a)Critically examine the Centre-State-Local financial relations as prescribed in the Indian Constitution. Given the experience of the last 75 years, what changes are necessary to improve the situation? Also suggest some measures for consideration of the 16th Finance Commission.
  15 marks200 words
• (b)What are the important changes brought out in the Indian banking system in the recent years? How will it cater to the needs of a digitalized monetary system?
  15 marks200 words
• (c)“The impact of agriculture insurance schemes on saving the farmers from the vagaries of nature is marginal.” Comment on the statement and suggest how the income of the farmers can be stabilized.
  10 marks125 words
• (d)What is commercial forestry? Examine the possibility of this without compromising the sustainable requirement of forest management.
  10 marks125 words

Q3 — Polity (50 marks)

• (a)How is President's rule imposed in a State in India? How have different Governors dealt with dissolving Legislative Assemblies after President's rule has been invoked?
  15 marks200 words
• (b)What is the process of granting assent to the Bills by a Governor of State? Can the Governor exercise a 'pocket veto'? What are the potential implications of the 'pocket veto'? Answer in the light of recent judgement of the Supreme Court of India.
  15 marks200 words
• (c)Discuss the scope of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution. Has 'due process of law' been incorporated under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution?
  10 marks125 words
• (d)“The philosophy behind the system of reservation in India is evolving.” Analyze.
  10 marks125 words

Q4 — Geography & Environment (50 marks)

• (a)The phenomenon of urban heat island results in increased energy consumption. The development of green infrastructure is a sustainable mitigation measure. Do you agree? Provide justification.
  15 marks200 words
• (b)Describe briefly the key differences between the Himalayan and Peninsular river systems in India. What could be the key consequences of interlinking of rivers in India?
  15 marks200 words
• (c)What do you understand by the terms 'Blue Revolution' and 'White Revolution' in the context of agricultural development? Do the Blue Revolution and the White Revolution have the capacity to transform rural livelihoods in India?
  10 marks125 words
• (d)“The causes of flash floods are both natural and human-made.” Comment on the statement in the context of the flash floods in Dharali, Uttarkashi in August 2025.
  10 marks125 words

Q5 (50 marks)

• (a)What types of recent trends are being observed in agriculture technologies in India for better crop production and farming? Discuss.
  15 marks200 words
• (b)“Forests are wealth of any country.” Justify the statement.
  15 marks200 words
• (c)Discuss the various biotechnological applications for better energy management and minimization of pollution.
  10 marks125 words
• (d)In last few decades, the temperature of the earth is increasing. What are the reasons? Explain.
  10 marks125 words

Q6 — Science & Technology (50 marks)

• (a)“Quantum mechanics to quantum technologies is a quantum leap.” Illustrate the above with reference to the following : (i) Classical mechanics versus Quantum mechanics (ii) Classical bit versus Quantum bit (Qubit) (iii) Supercomputer versus Quantum computer
  15 marks200 words
• (b)Justify the need and importance of electrical energy storage system. Explain the principles involved for the following storage systems : (i) Hydroelectric energy storage (ii) Electrochemical energy storage
  15 marks200 words
• (c)Nanotechnology : “There is a Plenty of Room at the Bottom : Feynman.” Justify the above proposition in the following : (i) Top-down and Bottom-up approaches for nanostructure fabrication (ii) Surface to volume ratio to achieve nano properties
  10 marks125 words
• (d)Science is fighting with myth, superstition and legends. Discuss with reference to the following : (i) Myths and legends related to eclipses (ii) Treatment of illness superstitiously
  10 marks125 words