The Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) is a crucial gazetted officer known as a Subdivisional forest officer. An ACF is responsible for ensuring ecological stability through the protection and sustainable management of natural resources. This position is critical in the administration of forest divisions.

The ACF is typically promoted from the position of a forest range officer. Alternatively, an individual can enter the position through the Union Service Public Commission (UPSC) ACF and FRO or the State Service Public Commission ACF and FRO entrance examination.

The average salary for an ACF ranges from Rs. 56100 to Rs. 177500 monthly. To become an ACF, an individual must pass the ACF and RO entrance examination, which requires a thorough understanding of the syllabus.

The role of an ACF is critical in preserving the environment and ensuring the sustainable management of natural resources. As such, it is a highly respected and rewarding career path for individuals passionate about the environment and ecology.

Being an Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) is a prestigious position with various facilities and responsibilities. Once appointed, an ACF has a Bolero jeep and a driver to carry out official duties. A clerk and class four employee are also assigned to assist with office work. Furthermore, they are provided with official accommodation with one or two helpers to help with daily chores.

An ACF is the forest's guardian and ensures its protection and sustainability. The ACF's primary responsibilities are supervising various jobs in the forest field, such as examination of the plantation, timber depots, and nurseries, marking of trees, and selling of logs by auction in lots. They are also responsible for taking care of the plantation of trees and harvesting the forest.

After cracking the entrance examination, the selected officers are trained for a couple of years by the central government at the prestigious Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy. During their training or probation, the officers receive a minimum salary of Rs. 56100.

As of 2023, the Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) examination syllabus includes various topics crucial to the role. In addition to General Knowledge, General Science, Aptitude, and Mathematics, the ACF syllabus contains subjects such as Forestry, Zoology, Botany, and Environmental Science.

Given the current global climate crisis, including environmental science as a subject in the ACF syllabus is particularly important. It ensures that individuals appointed to this role comprehensively understand our environment's issues and challenges and how best to address them.

Moreover, as our understanding of the environment evolves, the ACF syllabus may also change to reflect this. Therefore, it is essential for individuals aspiring to become ACFs to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field and adapt their knowledge and skills accordingly.

ACF Syllabus

To become an Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF), one must undergo a selection process consisting of written exams and an interview. The written exams usually comprise four to five papers, depending on the state.

Two or three papers are compulsory general papers that test the candidate's knowledge in general knowledge, General Science, Aptitude, and Mathematics. The remaining papers are optional subjects that test the candidate's proficiency in fields such as Forestry, Zoology, Botany, and Environmental Science.

Once the candidate has cleared the written exams, they will have to go through an interview process to assess their communication skills, knowledge of the subject, and aptitude for the job.

ACF Syllabus Paper-I General Knowledge

Total number of questions: 100

The syllabus includes the following topics:

• Specific information regarding Agriculture, Industry, Business, Economic and Natural Resources, Environment, Geography, and contemporary activities in the respective state
• Education, Culture, Sports, Entertainment and Lifestyle
• Specific information regarding Social practices, Social reform movement, Political background
• Administrative setup, Governmental and Non-Governmental welfare and developmental schemes
• Ancient, Medieval, Modern and Contemporary History
• Important contemporary State events
• Indian Polity and Governance – Administration, Indian Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Public welfare and Rights related Issues, etc.
• Physical development, Natural Calamities, and Disaster Management
• Current Events of National and International Importance, Entertainment and Sports
• Economic and Social Development, Agriculture, Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives
• General Science: Utility of Science in daily life, Science and Technology, Development of Biotechnology, Health Related Issues and Health Management, Development of Energy Sector- Requirements and Possibilities, Water Resources- Availability and Utility, Management in these sectors, General Issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate change
• Geography of India and the World
• Indian History, Indian National Freedom Movement, and Contemporary History of India
• General Aptitude: Real Numbers, their classification and simple properties, LCM and HCF of Integers, Ratio and proportion for two or more numbers, Conversion of a number into the interest rate, Conversion of percentage into decimals, profit/loss percentage, The relation between cost price and selling price, simple interest regarding principal (P), rate of interest (R) and time (T), Compound interest when compounding is done yearly, half-yearly, quarterly, Work and time and movement of trains and boats, simple linear simultaneous equations, Set theory, properties of the triangle, rectangle, square, parallelogram, rhombus, trapezium and circle, volume and surface areas, Sequence and series, significance, sufficiency, collection, classification, presentation, and interpretation of data, all means, median and mode, simple problems on probability.

ACF Syllabus Paper-II General English

• Easy writing on one of the following topics: literature and culture, science, technology and environment, natural calamities, economic development and planning, social and political spheres of your state, and national and international issues.
• Candidates should have an awareness of the above topics within their state.
• Letter writing includes office orders, notices, semi-government letters, official letters, circulars and memorandums.
• Precis writing and summary writing.
• Usage of idioms, phrases, vocabulary, synonyms, antonyms, and one-word substitutes.
• Grammar exercises on punctuation, transformations and synthesis, and parts of speech.
• Translation of Hindi to English and vice versa.
• Use of verbs - main, auxiliary and models, and correct prepositions.