New Delhi: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, has officially announced the cadre allotment for Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers selected through the UPSC IFS Examination 2024, forming the IFS Batch of 2025.
The notification was issued on December 29, 2025, while detailed allotment lists became publicly available between January 2 and January 3, 2026.
The cadre allocation reflects the application of the 2017 Zone-based Cadre Allocation Policy, emphasizing merit, vacancy availability, and the mandated insider–outsider ratio.
UPSC IFS Cadre Allotment 2025: IFS Topper Kanika Anabh Allotted Odisha Cadre
Kanika Anabh, the Rank 1 holder in the UPSC IFS Examination 2024 and a native of Jharkhand (home state recorded as Bihar), has been allotted the Odisha cadre. Despite being the topper, she did not receive her home cadre, highlighting the strict implementation of cadre allocation norms.
Read also: UPSC Releases Indian Forest Service (IFS) Mains 2025 Exam Schedule – Check Full Dates & Details
Joining her in Odisha is Khandelwal Anand Anilkumar, the second-ranked candidate from Maharashtra, who has also been assigned the Odisha cadre.
UPSC IFS Cadre Allotment 2025: Cadre Allotment of Other Top Rankers
The third rank holder, Anubhav Singh from Uttar Pradesh, has been allotted the Madhya Pradesh cadre.
Among other leading candidates:
Manjunath Shivappa Nidoni, who secured Rank 5 and belongs to Karnataka, has been allotted his home cadre, Karnataka.
While initial summaries indicated Rajasthan for Rank 4, the final top-10 allotment list released in early January 2026 confirms that Siddharth Parasmal Jain (Rank 4) has been allotted the Chhattisgarh cadre.
This reflects minor revisions between provisional summaries and the final published cadre list.
Only One Home Cadre Allotment in Top 10
A striking feature of this year’s allotment is that only one candidate in the top 10 ranks received their home cadre:
- Manjunath Shivappa Nidoni (Rank 5) – Karnataka
Additionally, beyond the top 10:
- Chada Nikhil Reddy, who secured Rank 11 and hails from Telangana, has also been allotted his home cadre.
This underscores the impact of the 1:2 insider–outsider ratio, which limits home cadre allotment opportunities even for high-ranking candidates.
Complete Top 10 UPSC IFS 2025 Batch Cadre Allotment
The final cadre allotment for the top 10 candidates is as follows:
- Rank 1 – Kanika Anabh: Odisha
- Rank 2 – Khandelwal Anand Anilkumar: Odisha
- Rank 3 – Anubhav Singh: Madhya Pradesh
- Rank 4 – Siddharth Parasmal Jain: Chhattisgarh
- Rank 5 – Manjunath Shivappa Nidoni: Karnataka (Home Cadre)
- Rank 6 – Sanskar Vijay: Maharashtra
- Rank 7 – Mayank Purohit: Madhya Pradesh
- Rank 8 – Sanish Kumar Singh: Chhattisgarh
- Rank 9 – Anjali Sondhiya: Madhya Pradesh
- Rank 10 – Vaibhav Singh: Uttar Pradesh
UPSC IFS 2024 Results: Category-wise Selection Data
The final results of the UPSC IFS Examination 2024 were declared in May 2025, with a total of 143 candidates recommended for appointment.
The category-wise breakup is as follows:
- General Category: 40 candidates
- Economically Weaker Section (EWS): 19 candidates
- Other Backward Classes (OBC): 50 candidates
- Scheduled Castes (SC): 23 candidates
- Scheduled Tribes (ST): 11 candidates
MoEFCC as Cadre-Controlling Authority for IFS
Unlike the IAS and IPS, which are controlled by the Ministry of Personnel, the Indian Forest Service cadre allotment is handled by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The ministry oversees cadre management, postings, and inter-cadre deputations for IFS officers across the country.
How IFS Cadres Are Allotted: Key Factors Explained
The cadre allocation follows the 2017 Zone-based Cadre Allocation Policy, guided by several key factors:
Merit Rank
Candidates with higher ranks have better chances of securing their preferred zones, though not necessarily their home state.
Category and Vacancy Availability
Each cadre has fixed category-wise vacancies (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS), which act as a major limiting factor.
Insider–Outsider Ratio
A strict 1:2 ratio is maintained, ensuring that only one-third of officers in a cadre are insiders (from the same home state).
Zone and Cadre Preferences
Candidates are required to rank five zones and list cadre preferences within those zones while submitting their Detailed Application Form (DAF).
Official Documents and Verification Sources
Candidates and the public can verify cadre allotments through:
The official MoEFCC notification available on the ministry’s website under the News & Highlights section
The IFS Civil List, which provides a searchable database of serving IFS officers and their cadre details
