Environmental Science Syllabus for ACF, FRO and Logging Officer Exam-2025
Section-A
Life Sciences (Basic Biology and Natural Resources)
Section-B
Earth Sciences (Environmental Chemistry and Basic Geosciences)
Section–A
Life Sciences (Basic Biology and Natural Resources)
■ Introduction to biology, branches, scope and importance from environmental point of view.
■ What is life.
■ The evolution of life on earth.
■ Origin of life – Microbes, Plants and Animals, fossils and sediments.
■ Distribution and pattern of life in past.
■ Paleontological evidences, Mass extinction,Life forms on Earth (all forms of plants and animals).
■ Life in Water, Life on Land, Microbial life in air, water and soils, microbes and diseases.
■ Decomposing soil microbes, marine biology
Taxonomic principles: ■ History, aims, objectives, hierarchy and kingdoms, identification and
nomenclature.
■ Classification of plants and animals based on form-relationship
■ Species concept, organization of living things, microbial classification, Ecological Classification Systems, Collection and Herbarium, Preservation, flora, fauna, preservation of insects.
Ecological adaptation under various environmental conditions.
■ Hydrophytes, Xerophytes, Halophytes,
Mesophytes, Epiphytes.
■ Distribution of life on earth and factors responsible for present day distribution.
■ Continental drift.
■ Introduction, scope and importance of natural resources, biotic and abiotic resources.
Renewable resources:
■ Forest and wildlife resources, forest wealth of India, animal resources, livestock and fisheries,
Food Resources:
■ World food problems, agricultural resources, agricultural potential of India, effects of modern agriculture.
Non-renewable resources:
■ Fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas, Consequences of rapid consumption of
fossil fuels.
Fresh and marine Water resources:
■ Global distribution of freshwater and its limits, The sources of fresh
water for terrestrial life, fresh water resources of India.
Soil and Mineral resources:
■ Global status, mineral resources of India, metals and minerals.
Energy resources:
■ Global energy consumption, energy needs, conventional and non-conventional energy
sources, alternative energy sources, energy resources of India
Section B
Earth Sciences (Environmental Chemistry and Basic Geosciences)
■ Chemistry of atmosphere.
■ Chemical reactions involved in atmosphere.
■ Chemistry in ozone depletion.
■ Chemical reactions of global warming, Chemistry of water, unusual physical properties, changes in water
properties by addition of solute, hydrogen bonding, gases present in water, basic reversible and irreversible reactions in water, sources of cations and anions in water, changes in water properties by addition of solute.
■ Stichiometry, Gibb’s energy, chemical potential, chemical equilibria, acid-base reactions, solubility product,
carbonate system.
■ Chemistry of carcinogenic compounds and their effects on human body Surfactants,
Pesticides, Hydrocarbons Atmosphere: Evolution, structure and chemical composition of atmosphere.
■ Temperature measurement and controls, Environmental lapse rate, dry and wet adiabatic lapse rate,
inversion of temperature and atmospheric stability.
■ Atmospheric pressure and winds, factors affecting on wind, Forms of condensation, precipitation,
hydrological cycle.
■ Internal structure of earth, Geological evolution, plate tectonic, formation of lithosphere. Continental and
oceanic crust formation.
■ Types of rocks, Rock cycle, basic minerals of rock, clay minerals, mineral chemistry,
Soil and its formation, weathering processes, soil profiles, physical and chemical properties of
soil, composition of soil.
■ Macro and micro plant nutrients in soil, Soil classification, Soils of India.
