Union Public Service Commission · Group A and B engineering services in Railways, CPWD, Defence, Telecom, Water, Power and other departments
UPSC ESE: Syllabus, Exam Pattern, Eligibility, Age Limit & Mock Tests
The Engineering Services Examination recruits engineers for Group A and B services in four disciplines: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication. Everything about the exam on one page, from the official 2026 notice.
UPSC ESE latest updates
New UPSC ESE notifications, admit cards, answer keys and results appear here as soon as they are posted. Browse Govt Jobs →
Important dates
Dates for the next UPSC ESE cycle (notification, last date, admit card, exam and result) appear here when they are announced. See the exam calendar →
Check your eligibility
- ✓All ESE services and postsAge 21–30 +3
UPSC ESE vacancies
Total, category-wise and post-wise vacancies appear here when the UPSC ESE notification is released.
Eligibility and age limit
| Posts | Qualification | Age |
|---|---|---|
| All ESE services and posts | Degree in engineering, or Sections A and B of the Institution of Engineers (India) exam, or another equivalent listed in the notice | 21–30 |
| Category | Age relaxation |
|---|---|
| OBC | 3 years |
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| PwBD | Up to 10 years |
| Government servants in listed departments | Upper limit 35 |
| Ex-servicemen (5 years’ military service) | Up to 5 years |
| Defence personnel disabled in operations | Up to 3 years |
Age is counted as on 1 January of the exam year.
You must be at least 21 and must not have turned 30 on 1 January 2026.
Government servants in the listed departments can apply up to 35 for posts in those departments.
For Indian Radio Regulatory Service and Indian Naval Armament Service (electronics) posts, certain M.Sc. qualifications (radio physics or radio engineering, or physics with radio communication, electronics or telecommunication) are also accepted.
Relaxations for SC, ST and OBC are added to those for ex-servicemen and PwBD. The notice has no limit on attempts.
Application fee
Selection process
- 1Prelims (Stage-I)2 objective papers · 500 marks · counted in merit
- 2Mains (Stage-II)2 discipline papers · 600 marks
- 3Personality test (Stage-III)200 marks · final merit on all three stages
UPSC ESE exam pattern
Prelims (Stage-I) Objective · 500 marks · −1/3 of the marks per wrong answer
| Paper | Time | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-I: General Studies and Engineering Aptitude (common) | 2 hours | 200 |
| Paper-II: Civil / Mechanical / Electrical / E&T Engineering | 3 hours | 300 |
| Total | 500 |
Mains (Stage-II) Conventional · set and answered in English · 600 marks
| Paper | Time | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-I: your engineering discipline | 3 hours | 300 |
| Paper-II: your engineering discipline | 3 hours | 300 |
| Total | 600 |
Unlike CSE, Prelims marks count in the final merit: Prelims 500 + Mains 600 + personality test 200 = 1,300. About 6–7 times the vacancies are called to Mains and about twice the vacancies to the personality test.
UPSC ESE syllabus
Subject by subject. The number on a topic is how many practice questions we have for it.
General Studies and Engineering Aptitude
Prelims Paper-I · 200 marks · each topic 5–15%Civil Engineering
Prelims Paper-II and MainsMechanical Engineering
Prelims Paper-II and MainsElectrical Engineering
Prelims Paper-II and MainsElectronics & Telecommunication Engineering
Prelims Paper-II and MainsUPSC ESE cut-offs
Year-wise official cut-offs for every category appear here once they are published.
UPSC ESE salary by post
| Level / group | Posts | Pay scale |
|---|---|---|
| Group A / B | Engineering services and posts listed in the notice | Not printed in the 2026 notice |
The ESE 2026 notice does not state pay levels, and we have not verified them from each service’s rules, so no figure is shown.
UPSC ESE mock tests and previous year papers
Exams with a similar syllabus
Your ESE preparation already covers most of these exams.
UPSC ESE articles
Preparation strategy, syllabus breakdowns and cut-off analysis for UPSC ESE are on the way. Read the blog →
UPSC ESE frequently asked questions
How many vacancies are there in ESE 2026?
About 474, including 26 for persons with benchmark disabilities. ESE 2025 had about 232.
What is the age limit for ESE?
At least 21 and under 30 on 1 January 2026. SC and ST candidates get 5 more years, OBC 3 and PwBD up to 10. Government servants in the listed departments can apply up to 35.
Can final-year engineering students apply?
Yes. Candidates who have appeared or will appear in the qualifying exam can apply, but must prove they have passed if they reach the personality test.
Do ESE Prelims marks count in the final merit?
Yes. Final ranking uses Prelims (500), Mains (600) and the personality test (200).
Is there negative marking in ESE?
Yes, in the objective Prelims papers: one third of a question’s marks is deducted for a wrong answer. A question left blank carries no penalty.
When is ESE 2027?
UPSC’s 2027 programme lists the notice for 16 September 2026, applications until 6 October 2026 and Prelims on 31 January 2027. ESE 2026 personality tests begin on 21 September 2026.
Sources: UPSC ESE 2026 notice No. 02/2026 ENGG. (26-09-2025) · UPSC ESE 2025 notice · UPSC notice: ESE 2026 personality tests (07-09-2026) · UPSC Programme of Examinations 2027 (checked 14 Sept 2026). Always confirm in the official notice before applying.