Explore UPSC ESE/IES exam details including eligibility criteria, exam pattern, comprehensive syllabus, and career prospects for engineering graduates.
Conducted by: UPSC
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Engineering Services Examination (ESE), also known as IES (Indian Engineering Services), annually to recruit engineers for various technical and managerial posts in the central government. This examination serves as a gateway for engineering graduates to join prestigious government departments and organizations such as Indian Railways, Central Engineering Service, Central Power Engineering Service, Border Roads Engineering Service, Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Indian Telecommunication Service, and more. ESE officers play a crucial role in managing and executing a wide range of government projects and policies related to infrastructure, defense, power, telecommunications, and other vital sectors. The number of vacancies for ESE varies each year and is released with the official notification. Candidates selected through ESE are appointed to Group 'A' and Group 'B' gazetted posts. These roles offer immense opportunities for professional growth, job security, attractive salary packages, and the chance to contribute significantly to national development. Career prospects are excellent, with opportunities for promotions to higher administrative and technical positions. ESE provides a challenging yet rewarding career path for engineers who aspire to serve the nation through their technical expertise.
Age Limit: A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on the 1st January of the year of examination. Age Relaxation: Scheduled Caste (SC) / Scheduled Tribe (ST): Upto a maximum of 5 years. Other Backward Classes (OBC): Upto a maximum of 3 years. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD): Upto a maximum of 10 years. Ex-servicemen and certain other categories: As per government rules. Educational Qualification: A candidate must hold a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (B.E./B.Tech) from a University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as Universities under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification. Nationality: A candidate must be either: A citizen of India, or A subject of Nepal, or A subject of Bhutan, or A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. Number of Attempts: General Category: 6 attempts. OBC Category: 9 attempts. SC/ST Category: No limit (within the prescribed age limit).
| Stage | Type | Duration | Subjects | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage-I (Preliminary/Objective Type) | MCQ | 2 hours | General Studies and Engineering Aptitude (Paper-I) | 200 |
| Stage-I (Preliminary/Objective Type) | MCQ | 3 hours | Engineering Discipline specific (Paper-II) | 300 |
| Stage-II (Main/Conventional Type) | Descriptive | 3 hours | Engineering Discipline specific (Paper-I) | 300 |
| Stage-II (Main/Conventional Type) | Descriptive | 3 hours | Engineering Discipline specific (Paper-II) | 300 |
| Stage-III (Personality Test) | Interview | Variable | Personality Test | 200 |
Registration (One-Time Registration - OTR): Candidates must first register on the UPSC online application portal (upsconline.nic.in) by providing basic personal and contact details. This is a one-time process. Part-I Application: After OTR, candidates can proceed to fill the Part-I of the application form, which involves providing detailed personal information, educational qualifications, and selecting the examination center. Fee Payment: Pay the application fee (currently ₹200 for General/OBC male candidates) online through Net Banking, Credit/Debit Card, or by depositing cash in any branch of SBI. SC/ST/PwBD candidates and female candidates are exempted from fee payment. Part-II Application: After successful fee payment, candidates proceed to Part-II of the application. This involves uploading scanned copies of a recent passport-sized photograph, signature, and photo identity proof as per specified dimensions and formats. Selection of Engineering Discipline: Candidates must carefully select their engineering discipline (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering) for the examination. Declaration and Submission: Review all entered details carefully. Read and agree to the declaration, then submit the final application form. Print Confirmation: After successful submission, a system-generated acknowledgment slip/confirmation page will be displayed. Candidates should download and print this for future reference.
The UPSC ESE, also known as IES, is a national-level competitive exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit engineers for Group 'A' and 'B' technical posts in various central government departments and organizations.
Candidates must hold an engineering degree (B.E./B.Tech) from a recognized university, be between 21 and 30 years of age (with age relaxation for reserved categories), and be an Indian citizen or eligible non-Indian national.
The exam has three stages: Stage-I (Preliminary - Objective Type, 500 marks), Stage-II (Main - Conventional/Descriptive Type, 600 marks), and Stage-III (Personality Test/Interview, 200 marks). The total marks are 1300.
Yes, there is negative marking in the Preliminary Examination (Stage-I). For every incorrect answer, one-third (1/3rd) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted.
The ESE exam is conducted for four main engineering disciplines: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering.
General category candidates have 6 attempts, OBC candidates have 9 attempts, and SC/ST candidates have no limit on attempts (within the prescribed age limit).
Successful candidates are recruited for Group 'A' and 'B' gazetted posts in various ministries and departments such as Indian Railways, Central Engineering Service, Central Power Engineering Service, Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Indian Telecommunication Service, etc.
Yes, the ESE syllabus is comprehensive, covering General Studies and Engineering Aptitude in Prelims, along with in-depth technical subjects for the chosen engineering discipline in both Prelims and Mains stages.