Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
UPSC ESE 2026: Engineering Services Examination Notice
Quick Information
| Post Name | Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) / Class I Services in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunications Engineering |
| Total Vacancies | 529 |
| Salary | Pay Level 10 — ₹56,100–₹1,77,500/month basic + DA + HRA + Transport Allowance. Total in-hand approximately ₹80,000–₹1,00,000/month. Posting in CPWD, Railways, Military Engineer Services, BSNL, and other central engineering organisations. |
| Organization | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
Application Fee
| General | ₹200 |
| OBC | ₹200 |
| SC / ST | Nil |
| Women | Nil |
| PH / Divyang | Nil |
Important Dates
| Start Date | 22 January 2026 |
| Last Date | 11 February 2026 |
| Exam Date | 7 June 2026 |
Eligibility
| Age Limit | 21–30 years as on January 1, 2026 (OBC +3 yrs: max 33, SC/ST +5 yrs: max 35, PwBD +10 yrs). |
| Education | Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (B.E./B.Tech.) in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics & Telecommunication from a recognised university. Candidates appearing in final year exam may also apply. |
Selection Process
- 1**Stage 1 — Preliminary Exam (Objective
- 2Common for all disciplines)** | Paper | Marks | Duration | |---|---|---| | Paper I: General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | 200 | 2 hours | | Paper II: Engineering Discipline (Civil/Mech/Elec/E&T) | 300 | 3 hours | | **Total** | **500** | **5 hours** | Negative marking: 1/3 per wrong answer. Qualifying for Mains — marks not counted. **Stage 2 — Main Exam (Conventional Descriptive)** | Paper | Marks | Duration | |---|---|---| | Paper I: Discipline Specific | 300 | 3 hours | | Paper II: Discipline Specific | 300 | 3 hours | | **Total** | **600** | **6 hours** | **Stage 3 — Personality Test (Interview)** 200 marks. Final merit = Mains (600) + Interview (200) = **800 marks total.**
How to Apply
Official Links
Get instant job alerts. Join our channels:
What is UPSC ESE?
UPSC ESE (Engineering Services Examination) — also called IES (Indian Engineering Service) — is the most prestigious engineering recruitment by UPSC. It recruits engineers directly into Class I gazetted Group A posts in central government engineering organisations.
An IES officer starts as an Assistant Executive Engineer and progresses to Executive Engineer, Superintending Engineer, Chief Engineer, and Director General level on promotion. The career trajectory is similar to IAS but within engineering departments.
Disciplines and Organisations
| Discipline | Major Posting Organisations |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | CPWD, Railways, CWC, Border Roads Organisation, NHIDCL |
| Mechanical Engineering | Railways, BHEL, Ordnance Factories, BRO |
| Electrical Engineering | CPWD, Railways, BSNL, BRO |
| Electronics & Telecom | BSNL, Railways, DoT, MEA, BEL |
Vacancies 2026
| Discipline | Vacancies (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | ~250 |
| Mechanical Engineering | ~155 |
| Electrical Engineering | ~80 |
| Electronics & Telecom | ~44 |
| Total | ~529 |
Eligibility
Age Limit (as on January 1, 2026)
- Minimum: 21 years
- Maximum: 30 years
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| OBC | +3 years (max 33) |
| SC/ST | +5 years (max 35) |
| PwBD | +10 years |
| Ex-Servicemen | As per Govt rules |
Educational Qualification
- B.E./B.Tech. in the relevant engineering discipline
- Final year appearing candidates may apply (must produce degree certificate before joining)
Salary
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic Pay (Level 10) | ₹56,100/month |
| Dearness Allowance | ~₹27,000/month |
| HRA (metro) | ₹10,098/month |
| Transport Allowance | ₹7,200/month |
| Gross Monthly | ~₹1,00,000–₹1,10,000/month |
Benefits: CGHS medical, NPS pension, LTC, government accommodation on allotment.
Exam Pattern
Prelims (Objective, Qualifying)
- Paper I (GS & Engg Aptitude): 200 marks — Engineering Maths, Reasoning, Engineering Aptitude, General Awareness
- Paper II (Discipline-specific): 300 marks — Core engineering subjects of your discipline
Negative marking: 1/3 per wrong answer.
Mains (Conventional Descriptive)
- Paper I: Advanced core engineering (300 marks)
- Paper II: Advanced core engineering (300 marks)
Full GATE-level depth required for Mains. Calculations, derivations, design problems.
Personality Test
200 marks. UPSC board interview — technical knowledge + general awareness + personality.
Important Dates 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | January 22, 2026 |
| Application Start | January 22, 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | February 11, 2026 |
| Prelims Exam | June 7, 2026 |
| Mains Exam | November 2026 (expected) |
| Personality Test | March 2027 (expected) |
Preparation Strategy
ESE vs GATE: ESE requires deeper application-level knowledge than GATE. GATE is MCQ — ESE Mains is descriptive with derivations, design, and long-answer problems. Prepare for both but don't equate them.
GS & Engineering Aptitude (Prelims Paper I — 200 marks): This is non-technical and often neglected. Covers Engineering Maths, Engineering Aptitude, Current Science & Technology, Environment, Ethics in Engineering Practice. Candidates who score high here significantly improve their shortlisting chances.
Core Engineering (Prelims Paper II + Mains): Focus on UPSC ESE previous year papers (2015–2025). Pattern is consistent — 8–10 topics carry 70% of marks in each discipline. Identify and master those.
Interview Preparation: ESE interview is technical + personality. Prepare your B.Tech project, current engineering applications in India (smart cities, infrastructure, space tech), and policy knowledge relevant to your engineering sector.
Official Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| UPSC Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
| Apply Online | upsconline.gov.in |
| Official Notification | upsc.gov.in |