Union Public Service Commission · Engineering & technical
Engineering Services Examination
Group A engineers for Railways, CPWD, MES, telecom, defence and other central services, in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Electronics & Telecom.
- Posts
- 480
- Stages
- Prelims → Mains → Personality test
- Final merit
- 1300 marks
Latest: ESE 2027: notified 16 Sep 2026 (about 480 vacancies); Prelims 31 Jan 2027; Mains 18 Jun 2027. ESE 2026: interviews from Sep 2026.
Official notification and PDFs
Checked 14 Nov 2026Each link opens the file on UPSC's own website.
- NoticeESE Prelims 2027 timetable (PDF) ↗10 Nov 2026
- AdvertisementESE 2027 notice (about 480 vacancies) (PDF) ↗16 Sept 2026
- NoticeESE 2026 interview schedule (PDF) ↗7 Sept 2026
- ResultESE Mains 2026 written result (PDF) ↗24 Jul 2026
- NoticeESE Mains 2026 timetable (PDF) ↗7 Apr 2026
Exam pattern
Negative marking: Prelims: one-third of the marks of a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Prelims marks count in the final merit, unlike CSE.
Prelims
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Counts for merit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I: General Studies and Engineering Aptitude | — | 200 | 2 hours | Yes |
| Paper II: Engineering discipline | — | 300 | 3 hours | Yes |
| Merit marks from this stage | 500 |
Mains
| Paper | Questions | Marks | Time | Counts for merit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I: Engineering discipline (conventional) | — | 300 | 3 hours | Yes |
| Paper II: Engineering discipline (conventional) | — | 300 | 3 hours | Yes |
| Merit marks from this stage | 600 |
Interview: 200 marks. Final merit: Mains + Interview = 1300 marks.
Previous year papers
- PYQsMains 2026: Civil Engineering Paper I (PDF) ↗
- PYQsMains 2026: Civil Engineering Paper II (PDF) ↗
- PYQsMains 2026: Mechanical Engineering Paper I (PDF) ↗
- PYQsMains 2026: Mechanical Engineering Paper II (PDF) ↗
- PYQsMains 2026: Electrical Engineering Paper I (PDF) ↗
- PYQsMains 2026: Electrical Engineering Paper II (PDF) ↗
- PYQsMains 2026: E&T Engineering Paper I (PDF) ↗
- PYQsMains 2026: E&T Engineering Paper II (PDF) ↗
- PYQsPrevious question papers, all years (UPSC page) ↗
Pick "UPSC ESE" in the list on the UPSC page to see every year's question booklet.
10 questions · 10 min · −⅓ per wrong
Indian Polity: Constitution basics (Test 1)
Ten core questions on the Preamble, Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Parliament, asked across every state PSC.
10 questions · 10 min · −⅓ per wrongModern India and the freedom struggle (Test 1)
Ten questions from 1857 to 1947, a high-weight area in every state PSC Prelims.
Dates from the UPSC calendar
Full calendar →| Adv. no. | Post | Posts | Stages | Exam dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notified 16 Sep 2026 | Engineering Services (Prelims) 2027 | 480 | Prelims + Mains + Interview | 31 Jan 2027 | Applications closed 6 Oct 2026; timetable out 10 Nov 2026 |
| ESE 2027 | Engineering Services (Mains) 2027 | — | Mains | 18 Jun 2027 | For those who clear Prelims |