UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) Exam Date 2026
Here is the UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) 2026 schedule — notification, exam and result timeline — with the official source to confirm each date. Dates change every cycle, so always verify on the official website before you plan around them.
UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) 2026 schedule
| Notification | ESE notification is typically released in September each year on upsc.gov.in. Online application opens immediately and closes ~3 weeks later. Application correction window opens shortly after closure. |
| Exam | Stage 1 (Prelims) is held in February (a Sunday) on a single day — Paper I in the forenoon, Paper II in the afternoon. Stage 2 (Mains) is conducted over 1 day or 2 half-days in June or July (typically the third Sunday of June). Stage 3 (Personality Test) is conducted at UPSC Bhavan between August and October. |
| Result | Stage 1 result is announced ~6-8 weeks after the Prelims exam (typically March-April). Stage 2 result is announced ~8-10 weeks after the Mains exam (typically September). The final selection list (after Personality Test) is published in October-November of the same calendar year, ~13-15 months after the original notification. |
ESE follows an annual cycle but dates can shift by 2-4 weeks based on UPSC's overall examination calendar (which also covers CSE, IFoS, CMS, CDS, NDA, CAPF AC, IES/ISS and CGGE). Always cross-check the latest schedule on the UPSC Examination Calendar at upsc.gov.in and the year's official ESE notification PDF before locking in your preparation timeline.
How to track the UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) dates
- Open the official website. Go to the official UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) conducting-body website (linked below) — exam dates are published there first, never on a coaching site.
- Check the Latest News / Notice Board. Look under the "Latest News", "What's New" or "Notice Board" section for the UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) notification and exam-date notice.
- Note the key dates. Note the application window, exam date, admit-card and result dates. Set a reminder a few days before each.
- Re-check before acting. Dates are often revised. Re-confirm on the official site (or the live updates below) before you travel, apply or plan.
Official UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) links
UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) exam date — FAQs
When is the UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) 2026 exam?
Stage 1 (Prelims) is held in February (a Sunday) on a single day — Paper I in the forenoon, Paper II in the afternoon. Stage 2 (Mains) is conducted over 1 day or 2 half-days in June or July (typically the third Sunday of June). Stage 3 (Personality Test) is conducted at UPSC Bhavan between August and October. Always confirm the exact UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) exam date on the official website — the schedule above and the live updates below link straight to it.
When will the UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) 2026 notification be released?
ESE notification is typically released in September each year on upsc.gov.in. Online application opens immediately and closes ~3 weeks later. Application correction window opens shortly after closure. The official notification PDF is published on the conducting body's website first.
While you wait for the dates — keep practising.
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