UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) Exam Pattern 2026

The full UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) exam pattern for 2026 — 4 stages, with the sections, question count, marks, duration and negative marking for each, as set by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Then take a free UPSC ESE/IES (Engineering Services) mock in the real pattern below.

Stage 1 — Preliminary Paper I (General Studies & Engineering Aptitude)

Mode: Offline OMR, pen-and-paper, in UPSC notified centres across India
Sections: Current issues of national & international importance · Engineering aptitude (logical & mathematical reasoning, dimensional analysis) · Engineering Mathematics & Numerical Analysis · General principles of Design, Drawing, Importance of Safety · Standards & Quality practices · Basics of Energy & Environment · Basics of Project Management · Basics of Material Science & Engineering · Information & Communication Technologies · Ethics & values in engineering profession
Questions: Approximately 100 multiple-choice questions across the 10 sub-areas listed above
Marks: 200 marks (Paper I)
Duration: 2 hours
Negative marking: 1/3 of the marks assigned to the question is deducted for each wrong answer (a question left blank attracts no penalty)

Common to all four disciplines. Designed to test a candidate's general awareness PLUS engineering-aptitude foundations (units & dimensions, basic mechanics, basic energy concepts) at an undergraduate level. Both Paper I and Paper II marks of Stage 1 ARE counted in the final merit list (unlike UPSC CSE where Prelims is purely qualifying).

Stage 1 — Preliminary Paper II (Discipline-Specific Objective)

Mode: Offline OMR, pen-and-paper
Sections: Discipline-specific objective paper covering the full syllabus of the chosen branch — Civil OR Mechanical OR Electrical OR Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering
Questions: Approximately 150 multiple-choice questions covering all 10-12 subjects in the discipline syllabus
Marks: 300 marks (Paper II)
Duration: 3 hours
Negative marking: 1/3 of the marks assigned to the question is deducted for each wrong answer

Tested at depth comparable to GATE — formula recall is not enough, conceptual application across topics is the differentiator. Stage 1 total = Paper I (200) + Paper II (300) = 500 marks. Candidates clearing the Stage 1 cut-off (per discipline + category) qualify for Stage 2 Mains.

Stage 2 — Mains (Conventional / Subjective Papers I & II)

Mode: Offline, pen-and-paper, conventional descriptive answers
Sections: Two discipline-specific conventional papers (Paper I and Paper II) covering the same syllabus topics as Stage 1 Paper II, but tested through detailed numerical problems, derivations, design questions and engineering write-ups. Answer scripts are evaluated by domain experts.
Questions: Each Mains paper typically carries 5-6 long-answer questions with internal choice, ranging from 8-marker conceptual problems to 60-mark design / multi-part numerical questions
Marks: 300 marks per paper × 2 papers = 600 marks total
Duration: 3 hours per paper
Negative marking: Not applicable — Mains is conventional. However, step-marking and partial credit policies apply; presentation, neat diagrams and SI-unit correctness directly affect scoring.

This is the defining stage of ESE. Mains converts the exam from a speed-recall test into a depth-and-precision test: a 60-mark question can legitimately take 50-60 minutes, leaving zero margin if speed isn't built. Mains carries 600/1300 marks = ~46% of the total — the single largest weight bucket in the merit.

Stage 3 — Personality Test (Interview)

Mode: Offline, in-person interview at UPSC Bhavan, Dholpur House, New Delhi
Sections: Panel-based interview covering the candidate's discipline depth, awareness of recent engineering / infrastructure developments, ethics & values in engineering practice, leadership and decision-making temperament, and overall personality
Questions: Open-ended, conversational — typically 25-45 minutes covering DAF (Detailed Application Form) entries, hobbies, optional discipline questions and current affairs in engineering
Marks: 200 marks
Duration: Approximately 30-45 minutes
Negative marking: Not applicable

Personality Test weight = 200/1300 = ~15%, smaller than Mains but the highest-variance stage. Final merit = Stage 1 (500) + Stage 2 (600) + Stage 3 (200) = 1300 marks. The Government of India publishes the final selection list discipline-wise after the Personality Test.

You know the pattern — now practise in it.

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