Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)Exam: Engineering Services Examination (ESE 2026)
UPSC Engineering Services (ESE / IES) Prelims & Mains Syllabus
Comprehensive 3-stage UPSC ESE syllabus covering General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (Paper 1), Discipline Objective (Paper 2), and Conventional Mains descriptive papers.
Negative Marking Scheme: One-third (0.33) marks deducted for incorrect answers in Prelims Objective papers
Stage-Wise Examination Structure & Topics
Stage-I: Preliminary Examination (Objective - 500 Marks)
Paper 1 (2 Hrs) + Paper 2 (3 Hrs)Total: 500 Marks
Paper-I: General Studies & Engineering Aptitude
200 Marks- Current issues of national and international importance
- Engineering Aptitude (Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability)
- Engineering Mathematics & Numerical Analysis
- General Principles of Design, Drawing, Importance of Safety
- Standards and Quality practices in production, construction, maintenance
- Basics of Energy and Environment: Conservation, Climate change
- Basics of Project Management, Information and Communication Tech (ICT)
- Ethics and values in Engineering profession
Paper-II: Engineering Discipline Specific (Civil / Mech / Elec / E&T)
300 Marks- Discipline Core Subject Topics (150 Questions, 2 Marks each)
Stage-II: Mains Examination (Conventional Descriptive - 600 Marks)
Paper 1 (3 Hrs, 300 Marks) + Paper 2 (3 Hrs, 300 Marks)Total: 600 Marks
Paper-I Conventional (Engineering Discipline)
300 Marks- Deep theoretical derivations, numerical problems, and engineering design
Paper-II Conventional (Engineering Discipline)
300 Marks- Advanced specialization topics and practical systems design
Stage-III: Personality Test (Interview - 200 Marks)
30 to 45 MinutesTotal: 200 Marks
UPSC Board Interview
200 Marks- Leadership, intellectual curiosity, integrity, judgment, social cohesion
Recommended Preparation Strategy
- Practice writing structured descriptive answers for Mains with neat sketches and step-by-step units.
- Read standard textbooks (e.g. Sadhu Singh, B.C. Punmia, Nagrath Kothari, Boylestad) for concept depth.
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