UPSC ESE 2026, Exam Date, Application Form, Eligibility, Exam Pattern

UPSC ESE 2026: The UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE), also known as the Indian Engineering Services (IES) examination, is a national-level prestigious competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruiting various technical and managerial (Grade A) positions across various central government departments.

The UPSC ESE 2026 Notification will be released by the conducting authority on 17th September 2025. The exam is conducted offline and comprises three stages, i.e., Prelims, Mains, and Interview, to assess the comprehensive knowledge of aspirants in the respective specializations. The UPSC ESE Prelims Exam for 2026 is scheduled to be conducted on 8th February 2026. 

Candidates who are aiming to ace the UPSC ESE 2026 must go through all the pertinent details outlined here and kick-start their preparation with an effective approach.

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Also, Read: 

• UPSC ESE 2025
• IRMS Recruitment through UPSC ESE 2025

UPSC ESE Exam 2026

The Union Public Service Commission administers the UPSC Engineering Services Examination to recruit Engineers for Grade A (Gazetted) positions in the disciplines of Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering. The exam serves as a gateway to secure a reputed government job in the technical sector. 

The exam assesses the candidate's in-depth knowledge across General Studies, Engineering Aptitude, and Core Engineering Subjects of the respective engineering disciplines. Selected candidates are placed on the competitive salary of the pay scale Level 10 in the 7th CPC Pay Matrix.

Candidates who are aspiring to secure a prestigious government job position must go through all the pertinent details, such as notification, exam dates, application procedure, eligibility criteria, selection process, etc. We have attached a direct link to access the latest UPSC Exam Calendar 2026 for your reference:

UPSC Exam Calendar 2026

UPSC ESE 2026 Overview

The UPSC ESE 2026 examination will be hosted to appoint suitable candidates for various prestigious roles in the technical disciplines. Candidates with a Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Technology in the related fields and who falls in the age group 21-30 years are eligible to sit in this examination.

The table below features the key highlights of the exam covering all the essential details:

UPSC ESE 2026 Notification PDF

The UPSC ESE 2026 Notification will be released by the Union Public Service Commission on 17th September 2025 at the official website, upsc.gov.in. The notification provides comprehensive details about the exam, including important dates, vacancy break-up, eligibility criteria, selection procedure, etc.

As the official notification is not yet released, you can refer to the previous year's notification to know all the major details of the examination.

UPSC ESE 2025 Notification PDF

UPSC ESE 2026 Important Dates

All the important dates, including commencement of online registration, deadline for application, exam date, results, etc., will be revealed under the detailed advertisement. Candidates must go through the table below to keep track of all the essential dates:

UPSC ESE 2026 Vacancy

The Union Public Service Commission will release the exact details of vacancies for the Engineering Services Examination 2026 under the official notification, scheduled to be out on September 17, 2025. Candidates can find the number of vacancies in 2025 to expect the number of openings that will come for the forthcoming year.

UPSC ESE 2026 Application Form

The UPSC ESE Application Form 2026 will be available on the official website with the issuance of the notification on 17th September 2025. The application form will be accepted from eligible candidates up to 7th October 2025 through the official website, upsc.gov.in.

The application process will be entirely online. Candidates need to apply online within the specific timeline; after the last date, the link will be deactivated.

Steps to Fill the UPSC ESE 2026 Application Form

Here is the step-by-step process to fill out the UPSC ESE Application Form 2026:

Step 1: Visit the UPSC official website, upsc.gov.in.

Step 2: Click on the 'Apply Online' link against Engineering Services Examination 2026 under the 'Recruitment / What's New'.

Step 3: Enter your basic details to complete the Online Registration on the 'One Time Registration' (OTR) portal.

Step 4: Log in with your OTR ID and Password to access the online application page.

Step 5: Provide your personal information, educational qualification, experience, and other details.

Step 6: Upload the scanned copies of passport-size photographs, signature, and other relevant documents in the required dimensions.

Step 7: Pay the online application fee (depending on your category).

Step 8: Ensure all the details are accurate and submit your application form.

Step 9: Download the submitted application form and take a printout for future use.

UPSC ESE 2026 Application Fees

Candidates belonging to UR/OBC/EWS categories need to pay an application fee of Rs. 200 using debit/credit card, net banking, UPI wallet, etc. While SC/ST/PWD/Ex-Servicemen/Female candidates are exempt from paying the application fee:

UPSC ESE 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates willing to apply for UPSC ESE 2026 must satisfy the eligibility requirements outlined below. Candidates failing to meet the eligibility norms will not be entertained for the examination.

UPSC ESE 2026 Educational Qualification

Candidates must possess one of the following qualifications:

• B.E./B.Tech degree in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics & Telecommunication branches from a recognized university or institution.
• Passed Sections A and B of the Institution of Engineers (India) Examination.
• Obtained a degree/diploma in engineering from a foreign university/institution recognized by the Government of India.
• Passed the Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (India).
• Passed the Associate Membership Examination Parts II and III/Sections A and B of the Aeronautical Society of India.
• Passed the Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Radio Engineers, London (after November 1959).

UPSC ESE 2026 Age Limit

To be eligible for UPSC Engineering Services Examination 2026, candidates must have completed a minimum age of 21 years, and their upper age should not be above 30 years as on the age recognition date mentioned in the notification.

• Minimum Age: 21 years
• Maximum Age: 30 years

However, age relaxation applies to reserved categories, as tabulated below:

UPSC ESE 2026 Nationality

To be eligible for UPSC ESE 2026, candidates must be;

• A citizen of India, or
• A subject of Nepal, or
• A subject of Bhutan, or
• A Tibetan refugee who came to India before January 1, 1962, to permanently settle in India, or
• A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, or Vietnam, intending to permanently settle in India.

UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2026

The UPSC ESE Exam comprises Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test to select the desirable applicants for the Indian Engineering Services. Candidates must have an in-depth understanding of the exam pattern to know the exam format to be followed by the authorities. Below is the comprehensive exam pattern for all phases:

UPSC ESE Prelims Exam Pattern 2026

The UPSC ESE Prelims is an offline, objective-based examination that consists of two papers, i.e., Paper I (General Studies and Engineering Aptitude) and Paper II (Specific Discipline).

Paper I is worth 200 marks while Paper II is worth 300 marks, totalling 500 marks for the exam. The time duration for both papers is 2 hours and 3 hours, respectively. Moreover, the exam involves a negative marking of 1/3 mark for every wrong answer.

UPSC ESE Mains Exam Pattern 2026

The main exam is a descriptive test that includes two papers from the concerned discipline chosen by the applicant. Each paper is worth 300 marks with a time duration of 3 hours.

UPSC ESE Personality Test Pattern 2026

Candidates who clear the Prelims and Mains examination are called for the Personality Test, which aims to assess their technical knowledge, communication skills, and suitability for engineering services. The Interview, worth 200 marks, contributes a significant weightage for final merit list preparation.

UPSC ESE Salary 2026

Candidates selected for Engineering Services positions through the UPSC ESE examination receive a handsome salary as per the 7th CPC Pay Matrix. The pay scale for UPSC ESE Officers falls in the Level 10 and the basic pay ranges from Rs. 15,600 - Rs. 39,100/- subject to various allowances.

UPSC ESE 2026 Preparation Tips

The UPSC ESE is a highly competitive examination that tests a comprehensive conceptual knowledge of specific fields as well as general studies. Candidates must have a realistic and well-structured study plan to ace this examination. Following the tips outlined below can aid the aspirant's preparation for the upcoming UPSC ESE 2026:

• Start Early Preparation: The UPSC ESE exam covers an extensive syllabus from non-technical and core technical subjects and typically requires 8 to 12 months to thoroughly cover the syllabus. 
• Understand the Syllabus & Exam Format: Familiarize yourself with the detailed syllabus and exam pattern to align your preparation accordingly.
• Create an Effective Study Plan: Curate an effective study plan to allocate specific time to maintain a good balance between the technical and non-technical sections.
• Focus On Core Subjects: The exam tests the thorough technical knowledge of aspirants across Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Electronics & Telecommunication. Candidates must focus on reinforcing the core subjects to maximize their score.
• Use Relevant Resources: Select the exam-oriented textbooks, online coaching, and study notes to prepare as per the revised syllabus.
• Solve PYQs: Solve previous year questions to gain insights into the difficulty level and trends of questions that are often asked in the exam.
• Revision: Set a weekly target of revision to recall the concepts that you have learnt. The revision is crucial to ensure retention and quick recall of topics during the examination.

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