UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025, Prelims and Mains Exam Format

UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025: The Union Public Service Commission is conducting the Engineering Services Examination 2025 to fill 457 Grade A and B positions across various central government departments.

Candidates aiming to secure a prestigious technical role within the government sector must prepare effectively for the UPSC ESE 2025 by reviewing the comprehensive exam pattern.

The UPSC conducted the prelims exam on June 8, 2025, and the mains exam will be held on August 10, 2025. Knowing the exam pattern is crucial for aspirants to get insights into the marking scheme, subjects, and test duration. We have outlined a detailed UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025 for both phases below.

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UPSC IES Prelims & Mains Exam Pattern 2025

The UPSC IES Exam involves three phases i.e. Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Aspirants who want to crack the UPSC Engineering Services Examination 2025 must be well-versed with the UPSC IES Exam Pattern 2025 to start their preparation accordingly. 

The UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE) Prelims consists of two objective-type papers. Paper I is General Studies and Engineering Aptitude, common to all candidates, carrying 200 marks and lasting 2 hours. Paper II is discipline-specific, covering Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering, worth 300 marks and held over 3 hours.

Both papers are objective-based, with a penalty of one-third mark for each incorrect answer. The combined total marks for the Prelims is 500 marks, and only those who qualify for this stage can appear for the mains examination.

The Mains stage is a conventional written examination, focusing solely on the candidate’s chosen engineering discipline. It comprises two papers, each worth 300 marks and of 3 hours duration, totaling 600 marks. The performance in the Mains determines the eligibility of candidates for the Personality Test worth 200 marks.

Also, Read: UPSC ESE Syllabus 2025

UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025

The Union Public Service Commission hosts the Engineering Services Examination every year to appoint Grade A positions in the disciplines of Civil, Electrical, Mechanical & Electronics and Telecommunication.

Candidates who want to excel in their preparation to secure the highest marks in this exam require a strategic approach, effective planning, and consistent practice. Reviewing exam patterns will contribute a lot to aid your preparation. Candidates are advised to go through the UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025 for the Prelims and Mains stages to prepare accordingly.

UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025 Overview

The UPSC ESE Exam Pattern has been unveiled by the Commission for the examination to be held for selecting Grade A and B positions. Candidates must check the key highlights of the UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025 tabulated below:

UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025

The selection of candidates for the UPSC ESE 2025 would be based on their performance in the Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages. The Prelims Exam is an objective type, and the Mains Exam has a descriptive manner.

Candidates who clear Prelims and Mains will have to undergo a Personality Test. We have mentioned a comprehensive UPSC ESE 2025 Exam Pattern in this section:

UPSC ESE Prelims Exam Pattern (Objective Paper)

The UPSC ESE Exam Pattern for Prelims Test comprises Paper I and Paper II, having a maximum of 500 marks. Refer to the section below to understand a detailed exam pattern:

• The prelims test consists of two papers, i.e., General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (Paper 1) and Specific Discipline (Paper 2).
• The prelims exam is an objective type (multiple-choice questions).
• The exam is conducted offline (pen-and-paper based).
• Paper I includes 100 questions with a total of 200, while Paper II consists of 150 questions, and the maximum marks is 300.
• There is a negative marking of 1/3 Mark for each wrong answer.
• The duration of Paper I is 2 hours, and Paper II is 3 hours.

UPSC ESE Mains Exam Pattern (Conventional Paper)

The UPSC ESE Mains Exam includes two papers from specific Engineering disciplines, consisting of 300 marks each. Check the detailed UPSC ESE Mains Exam Pattern mentioned below:

• The main examination consists of two descriptive-type papers.
• The questions in these papers are asked from the concerned discipline.
• The time duration for each paper is 3 hours.

UPSC ESE Personality Test

Candidates who clear the Prelims and Mains exams will be eligible to appear for the Personality Test. The Commission will call twice the number of candidates as the number of vacancies for Interviews.

The personality test evaluates the candidate's communication skills, problem-solving skills, and professional abilities for the engineering services. It carries a weightage of 200 marks and plays a crucial role in determining the final selection of applicants.

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