
UPSC ESE Prelims Question Paper 2026: The UPSC ESE Prelims Question Paper 2026 has been released after the Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination held on 8 February 2026. The prelims exam comprised two objective-type papers—Paper 1 (General Studies & Engineering Aptitude) and Paper 2 (Engineering Discipline-specific). Candidates can now access branch-wise question paper PDFs for Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering to analyse the exam pattern, difficulty level, and subject-wise weightage.
Read: UPSC ESE Exam Analysis 2026
The UPSC ESE Prelims Question Paper 2026 PDF is provided here for candidates' reference. In many cases, memory-based question papers are shared earlier, prepared using feedback from exam takers, to help aspirants review the questions asked and understand the exam pattern. These are useful for preliminary analysis and practice.
| UPSC ESE Prelims Question Paper 2026 PDFs Link: Branch Wise List | |
| Exam Date | Question Paper |
| 08 February 2026 | UPSC ESE EE Prelims Question Paper 2026 |
| 08 February 2026 | UPSC ESE ME Prelims Question Paper 2026 |
| 08 February 2026 | UPSC ESE CE Prelims Question Paper 2026 |
| 08 February 2026 | UPSC ESE EC Prelims Question Paper 2026 |
Read: UPSC ESE Prelims Answer Key 2026
Based on early student feedback (General Studies), here is the breakdown of the 2026 Paper 1 trends:
Engineering Mathematics: Expected to score with a focus on Calculus and Linear Algebra.
Information & Communication Technology (ICT): High weightage anticipated on 6G technology and Cyber Security.
Ethics & Values: Usually features 8–10 questions based on professional conduct.
Current Affairs: Focus on India’s latest infrastructure projects and Green Energy initiatives.
Civil: Expected focus on Environmental Engineering and SMFE.
Mechanical: Anticipated heavy weightage on Thermodynamics and Production.
Electrical: Likely to emphasize Power Systems and Electrical Machines.
E&T: High probability of questions from Advanced Communication and VLSI.
While the official UPSC answer key takes time, our memory-based papers provide:
Instant Score Calculation: Use our unofficial keys to find your raw score.
Trend Analysis: Understand which subjects UPSC prioritized in 2026.
Early Start for Mains: If your score is above the expected cutoff (approx. 240-250), you can start your descriptive preparation immediately.
Calculation Tip: Remember the negative marking!
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