Physics Wallah

Which Branch is Toughest for IES? Check Branch Wise Details

Find out "Which Branch is Toughest for IES?" in this comprehensive guide. Candidates can check the IES branch wise details here.
authorImageSurya Bazal25 Jan, 2024
Share

Share

Which Branch is Toughest for IES?

Which Branch is Toughest for IES?- The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) administers the IES Exam, a national-level exam designed to hire engineering graduates. Every year, the commission organises the IES examination for the major fields of Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics Telecommunications.

The UPSC IES examination is divided into two rounds (Prelims and Mains) that are held offline to shortlist applicants for the interview process. The preliminary exam is an objective paper, whilst the mains is a traditional paper. Candidates who pass the Prelims and Mains will be eligible to compete in the final round. The UPSC ESE/IES exam concludes with the interview procedure, which is the most difficult stage owing to the stringent assessment. Let us see what's significant. In this article, we have discussed “Which Branch is Toughest for IES?” to help the candidates prepare accordingly and succeed in the upcoming exam.

Which Branch is Toughest for IES?

The IES exam is often referred to as Indian Engineering Services or Engineering Services Examination (ESE).The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) administers this examination to find qualified engineers for various government posts. The Union government chooses persons to IES posts based on the UPSC's recommendations and standards.

The IES or ESE examination is widely considered as one of the most difficult examinations in India, owing to the enormous number of applicants fighting for a restricted number of positions. Passing the IES exam is a remarkable achievement given the high level of competition.

Indian Engineering Services is regarded as the most competitive and prestigious employment for applicants appointed as engineers under the many ministries and departments of the Government of India.The appointed UPSC ESE engineers are assigned to Group A departments to conduct technical and administrative tasks for the Government of India. UPSC organises the ESE examination annually to hire engineers in four engineering specialties, namely:

  • IES Civil Engineering
  • IES Mechanical Engineering
  • IES Electrical Engineering
  • IES Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering

The selection procedure for the IES exam contains three parts, as shown below:

  • Stage 1: Preliminary Examination
  • Stage 2: Mains Examination
  • Stage 3: Interview

IES Exam 2024 Overview

The Union Public Service Commission organises the IES, commonly known as the ESE examination, every year. Interested applicants may register for the IES exam after determining their eligibility, as indicated by the exam-conducting body.

IES Exam 2024 Overview
Particulars Details
Name of the Exam Indian Engineering Services (IES)
Conducting Body Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Level of Exam National
Frequency Once a year
Educational qualifications Engineering
Age limit 21-30 years
Selection process Preliminary, Main Exam & Interview
Preliminary Exam Pattern Objective-type
Main Exam Pattern Conventional
Total Papers in IES Exam
  • Prelims: 2 Papers
  • Mains: 2 Papers
Total Marks
  • Prelims: 500
  • Mains: 600
  • Interview: 200
Educational Qualification Engineering Branch
Nationality Indian
Age Limit 21 to 30 years
Number of attempts
  • General category: 6 attempts
  • Reserved categories: 9 attempts
Admit card availability 3 weeks before the exam
Withdrawal of application Yes
Application fee Rs 200
Official website www.upsc.gov.in

Which Branch is Toughest for IES? - Branch Wise Details

The Indian Engineering Services (IES), also known as the Engineering Services Examination (ESE), is made up of engineers recruited by the Indian government and designated as Class-I officers. They manage a significant component of the public sector economy, including Indian Railways, Power, Telecommunications, Central Water Engineering, and the Engineers' Service for the Defence.

Officers chosen through ESE are responsible for directing and coordinating different technical operations. Government expenditure exceeds 15% of India's GDP in a variety of economic sectors and infrastructure, including railways, roads, defence, manufacturing, inspection, supply, construction, public works, power, and telecommunications. The President of India picks candidates for these offices.

The scope of work for these bureaucrats is mostly dictated by the Engineering branch they are in and the service or cadre into which they were appointed. The career progresses smoothly, leading to great admiration. The first open post is Asst. Executive Engineer, and the hierarchy finishes with the Chairman/Managing Director role.

The following is a list of all UPSC IES jobs released for specific branches. Candidates who pass the IES examination will be assigned to the following positions based on their performance in the exam.

Also Read: UPSC ESE Exam 2024

Which Branch is Toughest for IES? - Civil Engineering

UPSC conducts the IES Civil Engineering examination at the national level for engineering and technology graduates. Candidates who will fill these vacancies in the UPSC ESE IES Civil Engineering area will be assigned to the following services/cadres:

  • Indian Railway Service of Engineers.
  • Indian Railway Stores Service (Civil Engineering Posts)
  • Central Engineering Service
  • Central Engineering Service (Roads), Group‐A (Civil Engineering Posts)
  • Survey of India Group ‘A’ Service.
  • AEE(Civil) in Border Road Engineering Service
  • Indian Defence Service of Engineers
  • AEE(QSC) in MES Surveyor Cadre
  • Central Water Engineering (Group ‘A’) Service
  • Indian Skill Development Service.

Also Read: IES Civil Engineering syllabus

Which Branch is Toughest for IES? - Mechanical Engineering

Because of its very competitive selection process, the IES ME test is regarded as one of the most difficult in India.  Candidates who will fill these posts in the UPSC ESE IES Mechanical Engineering field will be specified to the following services/cadres

  • Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers
  • Indian Railway Stores Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
  • AEE in GSI Engineering Service Grade A
  • Indian Defence Service of Engineers
  • Indian Naval Armament Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
  • Assistant Naval Store Grade‐I Officer (Mechanical Engineering Posts) in the Indian Navy
  • AEE(Electrical Mechanical) in Border Roads Engineering Service(Mechanical Engineering Posts)
  • Central Water Engineering (Group ‘A’) Service
  • Central Power Engineering Grade A Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts)
  • Indian Skill Development Service
  • Central Power Engineering Grade B Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts)

Also Read: IES Mechanical Engineering syllabus

Which Branch is Toughest for IES? - Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering is regarded as the toughest branch for IES Exam.Candidates who are recruited into the UPSC ESE IES Electrical Engineering services will be assigned to the following Group A/B technical functions of the Government of India in the area of engineering based on their IES EE exam scores.

  • Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers
  • Indian Railway Stores Service (Electrical Engineering Posts)
  • Central Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Service (Electrical Engineering Posts)
  • Indian Defence Service of Engineers
  • Assistant Naval Store Grade‐I Officer (Electrical Engineering Posts)
  • Central Power Engineering Grade A Service(Electrical Engineering Posts)
  • Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service/SSO‐II (Electrical)
  • Indian Skill Development Service
  • Central Power Engineering Grade B Service (Electrical Engineering Posts)

Also Suggested: IES Electrical Engineering syllabus

Which Branch is Toughest for IES? - Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will hold a national level exam to hire Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers. Candidates can fill these positions in the UPSC IES Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering field will be allowed to the following services/cadres-

  • Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers
  • Indian Railway Stores Service (Telecommunication/Electronics Engineering Posts)
  • Grade A Indian Radio Regulatory Service
  • Indian Telecommunication Service Grade A.
  • Indian Naval Armament Service (Telecom and Electronics Engineering Posts)
  • Asstt. Naval Store Officer Grade‐I (Electronics and Telecom Engg. Posts) in the Indian Navy.
  • Central Power Engineering Service Grade A (Electronics Telecom Engineering Posts).
  • Indian Skill Development Service
  • Junior Telecom Officer Grade B
  • Central Power Engineering Service Grade B (Electronics Telecom Engineering Posts)

Also Suggested: IES Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering syllabus

Roles and Responsibility of IES Officer

  • After being chosen, the IES is assigned to the position of Assistant Executive Engineer or Assistant Director.
  • They are promoted to executive engineer, director, or work manager after 3 to 4 years of experience in this field. After 8 years of service, they advance to deputy general managers or joint directors.
  • With more than 13 years of experience, they are eligible for promotion to joint general manager or level 2 chief engineer.
  • After 20 years of service, an IES may move to the post of chief engineer or additional general manager.
  • After 30 years of service with the Indian government, they can be promoted to senior general manager or engineer-in-chief.
  • The best performance of an IES officer with 34 years of service qualifies them to become chairman or managing director of a government agency.

We hope you found our post on “Which Branch is Toughest for IES?” to be useful and informative. The mains exam is quickly approaching, and students should take advantage of every chance to strengthen their preparations. The Physics Wallah app is where you can get all of the competitive exam syllabus PDFs, sample exams, online lectures, and much more.

Also Read
UPSC ESE Civil Engineering Cut Off 2024 UPSC ESE 2024 Civil Engineering Vacancy
UPSC ESE 2024 Mechanical Engineering Vacancy UPSC ESE Mechanical Engineering Cut Off 2024
UPSC ESE 2024 Electrical Engineering Vacancy UPSC ESE Electrical Engineering Cut Off 2024
UPSC Electronics and Communication Engineering Cut Off 2024 UPSC ESE 2024 Electronics Engineering Vacancy

Which Branch is Toughest for IES?

Which Branch is Toughest for IES?

We have discussed the toughest branch for IES Exam in the above article.

Who is eligible to participate in the IES branch?

The Indian Engineering Services Exam is held for four different engineering fields, including Civil Engineering. Mechanical engineering. Electrical engineering.

Is the IES exam difficult for civil engineers?

The Indian Engineering Services (IES) is a civil service organisation that provides engineering and technical support to the Indian government. The Union Public Service Commission conducts one of India's hardest and most competitive engineering exams.

Is it tough to pass the IES exam?

Indian Engineering Services is regarded as one of the most challenging examinations in the country due to a difficult selection procedure.
Popup Close ImagePopup Open Image
Talk to a counsellorHave doubts? Our support team will be happy to assist you!
Popup Image
Join 15 Million students on the app today!
Point IconLive & recorded classes available at ease
Point IconDashboard for progress tracking
Point IconMillions of practice questions at your fingertips
Download ButtonDownload Button
Banner Image
Banner Image
Free Learning Resources
Know about Physics Wallah
Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech platform that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students from Class 6th to postgraduate level. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample paper, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers & more such resources to students. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.
We Stand Out because
We provide students with intensive courses with India’s qualified & experienced faculties & mentors. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.
Our Key Focus Areas
Physics Wallah's main focus is to make the learning experience as economical as possible for all students. With our affordable courses like Lakshya, Udaan and Arjuna and many others, we have been able to provide a platform for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formula to giving e-books of eminent authors like RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal and Lakhmir Singh, PW focuses on every single student's need for preparation.
What Makes Us Different
Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others

Copyright © 2025 Physicswallah Limited All rights reserved.