UPSC Mechanical Engineering Syllabus 2026

UPSC Mechanical Engineering Syllabus 2026 for Paper I

Mechanics

1.1 Mechanics of Rigid Bodies

• Equations of equilibrium in space and its application;  first and second moments of area; simple problems on friction; kinematics of particles for plane motion; elementary particle dynamics.

1.2 Mechanics of Deformable Bodies

• Generalized Hooke’s law and its application; design problems on axial stress, shear stress and bearing stress; material properties for dynamic loading; bending shear and stresses in beams; determination of principle stresses and strains-analytical and graphical; compound and combined stresses; bi-axial stresses-thin walled pressure vessel; material behaviour and design factors for dynamic load; design of circular shafts for bending and torsional load only; deflection of beam for statically determinate problems; theories of failure.

Engineering Materials

• Basic concepts on the structure of solids, common ferrous and non-ferrous materials and their applications; heat-treatment of steels; non-metallic plastics, ceramics, composite materials and nano-materials.

Theory of Machines

• Kinematic and dynamic analysis of plane mechanisms. Cams, Gears and epicyclic gear trains, flywheels, governors, balancing of rigid rotors, balancing of single and multi-cylinder engines, linear vibration analysis of mechanical systems (single degree of freedom), Critical speeds and whirling of shafts.

Manufacturing Science

4.1 Manufacturing Process

• Machine tool engineering - Merchant’s force analysis: Taylor’s tool life equation; conventional machining; NC and CNC machining process; jigs and fixtures. Non-conventional machining-EDM, ECM, ultrasonic, water jet machining, etc.; application of lasers and plasmas; energy rate calculations. Forming and welding processes-standard processes. Metrology-concept of fits and tolerances; tools and gauges; comparators; inspection of length, position, profile and surface finish.

4.2 Manufacturing Management

• System design: factory location—simple OR models; plant layout-methods based; applications of engineering economic analysis and break-even analysis for product selection, process selection and capacity planning; predetermined time standards.

• System planning; forecasting methods based on regression and decomposition, design and balancing of multi-model and stochastic assembly lines; inventory management-probabilistic inventory models for order time and order quantity determination; JIT systems; strategic sourcing; managing interplant logistics.

• System operations and control: Scheduling algorithms for job shops; applications of statistical methods for product and process quality control; applications of control charts for mean, range, per cent defective, number of defectives and defects per unit; quality cost systems; management of resources, organisations, and risks in projects.

• System improvement: Implementation of systems, such as total quality management, developing and managing flexible, lean and agile Organizations.

UPSC Mechanical Engineering Syllabus 2026 for Paper II

Thermodynamics, Gas Dynamics, Turbine

1.1 Basic concept of First Law and Second Law of Thermodynamics; concept of entropy and reversibility; availability and unavailability; and irreversibility. 

1.2 Classification and properties of fluids; incompressible and compressible fluid flows; effect of Mach number and compressibility; continuity, momentum and energy equations; normal and oblique shocks; one-dimensional isentropic flow; flow of fluids in a duct with friction that transfers. 

1.3 Flow through fans, blowers and compressors; axial and centrifugal flow configuration; design of fans and compressors; single problem compressors and turbine cascade; open and closed cycle gas turbines; work done in the gas turbine; reheat and regenerators.

Heat Transfer

2.1 Conduction heat transfer —general conduction equation-Laplace, Poisson and Fourier equations; Fourier law of conduction; one-dimensional steady state heat conduction applied to simple wall, solid and hollow cylinder and spheres. 

2.2 Convection heat transfer —Newton’s law of convection; free and forced convection; heat transfer during laminar and turbulent flow of an incompressible fluid over a flat plate; concepts of Nusselt number, hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layer their thickness; Prandtl number; analogy between heat and momentum transfer—Reynolds, Calbom, Prandtl analogies; heat transfer during laminar and turbulent flow through horizontal tubes; free convection from horizontal and vertical plates. 

2.3 Black body radiation —basic radiation laws such as Stefan-Boltzmann, Planck distribution, Wein’s displacement, etc. 

2.4 Basic heat exchanger analysis; classification of heat exchangers.

Engines

3.1 Classification, thermodynamic cycles of operation; determination of brake power, indicated power, mechanical efficiency, heat balance sheet, interpretation of performance characteristics, petrol, gas and diesel engines. 

3.2 Combustion in SI and CI engines, normal and abnormal combustion; effect of working parameters on knocking, reduction of knocking; Forms of combustion chamber for SI and CI engines; rating of fuels, additives; emission. 

3.3 Different systems of IC engines -fuels, lubricating, cooling and transmission systems. Alternate fuels in IC engines.

Steam Engineering

4.1 Steam generation —modified Rankine cycle analysis; Modern steam boilers; steam at critical and supercritical pressures; draught equipment; natural and artificial draught; boiler fuels: solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Steam turbines—Principle; types; compounding; impulse and reaction turbines; axial thrust. 

4.2 Steam nozzles —flow of steam in convergent and divergent nozzles, pressure at throat for maximum discharge with different initial steam conditions, such as wet, saturated and superheated, effect of variation of back pressure; supersaturated flow of steam in nozzles, Wilson line. 

4.3 Rankine cycle with internal and external irreversibility; reheat factor; reheating and regeneration, methods of governing; back pressure and pass-out turbines. 

4.4 Steam power plants —combined cycle power generation; heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) fired and unfired, cogeneration plants.

Refrigeration and Air-conditioning

5.1 Vapour compression refrigeration cycle —cycle on p-H & T-s diagrams; eco-friendly refrigerants—R 134a. 123; Systems like evaporators, condensers, compressors, and expansion devices. Simple vapour absorption systems. 

5.2 Psychrometry —properties; processes; charts; sensible heating and cooling; humidification and dehumidification; effective temperature; air-conditioning load calculation; simple duct design.

Paper I

Paper II

Callister’s Materials Science and Engineering

Thermodynamics by R Yadav

Theory of Machines by Rattan

Fundamentals of Classical Thermodynamics by Van Wylen

Theory of Mechanism and Mechanics by Jagdish Lal

IC Engine by ML Mathur and RP Sharma

Machine Design by Shigley, VB Bhandari

Heat Conversion by Arora and Domkundwar

Manufacturing Technology by P N Rao

Heat Transfer by Gupta Prakash

Principles of Manufacturing Material & Process by Campbell

Gas Turbine and Propulsive Systems by PR Khajuria & SP Dubey

Production Management by R K Jain

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning by CP Arora and Domkundwar

Mechanics of Solids by Popru

Heat and Mass Transfer by JP Hollman and RC Sachdeva

Strength of Materials by Gere & Timoshenko, BC Unamia, Sadhu Singh

—