UPSC Engineering Services Examination 2027 — 480 Posts
UPSC has opened ESE 2027 applications for approximately 480 engineering-service vacancies across four disciplines.
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| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Notification and application start | 16 September 2026 | Open |
| Last date to apply | 6 October 2026, 6:00 PM | Upcoming |
| Preliminary examination | 31 January 2027 | Upcoming |
| Main examination | 18 June 2027 | Upcoming |
Age Limit (as on 1 January 2027)
Minimum 21 years and below 30 years — born not earlier than 2 January 1997 and not later than 1 January 2006.
| Category | Upper-age relaxation |
|---|---|
| SC / ST | 5 years |
| OBC (eligible for reservation) | 3 years |
| PwBD (eligible categories) | 10 years |
| Ex-servicemen and eligible ECOs/SSCOs | 5 years |
| Defence personnel disabled in operations | 3 years |
| Specified Government servants (departmental) | Upper limit up to 35 years for the services listed in the notice |
Educational Qualification
- A degree in Engineering from a university or institution recognised as set out in the notice; or
- Sections A and B of the Institution Examinations of the Institution of Engineers (India); or
- A recognised foreign engineering degree or diploma; or
- Graduate Membership Examination of IETE (India); Associate Membership Parts II and III / Sections A and B of the Aeronautical Society of India; or Graduate Membership of the Institution of Electronics and Radio Engineers, London (after November 1959).
For the Indian Naval Armament Service (Electronics Engineering Posts) and the Indian Radio Regulatory Service Group A, the M.Sc. qualifications specified in the notice are also accepted.
Note: IETE and Aeronautical Society of India qualifications taken with admission after 31.05.2013 are not admissible for ESE 2027. Candidates awaiting their final result may apply. They must upload proof of passing in the 10-day window after the Main result, before the Personality Test.
Nationality
A citizen of India, or a subject of Nepal or Bhutan, or a Tibetan refugee, or a person of Indian origin who migrated with the intention of settling permanently, as listed in the notice. Categories other than Indian citizens need a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India.
Reserved-category certificates
OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) and EWS certificates must be based on the income for FY 2025-26 (OBC: FY 2025-26, 2024-25 and 2023-24) and issued on or after 01.04.2026 but not later than 06.10.2026.
UPSC expects approximately 480 vacancies, including 19 for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities: 11 for Locomotor Disability (including leprosy cured, dwarfism, acid attack victims and muscular dystrophy), 06 for Hard of Hearing, 01 for Low Vision, and 01 for SLD and MD. The number of vacancies is liable to alteration. The notice does not give a discipline-wise or category-wise split.
Participating services by discipline
| Category | Services / posts (as listed in the notice) |
|---|---|
| I — Civil Engineering (Group A) | Central Engineering Service; CES (Roads); Survey of India Group A; AEE (Civil) in Border Roads Engineering Service; AEE (QS&C) in MES Surveyor Cadre; Central Water Engineering (Group A) Service; Indian Skill Development Service; IRMS (Civil); IRMS (Stores) — Civil; Indian Defence Service of Engineers |
| II — Mechanical Engineering (Group A/B) | AEE in GSI Engineering Service; INMMS (Mechanical); DAQAS / SSO-II (Mechanical); AEE (E&M) in BRES (Mechanical); Indian Skill Development Service; IRMS (Mechanical); IRMS (Stores) — Mechanical; Indian Defence Service of Engineers; Indian Naval Armament Service (Mechanical); Central Water Engineering (Group A) Service; CE&MES (Mechanical); Central Power Engineering Service Group A (Mechanical) |
| III — Electrical Engineering (Group A/B) | CE&MES (Electrical); INMMS (Electrical); Central Power Engineering Service Group A (Electrical); DAQAS / SSO-II (Electrical); Indian Skill Development Service; IRMS (Electrical); IRMS (Stores) — Electrical; Indian Defence Service of Engineers; Indian Naval Armament Service (Electrical) |
| IV — Electronics & Telecommunication (Group A/B) | Indian Radio Regulatory Service Group A; Indian Telecommunications Service Group A; INMMS (E&T); Indian Naval Armament Service (E&T); Indian Skill Development Service; Junior Telecom Officer Group B; IRMS (Signal & Telecommunication); IRMS (Stores) — S&T; Central Power Engineering Service Group A (E&T) |
| Candidate | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / EWS (male) | Rs. 200 |
| Female / SC / ST / PwBD | Exempted |
- OBC and EWS candidates get no fee exemption and must pay the full fee.
- Pay online by net banking, Visa/Master/RuPay credit or debit card, or UPI. No other mode is accepted.
- The fee is not refundable and cannot be held over for another examination.
- Applications without the prescribed fee (unless exemption is claimed) are summarily rejected.
Three-stage selection
- Stage-I: Preliminary Examination (objective, 31 January 2027) — screens candidates for the Main. Marks of qualified candidates count towards the final merit.
- Stage-II: Main Examination (conventional, 18 June 2027) — about six to seven times the number of vacancies are admitted.
- Stage-III: Personality Test — about twice the number of vacancies are called. It carries 200 marks with no minimum qualifying marks.
Examination scheme
| Stage | Paper | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary | Paper I — General Studies and Engineering Aptitude | 2 hrs | 200 |
| Preliminary | Paper II — Engineering discipline | 3 hrs | 300 |
| Main | Paper I — Engineering discipline (conventional) | 3 hrs | 300 |
| Main | Paper II — Engineering discipline (conventional) | 3 hrs | 300 |
| Personality Test | — | — | 200 |
| Total | 1300 | ||
- Negative marking: one-third of the marks for a question is deducted for each wrong answer in the objective papers. Marking more than one answer counts as wrong. There is no penalty for an unanswered question.
- For the Main list, UPSC applies minimum qualifying marks in both Preliminary papers.
- Conventional papers must be answered in English. Question papers are set in English only.
- Candidates finally recommended must undergo a medical examination.
- Go to https://upsconline.nic.in. This is the only accepted mode.
- Create your account and complete the Universal Registration Number (URN) profile. This is a one-time registration, common to all UPSC examinations, with a one-time facility to edit it.
- Fill in the Common Application Form (CAF). Upload your photograph and capture a live photograph, and upload your signature: signed three times, one below the other, in black ink on white paper.
- Complete the ESE 2027 Examination Specific Module: choose your one engineering discipline and your centre, and pay the fee.
- Keep your URN and the examination-specific Application Number safe for all future communication.
- Keep one photo ID ready (Aadhaar recommended by UPSC; Voter ID, PAN, Passport, Driving Licence or a Government photo ID are also allowed). Carry the same ID to the exam.
- Centres are allotted first-apply-first-allot, and each centre has a ceiling except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata and Nagpur. Apply early for your preferred centre.
- An application cannot be withdrawn, and no field can be corrected after submission.
- Government employees must inform their Head of Office/Department that they have applied.
- UPSC helpline for the application process: 011-24041001 / 011-40303444, email upscsoap@nic.in, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on working days, 16 September to 6 October 2026.
Full Details
- Authority: Union Public Service Commission — Examination Notice No. 02/2027-ENGG.
- Applications: 16 September 2026 to 6 October 2026, 6:00 PM, at upsconline.nic.in.
- Preliminary examination: 31 January 2027. Main examination: 18 June 2027.
- Expected vacancies: approximately 480, including 19 PwBD vacancies. The number may change.
Career Growth and Work Profile
UPSC ESE recruits engineers for technical and managerial services connected with public infrastructure, railways, defence establishments, telecommunications, water resources, power systems and other Union Government functions. The exact service depends on discipline, merit, preference, vacancies and medical fitness. Candidates should therefore evaluate the participating services, not treat all 480 expected vacancies as interchangeable posts.
Historical Cut-Off Trends (Official UPSC Data)
The figures below are past General-category cut-offs published by UPSC. They are context only and are not a prediction for 2027.
| Discipline | 2024 Gen Written /1100 | 2025 Gen Written /1100 | Change | 2024 Gen Final /1300 | 2025 Gen Final /1300 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil | 510 | 498 | -12 | 691 | 719 |
| Mechanical | 537 | 570 | +33 | 725 | 758 |
| Electrical | 489 | 484 | -5 | 655 | 686 |
| Electronics & Telecom | 343 | 447 | +104 | 546 | 661 |
Source: UPSC “Recommendation Details and Cut-off Marks” for ESE 2024 and ESE 2025 (General category). Written = Preliminary + Main (500 + 600); Final = Written + Personality Test (200).
Important Eligibility and Application Nuances
- A candidate may apply for only one engineering category: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics and Telecommunication.
- A submitted application cannot be withdrawn or corrected. A later URN profile change does not modify an application already submitted.
- The Common Application Form requires an uploaded photograph, live-photo capture and three signatures placed one below another on white paper in black ink.
- Exam centres have capacity limits and are allotted on a first-apply-first-allot basis, except for centres specifically exempted in the notice. Applying early improves the chance of receiving the preferred centre.
- Candidates must satisfy the service-specific physical and medical requirements. Eligibility at the application stage remains provisional.
Selection Process and Candidate Roadmap
Stage I contains two objective papers for 500 marks. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for a wrong answer. Stage II contains two conventional engineering papers for 600 marks. Stage III is a 200-mark Personality Test. Marks from all three stages count toward final merit. Before submitting, candidates should match their name and date of birth with the matriculation certificate, verify the selected discipline, keep the URN and examination-specific application number, and save the final application and payment confirmation.
Important Links
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
The online application must be submitted by 6 October 2026 at 6:00 PM.
The official notice states that approximately 480 vacancies are expected, including 19 vacancies for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities. The number may change.
UPSC has scheduled the Preliminary examination for 31 January 2027.
No. The notice says no correction or modification is allowed after submission. Changes to the URN profile apply only to later applications.
Yes. Marks from the Preliminary examination, Main examination and Personality Test are used for final ranking.