UPSC ESE is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and covers Prelims: GS and Engineering Aptitude + discipline paper and Mains: two papers per discipline. This page summarises the UPSC ESE exam pattern, marking scheme and syllabus as a study snapshot for previous year question practice. Confirm eligibility, dates and marking in the latest official notification on upsc.gov.in.
Official notification wins
The notification for your cycle fixes dates, vacancies, age limits and any pattern change. Use this page to plan practice, not to replace it.
Pattern
Stage I (Prelims) has two objective papers: Paper I, General Studies and Engineering Aptitude (2 hours, 200 marks), and Paper II, the engineering discipline paper (3 hours, 300 marks). Stage I only screens candidates. Stage II (Mains) has two conventional papers per discipline of 300 marks each (3 hours each), 600 marks in total, followed by a 200-mark Personality Test. The final merit list uses Mains plus Personality Test, 800 marks.
| Stage or paper | Subject | Marks and format |
|---|---|---|
| Stage I, Paper I | General Studies and Engineering Aptitude | 2 hours, 200 marks, objective, common to all disciplines |
| Stage I, Paper II | Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or E&T | 3 hours, 300 marks, objective, your chosen discipline |
| Stage II, Papers I and II | Same discipline, conventional | 3 hours and 300 marks each, 600 total |
| Stage III | Personality Test | 200 marks |
Syllabus areas
General Studies and Engineering Aptitude
Current affairs, engineering drawing basics, basic material science and engineering, engineering ethics, basics of project management, environment and ecology, standards and quality practices, information and communication technology, basics of energy, and safety and disaster management.
Civil Engineering
Building materials, structural analysis, steel and RCC design, soil mechanics, fluid mechanics, hydrology, irrigation, transportation, environmental engineering, estimating and construction management.
Mechanical Engineering
Thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and machinery, heat transfer, IC engines, refrigeration, machine design, theory of machines, manufacturing, industrial engineering and mechatronics.
Electrical Engineering
Circuits, electromagnetic theory, machines, power systems, control systems, measurement, analog and digital electronics, power electronics and drives.
Electronics and Telecommunication
Network theory, analog and digital circuits, signals and systems, communication systems, electromagnetics, microwave and antennas, control systems, computer organisation.
Eligibility
Candidates need an engineering degree or equivalent recognised by UPSC. The age limit and the number of attempts follow the notification of that year. Check both in the current notice.
Using the papers
The papers on the UPSC ESE hub follow the pattern above, so a full paper sat at the real duration is a fair mock. Years 2019 to 2026 are hosted.