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UPSC ESE 2026 Exam Pattern – Prelims, Mains & Interview

UPSC ESE 2026

Union Public Service CommissionGraduate (Engineering) hard
OverviewSyllabusEligibilityExam PatternSelectionHow to ApplyCutoffBooksPrep TipsPapers

The ESE 2026 exam pattern consists of three stages: Prelims (two objective papers), Mains (two conventional technical papers), and Personality Test. The entire process tests both general engineering knowledge and branch-specific technical depth.

Stage 1: Prelims Pattern

PaperSubjectQuestionsMarksDurationNature
Paper-IGeneral Studies & Engineering Aptitude100 MCQs2002 HoursCommon (All branches)
Paper-IIBranch-Specific Technical Paper150 MCQs3003 HoursBranch-wise
Total Prelims250500
  • Correct answer: +1 mark (Paper-I); +1 mark (Paper-II) [each question carries 2/3 marks based on weightage; verify in notification]
  • Wrong answer: −1/3 mark per wrong answer (negative marking applies)
  • Prelims scores ARE counted in the final merit (unlike CSE Prelims)

Stage 2: Mains Pattern

PaperSubjectMarksDurationType
Paper-I (Conventional)Branch-Specific Technical Paper-I3003 HoursDescriptive
Paper-II (Conventional)Branch-Specific Technical Paper-II3003 HoursDescriptive
Mains Total600

Stage 3: Personality Test

ComponentMarks
Personality Test / Interview200
Grand Total (Prelims + Mains + Interview)1300

Final Merit Calculation

  • Final merit = Prelims (500) + Mains (600) + Interview (200) = 1300
  • Unlike CSE, Prelims marks ARE included in ESE final merit
  • This makes doing well in Prelims critically important for rank

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.Are Prelims marks included in the final ESE merit list?

Yes. This is a key difference from CSE. ESE Prelims marks (500) are included in the final merit along with Mains (600) and Interview (200). Candidates should not treat Prelims as merely qualifying.

Q.Is there negative marking in ESE Prelims?

Yes. There is a deduction of 1/3 mark for each wrong answer in both Paper-I and Paper-II of ESE Prelims. Avoid random guessing.

Q.What is the difficulty level of ESE Mains conventional papers?

ESE Mains conventional papers are significantly harder than GATE. They require multi-step design calculations, derivations, and application-based problem solving – not just conceptual understanding.

Q.How are candidates shortlisted from Prelims to Mains in ESE?

UPSC shortlists approximately 6–7 times the number of vacancies per branch from Prelims to Mains, based on Prelims merit within each engineering branch.

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SyllabusEligibilityExam PatternSelection ProcessHow to ApplyCutoffBooksPrep TipsPrevious Papers
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