The IES 2026 written examination is conducted in offline descriptive mode spread across two days. Candidates must demonstrate both breadth and depth in economics.
Written Examination Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Type | Max Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General English | Descriptive | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Paper II | General Studies | Objective + Descriptive | 100 | 2 Hours |
| Paper III | General Economics I | Descriptive | 200 | 3 Hours |
| Paper IV | General Economics II | Descriptive | 200 | 3 Hours |
| Paper V | General Economics III | Descriptive | 200 | 3 Hours |
| Paper VI | Indian Economics | Descriptive | 200 | 3 Hours |
| Written Total | 1000 | 17 Hours | ||
Viva-Voce (Personality Test)
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Viva-Voce | 200 |
Grand Total: 1200 Marks
The final merit list is based on Written Examination (1000) + Viva-Voce (200) = 1200 marks.
Qualifying Papers
Papers I (General English) and II (General Studies) are qualifying in nature – candidates must score the minimum prescribed marks but these scores are NOT included in the final merit list. The merit is based on Papers III–VI (800 marks) + Viva (200 marks) = 1000 marks.