Why is the Previous Year question Paper Important in ESE 2025?
ESE Previous Year Question Papers
Since the UPSC ESE 2025 commencement date is approaching, every candidate is looking forward to acing the engineering examination. Embarking on the journey of hard work, time management, strategically planning the topic to study, attending classes, note-making, group study, revisions, and committing to many essential things to achieve the aim. And one of the foremost things will be practicing the UPSC previous year’s question paper. PYQs serve as an invaluable source for aspiring candidates who are looking for excellence in their careers.
This year, the recruitment for the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) is taking place through the Engineering Services Examination (ESE). For candidates preparing for the ESE, solving previous years’ questions (PYQs) is essential. Practicing these PYQs is crucial, as it helps build familiarity with the exam format, enhances problem-solving skills, and improves speed and accuracy, ultimately boosting the chances of clearing the exam.
This blog has gotten into a deep dive into the significance of UPSC previous-year papers and how they give students a chance to practice their study skills and become familiar with the difficulties they may encounter.
Importance of Previous Year Question Paper- UPSC ESE 2025
The annual and esteemed UPSC ESE 2025 exam selects candidates for engineering positions in the various ministries and departments of the government of India. Since the competition is getting more intense, it is a reality that while lakhs of students prepare for it, only a few of them manage to succeed.
The preparation for the examination itself requires lots of dedication and perseverance to achieve the expected outcome. Furthermore, this is a kind of examination that requires proactive measures towards exam preparation.
So it is very important to look for the best study material and prepare strategically, including the previous year’s papers. It is very helpful as it gives insight into the exam pattern, the formatting of the questions, and the overall structure of the previous examinations.
Below are how UPSC previous year’s question papers are important for your exam preparation and how they will be beneficial to achieve the goal:
- Understanding the exam pattern: Solving PYQs is the best way to familiarize yourself with the exam pattern. Appearing for the exam without considering practicing the previous year’s paper is a risky strategy to have. The candidate will have a better understanding of the exam format and the concepts after completing the previous question. It can also be used to examine repeatedly asked questions and aid in becoming comfortable with the format, marking system, and question categories. PYQs are said to be a fantastic method for enhancing problem-solving abilities.
- Practice makes perfect: In the same way that the proverb “practice makes perfect” holds true, completing past year assignments regularly can sharpen your attention and inspire you to continue working diligently. Additionally, practicing them improves the candidate’s comprehension of weaker ideas. Therefore, adhering to it strictly is the same as striving for perfection.
- Time Management: It is a proven fact that time management is very important for exam preparation. It helps to maintain accuracy and speed. Practicing PYQs helps in sorting out the given period of the exam, as well as how much time should be given to which question based on their weighted marks. So in the end, one can complete the exam within the given time constraint without experiencing stress.
- Self-assessment: Previous year papers play a crucial role in assessing your preparedness for the exam. By solving PYQs, you can consistently measure your current performance against your past attempts. This helps to identify concepts of strength and weakness, allowing you to understand your level of preparation. The more questions you solve, the better you prepare for UPSC ESE 2025.
- Increased Confidence: Attempting PYQs can boost your confidence for the ESE 2025. As you will be familiar with the question pattern, it genuinely prepares you for the real examination. As solving question papers involves numerical questions as well, practicing it will eventually increase your speed and accuracy of getting the correct answer in the real exam as well.
UPSC Previous year question paper links
As we have discussed the significance of Previous Year Questions (PYQs), we are now providing links to last year’s UPSC ESE question papers for aspiring students who are preparing for the upcoming UPSC ESE 2025 prelims. The table below is sorted by the latest years and streams, facilitating easy access to UPSC’s the previous year’s question papers for ESE candidates.
| Stream | Paper | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2019 | CE 2019 |
| Mechanical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2019 | ME 2019 |
| Electric Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2019 | EE 2019 |
| Electronics And Telecommunication Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2019 | E&T 2019 |
| General Studies and Engineering Aptitude | UPSC ESE Prelims 2019 | GS 2019 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | CE Paper-1 2019 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | CE Paper-2 2019 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | ME Paper-1 2019 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | ME Paper 2 2019 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | EE Paper-1 2019 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | EE Paper-2 2019 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | E&T Paper-1 2019 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2019 | E&T Paper-2 2019 |
| Civil Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2020 | CE 2020 |
| Mechanical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2020 | ME 2020 |
| Electric Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2020 | EE 2020 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2020 | E&T 2020 |
| General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | UPSC ESE Prelims 2020 | GS 2020 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | CE Paper-1 2020 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | CE Paper-2 2020 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | ME Paper-1 2020 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | ME Paper-2 2020 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | EE Paper-1 2020 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | EE Paper-2 2020 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | E&T Paper-1 2020 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2020 | E&T Paper-2 2020 |
| Civil Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2021 | CE 2021 |
| Mechanical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2021 | ME 2021 |
| Electrical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2021 | EE 2021 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2021 | E&T 2021 |
| General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | UPSC ESE Prelims 2021 | GS 2021 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | CE Paper-1 2021 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | CE Paper-2 2021 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | ME Paper-1 2021 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | ME Paper-2 2021 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | EE Paper-1 2021 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | EE Paper-2 2021 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | E&T Paper-1 2021 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2021 | E&T Paper-2 2021 |
| Civil Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2022 | CE 2022 |
| Mechanical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2022 | ME 2022 |
| Electrical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2022 | EE 2022 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication | UPSC ESE Prelims 2022 | E&T 2022 |
| General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | UPSC ESE Prelims 2022 | GS 2022 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | CE Paper-1 2022 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | CE Paper-2 2022 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | CME Paper-1 2022 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | ME Paper-2 2022 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | EE Paper-1 2022 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | EE Paper-2 2022 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | E&T Paper-1 2022 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2022 | E&T Paper-2 2022 |
| Civil Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2023 | CE 2023 |
| Mechanical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2023 | ME 2023 |
| Electrical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2023 | EE 2023 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2023 | E&T 2023 |
| General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | UPSC ESE Prelims 2023 | GS 2023 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | CE Paper-1 2023 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | CE Paper-2 2023 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | ME Paper-1 2023 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | ME Paper-2 2023 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | EE Paper-1 2023 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | EE Paper-2 2023 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | E&T Paper-1 2023 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2023 | E&T Paper-2 2023 |
| Civil Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2024 | CE 2024 |
| Mechanical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2024 | ME 2024 |
| Electrical Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2024 | EE 2024 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering | UPSC ESE Prelims 2024 | E&T 2024 |
| General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | UPSC ESE Prelims 2024 | GS 2024 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | CE Paper-1 2024 |
| Civil Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | CE Paper-2 2024 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | ME Paper-1 2024 |
| Mechanical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | ME Paper-2 2024 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | EE Paper-1 2024 |
| Electrical Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | EE Paper-2 2024 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 1 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | E&T Paper-1 2024 |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering- Paper 2 | UPSC ESE Main 2024 | E&T Paper-2 2024 |
MADE EASY PYQ Books
MADE EASY expert faculty has curated the study material that provides the best knowledge to the aspirants, and also keeping in mind the significance of PYQs, they have also included the latest previous year question paper with solutions that is a strategic approach to preparation. The upcoming exam of the UPSC ESE prelims will be held on 8th June 2025, so the latest PYQ books with comprehensive study material are linked below: –
- Preliminary Exam: Civil Engineering Objective Solved Paper Vol-1
- Preliminary Exam: Mechanical Engineering Objective Solved Paper Vol-1
- Preliminary Exam: Electrical Engineering Objective Solved Paper Vol-1
- Preliminary Exam: Electronics and Telecom. Engineering Objective Solved Paper Vol-1
- General Studies and Engineering Aptitude 3300 MCQ
- General Studies – 2025 for UPSC, SSC, Railways, PSUs and Bank PO
Also if you are also looking forward to preparing for Main ESE 2025 held on 10th August 2025, we are listing below the books for your strategic preparation.
- Main Examination: Civil Engineering Conventional Paper-1
- Main Examination: Electrical Engineering Conventional Paper-1
- Main Examination: Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering Conventional Paper-1
- Main Examination: Mechanical Engineering Conventional Paper-1
- Reasoning and Aptitude for GATE and ESE- 2025
FAQs:
1. What are the benefits of the previous year’s question papers?
The benefits of previous-year question papers are that they help to self-evaluate and track the progress of the examination. It gives a brief insight into the real exam pattern, helping to manage the time, boost confidence, and experience the types of questions that will be asked.
2. How to Analyze the previous year’s question papers for UPSC ESE?
Analyzing the previous year’s question is important and beneficial for ESE 2025 aspirants. Like, identify the repeatedly asked questions, focus on the types of questions asked, the formats in which they are asked, and what the weight of the questions is. Also identifying the areas from which the number of questions was asked.
3. Which PYQ book is best for UPSC ESE 2025?
The book with the latest previous year’s questions with solutions and comprehensive study material is considered the best PYQ book for UPSC ESE 2025.
4. Does the previous year’s question paper help?
Yes, previous-year question papers are very helpful in identifying the exam pattern and understanding the weaknesses of the candidate.
5. How many years of PYQ is sufficient for UPSC ESE?
There is no specific number of PYQs sufficient for the exam. Candidates must make sure to at least solve 5–10 years of UPSC previous-year question papers that will be beneficial in understanding the exam pattern before the real exam.
6. Do previous year questions repeat?
As such, there is no actual data or confirmation that the previous year’s questions repeat, although it will be easier for the candidate who has solved enough PYQs to identify and speed up their problem-solving ability in the examination.
7. Should I solve sample papers or previous papers?
Solving both is a great way to achieve the expected result. Sample papers are the best way to practice the questions, and attempting the previous year’s questions helps in identifying the exam pattern and becoming familiar with real exam questions.
8. How many previous year papers should I solve?
There is no particular number of question papers that should be solved to achieve the expected outcome. Every aspirant is wise enough to understand their ability to perform well in the exam. It is still recommended that 5–10 years of question papers be solved, as it benefits the candidate by increasing their confidence and motivating them for exam preparation.
9. Is it good to solve sample papers one day before an exam?
Practicing the sample papers a month ago is very important, and attempting them daily, especially one day before an exam, is beneficial for the expected outcome.
10. Where can I access the latest UPSC ESE PYQs?
PYQs are accessible via the UPSC website, online resources, and educational publishers like as MADE EASY, who provide books that cover past ESE exams in detail.
11. When are the UPSC ESE 2025 Prelims and Mains scheduled?
The ESE (Preliminary) 2025 and ESE (Main) 2025 will now be held on 8th June 2025 and 10th August 2025 respectively.
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