UPSC ESE 2026 Notification Out | Registration Open

UPSC ESE 2026 Notification Out

Registration Open

Attention Engineers!! The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the official notification for UPSC ESE 2026. The online application for UPSC ESE 2026 will be open from 26.09.2025 to 16.10.2025 till 6:00 PM, after which the link will be disabled. All candidates (male/female/transgender) are requested to carefully read the rules and important details of the Engineering Services Examination released by UPSC. Candidates applying for the UPSC ESE 2026 Application Form should ensure they fulfill all eligibility conditions as mentioned in the official notification released by the Union Public Service Commission. The selection at all the stages of the examination will be purely provisional, subject to satisfying the prescribed eligibility conditions.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the authority that conducts various national-level examinations like the Engineering Services Examination (ESE), the Civil Services Examination (CSE), and others. However, in this blog, we will focus only on the Engineering Services Examination.

Every year, UPSC conducts ESE to recruit deserving and talented engineering graduates for Group A and Group B posts according to the requirements. The commission encourages the aspirants to fill out the ESE 2026 application form. On 26th September 2025, UPSC released the ESE 2026 official notification for the aspirants preparing for ESE to provide the relevant information related to the examination.

👉🏻 Good News for UPSC ESE 2026 Aspirants!

In this blog post, you will learn about the crucial aspects of the UPSC ESE 2026 application form and other relevant information associated with it.

Details required for the UPSC ESE 2026 application form:

Aspirants must keep the following details handy for a smooth and successful ESE 2026 Registration:

Candidates should have details of one Photo ID Card viz. Aadhaar Card/Voter Card/PAN Card/Passport/Driving Licence/Any other Photo ID Card issued by the State/Central Government. The details of this Photo ID Card will have to be provided by the candidate while filling up the online application form. This Photo ID Card will be used for all future referencing and the candidate is advised to carry this Photo ID Card while appearing for Examination/Personality Test.

If you are thinking about how to fill the application form, then you must refer to the steps specified below to fill the ESE 2026 Application Form.

(a) Candidates are required to apply Online using the link www.upsconline.nic.in

It is essential for the applicant to create account, generate Universal Registration Number(URN) and then proceed for filling up the Common Application Form .URN has to be registered only once in life time. This can be done anytime throughout the year. If the candidate has already completed all three parts, he/she can proceed straightway for filling up the 4th part i.e. Exam Specific Form. Brief instructions are given in Appendix-IIA. Detailed instructions for filling up online applications are available on the above mentioned website.

The candidates will not be allowed to withdraw their applications after the submission of the same.

(b) The applicants are advised to submit only single application; however, if due to any unavoidable situation, if he/she submits another/multiple applications, then he/ she must ensure that application with the higher RID is complete in all respects like applicants’ details, examination centre, photograph, signature, fee etc. The applicants who are submitting multiple applications should note that only the applications with higher RID (Registration ID) shall be entertained by the Commission and fee paid against one RID shall not be adjusted against any other RID.

(c) All candidates, whether already in Government Service, or in Government owned industrial undertakings or other similar organisations or in private employment, should apply online direct to the Commission.

Note: The eligible candidates shall be issued an e-Admission Certificate on the last working day of the preceding week of the date of examination. The e-Admission Certificate will be made available on the UPSC website [www.upsc.gov.in] for downloading by candidates. No Admission Certificate will be sent by post. All the applicants are requested to provide valid & active e-mail i.d. while filling up online application form as the Commission may use electronic mode for contacting them.

*The candidates should reach the venue of the Examination well in time at least 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each session of the Examination. No late entry will be allowed inside the Exam-venue under any circumstances.

Read the below given official notification carefully before filling up the application to avoid any error in future.

ESE 2026 Notification

Eligibility Criteria

(I) Nationality:

A candidate must be either:

(a) a citizen of India, or

(b) a subject of Nepal, or

(c) a subject of Bhutan, or

(d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before the 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or

(e) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka or East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia or from Vietnam with the intention of permanently setting in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) above shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India and that a candidate in whose case a certificate of eligibility is necessary, may be admitted to the examination but the offer of appointment shall be given only after the necessary eligibility certificate has been issued to him/her by the Government of India.

(II) Age Limits:

(a) A candidate for this examination must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years on the 1 st January, 2026 i.e., he/she must have been born not earlier than 2 nd January, 1996 and not later than 1 st January, 2005

(b) The upper age-limit of 30 years will be relaxable upto 35 years in the case of Government servants of the following categories, if they are employed in a Department/ Office under the control of any of the authorities mentioned in column 1 below and apply for admission to the examination for all or any of the Service(s)/Post(s) mentioned in column 2, for which they are otherwise eligible.

(c ) The upper age-limit prescribed above will be further relaxable:

• Up to maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe.
• Up to maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.

Educational Qualification

For admission to the examination, a candidate must have –

(a) Obtained a degree in Engineering from a University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other Educational Institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as Universities under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956; or

(b) Passed Sections A and B of the Institution Examinations of the Institution of Engineers (India); or

(c) Obtained a degree/diploma in Engineering from such foreign University/College/Institution and under such conditions as may be recognised by the Government for the purpose from time to time, or

(d) Passed Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (India); or

(e) Passed Associate Membership Examination Parts II and III/Sections A and B of the Aeronautical Society of India; or

(f) Passed Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Radio Engineers, London held after November, 1959 Provided that a candidate for the post of Indian Naval Armament Service (Electronics Engineering Posts) and Indian Radio Regulatory Service Group ‘A’ may possess any of the above qualifications or the qualification mentioned below namely:- For Indian Naval Armament Service (Electronics Engg. Posts) – M.Sc. degree or its equivalent with Wireless Communication Electronics, Radio Physics or Radio Engineering as a special subject.

Services through UPSC ESE 2026

The list of services for different streams through ESE 2026 is given below:

Civil Engineering

Group-A Services/Posts

(i) Central Engineering Service

(ii) Central Engineering Service (Roads), Group-A (Civil Engineering Posts).

(iii) Survey of India Group ‘A’ Service.

(iv) *AEE (Civil) in Border Roads Engineering Service.

(v) AEE (QS&C) in MES Surveyor Cadre.

(vi) Central Water Engineering (Group ‘A’) Service.

(vii) Indian Skill Development Service.

(viii) Indian Railway Management Service (Civil).

(ix) Indian Railway Management Service (Stores) – Civil Engg. Posts.

Mechanical Engineering

Group-A/B Services/Posts:

(i) AEE in GSI Engineering Service Gr ‘A’.

(ii) Indian Naval Material Management Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts)

(iii) Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service/SSO-II (Mechanical).

(iv) *AEE (Electrical and Mechanical) in Border Roads Engineering Service (Mechanical Engineering Posts).

(v) Indian Skill Development Service.

(vi) Indian Railway Management Services (Mechanical)

(vii) Indian Railway Management Services (Stores) – Mechanical Engg. Posts.

(viii) Indian Enterprises Development Service/Assistant Director Grade-I (IEDS) Mechanical Trade

(ix) Indian Enterprises Development Service/Assistant Director Grade-II (IEDS) Mechanical Trade

(x) AEE Gr ‘A’(Mechanical Engineering Posts) in Corps of EME, Min of Defence

Electrical Engineering

Group-A/B Services/Posts:

(i) Central Electrical & Mechanical Engineering Service (Electrical Engineering Posts).

(ii) Indian Naval Material Management Service (Electrical Engineering Posts)

(iii) Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘A’ (Electrical Engineering Posts).

(iv) Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service/SSO-II (Electrical).

(v) Indian Skill Development Service

(vi) Indian Enterprises Development Service/Assistant Director Grade-I (IEDS) Electrical Trade

(vii) Indian Enterprises Development Service/Assistant Director Grade-II (IEDS) Electrical Trade

(viii) Indian Railway Management Service (Electrical)

(ix) Indian Railway Management Service (Stores) – Electrical Engg. Posts.

(x) AEE Gr ‘A’(Electrical Engineering Posts) in Corps of EME, Min of Defence

Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering

Group-A/B Services/Posts

(i) Indian Radio Regulatory Service Gr ‘A’

(ii) Indian Telecommunications Service Gr ‘A’.

(iii) Indian Naval Material Management Service (Electronics and Telecom Engineering Posts)

(iv) Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service/SSO-II (Electronics & Tele).

(v) Indian Skill Development Service

(vi) Junior Telecom Officer Gr ‘B’

(vii) Indian Enterprises Development Service/Assistant Director Grade-I (IEDS) Electronics Trade

(viii) Indian Enterprises Development Service/Assistant Director Grade-II (IEDS) Electronics Trade

(ix) Indian Railway Management Service (Signal &Telecommunication)

(x) Indian Railway Management Service (Stores) – S & T Engg. Posts.

(xi) AEE Gr ‘A’(Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Posts) in Corps of EME, Min of Defence

* The eligibility of transgender for AEE (Civil) and AEE {(Electrical and Mechanical) (Mechanical Engg Posts)} in Border Road Engineering Service shall be as per the decision taken by the Government in due course.

Application Fee

Candidates (excepting Female/SC/ST/PwBD who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay fee of Rs. 200/- ( Rupees Two Hundred only) either by remitting the money in any Branch of State Bank of India or by using Visa/Master/RuPay Credit/Debit Card/UPI Payment or by using Internet Banking of any Bank.

Important dates for the UPSC ESE 2026 application form:

Aspirants must refer to the ESE 2026 dates and plan their strategy for the UPSC ESE 2026 accordingly.

Release of UPSC ESE 2026  Notification	26th September 2025
ESE Prelims 2026 Registration	26th September 2025
Last Date of ESE 2026 Submission Application	16th October 2025
Total Posts	474 (including 26 for PwBD candidates)
ESE 2026 Prelims Examination	8th February, 2026
ESE 2026 Main Examination	21st June, 2026
ESE 2026 Personality Test	To be notified
ESE 2026 Final Declaration	To be notified

 All interested candidates must be aware of the crucial deadlines for submitting an ESE application form and must plan appropriately for the relevant exam.

Get all the key details of the ESE 2026 Official Notification by watching the videos:

UPSC ESE 2026 Detailed Notification Out

UPSC ESE 2026 Detailed Notification and Tips

If you want to know detailed information such as Notification, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Eligibility, Important Dates, Preparation Strategy, IES Officer Salary, and UPSC Exam Calendar 2026, please click on the link provided below.

👉🏻 All You Need To Know About UPSC ESE 2026

FAQs:

Q.1: What is the full form of ESE?

Answer: ESE full form is the Engineering Services Examination.

Q.2: What is the mode of the UPSC ESE 2026 examination?

Answer: The UPSC ESE 2026 examination is conducted offline.

Q.3: What are the eligibility criteria for UPSC ESE 2026?

Answer: The UPSC ESE 2026 eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Citizens of Indian nationality and those associated with Nepal and Bhutan
• Age criteria: 21 to 30 years
• Age relaxation: 3 years and 5 years for OBC and SC/ST candidates, respectively.
• The respective candidate must complete their graduation in engineering from a recognized university.
• All the candidates must pass the medical test for the specified categories to become eligible for the next stages.
• Note: There is no attempt limit for this examination.

Q.4: What is the total number of vacancies for the UPSC ESE 2026 exam?

Answer: The total number of vacancies for the UPSC ESE 2026 exam is approximately 474 , as per the latest notification.

Q.5: What is the application form fee for the UPSC ESE 2026 exam?

Answer: Candidates (excepting female/SC/ST/PwBD who are exempted from payment of fee) are required to pay the fee of Rs. 200/-.

Q.6: Will I be able to make changes after UPSC ESE 2026 application form submission?

Answer: UPSC ESE 2026 aspirants will be allowed to make changes only once after registration at the OTR portal.

Q.7: What is the last date for ESE 2026 registration?

Answer: You can submit the application on or before 16th October 2024.

Q.8: What is the salary of an IES officer?

Answer: An IES officer’s base pay might range from ₹56,100 to ₹177,500, depending on the organization and the officer’s specific position.

Q.9: Is ESE easy to attempt?

Answer: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) holds the Engineering Selection Exam (ESE), a national-level test, to select candidates for various engineering positions in the public sector. Prelims, Main, and Interviews are the order in which the exam is conducted. It is held to assess candidates’ technical competence in their chosen engineering discipline, and the exam is intense due to the limited number of seats available. This is the reason why the ESE requires more effort, hard work, and guidance.

Q.10: What is the marks distribution for the ESE 2026 exam?

Answer: The marks distribution for the ESE 2026 exam is as follows:

• Preliminary examination: 500 marks
• Main examination: 600 marks
• Personality test: 200 marks

The detailed marks distribution is as follows:

Preliminary examination:

• Paper I – General Studies and Engineering Aptitude Paper: 200 marks
• Paper II – Engineering Discipline: 300 marks
• Total marks: 500

Main examination:

• Paper I – Engineering Discipline: 300 marks
• Paper II – Engineering Discipline: 300 marks
• Total marks: 600

Q.11: What is the duration of the different stages of the ESE 2026 exam?

Answer: The exam duration of the different exam stages of the ESE 2026 exam is as follows:

Preliminary examination:

• Paper I – General Studies and Engineering Aptitude Paper: 2 hours
• Paper II – Engineering Discipline – (Civil / Mechanical / Electrical / Electronics and Communications): 3 hours
• Total hours: 3 hours.

Main examination:

• Paper I –Engineering Discipline: 3 hours
• Paper II – Engineering Discipline: 3 hours
• Total hours: 6 hours.

Hope you found this blog post useful with the information related to the ESE 2026 application form.

Apply UPSC ESE 2026 online form today and start preparing.

All the best!