The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the notification for the Engineering Services Examination 2027 (ESE 2027) under Examination Notice No. 02/2027-ENGG, inviting online applications for approximately 480 vacancies across four engineering disciplines. Interested and eligible candidates can apply online from 16 September 2026 to 6 October 2026 till 6:00 PM. The Preliminary Examination is scheduled for 31 January 2027 and the Main Examination for 18 June 2027. This article covers complete details of UPSC ESE Notification 2027, including eligibility criteria, age limit, application fee, exam pattern, participating services and selection process.
UPSC ESE 2027 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organization | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Exam Name | Engineering Services Examination, 2027 (ESE 2027) |
| Examination Notice Number | 02/2027-ENGG |
| Total Vacancies | Approximately 480 (including 19 PwBD) |
| Application Start Date | 16 September 2026 |
| Application Last Date | 6 October 2026 (till 6:00 PM) |
| Prelims Exam Date | 31 January 2027 |
| Mains Exam Date | 18 June 2027 |
| Category | Latest Jobs |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
UPSC ESE 2027 Vacancy Details
The number of vacancies to be filled on the basis of the results of the Engineering Services Examination 2027 is expected to be approximately 480, including 19 vacancies reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities. The number of vacancies is liable to alteration. Recruitment will be made under four categories.
| Category | Discipline |
|---|---|
| Category-I | Civil Engineering |
| Category-II | Mechanical Engineering |
| Category-III | Electrical Engineering |
| Category-IV | Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering |
The official notification does not publish a discipline-wise split of the total vacancies. Reservations will be made for candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Section and Persons with Benchmark Disability categories as may be fixed by the Government of India.
PwBD Vacancy Distribution
| Disability Type | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Locomotor Disability including Leprosy cured, Dwarfism, Acid Attack victims and Muscular Dystrophy | 11 |
| Hard of Hearing | 6 |
| Low Vision | 1 |
| Specific Learning Disability and Mental Illness | 1 |
| Total | 19 |
Candidates with Benchmark Disabilities in the category of Blindness are advised not to apply for this examination, as no vacancies have been earmarked or identified for them in the services and posts included in the Engineering Services Examination 2027.
Participating Services
Recruitment through ESE 2027 is made to a wide range of Group A and Group B services, including Central Engineering Service, Central Engineering Service (Roads), Survey of India Group A Service, Indian Defence Service of Engineers, Central Water Engineering Group A Service, Indian Skill Development Service, Indian Railway Management Service across Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Signal and Telecommunication and Stores streams, Indian Naval Armament Service, Indian Naval Material Management Service, Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service, Central Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service, Central Power Engineering Service Group A, Indian Radio Regulatory Service Group A, Indian Telecommunications Service Group A, Junior Telecom Officer Group B, Assistant Executive Engineer in Geological Survey of India, and Assistant Executive Engineer posts in Border Roads Engineering Service and MES Surveyor Cadre.
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality
A candidate must be either an Indian citizen, a subject of Nepal, a subject of Bhutan, a Tibetan refugee who came to India before 1 January 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, or the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire and Ethiopia, or from Vietnam, with the intention of permanently settling in India. Candidates in the latter categories must possess a certificate of eligibility issued by the Government of India.
Educational Qualification
For admission to the examination, a candidate must have obtained a degree in Engineering from a university incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India, or from an educational institution established by an Act of Parliament or declared deemed as a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. Alternatively, candidates who have passed Sections A and B of the Institution Examinations of the Institution of Engineers (India), obtained a degree or diploma in Engineering from a recognized foreign university or institution, passed the Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (India), passed the Associate Membership Examination Parts II and III or Sections A and B of the Aeronautical Society of India, or passed the Graduate Membership Examination of the Institution of Electronics and Radio Engineers, London held after November 1959, are also eligible.
For Indian Naval Armament Service (Electronics Engineering Posts), an M.Sc. degree or equivalent with Wireless Communication Electronics, Radio Physics or Radio Engineering as a special subject is also acceptable. For Indian Radio Regulatory Service Group A, an M.Sc. degree or equivalent with Wireless Communication Electronics, Radio Physics or Radio Engineering as a subject, or a Master’s Degree in Science with Physics and Radio Communication or Electronics or Telecommunication as a special subject, is also acceptable.
Candidates who have appeared at a qualifying examination but whose result is awaited may also apply, with their admission treated as provisional. Such candidates must produce proof of passing within the window provided after declaration of the Main Examination result.
Age Limit (As on 1 January 2027)
A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 30 years as on 1 January 2027, meaning the candidate must have been born not earlier than 2 January 1997 and not later than 1 January 2006.
The upper age limit is relaxable as follows.
| Category | Relaxation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe | 5 years |
| Other Backward Classes | 3 years |
| Government servants of specified categories | Up to 35 years |
| Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities | 3 years |
| Ex-servicemen including ECOs and SSCOs with at least 5 years military service | 5 years |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability | 10 years |
Application Fee
Candidates are required to pay an application fee of Rs. 200/- through net banking, or by using Visa, Master or RuPay Credit or Debit Card, or UPI payment. All female candidates and candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and PwBD categories are exempted from payment of the fee. No fee exemption is available to OBC and EWS candidates, who must pay the prescribed fee in full. The fee once paid is not refundable under any circumstances, and applications submitted without the prescribed fee are liable to be summarily rejected.
Exam Pattern
The Engineering Services Examination 2027 will be conducted in three stages carrying a combined total of 1,300 marks.
| Stage | Type | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Stage-I: Preliminary Examination | Objective type (multiple choice) | 500 |
| Stage-II: Main Examination | Conventional (written) type | 600 |
| Stage-III: Personality Test/Interview | Interview | 200 |
Stage-I: Preliminary Examination
| Paper | Duration | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-I (General Studies and Engineering Aptitude) | 2 hours | 200 |
| Paper-II (Discipline-specific) | 3 hours | 300 |
| Total | 500 |
Stage-II: Main Examination
The Main Examination consists of two conventional type discipline-specific papers of 300 marks each, with a duration of 3 hours per paper, totalling 600 marks. Conventional papers must be answered in English, and question papers will be set in English only.
Negative Marking
There will be a penalty for wrong answers in the objective type question papers of the Preliminary Examination. For each question answered wrongly, one-third of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted. If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be treated as a wrong answer even if one of the answers is correct, and the same penalty will apply. No penalty is applied for questions left blank.
Selection Process
Selection is made through a three-stage process. Candidates who qualify the Preliminary Examination become eligible for the Main Examination, with the number admitted being about six to seven times the total approximate number of vacancies. Candidates who obtain the minimum qualifying marks fixed by the Commission in Stage-I and Stage-II are summoned for the Personality Test/Interview, with the number summoned being about twice the number of vacancies. The Personality Test carries 200 marks with no minimum qualifying marks.
Marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Personality Test together determine the final ranking. Candidates are allotted to the various services based on their ranks and the preferences expressed by them, subject to medical fitness. In the Personality Test, special attention is paid to assessing the candidate’s capacity for leadership, initiative and intellectual curiosity, tact and other social qualities, mental and physical energy, powers of practical application, and integrity of character. Candidates finally recommended by the Commission must undergo a medical examination.
Exam Centres
The Preliminary Examination will be conducted at 48 centres across the country, while the Main Examination will be conducted at 24 centres. Allotment of centres will be on a first-apply-first-allot basis, and there is a ceiling on the number of candidates allotted to each centre except Chennai, Dispur, Kolkata and Nagpur. Candidates are advised to apply early to secure their preferred centre, as no request for change of centre will be granted.
Salary
Selected candidates will be appointed in Pay Level-10 as per the 7th Central Pay Commission, carrying a basic pay range of Rs. 56,100 to Rs. 1,77,500 per month, along with Dearness Allowance, House Rent Allowance, Travel Allowance and other applicable allowances.
How to Apply for UPSC ESE 2027
Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria can apply by following the steps below.
Visit the UPSC online application portal. Complete the Account Creation and Universal Registration process if not already registered, which generates a Universal Registration Number (URN) valid for a lifetime. Fill in the Common Application Form (CAF) with accurate personal, educational and category details, uploading your photograph, live photo capture and signature as per the specified instructions. Fill in the Examination Specific Module for the Engineering Services Examination 2027, selecting your engineering discipline category and exam centre preference carefully, since these cannot be changed later. Pay the application fee of Rs. 200/- online, or claim exemption if eligible. Submit the application before 6:00 PM on 6 October 2026 and retain your URN and Application Number for all future communication.
Candidates should note that applications cannot be withdrawn after submission, and no correction, alteration or modification in any field of the application form is allowed once submitted. Incomplete or defective applications will be summarily rejected. Candidates are not required to submit a hard copy of their application to the Commission.
Documents to Keep Ready
Candidates should keep scanned copies of the following documents ready for submission: certificate of age, certificate of educational qualification, certificate in support of claim to belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes or Economically Weaker Section wherever applicable, certificate in support of claim for age or fee concession wherever applicable, and certificate in support of being a Person with Benchmark Disability wherever applicable. Originals must be produced at the time of the Personality Test/Interview.
OBC candidates must produce a Non-Creamy Layer certificate based on income for the financial years 2025-2026, 2024-2025 and 2023-2024, issued on or after 1 April 2026 but not later than 6 October 2026. EWS candidates must possess an Income and Asset Certificate based on income for the financial year 2025-2026, issued on or after 1 April 2026 but not later than 6 October 2026.
Important Exam Day Instructions
The e-Admit Card will be issued on the last working day of the preceding week of the examination date and will be available for download on the Commission’s website. No Admit Card will be sent by post. Entry into the examination venue will close 30 minutes prior to the commencement of the examination in each session, and no candidate will be allowed entry after closure under any circumstances. All candidates must mandatorily undergo face authentication at the examination venue, so candidates should arrive well in time for identity verification and frisking.
Candidates must use a black ball pen only for writing and marking answers in the OMR sheet. Mobile phones, pagers, electronic equipment, programmable devices, storage media, smart watches, AI enabled glasses, cameras and Bluetooth devices are strictly prohibited at the examination venue, even in switched off mode.
Important Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| Download Notification PDF | Click Here |
| Apply Online | Click Here |
| Official Website | Click Here |
Important Dates
Notification Release Date: 16 September 2026
Application Start Date: 16 September 2026
Application Last Date: 6 October 2026 (till 6:00 PM)
Preliminary Exam Date: 31 January 2027
Main Exam Date: 18 June 2027
Personality Test: To be announced
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is UPSC ESE 2027?
It is the Engineering Services Examination 2027 conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to various Group A and Group B engineering services and posts under the Government of India, notified under Examination Notice No. 02/2027-ENGG.
How many vacancies are available in UPSC ESE 2027?
Approximately 480 vacancies are expected to be filled, including 19 vacancies reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities. The number of vacancies is liable to alteration.
What is the last date to apply for UPSC ESE 2027?
The last date to submit the online application is 6 October 2026, till 6:00 PM, after which the link will be disabled.
What is the age limit for UPSC ESE 2027?
Candidates must have attained 21 years and must not have attained 30 years as on 1 January 2027, meaning they must be born between 2 January 1997 and 1 January 2006, with relaxation applicable to reserved categories.
What is the application fee for UPSC ESE 2027?
The application fee is Rs. 200/-, with exemption for all female candidates and SC, ST and PwBD candidates. OBC and EWS candidates must pay the full fee.
When will the UPSC ESE 2027 Preliminary Exam be conducted?
The Preliminary Examination is scheduled for 31 January 2027, and the Main Examination for 18 June 2027.
What is the exam pattern for UPSC ESE 2027?
The exam has three stages, namely the Preliminary Examination of 500 marks with Paper-I of 200 marks for 2 hours and Paper-II of 300 marks for 3 hours, the Main Examination of 600 marks with two papers of 300 marks each for 3 hours, and the Personality Test of 200 marks, totalling 1,300 marks.
Is there negative marking in UPSC ESE 2027?
Yes, in the objective type papers of the Preliminary Examination, one-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for each wrong answer. Questions left blank carry no penalty.
Which engineering disciplines are covered under UPSC ESE 2027?
The examination covers Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering. A candidate may apply for only one of these categories.
How many candidates are called for the Personality Test?
The number of candidates summoned for the Personality Test/Interview will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled.
Can candidates change their exam centre or discipline after applying?
No, no correction or modification is allowed after submission, and no request for change of examination centre will be entertained. Candidates appearing at a centre or in a discipline other than the one indicated on their e-Admit Card will have their papers left unvalued.
Disclaimer: JobShouter.com is not affiliated with Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Shared for informational purposes only, please verify details on the official website.
