The Engineering Services Examination (ESE) is a standardized test conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit officers to various engineering Services under the Government of India. Held in four categories—Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication, the exam has three stages comprising objective, subjective and personality tests. The Services are also informally known as Indian Engineering Services (IES). Officers recruited through ESE are mandated to manage and conduct activities in diverse technical fields. Government infrastructure includes railways, roads, defence, manufacturing, inspection, supply, construction, public works, power, and telecommunications. Appointments are made by the President of India.

List of Services

Source:

Civil Engineering

Indian railway management services includes Irms post

Mechanical Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering

Functions of officers

The work performed by these officers largely depends on their engineering branch and service (or cadre). However, they can move to any cadre, organization, agency, department, ministry or public sector undertaking of the government of India. They are appointed to posts analogous to their present one, either on a fixed-term deputation basis (at least five years and extensible, after which the officer returns to their parent cadre) or an absorption basis where the official leaves the parent cadre for the new one.

Eligibility

Candidates must be a citizen of India or Nepal or a subject of Bhutan, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. The minimum educational requirement is a bachelor's degree in engineering (B.E. or B.Tech) from a recognised university or the equivalent. An M.Sc. degree or equivalent with wireless communications, electronics, radio physics or radio engineering as special subjects is also acceptable for certain services or posts. The age range is 21–30 years on 1 January of the year of the Engineering Services Examination. The upper age limit is relaxed as follows:

Examination

Candidates are required to apply on the UPSC website. The application fee for general-category male candidates is 200. No fee is required for female and reserved-category applicants. Stage 1 of the test is conducted during the first week of January; Stage 2 is conducted in June and July across India. The government of India changed the Engineering Services Examination in 2017. Candidates who qualify at Stage I are permitted to appear for the Stage II examination, and those who qualify at Stage II are permitted to appear for the Stage III examination. Candidates qualifying at all three stages are included on the examination's final merit list. The maximum score is 1300. The personality test is an interview which assesses the candidate's suitability for a career in public service by a board of unbiased observers. The interview also assess social traits and interest in current affairs. Qualities judged include mental alertness, critical ability, clear and logical exposition, judgment, variety and depth of interests, social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity.

Notable officers