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Exam Review

Key Facts: UPSC ESE Exam

100

Questions in Paper I (200 marks)

UPSC ESE Notification

150

Questions in Paper II (300 marks)

UPSC ESE Notification

1/3

Negative Marking per Wrong Answer

UPSC

1300

Total Marks (Prelims+Mains+Interview)

UPSC

4

Engineering Disciplines

UPSC

Rs 200

Application Fee (exemptions apply)

UPSC ESE Notification

UPSC ESE (IES) is India's exam for recruiting Group A/B engineering officers across four disciplines. Stage I Prelims has two objective papers: Paper I General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours, common to all) and Paper II discipline-specific (150 questions, 300 marks, 3 hours). One-third negative marking applies. Total selection is 1300 marks across Prelims (500), Mains (600), and the Personality Test (200). The application fee is Rs 200, with exemptions for SC/ST/PwBD/Female/Ex-servicemen.

Sample UPSC ESE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the UPSC ESE exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In UPSC ESE (Prelims), what is the negative marking applied for each wrong answer in the objective papers?
A.One-third of the marks assigned to that question
B.One-half of the marks assigned to that question
C.One full mark regardless of question value
D.No negative marking in the Preliminary stage
Explanation: In the ESE Preliminary (objective) papers, one-third (1/3) of the marks allotted to a question are deducted for every wrong answer. This penalty discourages blind guessing, so candidates must weigh confidence before answering.
2How many objective questions does Paper I (General Studies & Engineering Aptitude) of the ESE Preliminary contain?
A.100 questions for 200 marks
B.150 questions for 300 marks
C.120 questions for 240 marks
D.200 questions for 200 marks
Explanation: ESE Prelims Paper I has 100 objective questions worth 200 marks (each question carries 2 marks) in 2 hours, and is common to all engineering disciplines. Paper II is the 150-question, 300-mark discipline-specific paper.
3Which body conducts the Engineering Services Examination (ESE/IES) in India?
A.Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
B.Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
C.National Testing Agency (NTA)
D.Institution of Engineers (India)
Explanation: The Engineering Services Examination, also called the Indian Engineering Services (IES) exam, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit Group A and Group B engineering officers for various Government of India services.
4ESE recruits engineers in how many engineering disciplines?
A.Four disciplines
B.Two disciplines
C.Six disciplines
D.Three disciplines
Explanation: ESE is conducted for four engineering disciplines: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering. Candidates choose one discipline, which determines their Paper II (Prelims) and both Mains papers.
5The ESE selection process consists of which three stages, in order?
A.Preliminary (objective) → Mains (conventional) → Personality Test
B.Mains → Preliminary → Group Discussion
C.Preliminary → Skill Test → Document Verification
D.Written Test → Physical Test → Interview
Explanation: ESE has three stages: Stage I Preliminary (two objective papers, 500 marks), Stage II Mains (two conventional/descriptive papers, 600 marks), and Stage III Personality Test/Interview (200 marks), for a total of 1300 marks.
6What is the total marks for the complete ESE selection process (Prelims + Mains + Personality Test)?
A.1300 marks
B.1100 marks
C.1000 marks
D.1500 marks
Explanation: The ESE totals 1300 marks: Preliminary 500 (Paper I 200 + Paper II 300), Mains 600 (two papers of 300 each), and Personality Test 200. The Prelims is only qualifying for the Mains; final merit is decided by Mains plus interview marks.
7Paper I of the ESE Prelims covers ten topics. Roughly what percentage range does each topic contribute to the paper's marks?
A.5% to 15% of the total marks
B.1% to 5% of the total marks
C.20% to 30% of the total marks
D.Exactly 10% each, equally divided
Explanation: The official ESE syllabus states that marks for each of the ten Paper I topics may range from 5% to 15% of the total marks in the paper. This means no single topic dominates, so balanced preparation across all ten areas is essential.
8A series follows the pattern 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ... What is the next term?
A.42
B.40
C.44
D.36
Explanation: The terms are products of consecutive integers: 1×2, 2×3, 3×4, 4×5, 5×6, so the next is 6×7 = 42. Equivalently, the differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, then 12, giving 30 + 12 = 42.
9If 'CIVIL' is coded as 'DJWJM', how is 'METAL' coded using the same rule?
A.NFUBM
B.LDSZK
C.NFUCM
D.MFUBN
Explanation: Each letter is shifted forward by one position in the alphabet (C→D, I→J, V→W, I→J, L→M). Applying +1 to METAL gives M→N, E→F, T→U, A→B, L→M = NFUBM.
10A machine completes a job in 12 hours and another machine completes the same job in 6 hours. Working together, how long do they take?
A.4 hours
B.3 hours
C.9 hours
D.6 hours
Explanation: Combined rate = 1/12 + 1/6 = 1/12 + 2/12 = 3/12 = 1/4 job per hour. The time to finish one job is the reciprocal, 4 hours.

About the UPSC ESE Exam

The Engineering Services Examination (ESE), also known as the Indian Engineering Services (IES) exam, is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit Group A and Group B engineering officers for various Government of India services. Selection has three stages: Stage I Preliminary (two objective papers, 500 marks), Stage II Mains (two conventional papers, 600 marks), and Stage III Personality Test (200 marks), for a total of 1300 marks. The Preliminary stage comprises Paper I General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (100 questions, 200 marks, common to all) and Paper II discipline-specific engineering (150 questions, 300 marks). The exam is offered in four disciplines — Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering — and the objective papers carry a one-third negative marking for wrong answers.

Exam sponsor: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), at examination centres across India. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

100 questions

Time Limit

Paper I: 2 hours (100 objective questions); Paper II: 3 hours (150 objective questions)

Passing Score

Qualifying cut-off set by UPSC each cycle, varying by discipline and category

Exam / Certification Fees

Rs 200 (UR/OBC/EWS); SC/ST/PwBD/Female/Ex-servicemen exempt

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. UPSC does not publish a single first-attempt pass-rate percentage; the ESE is highly competitive with several hundred vacancies against tens of thousands of applicants. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

~12%

Current Affairs & Engineering Aptitude (Paper I)

Current issues of national/international importance plus logical reasoning and analytical ability.

~10%

Engineering Mathematics & Numerical Analysis

Calculus, matrices, differential equations, probability, and numerical methods in Paper I.

~10%

Design, Drawing, Safety, Standards & Quality

Design and drawing principles, factor of safety, BIS standards, and quality practices.

~8%

Energy, Environment & Project Management

Energy conservation, climate change, EIA, CPM/PERT, and network analysis.

~8%

Material Science, ICT & Ethics

Basics of material science, ICT tools and e-governance, and engineering ethics & values.

~52%

Discipline-Specific Engineering (Paper II)

Core engineering of the chosen stream: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics & Telecommunication.

Preparing for the UPSC ESE Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Qualifying cut-off set by UPSC each cycle, varying by discipline and category
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: Paper I: 2 hours (100 objective questions); Paper II: 3 hours (150 objective questions)
  • Exam / certification fees: Rs 200 (UR/OBC/EWS); SC/ST/PwBD/Female/Ex-servicemen exempt Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

UPSC ESE: Suggested Study Strategy

1Practice objective questions under one-third negative marking so you learn when an educated guess is worth the risk.
2Cover all ten Paper I topics — current affairs, aptitude, mathematics, design/safety, energy/environment, project management, material science, ICT, and ethics — since each can carry up to 15% of the marks.
3Build a strong base in your chosen discipline's core subjects; Paper II (300 marks) and both Mains papers test it in depth.
4Solve UPSC previous-year ESE papers to internalise the question style, difficulty, and recurring concepts.
5Read a daily newspaper and follow Indian economy, infrastructure, and science & technology developments for the current-affairs portion.
6Drill engineering mathematics and numerical methods (Newton-Raphson, trapezoidal/Simpson's rule) until they are fast and automatic.
7Take full-length timed mock tests for both Prelims papers and review every error by topic to target weak areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UPSC ESE (IES) exam?

The Engineering Services Examination (ESE), also called the Indian Engineering Services (IES) exam, is conducted by UPSC to recruit Group A and Group B engineering officers for Government of India services in four disciplines: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering.

What is the ESE Prelims exam pattern?

The Preliminary stage has two objective papers. Paper I (General Studies & Engineering Aptitude) has 100 questions for 200 marks in 2 hours and is common to all candidates. Paper II (discipline-specific) has 150 questions for 300 marks in 3 hours. There is one-third negative marking for each wrong answer.

How many stages does the ESE have and what are the total marks?

ESE has three stages: Stage I Preliminary (objective, 500 marks), Stage II Mains (conventional/descriptive, 600 marks), and Stage III Personality Test (200 marks), for a total of 1300 marks. The Mains has no negative marking because it is descriptive.

What is the application fee for UPSC ESE?

The application fee is Rs 200 for UR/OBC/EWS candidates. SC/ST/PwBD/Female and Ex-servicemen candidates are exempt from the fee.

What is the eligibility for UPSC ESE?

Candidates must hold a degree in engineering (B.E./B.Tech) or equivalent in one of the four disciplines, be generally 21-30 years old (with category relaxations), and meet nationality and physical-standard requirements. There is no limit on the number of attempts within the age window.

Is there negative marking in the ESE?

Yes. The objective Preliminary papers deduct one-third of the marks assigned to a question for every wrong answer. The conventional Mains papers do not have negative marking.

What is the syllabus of Paper I (General Studies & Engineering Aptitude)?

Paper I covers ten topics: current affairs; engineering aptitude (logical reasoning and analytical ability); engineering mathematics and numerical analysis; design, drawing and safety; standards and quality practices; energy and environment; project management; material science; ICT; and ethics and values in engineering. Each topic carries 5%-15% of the marks.

Can final-year engineering students apply?

Yes. Final-year students may apply provisionally, but they must produce proof of passing their qualifying engineering degree by the date specified in the UPSC notification.