⚙️ UPSC Engineering Services Examination 2027 • Applications Open
UPSC ESE 2027: About 480 Engineering Services Posts – Notice 02/2027-ENGG
Union Public Service Commission • Four engineering categories • Central technical services and posts across India
Current official Position:
UPSC has started the application process for Engineering Services Exam 2027 (Notice 02/2027-ENGG) and its last date has been fixed as 6 October 2026 till 6:00 pm. Under this recruitment, a total of approximately 480 posts will be appointed, out of which 19 posts have been kept for disabled (PwBD) candidates. If you want to apply for this examination, then go to the official website of UPSC and fill your online form quickly to avoid last minute hassles.
Verification Note:
This post contains only those figures and conditions which can be matched with the official record of UPSC ESE 2027 (Notice 02/2027-ENGG). Wherever UPSC has not released the exact number of seats according to different engineering branches (like Civil, Mechanical etc.) or categories (UR, SC, ST, OBC, EWS), no estimated or third-party data has been added from its side.
UPSC ESE 2027 – Quick Answers
| Commission | Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) |
| Examination | Engineering Services Examination, 2027 |
| Notice No. | 02/2027-ENGG |
| Notification Date | 16 September 2026 |
| Expected Vacancies | Approximately 480, including 19 PwBD vacancies |
| Engineering Categories | Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics & Telecommunication |
| Application Mode | Online through the UPSC Online Application Portal |
| Last Date | 6 October 2026, up to 6:00 PM |
| Preliminary Exam | 31 January 2027 |
| Main Exam | 18 June 2027 |
UPSC ESE 2027 – Important Dates
Notification / Application Start
16 September 2026
Last Date to Apply
6 October 2026 • 6:00 PM
Preliminary Examination
31 January 2027
Main Examination
18 June 2027
💳 Application Fee
Applicable Candidates
₹200
Female / SC / ST / PwBD
Exempt
Payment
Online modes
🎂 Age Limit
Age on 1 January 2027
21–30 Years
Date of Birth
02 Jan 1997–01 Jan 2006
Relaxation
As per rules
Fee Check:
The application fee for this exam is ₹200, but all women, SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe) and Disabled (PwBD) candidates will not have to pay any fee. However, OBC (Other Backward Class) and EWS (Economically Weaker Section) candidates should note that despite being in the reserved category, they will not get any relaxation in fees, hence they will have to pay the full fee of ₹200.
UPSC ESE 2027 – Vacancy Details
| Category | Engineering Discipline |
|---|---|
| Category I | Civil Engineering |
| Category II | Mechanical Engineering |
| Category III | Electrical Engineering |
| Category IV | Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering |
About The 480 Figure:
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has declared the total number of posts as approximate. The final number of total posts separately for all four engineering departments (like civil, mechanical etc.) is not given in the official notification, hence no number has been added to this post arbitrarily from any unofficial or external table.
Category-Wise Vacancy & Reservation Status
| Category | Vacancy Position in Official Notice |
|---|---|
| UR / General | Exact numerical count not specified |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | Exact numerical count not specified |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | Exact numerical count not specified |
| OBC | Exact numerical count not specified |
| EWS | Exact numerical count not specified |
| PwBD | 19 identified vacancies included in the approximate total |
Reservation Status:
As per government rules, the system of reservation for SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwBD (Disabled) categories will continue. However, at the time of writing this information, it was not clearly written in the official records as to which category got how many seats or number (UR/SC/ST/OBC/EWS numerical split), hence the estimated figures from any third-party or external source have not been included in this article.
Important Links
How to Apply Online
- 1 Go to the UPSC online application portal and sign in with your existing account, or create an account if this is your first application on the new portal.
- 2 Finish Universal Registration and the Common Application Form first. These profiles hold the information that UPSC reuses across examinations; the old OTR system is no longer the application route.
- 3 Open the Engineering Services Examination 2027 entry and choose the one engineering category that matches the qualification under which you are applying.
- 4 Complete the examination-specific fields, attach the files requested on the portal and check the preview against your certificates before moving ahead.
- 5 Pay ₹200 only if the fee applies to your category. Applicants covered by the notified Female, SC, ST or PwBD exemption should use the exemption shown in the portal.
- 6 Submit the form before 6:00 PM on 6 October 2026, then save the application details and acknowledgement that the portal generates.
Portal Note:
UPSC has advised the use of Aadhaar card for easy identity verification in its 'Universal Registration' (OTR) process. However, you can choose any other valid identity card (ID) as per your convenience, but the most important thing is that you complete the work of creating your profile and uploading all the required documents well before the last date. By doing this, if any technical problem arises on the website or portal, you will have enough time to fix it or re-fill the form and you will be saved from the last-minute rush.
PwBD Vacancy Position
| PwBD Category | Vacancies |
|---|---|
| Locomotor Disability, including notified sub-categories | 11 |
| Hard of Hearing | 6 |
| Low Vision | 1 |
| Specific Learning Disability / Multiple Disabilities | 1 |
| Total PwBD Vacancies | 19 |
Getting reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PwBD) does not at all mean that you are eligible for every government job (service). According to the Engineering Services Examination (ESE) rules, each service has different requirements for physical ability (such as the ability to see, walk or hear) and work style. Therefore, before finalizing or locking the services of your choice, double check whether your disability category exactly matches the physical and functional requirements of that service.
Educational Qualification
- ✓ For most candidates, the straightforward route is a recognised engineering degree accepted for the chosen ESE category.
- ✓ The rules also recognise specified equivalent pathways, including certain professional examinations and recognised engineering qualifications obtained outside India, subject to the conditions written for those routes.
- ✓ Some Electronics-related services accept specified M.Sc. or equivalent qualifications in fields such as Wireless Communication, Electronics, Radio Physics or Radio Engineering.
- ✓ A candidate whose qualifying result is still awaited may apply provisionally where the rules permit, but proof of passing has to be produced within the timeline prescribed by UPSC.
Equivalent Qualification Check:
If you are thinking of applying through professional membership of professional bodies such as IEI, IETE or the Aeronautical Society of India rather than an engineering degree, be aware that this is not a direct replacement for every degree. Before applying, read the new rules of the year 2027 carefully, because the date of your admission and the recognition conditions given by the government are very important. If you do not meet these conditions, your application may be rejected.
Upper-Age Relaxation
| SC / ST | Up to 5 years |
| OBC | Up to 3 years |
| PwBD | Up to 10 years, subject to the notice conditions |
| Eligible Ex-Servicemen | Up to 5 years, subject to prescribed conditions |
| Specified Government Servants | Upper age may extend to 35 years where the notice permits |
According to the rules of ESE 2027, falling in any reserved or listed category (like OBC, SC, ST) does not mean that you will automatically get age relaxation. You will get the benefit of age relaxation only when you completely fulfill all the necessary conditions and rules set for that category. Simply put, it is not enough to have a category certificate, but it is necessary to follow all the conditions written in the government rules for that category.
Major Participating Services by Engineering Category
| Engineering Category | Services / Posts Listed in the ESE 2027 Framework |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | Includes Central Engineering Service, Central Engineering Service (Roads), Survey of India Group A, Border Roads Engineering Service, Central Water Engineering Service, Indian Skill Development Service, Indian Railway Management Service civil/store streams and Indian Defence Service of Engineers. |
| Mechanical Engineering | Includes engineering posts in GSI, Indian Naval Material Management Service, Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service, Border Roads, Indian Skill Development Service, IRMS mechanical/store streams, Indian Defence Service of Engineers, Indian Naval Armament Service, Central Water Engineering, CEMES and Central Power Engineering Service. |
| Electrical Engineering | Includes CEMES, Indian Naval Material Management Service, Central Power Engineering Service, Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service, Indian Skill Development Service, IRMS electrical/store streams, Indian Defence Service of Engineers and Indian Naval Armament Service. |
| Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering | Includes Indian Radio Regulatory Service, Indian Telecommunications Service, Indian Naval Material Management Service, Indian Naval Armament Service, Indian Skill Development Service, Junior Telecom Officer, IRMS Signal & Telecommunication/store streams and Central Power Engineering Service. |
How service allotment works:
When candidates are allotted their job or service (like IAS, IPS, IFS) after an examination (like UPSC), it completely depends on five big things. First of all, it is seen how good your exam rank (merit position) is, and which service you have given first preference as per your choice. After this, how many seats are vacant in that service at that time, and whether you fulfill the rules and eligibility set for that post or not. Finally, for certain jobs you are also required to pass medical and physical tests, such as height and vision requirements for IPS. You get your final service only when all these conditions are met.
Selection Process & Examination Pattern
| Stage | Paper / Test | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary | Paper I – General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | 2 Hours | 200 |
| Preliminary | Paper II – Chosen Engineering Discipline | 3 Hours | 300 |
| Main | Engineering Discipline Paper I – Conventional | 3 Hours | 300 |
| Main | Engineering Discipline Paper II – Conventional | 3 Hours | 300 |
| Stage III | Personality Test / Interview | — | 200 |
| Final Merit | Preliminary + Main + Personality Test | — | 1300 |
Objective Paper Marking:
In the Preliminary Exam, if you give a wrong answer to any objective question, then one-third (1/3) marks will be deducted from the total marks of that question, i.e. there is negative marking in it. If you do not answer a question and leave it blank, no marks will be deducted for it. Moreover, the marks of the candidates who qualify this Stage-I (Preliminary Examination) are added to the final merit list (final aggregate) prepared after the Main Examination.
Pay, Posting & Medical Standards
Through ESE (Engineering Services Examination), instead of getting a single job, one gets the opportunity to become an officer in many different technical government departments, hence no single fixed salary can be given. In simple words, after passing the exam, which department or post (like Railways, Military Engineering, or Central Water Commission) you get, your salary, allowances, promotion and working conditions completely depend on that cadre, although the initial basic pay level is the same (Level 10).
Your posting in this job can be anywhere across India, depending on which service you have got. Also, your name appearing in the merit list does not mean that your job is confirmed; You will have to pass the medical and physical fitness test prescribed for that service, only then your selection will be considered final.
Documents to Keep Ready
While filling the UPSC form, keep the necessary documents ready with you to prove all your claims. This should include your current mobile number and email ID, photo identity proof, proof of date of birth (e.g. 10th certificate), degree in engineering or its equivalent (e.g. M.Sc. route), and files of your photo and signature. If you are availing the benefit of reservation or relaxation, then you must also have a valid SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PwBD or Ex-Servicemen certificate. Keep in mind that do not rely on the old rules for uploading all these files, rather prepare them as per the new format and file size limit given on the UPSC portal.
UPSC ESE 2027 – FAQs
Can I apply under more than one engineering category?
No. ESE 2027 requires a candidate to compete in one category only—Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics & Telecommunication. Choose the category that matches the qualification you are using.
Do I need the old UPSC OTR profile for this application?
No. UPSC's current portal uses Account Creation, Universal Registration, the Common Application Form and the examination-specific module. The earlier OTR route is not used for new examination applications.
Is Aadhaar compulsory for Universal Registration?
UPSC recommends Aadhaar because it makes identity verification easier, but candidates should follow the accepted-ID choices shown in the live portal and use the same permitted identity details consistently.
What should an EWS candidate check before claiming reservation?
For ESE 2027, the EWS claim should be backed by the required Income & Asset Certificate for FY 2025-26, issued on or after 1 April 2026 and not later than the application closing date.
What certificate timing applies to OBC-NCL candidates?
The OBC-NCL certificate should be based on the income years specified in the 2027 rules and must fall within the issue-date window prescribed for this examination. Check the certificate wording and date before final submission.
Can a candidate who is waiting for the qualifying result apply?
Yes, where the rules permit provisional admission. Such a candidate still has to produce proof of passing the required qualification within the later UPSC timeline.
Candidate Final Check
Before pressing the final submit button, you should carefully match your chosen engineering category with your qualifying records (your degree or qualification). Also, double-check your age, reservation category and exemption claims entered in the form to ensure that you have the correct certificates for them. Also check your physical eligibility (PwBD) and service rules carefully, and keep the acknowledgment slip (receipt) and application details received after form submission safe so that they can be easily found in future.
Source & Verification
This Vacancy Vani article has been prepared after thoroughly examining the UPSC exam list, the current online-application rules of the Commission and the Engineering Services Examination Rules, 2027 published in the Gazette. All the information related to dates, eligibility, exam pattern and reservation given in it has been directly compiled from government documents. Many non-official websites on the internet are showing incorrect lists of vacancies based on different departments and castes, which do not match with each other; Therefore, we have included in this post only those data which are completely correct and certified as per government records.
