The ESE (Engineering Services Examination) is conducted by the UPSC every year. Through this, they recruit officers for the services which cater to the technical functions of the Government of India in the field of engineering. They administer a large segment of the public sector economy, which constitutes Indian Railways, Power, Telecommunications, Central Water engineering, Defence service of Engineers, and Central Engineering Service.
The ESE is a Central Civil service, recruiting candidates from anywhere and giving posts across the country. Earlier, this examination was called as Indian Engineering Services (IES) exam. Approximately 2.0-2.25 lacs candidates appear for the test every year.
The ESE/IES exam is conducted for only 4 core streams of engineering:
- Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering
The UPSC conducts this exam as a 3 step recruitment drive, which are:
- ESE-Prelim.
- ESE-Mains.
- Personality Test.
Based on the merit in the exam, the aspirants are recommended to the Union Government for the available posts. The career progression goes smoothly, attaining high esteem. The first position offered is that of Asst. Executive engineer and the hierarchy ends at the position of Chairman/ Managing Director.
IES Exam Dates 2021
Candidates can go through important IES exam dates 2021 given below:
| IES Exam Events | IES Exam Dates |
| Notification | 7-Apr-2021 |
| Applications | 7 to 27-Apr-2021 |
| Application Withdrawal dates | 4-May-2021 |
| Preliminary exam | 18-Jul-2021 |
| IES Prelims Result 2021 | 06-Aug-2021 |
| IES Main 2021 e-admit card | 1-Nov-2021 (Tentative) |
| Main exam | 10-Oct-2021 21-Nov-2021 |
| IES Main 2021 Result | December 2021(Tentative) |
IES 2021 Exam Eligibility
Candidates must comply with the eligibility norms as prescribed by UPSC to be able to appear for the Engineering Services Examination. The admissions at all three stages of the examination will be purely provisional and are subject to fulfilling the eligibility norms.
| Criteria | Eligibility |
| Nationality | Candidates should be:
Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) above shall be a person in whose favour the Government of India has issued a certificate of eligibility. |
| Age Limit | Aspirants must have attained 21 years and must not have reached 30 years on January 1, 2021. |
| Physical Examination | Candidates must be physically fit for the admissions to Engineering Service Examination as per the guidelines mentioned |
| Educational Qualification | A candidate must possess:
For Naval Armament Service – MSc degree or its equivalent with Wireless Communication Electronics, Radio Physics or Radio Engineering as a special subject. For Indian Radio Regulatory Service – MSc degree or its equivalent with Wireless Communication Electronics, Radio Physics or Radio Engineering as a special subject or MSc with Physics and Radio Communication or Electronics or Telecommunication as a special subject. |
IES Application Form 2021
Step 1: IES Registration 2021
- Visit the official website of UPSC – upsc.gov.in
- Enter your name, date of birth, email ID, mobile number, and other personal details.
Step 2: Pay IES Application Fee
- IES Registration Fee can be remitted via online as well as offline mode.
- Candidates can pay the fees in cash at any SBI Bank branch or via Debit/Credit Card or SBI Net Banking.
- The application fee is INR 200. However, women, SC, ST, and PWD candidates are exempted from fee payment.
Step 3: Fill IES Application Form
- Indicate your preferred exam centres and your engineering core branch.
- Enter your category, communication details, work experience details, etc.
Step 4: Upload Photo, Sign & ID Proof
- Candidates must upload their scanned passport size photograph, signature, and photo ID proof in prescribed formats.
Step 5: Declaration & Submission
- Candidates are advised to fill the form very carefully and proofread it before submitting it.
- The last step is to read the declaration and click on “I agree”.
- Click on Final Submit and download the filled-in form for future reference.
