UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE) 2027: Posts, Dates and How to Apply

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is recruiting through the Engineering Services (ESE) Examination, 2027 for Group A and Group B engineering services and posts in the Government of India. As of 2 October 2026, the application window is open and, per the UPSC calendar, closes on 6 October 2026. Candidates apply online. This is a competitive-exam route into government engineering posts, not an apprenticeship.

One limit on this guide: the official notification PDF was not among the sources reviewed. Dates come from the UPSC examination calendar. Vacancy, fee, age and eligibility details come from a secondary exam-prep site, and I have labelled them that way. Check them against the UPSC notice before you apply.

UPSC ESE 2027 at a glance

Which employer and posts are covered

The employer is UPSC, which conducts the exam. The selected candidates go to central government engineering services and posts. The secondary report lists these services, grouped by engineering discipline:

• Civil: Central Engineering Service (Roads), Border Roads Engineering Service (AEE Civil), Survey of India Group A, Indian Defence Service of Engineers, MES Surveyor Cadre (AEE QS&C), Central Water Engineering Group A, Indian Skill Development Service and Indian Railway Management Service.
• Mechanical: Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service, Border Roads Engineering Service (AEE Elect & Mech), Indian Naval Armament Service, Indian Naval Material Management Service, GSI Engineering Service and Central Electrical & Mechanical Engineering Service, among others.
• Electrical: Central Power Engineering Service, Indian Naval Armament Service, Indian Naval Material Management Service, Indian Defence Service of Engineers and Indian Railway Management Service, among others.
• Electronics and Telecommunication: Indian Telecommunication Service Group A, Indian Radio Regulatory Service Group A, Junior Telecommunication Officer Group B and Indian Railway Management Service (Signal & Telecommunication), among others.

Posting locations are not stated in the material reviewed, so this post does not tag any state.

Reported vacancies by discipline

The secondary report gives a total of 480 vacancies. Its service-wise tables add up as follows. Treat the numbers as provisional until you confirm them in the official notice.

The same report also gives category-wise and disability-wise splits for each service. Those splits are not reproduced here because they could not be checked against the notice.

Important dates: what is ongoing and what is scheduled

Two cautions on these dates. The UPSC calendar was issued as on 20 May 2026 and says that notification, exam dates and durations may change if circumstances require. The secondary page also contradicts itself on the Main exam: its table says 18 June 2027, while its FAQ says 21 June 2027. This post follows the UPSC calendar's 18 June 2027.

How to apply for UPSC ESE 2027

The application route reported by the secondary source is below. Follow the instructions in the UPSC notice if they differ.

1. Register through UPSC's One Time Registration (OTR) platform.
2. Fill in the application form: educational qualification, category, date of birth and other details.
3. Upload your photograph, signature and educational documents as required.
4. Pay the fee, if applicable, online by debit card, credit card or UPI.
5. Submit the form and keep a saved copy.

The application links shown in the secondary report are upsconline.nic.in and upsc.gov.in/apply-online.

Eligibility, fee and selection: details to verify

The points below come only from the secondary report. The official notice governs eligibility.

Qualification and age

• Education: a BE/BTech degree or equivalent in a relevant engineering stream from a recognised institution. The report says certain other qualifications, such as Sections A and B of the Institution of Engineers (India) examination, may also count.
• Age: 21 to 30 years for General candidates, with the upper limit reported as 33 for OBC and 35 for SC/ST. The cut-off date for counting age is not given, so check the notice.
• Attempts: a maximum of six is reported.

Application fee

The report states Rs. 200 for Unreserved/General candidates and nil for Female, SC, ST and PwBD candidates. Confirm this against the notice before paying.

Selection stages

• Preliminary: objective papers, reported as 500 marks (Paper I General Studies and Engineering Aptitude, 200 marks; Paper II engineering discipline, 300 marks). The report also says there is negative marking.
• Main: two descriptive papers in the chosen discipline, 300 marks each (600 in total).
• Personality Test: 200 marks, followed by document verification.

What this post could not confirm

• The official notification PDF was not reviewed, so vacancies, fees, age limits, qualifications and application instructions are not confirmed against the issuing body.
• The secondary source also gave pay-scale figures, which are left out here because they are not backed by the UPSC notice.
• The interview date and any later schedule changes are not covered by the evidence.

FAQs

Is UPSC ESE 2027 an apprenticeship?

No. It is a UPSC competitive examination for recruitment to Group A and Group B engineering services and posts. The evidence reviewed describes no apprenticeship or training-stipend scheme.

When is the last date to apply?

The UPSC calendar gives 6 October 2026 as the last date for receipt of applications.

When is the ESE 2027 preliminary exam?

It is scheduled for 31 January 2027 (Sunday). This is a future event and has not yet taken place.