UPSC IES/ESE 2023 Exam Pattern and Syllabus are crucial in the preparation of the candidate for the engineering services examination. Hence, we have explained the IES exam pattern and syllabus in detail here as per the official notification. UPSC ESE 2023 selection process will include a Prelim, Main examination, and Personality Test.
- UPSC ESE Prelim exam consists of 2 papers, Paper I – General Studies & Engineering Aptitude and Paper II – Engineering Discipline.
- Paper I consist of 100 MCQs for 200 marks and the time duration is 2 hours. Paper II consists of 150 questions for 300 marks and the time duration is 3 hours. The total questions will be 250 questions for 500 marks.
- UPSC IES Main exam will be a conventional descriptive type consisting of two papers from Engineering Discipline. Each paper will have 8 questions and need to attempt 5 questions. Each paper will be for 300 marks.
- A Personality Test will be held for 200 marks.
UPSC ESE 2023 Prelim examination will be conducted on 19th Feb 2023 whereas the Main exam will be conducted in June 2023. However, the date of the Personality Test is expected to take place in Sep 2023.
UPSC ESE 2023 aspirants must be aware of exam pattern as it will help them in preparation and in all the stages of the UPSC ESE exam 2023. UPSC ESE 2023 exam pattern includes the following.
- Stages of examination
- Mode of examination
- Number and type of questions to be asked
- Marking Scheme
- Time duration
- Paper / stage – wise syllabus etc.
All the details of the UPSC ESE 2023 exam pattern have been explained below.
UPSC ESE 2023 Exam Dates
Following is a tabular representation of the important dates for UPSC IES 2023
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Release of admit card ESE(P) | Feb 2023 |
| Date of ESE(P) exam | 19th Feb 2023 |
| Declaration of ESE(P) examination result | April 2023 |
| Release of admit card ESE(M) | June 2023 |
| Date of ESE(M) examination | June 2023 |
| Declaration of ESE(M) examination result | August 2023 |
| Date of ESE(PI) | Sep 2023 |
| Declaration of final result | Dec 2023 |
UPSC IES/ESE 2023 Exam Pattern
The UPSC ESE 2023 exam pattern will comprise 3 stages
- Stage 1: Preliminary Examination
- Stage 2: Main Examination
- Stage 3: Personality Test
UPSC IES Exam Pattern 2023 Pdf
Stage 1: Preliminary Examination
UPSC IES Preliminary Examination will consist of 2 papers (Objective type pattern)
- Paper I – General Studies and Engineering Aptitude of 200 marks
- Paper-II – Engineering Discipline (Civil Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering) of 300 marks
| Paper | Subject | No of Questions | Time Duration (Hours) | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | General Studies & Engineering Aptitude | 100 | 2 | 200 |
| II | Engineering Discipline | 150 | 3 | 300 |
| Total | 250 | 500 |
- The Paper I, General Studies, and Engineering Aptitude will consist of 100 questions each, carrying 2 marks that the candidate has to complete in 2 hours.
- Paper-II, Engineering Discipline will consist of 150 questions each carrying 2 marks which the candidate has to complete in 3 hours.
- The candidate should know that both the papers are of objective type and there is a negative marking of 1/3rd of the marks allotted to that question for wrong answers. If left unanswered, no marks will be deducted.
- Minimum marks to qualify in each paper will be decided by the commission. Candidates equal to about six to seven times the number of vacancies will be selected for the Main examination.
- A candidate having cleared both, Paper I and Paper II by securing minimum qualifying marks and aggregate cut-off marks as decided by UPSC will be eligible to appear for the Main Examination.
Stage 2: Main Examination
UPSC IES Main Examination will consist of 2 conventional papers, (Descriptive type)
- Paper I – Engineering Discipline – I (Civil Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering) of 300 marks
- Paper-II – Engineering Discipline – II (Civil Engineering / Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering) of 300 marks
| Subject | No. of Questions | Time Duration (Hours) | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering Discipline-I | Out of 8 questions attempt 5 | 3 | 300 |
| Engineering Discipline-II | Out of 8 questions attempt 5 | 3 | 300 |
| Total | 600 |
- The candidate will be given 8 questions in each paper and the candidate has to answer 5 of them in 3 hours for each paper.
- Each paper shall carry 300 marks and the nature of the test is descriptive. Unlike Preliminary Examination Paper II which will be Objective Type, Mains Examination Papers I and II will be Written Type.
- In this written test, the candidate has to describe the answers and can use diagrams.
- The candidate will be allowed to carry a non-programmable calculator at this stage.
- Aggregate marks secured by the candidate at Stage-I (Prelim) and Stage-II (Main) will be considered for preparing the merit list for Stage-III (Personality Test).
- The subjects for Mains Examination Paper I and Paper II will be the same as for Preliminary Examination Paper II
Stage 3: Personality Test
A Personality Test will be held for 200 marks. The candidate will have to appear for the personality test at a specified time and date where the candidate has to answer questions related to traits like leadership, mental and physical energy, intellectualism, initiative, tactfulness, integrity, powers of practical application, and other social qualities, engineering, science and technology, matters related to national and international importance, etc.
| Personality Test | Marks (200) |
UPSC IES Syllabus 2023
UPSC IES/ESE Syllabus of Prelim and Main exam has been given in detail.
IES Prelim Syllabus
UPSC ESE notification clearly defines the Preliminary Examination Paper I syllabus which is common for all the branches. Following is the syllabus for the General Studies and Engineering Aptitude paper-I:
- Basics of Energy and Environment – environmental pollution and degradation, Conservation, Climate Change, Environmental impact assessment
- Engineering Mathematics and Numerical Analysis
- Basics of Engineering and Material Science
- Ethics & values in the engineering profession
- General Principles of Design, Drawing, Importance of Safety
- ICT based tools & their applications in Engineering such as networking, technology-based education, and e-governance
- Standards and Quality practices in construction, production, maintenance, and services
- Engineering Aptitude covering Logical reasoning and Analytical ability
- Current issues of national and international importance relating to economic, social, industrial development
- Basics of Project Management
Note: UPSC clearly specifies that in Stage-I of the Preliminary Examination, the paper-II will be engineering discipline-specific. It will contain all the topics specified in paper-I and paper-II of the stage-II Main Examination.
IES Main Syllabus
Here is the branch-wise detail of the syllabus of each engineering discipline specifically.
Civil Engineering
Paper-I
- Building Materials
- Solid Mechanics
- Structural Analysis
- Design of Steel Structures
- Design of Concrete and Masonry structures
- Construction Practice, Planning, and Management
Paper-II
- The flow of Fluids, Hydraulic Machines and Hydro Power
- Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Geotechnical Engineering and Foundation Engineering
- Surveying and Geology
- Transportation Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Paper-I
- Fluid Mechanics
- Thermodynamics and Heat transfer
- IC Engines, Refrigeration and Air conditioning
- Turbo Machinery
- Power Plant Engineering
- Renewable Sources of Energy
Paper-II
- Engineering Mechanics
- Engineering Materials
- Mechanisms and Machines
- Design of Machine Elements
- Manufacturing, Industrial and Maintenance Engineering
- Mechatronics and Robotics
Electrical Engineering
Paper-I
- Engineering Mathematics
- Electrical Materials
- Electric Circuits and Fields
- Electrical and Electronic Measurements
- Computer Fundamentals
- Basic Electronics Engineering
Paper-II
- Analog and Digital Electronics
- Systems and Signal Processing
- Control Systems
- Electrical Machines
- Power Systems
- Power Electronics and Drives
Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering
Paper-I
- Basic Electronics Engineering
- Basic Electrical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Electronic Measurements and Instrumentation
- Network Theory
- Analog and Digital Circuits
Paper-II
- Analog and Digital Communication Systems
- Control Systems
- Computer Organization and Architecture
- Electro Magnetics
- Advanced Electronics Topics
- Advanced Communication Topics
UPSC IES/ESE Selection Process 2023
The selection process of IES is clearly described by the UPSC in its notification as follows.
- The candidate must secure minimum qualifying marks in each paper along with marks decided by the UPSC for each paper and stage.
- The Prelim exam will have 2 papers, Paper I for 200 marks and Paper II for 300 marks and the total marks will be 500. Candidates need to score minimum marks in each paper along with the aggregate marks as decided by UPSC for the stage II/the Main exam.
- The Main exam will have 2 papers, each for 300 marks and the total marks will be 600. For selection to the personality test, candidates must score minimum marks in each paper of the Main exam along with aggregate marks in Stage I and Stage II as decided by UPSC.
- Candidates securing cut off in Prelim and Main as decided by UPSC will be summoned to a Personality test that will have 200 marks and there will be no minimum qualifying marks.
- Aggregate marks secured by the applicant in Stage 1 (Preliminary Examination), Stage 2 (Main Examination), and Stage 3 (Personality Test) would determine their name/ roll number in the final merit list. The total marks of all the 3 stages will be 1300.
- The candidates whose name is in the final merit list will have to undergo a medical examination conducted by various Railway Hospitals across India. They will be selected for the various services keeping in mind their ranks in the examinations and the preferences chosen by them for the services/posts throughout India.
Key Points
- Marks secured in Preliminary Examination by the candidates will be the basis for selection to the Mains Examination and marks secured in the Main exam will decide the merit list to a Personality test.
- Marks secured in Prelim, Main exam, and Personality test will be counted so as to establish their final order of merit.
- Deduction of marks up to five percent of the maximum marks for the written papers will be done for illegible handwriting.
- The Commission exercises discretion to allot minimum qualifying marks in any or all the papers of the examination
- SI units will be used in the question papers wherever necessary.
Key Instructions For UPSC IES 2023 Prelim Exam
- Wrong answers will attract negative marking in the objective-type question papers. For every question, there will be four choices. For every wrong answer given, one-third (1/3rd) of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty
- If an applicant chooses more than one alternative to a question, that particular answer will be treated as wrong even if one of the alternatives chosen is correct and the penalty will be the same as above for that question
- If any question is left unanswered, there will be no penalty
- Clipboard or hardboard (with nothing written on it) and a black ball pen are the only items that can be taken by the candidates inside the examination hall. Using any other colored pen is prohibited.
- Follow all the instructions carefully before filling the answer sheet. Anything unwanted or uninstructed may lead to rejection.
- Do not resort to any unfair practices or misconduct while in the examination room.
- The candidates will not be permitted to exit the examination hall before the termination of the prescribed time period of the examination.
Key Instructions for UPSC IES 2023 Main Exam
- Non-programmable battery-operated pocket calculators, mathematical / engineering/drawing instruments (i.e. a flat rule, a slide rule, set of squares, a protractor, and a pair of compasses), pencils, colored pencils, mapping pens, eraser, T-square, and drawing board are the items allowed to be taken inside the examination hall by the examinees
- Write the answers in ink. Pencils are allowed to be used for maps, mathematical drawings, or rough work.
- Credit will be given for methodical, useful, and exact expressions apart from the economy of words in conventional papers.
- Follow all the instructions carefully before beginning to write the examination.
- Any kind of misconduct will result in termination from the examination center.
- The examinees will not be allowed to leave the examination hall before the finish of the prescribed time period of the examination
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UPSC ESE 2023 Exam FAQs
Q. Will There Be A Negative Marking For Wrong Answers?
A. Yes, in Objective Type papers, for every wrong answer there will be a deduction of 1/3rd marks for that question.
Q. How Will I Know If I Have Been Selected In Preliminary Examination?
A. The candidate has to download the pdf of the result of the Preliminary examination from the official site and check his/her roll number on the list.
Q. Will The Objective Type Paper Be The Same For All Engineering Streams?
A. The Preliminary Examination Paper I will be the same for all. Paper-II will be separate for separate streams.
Q. Can A Candidate Use Calculator At Any Stage Of The Examination?
A. The candidate can use a non-programmable calculator at stage-II of the examination only.
Q. How Many Options Will Be Given In The Objective Paper Questions?
A. There will be 4 options given in the objective type papers and the candidate has to choose one of them.