The Engineering Services Examination (ESE) is a
standardized test
A standardized test is a Test (assessment), test that is administered and scored in a consistent or standard manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored ...
conducted annually by the
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recruit officers to various engineering
Services under the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
. Held in four categories—Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics & Telecommunication, the exam has three stages comprising objective, subjective and personality tests. The Services are also informally known as Indian Engineering Services (IES).
Officers recruited through ESE are mandated to manage and conduct activities in diverse technical fields. Government infrastructure includes railways, roads, defence, manufacturing, inspection, supply, construction, public works, power, and telecommunications. Appointments are made by the
President of India
The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...
.
List of Services
Source:
Civil Engineering
Indian railway management services includes Irms post
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering
Functions of officers
The work performed by these officers largely depends on their engineering branch and service (or cadre). However, they can move to any
cadre, organization, agency, department,
ministry or
public sector undertaking
Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) in India are State-owned enterprise, government-owned entities in which at least 51% of stake is under the ownership of the Government of India or State governments of India, state governments. These types of f ...
of the government of India. They are appointed to posts analogous to their present one, either on a fixed-term
deputation basis (at least five years and extensible, after which the officer returns to their parent cadre) or an absorption basis where the official leaves the parent cadre for the new one.
Eligibility
Candidates must be a citizen of India or
Nepal
Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
or a subject of
Bhutan
Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...
, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
,
Myanmar
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
,
Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
,
Uganda
Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...
,
Tanzania
Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
,
Zambia
Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...
,
Malawi
Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
,
Zaire
Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...
,
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...
or
Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
with the intention of permanently settling in India.
The minimum educational requirement is a bachelor's degree in engineering (B.E. or B.Tech) from a recognised university or the equivalent. An M.Sc. degree or equivalent with wireless communications, electronics, radio physics or radio engineering as special subjects is also acceptable for certain services or posts.
The age range is 21–30 years on 1 January of the year of the Engineering Services Examination.
The upper age limit is relaxed as follows:
* A maximum of three years for
Other Backward Class candidates (non-
creamy layer only)
* A maximum of four years for Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and discharged as a consequence
* A maximum of five years for:
** Candidates belonging to a
Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe
** Candidates who resided in
Jammu and Kashmir from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1989
** Ex-servicemen (including commissioned officers and ECOs or SSCOs) with at least five years of military service by 1 August
** Candidates already in a permanent post of the Central Government Engineering Department
Examination
Candidates are required to apply on the UPSC website. The application fee for general-category male candidates is 200. No fee is required for female and reserved-category applicants. Stage 1 of the test is conducted during the first week of January; Stage 2 is conducted in June and July across India. The government of India changed the Engineering Services Examination in 2017.
Candidates who qualify at Stage I are permitted to appear for the Stage II examination, and those who qualify at Stage II are permitted to appear for the Stage III examination. Candidates qualifying at all three stages are included on the examination's final merit list. The maximum score is 1300.
The personality test is an interview which assesses the candidate's suitability for a career in public service by a board of unbiased observers. The interview also assess social traits and interest in current affairs. Qualities judged include mental alertness, critical ability, clear and logical exposition, judgment, variety and depth of interests, social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity.
Notable officers
*
Narinder Singh Kapany – Former
IOFS officer. Invented
fibre optics
An optical fiber, or optical fibre, is a flexible glass or plastic fiber that can transmit light from one end to the other. Such fibers find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at ...
that revolutionised laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery, telecommunications, power transmission, etc. Named as one of the seven "Unsung Heroes of the 20th century" by
Fortune magazine for his
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
-deserving invention. Known as the "Father of Fibre Optics" and "The Man who Bent Light".
Former Professor at
Stanford, Universities of California at
Berkeley,
Santa Barbara and
Santa Cruz. Had more than 150 patents to his credit.
Conferred upon with
Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest honour in India,
Pravasi Bharatiya Samman,
Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng). He was also offered the post of
Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister of India by the first Prime Minister of India,
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat, and statesman who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was a pr ...
.
*
Nalini Ranjan Mohanty - Former
IOFS officer. Secured All India 2nd Rank in the Engineering Services Examination of 1965, served as the Chairman & Managing Director of
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence company, headquartered in Bengaluru. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL is one of the oldest and largest aerospace and defence manufacturers in the world. H ...
, Director of
Kudremukh Iron Ore Company,
Mahanadi Coalfields,
National Aluminium Company (NALCO),
Bharat Earth Movers (BEML). Awarded
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
in 2004 by the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
for his role in the development of
LCA – Tejas.
*
Rajendra K. Pachauri - former
IRSME officer; chair of
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations. Its job is to "provide governments at all levels with scientific information that they can use to develop climate policies". The World Met ...
when the organisation received the
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...
in 2007; director general of
the Energy and Resources Institute; received
Padma Bhushan and
Padma Vibhushan from the government of India, the
Order of the White Rose of Finland from the Finnish government, the
Order of the Rising Sun (Gold and Silver Star) from the Japanese government and the
Legion of Honour
The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
from the French government.
*
H. P. S. Ahluwalia –
IOFS. First Indian to climb
Mount Everest
Mount Everest (), known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at it ...
. Author, mountaineer, social worker. Founder & Chairman of Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. Conferred on with the
Arjuna Award,
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
and
Padma Bhushan by the Government of India,
Fellowship of Royal Geographical Society (FRGS). Also served as a Commissioned officer in the
Indian Army
The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
and Member of
Planning Commission (India)
The Planning Commission was an institution in the Government of India which formulated India's Five-Year Plans, among other functions.
In his first Independence Day speech in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his intention to disso ...
.
*
Santu Shahaney - IOFS. Served as the first Indian Director General
Ordnance Factories (DGOF). He was awarded
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
in 1962, and
Padma Bhushan in 1965, by the
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...
, in the Civil Service category, for his contributions during the
Indo-China War of 1962 and the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, respectively.
*
R. M. Muzumdar - IOFS. Second Indian Director General of the
Indian Ordnance Factories. He was awarded the
Padma Bhushan by the Government of India, in 1973, in the Civil service category, for his contributions during the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
*
Waman Dattatreya Patwardhan - IOFS officer. Developed the solid propellant for India's first space rocket launched from Thumba, and the detonation system of India's first nuclear bomb used in
Operation Smiling Buddha. Served at the Ammunition Factory Khadki, and as the first Director of
High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) and the
Armaments Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) of the
Defence Research and Development Organisation
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, head ...
(DRDO). Awarded
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
in 1974.
*
H.G.S. Murthy - IOFS. Known as one of the "Seven Pioneers of the Indian Space Programme". He served at the Machine Tool Prototype Factory (MTPF), Ambernath, and as the first Director of the
Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), and the Space Science & Technology Centre, now known as the
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, of the
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Awarded
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
in 1969.
*K. C. Banerjee - IOFS. Received
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
in 1967, for his contributions during the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, as the General Manager of
Rifle Factory Ishapore, that developed and manufactured the
7.62 Self-Loading Automatic Rifle, that played decisive role in India's victory in the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
*
O. P. Bahl, an
IOFS officer. Received
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
in 1972, in the civil-service category, as the General Manager of
Ammunition Factory Khadki, which developed and manufactured the
anti-submarine rockets used in sinking the submarine
PNS Ghazi during the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
*
Ashwani Lohani - IRSME officer; chairman of
Indian Railways
Indian Railways is a state-owned enterprise that is organised as a departmental undertaking of the Ministry of Railways (India), Ministry of Railways of the Government of India and operates India's national railway system. , it manages the fou ...
and former chairman and managing director of
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier of India with its main hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, and secondary hubs at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, alo ...
. Holds a
Limca record for having four engineering degree equivalents (mechanical, electrical and metallurgical engineering and electronics and telecommunications engineering from the
Institution of Engineers.
* G. B. Meemamsi - Former
ITS officer. Founding Director of
C-DOT; received Padma Shri in 1998.
*
Satyendra Dubey -
Whistleblower
Whistleblowing (also whistle-blowing or whistle blowing) is the activity of a person, often an employee, revealing information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe, unethical or ...
against corruption; project director of the
National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI)
Golden Quadrilateral project at
Koderma. After his assassination, the
Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2011 was passed.
*
E. Sreedharan - Former
IRSE officer, chairman and managing director of
Konkan Railway
The Konkan Railway (abbreviated KR) is one of the 19 railway zones in India with its headquarters at CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. The Konkan Railway line from Roha to Thokur is operated and maintained by Konkan Railway co ...
,
Cochin Shipyard
Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) is the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India. Cochin Shipyard is part of a line of maritime-related facilities in the port-city of Kochi, in the States and union territories of India, state of Kerala, ...
and the
Delhi Metro. Retired member of the
Railway Board. Received Padma Shri and
Padma Vibhushan from India, the Order of the Rising Sun (Gold and Silver Star) from Japan and the Legion of Honour from France.
See also
*
Indian Railways Management Service
*
Union Public Service Commission
*
Central Civil Services
*
Joint Entrance Examination – Main
References
External links
Union Public Service Commission (Official Website)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Engineering Services
Civil Services of India
Central Civil Services (India)
Civil service
The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...
Year of establishment missing