UPSC ESE Selection Process 2025 - Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3 of UPSC ESE Selection

UPSC ESE Selection Process 2025

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the UPSC ESE Selection Process 2025, outlining the stages for the recruitment of candidates. The UPSC ESE 2025 will aim to fill 457 vacancies in Grade A and B positions across various government departments, including Telecommunications, Indian Railways, Central Water Engineering, Power, and the Defence Service of Engineers, among others.

The selection process for UPSC ESE 2025 is a multi-stage procedure, consisting of the Prelims Exam, Mains Exam, and Personality Test (Interview). Candidates must successfully clear each stage to be shortlisted for the final selection. The detailed selection process is designed to give aspiring candidates a clear understanding of the requirements to secure a position in the prestigious Group A and Group B Engineering Services. The three stages of the UPSC ESE 2025 selection process are as follows:

1. First Stage: UPSC ESE Prelims Exam
2. Second Stage: UPSC ESE Mains Exam
3. Third Stage: Personality Test (Interview)

Each stage must be cleared for candidates to progress to the next, with the final selection based on their performance in all stages. The selection process will adhere to eligibility criteria, with candidates being evaluated based on guidelines established by the Ministry of Communications and Commission. The Engineering Services Examination (ESE), also called the Indian Engineering Service (IES) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission every year to induct class 1 engineers to work for the development of various technical departments of the Indian Government. The officers-cum-engineers selected through the UPSC ESE 2025 exam serve as the chief engineers of their trade in various technical fields under the Union of India. Read the complete article to get fully informed.

Also Check: UPSC ESE Exam Pattern 2025

UPSC ESE Selection Process - Stage of Examination

UPSC ESE, like most of the examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, is a three-phased examination. The stage of selection here refers to the different phases a candidate has to undergo before getting selected as an IES. The three stages of selection in UPSC ESE 2025 exam include:

1. UPSC ESE Preliminary Exam
2. UPSC ESE Mains Exam
3. UPSC ESE Interview/ Personality Test 

UPSC IES 2025 Selection Stage 1 - Preliminary Exam

As stated above, the first stage of the UPSC ESE 2025 exam is the Preliminary Exam. The ESE prelims exam consists of two papers: Paper-1 and Paper-2. Paper I is the GS paper while Paper 2 is based on the Engineering branch of the candidates. Both papers are objective. The General Studies Paper is of Graduation level and the same goes for the Branch affiliated paper, which also tests the engineering related knowledge at the graduation level.

The table given below represents the UPSC ESE Prelims exam pattern, along with the time allotted for each paper:

Also Check: UPSC ESE Preparation Tips 2025

UPSC IES Selection Process - Stage 2 (Mains Exam)

Candidates who clear the UPSC ESE Prelims exam are shortlisted to give the next stage. The next stage of the written examination is the ESE Mains Exam, which will also have two sets of exams Paper-1 and Paper-2. These are the conventional engineering exams, which test the core technical knowledge of the candidates about their specific domains. UPSC ESE Mains Paper is descriptive. Both papers test the comprehensive understanding of the concerned Engineering field. 

The table given below represents the UPSC ESE Mains exam pattern, along with the time allotted for each paper:

Also Check: UPSC ESE Exam Analysis 2025

UPSC IES Selection Stage 3: Interview/ Personality Test

Candidates clearing the UPSC ESE Mains stage will be forwarded to the last stage of the UPSC ESE 2025 i.e. Interview/ Personality Test. Soon after the release of UPSC ESE Mains 2025 Result, the authority will release the Detailed Application Form (DAF). Candidates have to fill out this DAF online before the deadline. This DAF serves as the basic definition of the candidate which the interviewer uses to put up the questions in front of the candidate. Therefore, filling up the DAF is also one of the integrated and most important stages of the UPSC ESE exam. The Interview stage is conducted on 200 Marks and it plays an important role in the final merit list.

The Personality Test is the last stage of the selection procedure for the IES. In this stage, candidates will have to face a personal interview. The interview round is mainly to judge the ability of the candidate to handle and manage the situations and problems related to the sector he/she will be appointed to. The Personality Test is also to check the mental alertness, mental calibre and awareness of the subject matter of the candidates. The candidates need to be good with the subject matter and keep up with the General Knowledge to dominate this final stage.