UPSC ESE Syllabus 2025: Comprehensive Prelims & Mains Guide

The Engineering Services Examination (ESE), conducted by UPSC, is one of the most prestigious exams for engineering graduates aiming to join various government departments. It comprises two main stages — Preliminary and Mains, followed by an interview. This article provides a comprehensive and detailed syllabus for both Prelims and Mains, branch-wise, along with marks distribution, recommended books, preparation tips, and a direct syllabus PDF download link.

2. UPSC ESE Exam Pattern Summary

Exam Stage	Papers	Marks	Duration	Question Type	Description
Prelims	Paper I – General Studies & Engineering Aptitude	200	2 hours	Objective (MCQ)	Common for all branches
Prelims	Paper II – Discipline-specific	300	3 hours	Objective (MCQ)	Branch-wise syllabus
Mains	Paper I – Discipline-specific	300	3 hours	Descriptive	Branch-wise syllabus
Mains	Paper II – Discipline-specific	300	3 hours	Descriptive	Branch-wise syllabus

3. UPSC ESE Prelims Syllabus

3.1 General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (Paper I) – Common to All Branches

Topic	Description	Approx. Marks (%)
Current Issues in National and International Importance	Social, Economic, Political, Scientific developments	10-15%
Engineering Aptitude including Logical Reasoning and Numerical Analysis	Analytical reasoning, data interpretation	10-15%
Engineering Mathematics	Algebra, Calculus, Probability, Statistics	10-15%
General Principles of Design, Drawing and Safety	Basics of engineering drawing and safety standards	5-10%
Standards and Quality Practices in Production, Construction and Maintenance	ISO standards, quality control	5-10%
Basics of Energy and Environment	Energy resources, renewable energy, environmental pollution	10-15%
Basics of Project Management	CPM, PERT, resource allocation	5-10%
Basics of Material Science	Engineering materials properties and classification	5-10%
Information and Communication Technologies	Basics of computer and networking	5-10%
Ethics and Values in Engineering Profession	Professional ethics, social responsibility	5-10%

3.2 Discipline-Specific Prelims Syllabus

Civil Engineering Prelims (Paper II)

Subject	Topics
Building Materials	Properties, classification, testing of stones, bricks, cement, concrete mix design
Structural Mechanics	Stress, strain, bending moment, shear force, torsion
Structural Analysis	Determinate & indeterminate structures, influence lines
Steel Design	Working and limit state methods, design of beams and columns
Concrete Design	Limit state design of reinforced concrete structures
Fluid Mechanics	Fluid properties, types of flow, pipe flow
Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering	Hydrological cycle, groundwater, irrigation methods
Environmental Engineering	Water supply, sewage treatment, solid waste management
Geotechnical Engineering	Soil properties, compaction, permeability
Surveying and Transportation Engineering	Chain surveying, photogrammetry, road and railway engineering

Mechanical Engineering Prelims (Paper II)

Subject	Topics
Engineering Mechanics	Statics, dynamics, friction
Strength of Materials	Stress-strain relations, bending, torsion
Theory of Machines	Kinematics, velocity, acceleration, gears, flywheels
Fluid Mechanics	Fluid properties, flow types, losses
Thermodynamics	Laws, cycles, gas power, refrigeration
Heat Transfer	Conduction, convection, radiation
Manufacturing Technology	Casting, welding, machining processes
Industrial Engineering	Work study, method study
Power Plant Engineering	Boilers, turbines

Electrical Engineering Prelims (Paper II)

Subject	Topics
Circuit Theory	Network theorems, transient and steady-state analysis
Electrical Machines	Transformers, induction and synchronous machines
Power Systems	Generation, transmission, distribution
Control Systems	Open/closed loop systems, transfer functions
Measurements and Instrumentation	Measurement of electrical quantities
Power Electronics	Rectifiers, inverters, converters
Analog and Digital Electronics	Amplifiers, digital logic

Electronics & Telecommunication Prelims (Paper II)

Subject	Topics
Networks and Circuits	Network theorems, transient analysis
Electronic Devices	Diodes, transistors, op-amps
Signals and Systems	Fourier series, transforms
Control Systems	Stability, block diagrams
Electromagnetics	Maxwell’s equations, transmission lines
Digital Electronics	Boolean algebra, combinational and sequential circuits

4. UPSC ESE Mains Syllabus

Civil Engineering Mains

Paper	Topics
Paper I	Building Materials, Solid Mechanics, Structural Analysis, Design of Steel Structures, Design of Concrete Structures
Paper II	Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines, Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Surveying, and Transportation Engineering

Mechanical Engineering Mains

Paper	Topics
Paper I	Engineering Mechanics, Strength of Materials, Theory of Machines, Machine Design
Paper II	Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines, Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer, Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Engineering, Power Plant Engineering

Electrical Engineering Mains

Paper	Topics
Paper I	Circuit Theory, Electrical Machines, Power Systems
Paper II	Control Systems, Measurements and Instrumentation, Power Electronics, Analog and Digital Electronics

Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Mains

Paper	Topics
Paper I	Networks, Electronic Devices, Signals and Systems, Control Systems
Paper II	Electromagnetics, Digital Electronics, Communication Systems

5. Marks Distribution

Exam Stage	Paper	Marks	Duration
Prelims	Paper I (GS & Engineering Aptitude)	200	2 hours
Prelims	Paper II (Discipline-specific)	300	3 hours
Mains	Paper I (Discipline-specific)	300	3 hours
Mains	Paper II (Discipline-specific)	300	3 hours

6. Recommended Books for UPSC ESE

Branch	Subject	Recommended Books
Civil Engineering	Structural Analysis	Structural Analysis by R.C. Hibbeler
Civil Engineering	Concrete Technology	Concrete Technology by A.M. Neville
Mechanical Engineering	Thermodynamics	Thermodynamics by P.K. Nag
Mechanical Engineering	Strength of Materials	Mechanics of Materials by Gere & Goodno
Electrical Engineering	Electrical Machines	Electrical Machines by P.S. Bimbhra
Electrical Engineering	Power Systems	Power System Engineering by D.P. Kothari
Electronics & Telecommunication	Communication Systems	Communication Systems by Simon Haykin
Electronics & Telecommunication	Digital Electronics	Digital Design by Morris Mano

7. Preparation Tips for UPSC ESE

• Separate Strategy for Prelims & Mains: Focus on objective questions for Prelims and detailed concepts for Mains.
• Conceptual Clarity: Build strong fundamentals using standard textbooks.
• Previous Year Papers: Practice extensively to understand exam pattern.
• Revision & Mock Tests: Regular revision and time-bound mock tests help improve speed and accuracy.
• Time Management: Allocate study hours based on topic weightage and difficulty.

8. UPSC ESE Syllabus PDF Download

For official and updated syllabus, download the PDF from UPSC’s official website:
UPSC ESE Official Syllabus PDF

9. Conclusion

The UPSC Engineering Services Exam requires a disciplined approach, thorough knowledge of both prelims and mains syllabus, and consistent preparation. Use the detailed syllabus and recommended books to plan your study schedule efficiently and improve your chances of success.