UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE / IES) 2026: Personality Test Schedule, e-Summon & Final Result Guide

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is currently executing the final phase of the Engineering Services Examination (ESE), 2026 [Examination Notice No. 01/2026-ENGG.].

The examination selects top-tier engineers for recruitment into India's premier Group 'A' and Group 'B' technical services, including the Central Engineering Service (Roads & CPWD), Indian Naval Armament Service (INAS), Central Power Engineering Service (CPES), and the Indian Defence Service of Engineers (IDSE).

Following the declaration of the Stage-II Main (Written) Examination results on July 24, 2026, UPSC released the comprehensive interview timetable on September 7, 2026. The Stage-III Personality Tests (Interviews) officially commenced on September 21, 2026, and are running through late October 2026 at UPSC Dholpur House, New Delhi.

Next Cycle Notice: For candidates preparing for the upcoming cycle, refer to our comprehensive UPSC ESE 2027 Examination Guide covering Notice No. 02/2027-ENGG., Preliminary Exam date (January 31, 2027), and branch-wise syllabi.

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1. Executive Summary & Verified Current Cycle Status

Examination Metric	Official Specification (Notice No. 01/2026-ENGG.)
Examination Name	Engineering Services Examination, 2026 (UPSC ESE / IES)
Conducting Authority	Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Notification Reference	Examination Notice No. 01/2026-ENGG.
Notification Date	September 17, 2025
Stage-I Preliminary Exam	February 8, 2026 (Conducted)
Prelims Result Declaration	February 26, 2026 (Shortlisted for Mains)
Stage-II Main Exam	June 21, 2026 (Conducted)
Mains Written Result Date	July 24, 2026 (Declared)
Interview Schedule Uploaded	September 7, 2026
Stage-III Personality Test Window	September 21, 2026 to October 30, 2026 (Active)
Interview Venue	UPSC Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi
Current Operational Status	interview_stage (Personality Test Boards Active)
Expected Final Result	November 2026
Official Portals	upsc.gov.in & upsconline.nic.in

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2. Official 2026 Cycle Timeline & Milestone Architecture

The journey through the UPSC ESE 2026 cycle spans three successive stages:

[Stage-I Prelims] (Held 08 Feb 2026) ──▶ [Prelims Result] (26 Feb 2026)
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[Stage-II Mains] (Held 21 Jun 2026) ──▶ [Mains Result] (24 Jul 2026)
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[Detailed Application Form (DAF)] ────▶ [Interview Schedule] (07 Sep 2026)
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[Stage-III Personality Tests] ────────▶ [September 21 – October 30, 2026]
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[Final Merit & Cadre Allotment] ──────▶ [Expected November 2026]

Key Milestones Completed

1. Stage-I Preliminary Examination: Held on Sunday, February 8, 2026, comprising Paper-I (General Studies & Engineering Aptitude, 200 marks) and Paper-II (Engineering Discipline, 300 marks).
2. Preliminary Results: Published on February 26, 2026, shortlisting candidates approximately 6–8 times the total number of vacancies.
3. Stage-II Main Examination: Conducted on June 21, 2026, featuring two conventional descriptive technical papers of 300 marks each.
4. Main Written Results: Declared on July 24, 2026, qualifying shortlisted engineers for the final interview phase.
5. DAF Submission: Candidates successfully completed the Detailed Application Form (DAF) in August 2026, registering their cadre preferences, educational transcripts, and extracurricular records.

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3. Personality Test (Interview) Architecture & Board Guidelines

The Stage-III Personality Test carries 200 marks and is designed to assess whether an engineering graduate possesses the temperament, ethical grounding, and leadership capability required of an officer in the Government of India.

Daily Session Timings at Dholpur House

Interviews are scheduled in two daily reporting slots:

• Forenoon (FN) Session: Reporting time is 09:00 AM.
• Afternoon (AN) Session: Reporting time is 01:00 PM.

Assessment Dimensions Evaluated by the Board

The UPSC Interview Board evaluates candidates beyond rote textbook knowledge:

• Mental Calibre & Intellectual Alertness: Quick comprehension of questions, logical deduction, and structured expression.
• Practical Engineering Judgement: Understanding modern infrastructure challenges, field troubleshooting, and safety standards in real-world civil, mechanical, electrical, or electronics projects.
• Integrity & Moral Calibre: Professional ethics, commitment to public welfare, and uncompromised dedication to institutional rules.
• Leadership & Social Adaptability: Ability to lead diverse technical teams, coordinate with contractors and administrators, and maintain calm composure under administrative stress.

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4. e-Summon Letter (Call Letter) Download & Reporting Protocols

Candidates called for the Personality Test must strictly follow the procedural requirements outlined in the UPSC summon notice:

Steps to Download e-Summon Letter

1. Navigate to the UPSC official online services portal: upsconline.nic.in.
2. Click on the link titled "e-Summon Letter for Engineering Services (Main) Examination, 2026".
3. Enter your 7-digit Roll Number and Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY) as registered in your application.
4. Enter the Captcha code and click Submit.
5. Download the multi-page e-Summon letter along with the accompanying travel allowance (TA) form and medical instructions.
6. Note: No paper summon letters are dispatched through postal mail. The digital e-Summon printout is strictly mandatory for gate entry at Dholpur House.

Mandatory Documents Checklist for Verification

Candidates must bring the following documents in original along with two self-attested photocopies on the day of their interview:

1. Matriculation / Secondary School Certificate: As conclusive proof of age and date of birth.
2. Engineering Degree / Provisional Degree Certificate: Demonstrating award of B.E. / B.Tech or equivalent degree.
3. Complete Mark Sheets: Consolidated mark sheets of all semesters/years of the engineering degree.
4. Caste / Community Certificate:
   • OBC Candidates: Certificate in prescribed Central Government format issued for the relevant financial year, proving Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) status.
   • SC / ST Candidates: Caste certificate issued by the competent Revenue/Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
   • EWS Candidates: Income and Asset Certificate issued in accordance with DoPT Office Memorandums.
5. Certificate of Benchmark Disability: For PwBD candidates, issued by an authorized Medical Board.
6. No Objection Certificate (NOC): Mandatory for candidates serving in permanent or temporary capacity in Central/State Government organizations or PSUs.
7. Government Photo ID: Original Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, or Driving License.

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5. Medical Examination & Fitness Standards

Following the conclusion of the Personality Test at Dholpur House, candidates are directed to designated government railway/central hospitals in New Delhi (such as Northern Railway Central Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, or Safdarjung Hospital) on the subsequent working day for their Comprehensive Medical Examination:

• Physical Measurements: Height, chest expansion, and weight standards.
• Visual Acuity: Distant and near vision standards with or without glasses, fundus examination, and strict testing for color perception (Colour Vision).
• Note on Color Blindness: Certain engineering services (such as Railway Technical cadres or Naval Armaments) require higher grades of color perception, whereas civil engineering posts in CPWD accept moderate color vision variances.
• Hearing & Systemic Checks: Pure tone audiometry, ECG, chest X-ray, urine analysis, and blood profiles.

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6. Final Merit Compilation Architecture (1,300 Marks Total)

Unlike the Civil Services Examination where Prelims marks are discarded, the UPSC Engineering Services Examination includes Stage-I marks in the final merit compilation:

Examination Phase	Pattern / Mode	Marks Weightage	Role in Final Merit
Stage-I: Preliminary Exam	Objective OMR (Paper I: 200M + Paper II: 300M)	500 Marks	Counted in Final Merit
Stage-II: Main Exam	Conventional Descriptive (Paper I: 300M + Paper II: 300M)	600 Marks	Counted in Final Merit
Stage-III: Personality Test	In-person Board Interview at Dholpur House	200 Marks	Counted in Final Merit
Grand Total Merit Score	Combined Cumulative Total	1,300 Marks	Determines Service & Cadre Allotment

Cadre Allocation Mechanism

The Commission ranks candidates in order of merit based on the aggregate marks out of 1,300. Service allocation is performed in accordance with:

1. Candidate's final rank in their respective engineering discipline.
2. Service preferences submitted in the Detailed Application Form (DAF).
3. Availability of vacancies across respective reservation categories.
4. Medical fitness category certification issued by the authorized Medical Board.

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7. Historical Cutoff Benchmarks (Reference Trends)

To understand the competitive landscape of UPSC ESE, examine the official cutoff benchmarks from recent cycles across disciplines:

Engineering Discipline	Category	Stage-I Prelims Cutoff (Out of 500)	Stage-II Written Cutoff (Out of 1100)	Final Recommended Cutoff (Out of 1300)
Civil Engineering	General / UR	225 – 240	540 – 565	715 – 745
	OBC	215 – 230	515 – 540	685 – 715
	SC / ST	180 – 200	450 – 480	600 – 640
Mechanical Engineering	General / UR	250 – 270	600 – 635	770 – 810
	OBC	240 – 260	575 – 610	740 – 780
	SC / ST	195 – 220	490 – 525	640 – 680
Electrical Engineering	General / UR	235 – 255	570 – 600	735 – 775
	OBC	225 – 245	545 – 580	710 – 750
	SC / ST	190 – 210	470 – 510	620 – 660
Electronics & Telecom	General / UR	220 – 240	535 – 565	705 – 740
	OBC	210 – 230	510 – 540	675 – 710
	SC / ST	175 – 195	440 – 475	590 – 630

Trend Insight: The final recommendation cutoff typically requires securing 55% to 62% of the aggregate 1,300 marks for General category candidates, making consistent scoring across Prelims, Mains, and the Interview essential for selection.

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8. Official Resources & Verified Links

Resource / Document	Direct Official Link
UPSC Official Web Portal	upsc.gov.in
UPSC Online Services & e-Summon Portal	upsconline.nic.in
UPSC Written Results Archive	upsc.gov.in/examinations/written-results
Official Examination Notice (01/2026-ENGG.)	UPSC ESE 2026 Notification
Interview Schedules Section	upsc.gov.in/examinations/interview-schedules
Next Cycle Guide (UPSC ESE 2027)	UPSC ESE 2027 Examination Guide

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9. Frequently Asked Questions (English & हिन्दी)

Q1. When was the UPSC ESE 2026 Stage-II Main examination result declared?

The UPSC declared the Stage-II Main examination results on July 24, 2026 on upsc.gov.in. Shortlisted candidates qualified for the Stage-III Personality Test.

Q2. What are the active dates for the UPSC ESE 2026 Personality Test?

The Personality Tests commenced on September 21, 2026 and will continue through October 30, 2026 at UPSC Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi.

Q3. How do candidates receive their Interview Call Letter?

UPSC issues e-Summon Letters electronically via upsconline.nic.in. Candidates download their call letter by providing their Roll Number and Date of Birth. No physical call letters are mailed.

Q4. यूपीएससी ईएसई 2026 साक्षात्कार (Personality Test) कब से शुरू हुए?

इंजीनियरिंग सेवा मुख्य परीक्षा 2026 का परिणाम 24 जुलाई 2026 को आया था। इसके साक्षात्कार 21 सितंबर 2026 से यूपीएससी धौलपुर हाउस, नई दिल्ली में प्रारंभ हो चुके हैं और अक्टूबर 2026 के अंत तक चलेंगे।

Q5. क्या ईएसई प्रारंभिक परीक्षा (Prelims) के अंक अंतिम मेरिट में जुड़ते हैं?

हाँ। संघ लोक सेवा आयोग की इंजीनियरिंग सेवा परीक्षा में प्रारंभिक परीक्षा के 500 अंक, मुख्य परीक्षा के 600 अंक और साक्षात्कार के 200 अंक—तीनों को जोड़कर कुल 1300 अंकों में से अंतिम मेरिट सूची बनाई जाती है।

Q6. यूपीएससी ईएसई 2026 का अंतिम परिणाम कब तक आने की संभावना है?

साक्षात्कार और मेडिकल जांच प्रक्रिया पूरी होने के बाद यूपीएससी ईएसई 2026 का अंतिम चयन परिणाम नवंबर 2026 में जारी होने की प्रबल संभावना है।