UPSC ESE 2027 Notification on 16 September: Engineering Services Exam Dates, Eligibility and What to Expect
UPSC's official 2027 calendar fixes the Engineering Services Examination 2027 notification for 16 September 2026, with applications closing on 6 October and the Preliminary exam on 31 January 2027. Here is the schedule, plus eligibility and vacancy details from the ESE 2026 notice.
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The Union Public Service Commission has already published its programme of examinations for 2027, and the first big entry on it for engineering graduates is the Engineering Services Examination. According to the calendar, the ESE 2027 notification is scheduled for 16 September 2026. That is less than a week away.
This article is based on two official documents: the UPSC calendar for 2027 (as on 20 May 2026) and the ESE 2026 notice, which tells us how the last cycle was structured. The 2027 notice has not been released yet, so vacancy numbers and eligibility for 2027 will be confirmed only when it comes out.
ESE 2027 schedule as per the UPSC calendar
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | 16 September 2026 |
| Last date for receipt of applications | 6 October 2026 |
| Engineering Services (Preliminary) Examination | 31 January 2027 (Sunday), one day |
| Engineering Services (Main) Examination | 18 June 2027 (Friday), one day |
That gives you a 20 day application window and a little over four months between the notification and the Preliminary exam.
What the ESE 2026 notice tells us about eligibility
The ESE 2026 notice (Examination Notice No. 02/2026 ENGG, dated 26 September 2025) is the most recent official reference for how this exam works. Eligibility rules are set by the notice of each year, so treat the following as an indication of what the 2027 notice is likely to carry, not as final.
Vacancies in 2026: approximately 474, including 26 reserved for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities.
Age in 2026: candidates had to have attained 21 years and not attained 30 years on 1 January 2026, which meant a date of birth between 2 January 1996 and 1 January 2005. The upper limit was relaxable up to 35 years for certain categories of government servants, and further for reserved categories as listed in the notice. For ESE 2027 the crucial date will move to 1 January 2027, so the birth date window will shift by one year.
Fee in 2026: Rs 200, payable by cash at any SBI branch, by card, UPI or internet banking. Categories exempt from fee are listed in the notice.
Branches: the Preliminary exam had Paper I on General Studies and Engineering Aptitude, common to all, and Paper II in one of four engineering disciplines: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Electronics and Telecommunication.
The new UPSC application portal
One thing that is already fixed regardless of the 2027 notice: UPSC has moved to a new Online Application Portal at upsconline.nic.in. The ESE 2026 notice explains that the portal has four modules. Account creation, Universal Registration and the Common Application Form are common to all UPSC exams and can be completed any time. Only the fourth, exam specific module opens with each notification. The old One Time Registration is no longer valid, so if you have not registered on the new portal, do it before 16 September. It will save you from a rush during the 20 day window.
What to do before the notification
Register on upsconline.nic.in and complete the three common modules. Keep a scanned photograph, signature and ID proof ready as per the portal's specifications. Check your degree and age against the 2026 rules so you know where you stand, and then confirm against the 2027 notice the day it drops.
We will publish the full breakdown of the ESE 2027 notice, including vacancies, age limits, fee and centres, as soon as UPSC uploads it.
Official calendar: UPSC Programme of Examinations 2027 (PDF)
Last cycle notice: ESE 2026 Examination Notice (PDF)
Apply portal: upsconline.nic.in