UPSC IES Exam Pattern 2025: Know Prelims & Mains Marking Scheme, Exam Duration
Indian Engineering Services Exam 2025 ( IES )
Registration - 26 Sep '25 - 16 Oct '25
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the Engineering Service prelims exam on June 8, 2025. The UPSC IES 2025 Mains exam was conducted on August 10, 2025. The Commission mentioned the Engineering Stream-wise syllabus in the official notification. The Commission conducted the IES 2025 exam as per the exam pattern notified in the official notification. The IES exam pattern is an important component of the exam preparation. The candidates are suggested to practice with the previous year question papers to know and internalise the IES exam pattern.
- UPSC ESE (IES) Prelims Exam Pattern & Negative Marking 2025
- UPSC ESE(IES) Main Exam Pattern 2025
- UPSC ESE (IES) Interview 2025
- UPSC ESE (IES) Exam Pattern FAQs 2025
UPSC ESE (IES) Prelims Exam Pattern & Negative Marking 2025
Union Public Service Commission mentioned the IES 2025 exam pattern in the official IES 2025 notification. The Commission did not change the IES exam pattern and the candidates need not worry about any change. UPSC IES 2025 notification was released on September 18, 2024. The Commission mentioned important topics of the IES 2025 syllabus in the official notification. The last date to apply for IES 2025 exam was November 22, 2024. Along with the other rules and regulations, the Commission also released the IES 2025 exam dates.
Candidates who qualify IES 2025 preliminary examination will be allowed to appear for the main examination. The number of candidates selected to sit for the IES Main examination is 6 to 7 times to the number of available vacancies. The UPSC ESE (IES) exam is conducted based on the official syllabus mentioned in the official notification. UPSC will release a list of qualified candidates after successful conduct for the written examination. There is a provision for negative marking in the IES examination. UPSC ESE (IES) 2025 syllabus is mentioned in the official notification in detail. The candidates must prepare all the topics mentioned in the prelims and main exam. The marking scheme is as below:
- There are four options given as answers, one-third of the marks assigned to that particular question will be deducted for every wrong answer
- If the candidate selects more than one option as their answer then the case will be treated as a wrong response and will be eligible for a negative marking
- In case there is no response to the question, no negative marking will be done.
IES 2025 examination is conducted according to the following plan:
Stage 1 of the IES examination has 2 papers. Take a look below at IES 2025 preliminary exam pattern
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Category-I Civil Engineering |
||
| Paper-I (General Studies and Engineering Aptitude) |
2 hrs. |
200 |
| Paper-II (Civil Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
500 |
|
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Category-II Mechanical Engineering |
||
| Paper-I (General Studies and Engineering Aptitude) |
2 hrs. |
200 |
| Paper-II (Mechanical Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
500 |
|
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Category-III Electrical Engineering |
||
| Paper-I (General Studies and Engineering Aptitude) |
2 hrs. |
200 |
| Paper-II (Electrical Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
500 |
|
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Category-IV Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering |
||
| Paper-I (General Studies and Engineering Aptitude) |
2 hrs. |
200 |
| Paper-II (Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
500 |
|
UPSC IES (ESE) 2025 Prelims Exam: Negative Marking
There is a provision of negative marking in the USPC ESE (IES) prelims exam as per the following.
| Marks assigned for correct answer | Marks to be deducted for incorrect answer |
|---|---|
| 2 Marks | 0.66 |
Commonly asked questions
UPSC ESE(IES) Main Exam Pattern 2025
Stage 2 of the IES examination has 2 papers. Take a look below at IES 2025 main exam pattern
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Category-I Civil Engineering |
||
| Paper-I ( Civil Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Paper-II (Civil Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
600 |
|
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
| Category-II Mechanical Engineering |
||
| Paper-I ( Mechanical Engineering ) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Paper-II (Mechanical Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
600 |
|
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
| Category-III Electrical Engineering |
||
| Paper-I ( Electrical Engineering ) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Paper-II (Electrical Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
600 |
|
| Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
| Category-IV Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering |
||
| Paper-I ( Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering `) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Paper-II (Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering) |
3 hrs. |
300 |
| Total |
600 |
|
Commonly asked questions
UPSC ESE (IES) Interview 2025
Stage 3 of the UPSC IES 2025 recruitment process will be the personality test cum interview of a total of 200 marks.
The candiates will be arranged in the merit list as per their marks secure in all the stages of exam. The candidates need to check their names in the final merit list of their engineering branch.
Commonly asked questions
UPSC ESE (IES) Exam Pattern FAQs 2025
The candidates can see here important questions related to IES exam pattern.
IES Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 6 days ago
The authority activated the UPSC IES 2026 application apply link on the official website at upsconline.nic.in. Candidates can apply via direct link provided on this page as well.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The UPSC IES 2025 Mains exam result is expected to be released in September 2025 or October first week. The commission has not yet announced the release date for the Mains result. The UPSC IES 2025 Mains exam was conducted on August 10.
C
Contributor-Level 6
Upcoming Sarkari Exam Dates
IBPS Clerk prelims admit card 24 Sep '25 - 5 Oct '25 IBPS RRB application form 2025 correction window 6 Oct '25 - 7 Oct '25
Is the UPSC IES 2026 application process started?