UPSC IES 2025 Question Papers: Check Prelims & Mains Sample Papers PDF Download Free

Indian Engineering Services Exam 2025 ( IES )

DeskCalelnderExam On - 10 Aug '25

Shikha Goyal
Updated on Jun 5, 2025 16:10 IST

By Shikha Goyal, Assistant Manager

UPSC IES Question Papers: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will conduct the UPSC ESE(IES) 2025 prelims exam on June 8, 2025. The IES prelims exam 2025 will be conducted offline at the designated exam centres. The Commission will release the IES 2025 question paper in a few days after the conduction of an exam. The IES question papers from previous years are very important for the IES Preparation because they set the locus and focus of the preparation. The candidates should carefully analyse the previous year papers to know the important topics, types of questions asked and the difficulty level of the question paper.

The candidates can download the IES prelims question paper PDFs of all subjects here once it is released. The Commission will release the IES 2025 answer key to these papers after the declaration of the final result. The IES question papers are a significant source of preparation because it provide a clear picture of the exam. It also provides the topics which are repeatedly asked in the exam. The candidates should give priority to the topics frequently asked in the previous year's question papers.

Latest Updates

UPSC IES 2025 Exam on June 8: Check Exam Day Guidelines and Shift Timings

Q:   Where can I find the UPSC IES Prelims 2025 Question Papers with Answer Key?
A: 

The Union Public Service Commission will conduct the IES 2025 Prelims exam offline on June 8, 2025. The Commission will release the official IES 2025 prelims answer key online after the declaration of the final result. It is a set practice of the Commission that it releases the official answer key after the declaration of the final result to avoid any delay in the selection process due to litigation. 

There are various coaching institutes that release the IES prelims answer key but we cannot comment on the reliability and authenticity of their answers.

Q:   Which are the subjects in UPSC IES exam?
A: 

The Commission conduct the exam to recruit candidates for the position of IES. The candidates can see below the four Engineering streams for which the exam was notified. The names of the services are given below: 
•    Civil Engineering
•    Mechanical Engineering
•    Electrical Engineering
•    Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering

Q:   Is there negative marking in the IES prelims exam?
A: 

Yes, there is negative marking in the IES prelims exam. The Union Public Service Commission mention the quantum of negative marking in the official notification. The Commission also mentions the total mark of the question paper and the structure of the exam such as how many questions will be asked in the paper.

The Commission also mention the negative marketing as the following:

The penalty for the incorrect answer is one-third of the total marks assigned to the correct answer. The Commission assigns 2 marks for the correct answer. Hence, 0.66 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer.

Q:   Does UPSC have different syllabus for IES from IES prelims and main exams?
A: 

Yes, the UPSC mentions the IES syllabus separately for the IES prelims and main exam. The syllabus for the IES exam is divided into two written exams: prelims and mains. The prelims exam consists of two papers - Paper 1 with questions on General Studies & Engineering Aptitude common for all candidates, and Paper 2 with questions based on the candidate's engineering stream. On the other hand, the Mains exam includes two descriptive papers based on the engineering stream.

The syllabus for both prelims and Mains exams covers various topics specific to each engineering discipline, such as Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Electronics & Telecommunication

Table of content
  • IES Question Previous Year Question Paper Download PDF
  • IES 2024 Question Papers
  • IES 2023 Questions Papers
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IES Question Previous Year Question Paper Download PDF

The Commission does not mention the weightage of topics in the official IES syllabus. A close analysis of IES question papers can anticipate the important topics for the exam. In addition to that the candidates can practise with the previous year's question paper's in the exam-like conditions to perform better in the actual exam.  After preparing the topics, the candidates should try to answer the question as asked in the IES previous year question papers. The IES question papers provide a clear estimation of the efforts required to prepare the IES prelims and main exam. It is a highly specialised exam and the candidates need to prepare for the IES exam from the standard subject books. The UPSC Engineering Service Exam (ESE) exam question papers are an important source of IES preparation as they define the important topics for the exam as well as the type of questions asked in the paper. 

The candidates can see and download the IES Previous years' question papers as released by the Union Public Service Commission. 

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the total number of papers conducted by the UPSC IES 2025 Preliminary Exam?
A: 

The commission will conduct the UPSC Preliminary Exam 2025 on June 8, 2025. The prelim exam consists of two papers, namely Paper 1 (General Studies and Engineering Aptitude) and Paper 2 (Engineering Discipline Specific). 

Q:   What is the total duration of the UPSC IES (ESE) 2025 Preliminary Examination?
A: 

The UPSC preliminary examination is conducted in two shifts. Paper 1 is conducted for two hours and Paper 2 for three hours. The second paper is engineering discipline-specific. Therefore, the total duration of the IES 2025 Prelim examination is five hours.

Q:   What is the duration and total marks for each paper in the UPSC IES 2025 Mains exam?
A: 

Candidates can check below in detail:

  • Each paper in the Mains exam is of three hours duration.
  • Each paper carries 300 marks.
  • Total marks: 600
Q:   In which mode will the UPSC IES 2025 Prelims exam be conducted?
A: 

The Commission will conduct the UPSC IES 2025 Prelims exam in an offline mode. It will be held on June 8, 2025 at various centres across the country.

Download previous year IES question papers and sample papers. Use them for practice and improve your speed and accuracy. You can download IES previous year question papers and the preparation guides for free.

IES 2024 Question Papers

IES 2024 Prelims Question Papers

IES 2024 Preliminary General Studies & Engineering Aptitude Actual Question Paper
IES 2024 Preliminary Civil Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2024 Preliminary Mechanical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2024 Preliminary Electrical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2024 Preliminary Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Actual Question Paper

IES 2023 Questions Papers

IES 2023 Mains Question Papers

IES Main 2023 Mechanical Engineering Paper 2
IES Main 2023 Electronics and Communication Engineering Paper - 2
IES Main 2023 Electrical Engineering Paper 2
IES Main 2023 Civil Engineering Paper 2

IES Question Papers of Previous Years

IES 2017 Preliminary Civil Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Preliminary Electrical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Preliminary Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Preliminary General Studies & Engineering Aptitude Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Preliminary Mechanical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Preliminary Civil Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Preliminary Electrical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Preliminary Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Preliminary General Studies & Engineering Aptitude Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Preliminary Mechanical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Civil Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Civil Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Electrical Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Electrical Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Mechanical Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2017 Main Mechanical Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Civil Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Civil Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Electrical Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Electrical Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Mechanical Engineering Paper I Actual Question Paper
IES 2018 Main Mechanical Engineering Paper II Actual Question Paper
IES Prelims 2019 General Studies and Engineering Aptitude Actual Question Paper
IES 2019 Preliminary Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2019 Preliminary Civil Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2020 Preliminary Electrical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2020 Preliminary Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2020 Preliminary Mechanical Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES 2020 Preliminary Civil Engineering Actual Question Paper
IES Prelims 2020 General Studies and Engineering Aptitude Actual Question Paper
IES Prelims 2021 Civil Engineering
IES Prelims 2021 Electrical Engineering
IES Prelims 2021 Electronic and Communication Engineering
IES Prelims 2021 Mechanical Engineering
IES Prelims 2021 General Studies and Engineering Aptitude

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Answered a week ago

The Commission released the UPSC ESE 2025 Mains exam schedule on the official website at upsc.gov.in. Candidates who have cleared the Prelims exam will be appearing for the Mains exam on August 10, 2025. The schedule of the Mains exam is mentioned below:

According to the notice pdf, the IES Mains ex

...Read more

N

Nitesh Pruthi

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a week ago

As per the announced date, UPSC ESE 2025 Mains exam will be conducted on August 10, 2025 in two shifts.

K

Kritika Sharma

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

Candidates are advised to analyze the previous years' cutoff, as it is a part of effective preparation. It also provides insights into the difficulty level of the exam, trends, and also the exam pattern or question pattern. It helps candidates to prioritize their preparation accordingly, set their t

...Read more

M

Manisha Singh

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

It is advised to the candidates to focus on both Prelims and Mains syllabus rigorously. Understanding and mastering the content will not only enhance their understanding but also improve their chances of success in the examination. He or she should practice previous year papers and also go through t

...Read more

C

Chanchal Shekhar

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

In a UPSC IES 2025 exam, candidates can aim for 420 plus total marks or higher (Prelims + Mains + Personality Test) as a General category candidate. It is advised for the candidates to follow a good strategy that will help to gain a strong performance in all three stages.

S

Shikha Goyal

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

The UPSC ESE/IES 2025 cutoff is determined based on the difficulty level of the exam (prelims and mains), the number of vacancies, previous years' trends, and the overall performance of the candidates. The cutoff marks may vary slightly across categories and branches.

S

Satyendra Garg

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

The Commission will release the UPSC IES 2025 cutoff marks along with the final result. It is expected that the IES 2025 cutoff marks will be released around October-November 2025.

I

Ishita Kaur

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

No, the interview of UPSC IES exam is not qualifying in nature. The number of candidates to be summoned for Personality Test will be about twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The Personality Test will carry 200 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks). Marks obtained by the candidates in the

...Read more

M

Manisha Singh

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

UPSC appoints a panel of experts to conduct the personality test for the IES or ESE examination. The panel includes senior officers and technical experts. The personality test or interview is a crucial stage of the UPSC IES selection process. It is conducted at the UPSC Bhawan in New Delhi.

C

Chanchal Shekhar

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a month ago

The commission allocated 200 marks for the UPSC IES 2025 personality test or an interview. This is the third stage, or the final stage, of the UPSC IES exam. The first stage is the preliminary examination, and the second stage is the Mains examination.

S

Shikha Goyal

Contributor-Level 10

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