Indian Engineering Services
The Engineering Services Examination is conducted to recruit officers for the services which cater to the technical and managerial functions of the Government of India in the field of engineering. As in most countries, the Indian government recruits its civil servants and officials through competitive examinations. Many candidates take the exams, competing for a limited number of posts. Officers are selected by the union government on the recommendation of the Union Public Service Commission. A three-stage competitive examination, the Engineering Services Examination, is conducted by the UPSC for recruitment to the Engineering Services.
Officers recruited through ESE are mandated to manage and conduct activities in diverse technical fields.
Government spending makes up over 15 percent of India's gross domestic product in a broad segment of the economy and infrastructure, including railways, roads, defense, manufacturing, inspection, supply, construction, public works, power, and telecommunications. Appointments to Group A services are made by the President of India, and appointments to Group B services are made by a competent authority of the relevant department.
Several Posts offered for Departments
Civil Engineering
Indian Railway Service of Engineers.Indian Railway Stores Service.
Central Engineering Service
Central Engineering Service, Group‐A.
Survey of India Group ‘A’ Service.
AEE in Border Road Engineering Service.
Indian Defence Service of Engineers.
AEE in MES Surveyor Cadre.
Central Water Engineering Service.
Indian Skill Development Service.
Military Engineer Services.
Mechanical Engineering
Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers.Indian Railway Stores Service.
AEE in GSI Engineering Service Gr ‘A’.
Indian Defence Service of Engineers.
Indian Naval Armament Service.
Asstt. Naval Store Officer Grade‐I in Indian Navy.
AEE in Border Roads Engineering Service.
Central Water Engineering Service.
Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘A’.
Indian Skill Development Service.
Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘B’.
Military Engineer Services.
Electrical Engineering
Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers.Indian Railway Stores Service.
Central Electrical & Mechanical Engineering Service.
Indian Defence Service of Engineers.
Asstt. Naval Store Officer Grade‐I in Indian Navy.
Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘A’.
Defence Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service/SSO‐II.
Indian Skill Development Service.
Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘B’.
Military Engineer Services.
Electronics and Communication Engineering
Indian Railway Service of Signal Engineers.Indian Railway Stores Service.
Indian Radio Regulatory Service Gr ‘A’.
Indian Telecommunication Service Gr ‘A’.
Indian Naval Armament Service.
Asstt. Naval Store Officer Grade‐I in Indian Navy.
Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘A’.
Indian Skill Development Service.
Junior Telecom Officer Gr ‘B’.
Central Power Engineering Service Gr ‘B’.
Military Engineer Services
Functions of officers
The work performed by these bureaucrats largely depends on their engineering branch and service. However, they can move to any cadre, organization, agency, department, ministry or public sector undertaking of the government of India. They are appointed to posts analogous to their present one, either on a fixed-term deputation basis or an absorption basis where the official leaves the parent cadre for the new one.Eligibility
Candidates must be a citizen of India or Nepal or a subject of Bhutan, or a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia or Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India.The minimum educational requirement is a bachelor's degree in engineering from a recognised university or the equivalent. An M.Sc. degree or equivalent with wireless communications, electronics, radio physics or radio engineering as special subjects is also acceptable for certain services or posts.
The age range is 21–30 years on 1 January of the year of the Engineering Services Examination. The upper age limit is relaxed as follows:
- A maximum of three years for Other Backward Class candidates
- A maximum of four years for Defence Services personnel disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and discharged as a consequence
- A maximum of five years for:
- * Candidates belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe
- * Candidates who resided in Jammu and Kashmir from 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1989
- * Ex-servicemen with at least five years of military service by 1 August
- * Candidates already in a permanent post of the Central Government Engineering Department
Examination
Stage | Type | Time | Marks |
I | General studies and engineering aptitude paper | 2 hours | 200 |
I | Engineering discipline-specific paper | 3 hours | 300 |
II | Discipline-specific paper I | 3 hours | 300 |
II | Discipline-specific paper II | 3 hours | 300 |
III | Personality test | 200 |
Candidates who qualify at Stage I are permitted to appear for the Stage II examination, and those who qualify at Stage II are permitted to appear for the Stage III examination. Candidates qualifying at all three stages are included on the examination's final merit list. The maximum score is 1300.
The personality test is an interview which assesses the candidate's suitability for a career in public service by a board of unbiased observers. The interview also assess social traits and interest in current affairs. Qualities judged include mental alertness, critical ability, clear and logical exposition, judgment, variety and depth of interests, social cohesion and leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity.
Notable officers
- Narinder Singh Kapany, FREng - Known as "the father of fibre optics" and "the man who bent light". Kapany invented fibre optics, which revolutionalised telecommunications, power transmission, and laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery. He was named as one of the seven "Unsung Heroes of the 20th Century" by Fortune for his invention. Kapany is a former professor at Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz, and has more than 150 patents.
- Nalini Ranjan Mohanty - former IOFS officer and chairman and managing director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited; director of Kudremukh Iron Ore Company, Mahanadi Coalfields, National Aluminium Company and Bharat Earth Movers; received Padma Shri in 2004 for his role in the development of LCA - Tejas.
- Rajendra K. Pachauri - former IRSME officer; chair of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change when the organisation received the Nobel Prize in 2007; director general of the Energy and Resources Institute; received Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan from the government of India, the Order of the White Rose of Finland from the Finnish government, the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese government and the Legion of Honour from the French government.
- H. P. S. Ahluwalia - FRGS; former IOFS officer; author and social worker, and a member of the first Indian group to climb Mount Everest Founder and chairman of the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre. Received an Arjuna Award, Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan from the government of India. Commissioned officer in the Indian Army and member of the Indian Planning Commission.
- Ashwani Lohani - IRSME officer; chairman of Indian Railways and former chairman and managing director of Air India. Holds a Limca record for having four engineering degree equivalents Golden Quadrilateral project at Koderma. After his assassination, the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2011 was passed.
- E. Sreedharan - Former IRSE officer, chairman and managing director of Konkan Railway, Cochin Shipyard and the Delhi Metro. Retired member of the Railway Board. Received Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan from India, the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan and the Legion of Honour from France.