Government jobPay Level 10Group AGazetted
Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE)
इंजीनियरिंग सेवा अधिकारी (यूपीएससी ईएसई)
Group A engineering services via UPSC ESE — managing public works, defence, telecom, water and power projects.
Central engineering services (CPWD, MES, Central Water, Central Power, Telecom and others) · central government
In-hand pay at joining, per month
₹92,000–₹1,02,000
Lower in small towns, higher in metros. Work out your own city below.
- Exam
- UPSC ESE
- Qualification
- Professional degree
- Age limit
- 21–30 years
- Transfers
- Anywhere in India
- Work hours
- Office and site hours; longer near project milestones
- Probation
- 2 years, including training at the service's academy
Estimated in-hand / month
₹97,054
Gross ₹1,06,740 · CTC ≈ ₹14.3 lakh/yr
Where are you posted?
Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE) · rates as of January 2026 (DA 60%). Excludes CGHS, GPF/insurance deductions and special allowances. Estimate only.
New to pay slips? Read how in-hand salary is worked out.
What you will actually do
- Planning, estimating and supervising construction and maintenance projects
- Managing contracts, tenders and contractor performance
- Technical design review and quality control
- Leading junior and assistant engineers
- Budgeting and reporting on project progress
A typical day
As an Assistant Executive Engineer you head a sub-division. Part of the day is on site checking progress and quality, part in the office clearing measurement books, bills and correspondence, and part in meetings with the Executive Engineer and contractors. The work is more management than design. What it feels like depends on the service: CPWD and MES are construction-heavy, Central Water and Power are more technical and desk-based.
Promotion path
Timelines are ranges and vary by cadre. See how promotions and MACP work.
Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE) (joining)
Pay Level 10
₹92,000–₹1,02,000 in-hand
Executive Engineer
After 4–5 years · Level 11 · via dpc
₹1,02,000–₹1,19,000 in-hand
Superintending Engineer
After 13–15 years · Level 13 · via dpc
₹1,66,000–₹1,87,000 in-hand
Chief Engineer
After 20–25 years · Level 14 · via dpc
₹1,88,000–₹2,12,000 in-hand
Promotion timelines vary by cadre and vacancies. If not promoted, MACP gives a pay upgrade after 10, 20 and 30 years.
How to get in
Union Public Service Commission
- 1.Preliminary examination (two objective papers)
- 2.Main examination (two descriptive papers in the engineering discipline)
- 3.Personality test (interview)
Eligibility: Degree in engineering in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (or the equivalent qualifications listed in the notice). Age 21–30. SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.
The good
- Group A entry for engineers without a general-studies-heavy exam
- Technical leadership of large public projects
- Good status and housing in most services
The hard parts
- Open only to four engineering branches
- Contract management brings pressure and vigilance scrutiny
- Promotions vary widely between services
Postings
Depends on the service allotted by rank and preference. Most have all-India transfer liability, with postings in project locations, cantonments and cities.
Questions people ask
What is the in-hand salary of Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE)?+
Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE) is a Pay Level 10 post with a starting basic pay of ₹56,100. At current rates (DA 60%, January 2026), the starting in-hand salary is roughly ₹92,000–₹1,02,000 a month, depending on whether you are posted in a Z, Y or X class city.
What is the qualification and age limit for Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE)?+
Degree in engineering in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, or Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (or the equivalent qualifications listed in the notice). Age: 21–30 years. Relaxation: SC/ST: 5 years, OBC: 3 years, PwBD: 10 years (more for SC/ST/OBC PwBD), as per the notification.
Which exam do I need to clear for Engineering Services Officer (UPSC ESE)?+
UPSC ESE (Union Public Service Commission).
Is the upper age limit really 30?+
Yes for general candidates, with the usual relaxations for SC/ST, OBC and some government servants.
Compare with similar posts
Junior Engineer (Civil), CPWD
कनिष्ठ अभियंता (सिविल), सीपीडब्ल्यूडी
Pay Level 6 engineering post via SSC JE — supervising construction and maintenance of central government buildings.
Junior Engineer (Railways)
कनिष्ठ अभियंता (रेलवे)
Pay Level 6 supervisory post via RRB JE — running maintenance of track, rolling stock, signals or electrical assets.
IAS Officer (Indian Administrative Service)
आईएएस अधिकारी (भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा)
All India Service via the UPSC Civil Services Exam — runs district administration and later heads departments and ministries.
Books to prepare for UPSC ESE
- See on Amazon
Civil Engineering: Conventional and Objective Type
R.S. Khurmi and J.K. Gupta (S. Chand)
A single-volume revision of the civil syllabus with objective questions. Suits JE level; thin for ESE.
- See on Amazon
Mechanical Engineering: Conventional and Objective Type
R.S. Khurmi and J.K. Gupta (S. Chand)
The mechanical counterpart, with short theory and many objective questions.
- See on Amazon
Objective Electrical Technology
V.K. Mehta and Rohit Mehta (S. Chand)
Objective practice across electrical subjects for junior engineer exams.
All 5 books for Engineering exams: SSC JE, RRB JE, UPSC ESE and ISRO
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and does not affect which books we list.
Sources
- UPSC Engineering Services Examination 2026 notice (official PDF)
- Union Public Service Commission — official website
This profile is being reviewed. Confirm details in the latest official notification. Salary computed from pay rules as of January 2026.