UKPSC AE Civil 2026: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Cut Off & Free Mock Tests
UKPSC Assistant Engineer (Civil) — Uttarakhand Combined Engineering Service Examination
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- UKPSC AE Civil Test SeriesBeing builtComing soon
- Exam GuidePattern, eligibility, salary and FAQsRead guide
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- Study NotesChapter-wise notesComing soon
- Previous Year PapersReal papers with solutionsComing soon
- Syllabus15 subjects, chapter-wiseSee syllabus
- Study PlanDay-by-day plan from the real testsComing soon
- Exam Date & UpdatesExpected 8–14 May 2027 (Mains)See dates
UKPSC Assistant Engineer (Civil) is recruited through the Uttarakhand Combined Engineering Service Examination, which fills AE posts across the state's PWD, Irrigation, Rural Works, Peyjal and allied departments. It is the officer-entry engineering post for the hill state.
UKPSC published a new exam scheme and syllabus for this post on 31 August 2026. The written exam is now 1020 marks across five objective papers — three compulsory General Ability Test papers of 100 marks each, plus two papers in your chosen engineering subject of 360 marks each — followed by a 140-mark interview, for a grand total of 1160.
The two Civil Engineering papers are worth 720 of those 1160 marks, so the technical side alone decides roughly 62% of the exam. UKPSC has published their size and marking but not yet their topic list.
UKPSC AE Civil 2026 — Overview
| Conducting body | Uttarakhand Public Service Commission (UKPSC) |
| Examination | Uttarakhand Combined Engineering Service Examination |
| Post | Assistant Engineer (Civil) — state engineering service |
| Mode | 5 objective written papers + Interview |
| Total marks | 1160 — written 1020 (300 compulsory + 720 optional) + interview 140 |
| Negative marking | 1/4 of the marks for that question |
| Eligibility | Degree in Civil Engineering |
| Scheme published | 31 August 2026 on psc.uk.gov.in |
| Exam dates (tentative) | Main exam 8–14 May 2027, per UKPSC's revised exam calendar — advertisement not out yet |
UKPSC AE Civil Exam Date 2026
The UKPSC AE Civil exam is expected around 8–14 May 2027 (Mains) — the exact date has not been officially announced yet.
| Exam dates (tentative) | Main exam 8–14 May 2027, per UKPSC's revised exam calendar — advertisement not out yet |
UKPSC AE Civil Exam Pattern 2026
Compulsory — General Ability Test (300 marks)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Hindi (50) + General English (50) | 100 | 100 |
| General Studies & General Aptitude — Science & Technology 40, Environment/Ecology/Disaster Management 40, General Aptitude 20 | 100 | 100 |
| Uttarakhand Studies — geography, culture, post-19th-century history, society, economy and polity | 100 | 100 |
Duration: 2 hours per paper
Negative marking: One-fourth (1/4) of the marks for that question — 0.25 on the 1-mark compulsory papers, 0.50 on the 2-mark engineering papers. The deduction also applies when more than one answer is given, even if one of them is correct.
ℹ️ Each question carries 1 mark. All three papers are compulsory for every candidate whatever the optional subject.
Optional — Civil Engineering (720 marks)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I — Civil Engineering | 180 | 360 |
| Paper II — Civil Engineering | 180 | 360 |
Duration: 3 hours per paper
Negative marking: One-fourth (1/4) of the marks for that question — 0.25 on the 1-mark compulsory papers, 0.50 on the 2-mark engineering papers. The deduction also applies when more than one answer is given, even if one of them is correct.
ℹ️ Candidates pick ONE optional subject from Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Agricultural Engineering and Information Technology, and sit both of its papers. UKPSC's Optional Subject syllabus document, published on 31.08.2026 alongside the scheme, currently reads "Syllabus will be uploaded soon" — no topic list for these two papers has been released yet.
Interview (Personality Test)
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Personality test | — | 140 |
Duration: —
Negative marking: Not applicable
ℹ️ Final merit = written 1020 + interview 140 = 1160 marks.
UKPSC AE Civil Syllabus 2026 — Key Subjects
See the full chapter-wise syllabus, with the weightage each subject got in real previous papers: UKPSC AE Civil syllabus 2026 →
UKPSC AE Civil Detailed Syllabus 2026
The topic lists below are compiled by us where the conducting body has not published its own — the note under them says exactly which parts are official — 1160 marks — written 1020 (compulsory 300 + optional 720) + interview 140 in 2 hours per compulsory paper · 3 hours per optional paper. Pattern source: psc.uk.gov.in.
Compulsory — General Hindi & General English (100 Q · 100 marks · 2 hours)
- General Hindi50 questions · 50 marks
- वर्ण एवं लिपि — स्वर एवं व्यंजन, देवनागरी लिपि (5 अंक) · वर्तनी एवं विराम चिह्न — वर्तनी शुद्धि, पूर्ण/अर्ध/अल्प विराम, प्रश्नवाचक, विस्मयादिबोधक, उद्धरण चिह्न, योजक, कोष्ठक (5 अंक) · शब्द रचना — उपसर्ग, प्रत्यय, संधि, समास, संज्ञा, सर्वनाम, क्रिया, विशेषण (5 अंक) · शब्द विवेक — तत्सम, तद्भव, देशज, विदेशी, पर्यायवाची, विलोम शब्द तथा आयोग के मूल पाठ्यक्रम की शेष इकाइयाँ। प्रश्न हाईस्कूल स्तर के होंगे।
- General English50 questions · 50 marks
- Foreign words commonly used in official communication (3) · narration: direct and indirect (3) · active and passive voice (3) · conditionals (3) · reordering sentences into a coherent paragraph (3) · correct use of tenses (3) · one-word substitution (3) · synonyms, antonyms and homonyms (3) · concord: subject–verb agreement (3) · spotting errors in adjectives, adverbs and determiners (3) · appropriate modals (3) · transformation of simple, compound and complex sentences (3) · idioms and phrasal verbs (3) · fill in the blanks, degrees of comparison (3) · cloze test (3) · reading comprehension on a scientific or technical passage (5). Questions are of High School level.
Compulsory — General Studies & General Aptitude (100 Q · 100 marks · 2 hours)
- Part A — General Science & Technology40 questions · 40 marks
- General science and its applications in everyday life; advancements including discoveries, inventions, semiconductors, communications, space science, defence technologies and energy · human health, hygiene and related diseases — balanced diet, food adulteration, hygiene in food and water, infectious diseases (e.g. AIDS) and lifestyle diseases (e.g. hypertension) and their prevention · information technology and office automation tools — I/O devices, memory, types of software, multimedia, operating systems, word processor, spreadsheets, presentation software, introduction to databases, recent trends in computer science, IT and AI · computer networks and cyber ethics — data communication terminology, transmission media, network devices, internet, web services, cyber crime, cyber safety, malware and secure data transmission
- Part B — Environment, Ecology & Disaster Management40 questions · 40 marks
- Pollution — air, water, soil, noise and thermal: sources, types of pollutants, their effects and control · renewable energy — solar, wind, biogas, geothermal and ocean: sources, potential, storage and applications; non-renewable energy — coal, petroleum and natural gas: types, characteristics and potential in India · ecology and ecosystem — ecosystem, food chain, biogeochemical cycles, energy flow and biodiversity · climate change — basic concepts, global warming, impacts of climate change, sustainable development, major environmental movements · natural and man-made disasters — types, causes and their impact · preparedness, mitigation and response planning — mock drills, role of emergency forces and emerging technologies, efforts of government and other agencies to mitigate the impact of disasters
- Part C — General Aptitude20 questions · 20 marks
- Verbal and non-verbal general intelligence — analogies, similarities and differences, space visualization, problem solving, analysis, judgement, decision making, visual memory, discrimination, observation, relationship concepts, arithmetical reasoning, verbal and figure classification and arithmetical number series; also questions testing the ability to deal with abstract ideas, symbols and their relationships, arithmetical computations and other analytical functions
Compulsory — Uttarakhand Studies (100 Q · 100 marks · 2 hours)
- Geography & Resources
- Geographical set-up and strategic importance · physiography · climate and weather · drainage system · glaciers · lakes · soil types and characteristics · natural vegetation · resources — forest, water, mineral and energy · water scarcity and watershed management · national parks and wildlife sanctuaries · human–animal conflicts · solid waste management
- Population & Society
- Distribution and growth of population · sex ratio · literacy · rural settlement · urbanization · migration — causes and consequences · tribes of Uttarakhand · social structure — family, marriage and caste system · impact of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) on family and marriage · role of women in development · tribal society, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes — tribal family system and related problems · social issues and contemporary problems — alcoholism, drug addiction, cyber crime, mobile addiction, problems of the elderly, youth unrest, unplanned urbanization · government initiatives for social inclusion — livelihood and empowerment of weaker sections, skill development schemes, health and welfare measures, community participation in development
- Culture, History & Religion
- Religious beliefs and cults — Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Jainism, Buddhism and local cults · art and architecture — forms, features and types, paintings, folk music and musical instruments, dance and songs · customs and traditions — dresses, ornaments, local foods and cuisines · fairs, festivals and pilgrimages of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs · major historical events of the post-19th century and important personalities in religion, spirituality, social reform, art and writing
- Economy & Polity
- Infrastructural development — road, energy and banking infrastructure, investment models such as PPP and BOT, socio-economic impact, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) policy · economic structure and characteristics — Gross State Domestic Product and per capita income, intra-regional imbalances, tourism, natural resources · agriculture, animal husbandry and horticulture — status, challenges and schemes · industry — status, challenges and policies · human development and employment — HDI, poverty and inequality, employment · public finance, development schemes and policies — state budget and its indicators, FRBM Act 2003, major state schemes and policies · composition and functions of the State Legislature in Uttarakhand · local self government — structure and functions · contemporary events regarding sports in Uttarakhand and government initiatives for the promotion of sports
Optional Subject — Civil Engineering (Paper I + Paper II)
- Paper I — Civil Engineering180 questions · 360 marks · 3 hours
- Topic list not yet published. UKPSC's Optional Subject syllabus document, released alongside the exam scheme on 31.08.2026, states only that the syllabus will be uploaded soon. Each question carries 2 marks and one-fourth of that (0.50) is deducted for a wrong answer.
- Paper II — Civil Engineering180 questions · 360 marks · 3 hours
- Topic list not yet published, as for Paper I. Candidates choose ONE optional subject from Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Agricultural Engineering and Information Technology, and sit both of its papers.
Interview (Personality Test) — 140 marks
- Personality Test140 marks
- Held after the written examination. The final merit list is prepared from the written examination (objective type) and the interview together — 1020 + 140 = 1160 marks.
Note: Scheme published 31.08.2026. Final merit is written (1020) + interview (140) together. Optional subject: Civil Engineering — Paper I and Paper II, 180 questions each, 2 marks per question (360 marks per paper), 3 hours per paper. UKPSC's own "Optional Subject" syllabus PDF, published 31.08.2026, currently reads "Syllabus will be uploaded soon" — so no official topic list for these two papers exists yet. Negative marking is one-fourth of the marks for that question (0.25 on the 1-mark compulsory papers, 0.50 on the 2-mark engineering papers), and it applies to a question answered with more than one option even if one of them is correct.
UKPSC AE Civil Eligibility 2026: Qualification & Age Limit
- ✓Degree in Civil Engineering from a recognised university for the Civil optional subject.
- ✓Age limits, fees and Uttarakhand domicile conditions are fixed by the advertisement for each cycle — UKPSC had not issued one for this scheme as at 31 August 2026.
UKPSC AE Civil Salary 2026
UKPSC AE sits on the state pay matrix at Assistant Engineer grade (Level-10 equivalent, ₹56,100 starting basic), with hill allowances where applicable. Confirm the exact scale in the advertisement when it is issued.
UKPSC AE Civil Cut Off
This is a NEW scheme — the 1020+140 pattern was published on 31 August 2026, so no cut-off has ever been declared under it. Cut-offs from earlier UKPSC engineering cycles were set against a different paper structure and do not transfer.
How to Prepare for UKPSC AE Civil 2026
- 1The two Civil papers carry 720 of 1160 marks. Whatever else you do, the technical preparation is the exam.
- 2Uttarakhand Studies is a full 100-mark paper of its own — the same weight as the entire Hindi and English paper. Treat it as a subject, not as general knowledge you will pick up.
- 3Negative marking is 1/4 of the question's marks, which is 0.50 on every engineering question. Two wrong guesses cost a full correct answer.
- 4UKPSC has not yet released the optional-subject topic list. Prepare the standard degree-level civil syllabus; it is what every state AE paper draws from, and it is what our mock tests cover.
- 5Marking more than one option is penalised even when one of them is correct, so review flagged questions before submitting.
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Exam-pattern mocks, previous-year papers, detailed solutions and chapter-wise analytics — built only for civil engineers, by a civil engineer who cleared these exams.
UKPSC AE Civil 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new UKPSC AE exam pattern?▾
Five objective papers. Three compulsory: General Hindi & General English (100 marks), General Studies & General Aptitude (100 marks) and Uttarakhand Studies (100 marks), two hours each. Then two papers in your optional engineering subject — 180 questions of 2 marks in three hours each, 360 marks per paper. Written total 1020, plus a 140-mark interview: 1160 in all.
Has UKPSC released the Civil Engineering syllabus for AE?▾
Not yet. UKPSC published the exam scheme and the compulsory-subject syllabus on 31 August 2026. The companion Optional Subject document says only that the syllabus will be uploaded soon, so no official topic list for the two Civil papers exists at the moment.
How much is the negative marking in UKPSC AE?▾
One-fourth of the marks fixed for that question. On the 1-mark compulsory papers that is 0.25; on the 2-mark engineering papers it is 0.50. The same deduction applies if you mark more than one answer, even when one of them is correct.
Can diploma holders apply for UKPSC AE?▾
No — the AE post needs a degree in the relevant engineering discipline. Diploma holders should target the Junior Engineer post, which is filled through the same Uttarakhand Combined Engineering Service Examination.
Where can I practise UKPSC AE civil mock tests?▾
CIVILGYAN TEST SERIES has degree-standard civil mocks and chapter tests set at the UKPSC marking scheme — 180 questions of 2 marks in 3 hours with 0.50 negative — and every question carries a detailed solution. Free tests are available.
When is the UKPSC AE Civil exam?▾
The UKPSC AE Civil exam is expected around 8–14 May 2027 (Mains) — the exact date has not been officially announced yet. Always confirm on the official notice before travelling.
What is the age limit for UKPSC AE Civil?▾
Age limits, fees and Uttarakhand domicile conditions are fixed by the advertisement for each cycle — UKPSC had not issued one for this scheme as at 31 August 2026.
What is the salary after UKPSC AE Civil?▾
UKPSC AE sits on the state pay matrix at Assistant Engineer grade (Level-10 equivalent, ₹56,100 starting basic), with hill allowances where applicable. Confirm the exact scale in the advertisement when it is issued.
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Disclaimer: Exam patterns, cutoffs, vacancies and eligibility rules change between recruitment cycles. The figures above are compiled for guidance from past cycles — always verify details from the official notification of the conducting body before applying.