The Engineering Services Examination (ESE), also called Indian Engineering Services (IES), is conducted annually by UPSC to recruit engineers for various technical posts in government departments like CPWD, Railways, CWC, BRO, and more. Cracking ESE requires not only a sound technical foundation but also a strategic approach using the right resources and books.
This comprehensive guide lists the best civil engineering books for ESE 2025, categorized as follows:
- 📖 General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (Paper I – Prelims)
- 📘 Technical Subjects (Paper II – Prelims and Mains)
- 📝 Objective & Conventional Solved Papers
- 📑 Must-Have IS Codes (BIS Standards)
- 📌 Preparation Tips & Study Strategy
We’ve also included direct links to buy these books from Amazon India and Flipkart, ensuring easy access for Indian students.
🗂️ ESE Civil Engineering Syllabus Overview
Before diving into book recommendations, it’s crucial to understand the exam pattern and syllabus.
🔹 ESE 2025 Exam Pattern – Civil Engineering
| Stage | Paper | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | Paper I – GS & Engineering Aptitude | 200 | 2 Hours |
| Paper II – Civil Engineering | 300 | 3 Hours | |
| Mains | Paper I & II – Conventional Papers | 600 | 3 Hours Each |
| Interview | Personality Test | 200 | — |
📖 Best Books for ESE General Studies & Engineering Aptitude (Paper I – Prelims)
This paper is common across all branches and requires proficiency in current affairs, ethics, project management, and engineering mathematics.
| 📚 Book Title | ✍️ Author / Publisher | ✅ Why Recommended | 🔗 Buy Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies for ESE | Made Easy | Comprehensive, topic-wise as per latest UPSC pattern | Amazon / Flipkart |
| ESE GS & Engineering Aptitude | IES Master | In-depth theory + solved questions | Amazon India |
| Current Affairs Yearbook | Arihant / Drishti | Useful for schemes, reports, & economic surveys | Amazon India |
| Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams | R.S. Aggarwal | Aptitude section practice | Amazon |
📌 Tip: Keep updating your notes with current schemes, economic data, and UPSC reports.
📘 Best Technical Books for ESE Civil Engineering (Paper II – Prelims & Mains)
Here’s a subject-wise list of standard reference books for both objective and conventional papers. These books help build strong fundamentals and are also relevant for GATE, SSC JE, and state PSC exams.
1. 🔩 Strength of Materials
2. 🏗️ Structural Analysis & Design
- Structural Analysis – C.S. Reddy
- Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures – N. Subramanian
- Design of Steel Structures – S.K. Duggal
3. 🧱 Geotechnical Engineering
- Soil Mechanics & Foundations – B.C. Punmia
- Geotechnical Engineering – C. Venkatramaiah
4. 💧 Fluid Mechanics & Hydrology
- Fluid Mechanics – R.K. Bansal
- Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering – P.N. Modi
- Open Channel Flow – K. Subramanya
5. 🌱 Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Engineering Vol I & II – B.C. Punmia
- Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering – S.K. Garg
6. 🚦 Transportation Engineering
- Highway Engineering – Khanna & Justo
- Traffic Engineering & Transport Planning – L.R. Kadiyali
7. 🧭 Surveying & Geomatics
- Surveying Vol. 1, 2 & 3 – B.C. Punmia
- Advanced Surveying – Satheesh Gopi
8. 🧱 Construction Materials & Project Management
- Building Materials – S.K. Duggal
- Construction Planning and Management – P.S. Gahlot & B.M. Dhir
📌 Pro Tip: Stick to one book per subject initially. Later, you can refer to secondary texts for deeper understanding or Mains-specific content.
📝 Best Books for ESE Objective + Conventional Practice
These books are crucial for topic-wise MCQs, previous year solved papers, and answer writing practice for Mains.
| 📚 Book Title | 🏢 Publisher | ✍️ Use Case | 🔗 Buy Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESE Objective Papers – Civil | Made Easy | Solving previous year MCQs | Amazon India |
| ESE Conventional Papers – Civil | Made Easy | Practice Mains answer writing | Flipkart |
| Topic-wise Solved Papers – Civil | IES Master | Both Prelims & Mains coverage | Amazon India |
| UPSC IES Solved Papers | ACE Academy | Additional reference questions | Flipkart |
📏 Important BIS Codes for ESE Civil Engineering
For both objective and conventional papers, questions are asked from IS codes. Memorizing key clauses and understanding code philosophy is crucial.
| 📘 IS Code | 🔎 Description |
|---|---|
| IS 456:2000 | Plain and Reinforced Concrete Code |
| IS 800:2007 | General Construction in Steel |
| IS 1893 (Part I) | Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures |
| IS 875 (Part I-V) | Design Loads (Dead, Live, Wind, Seismic) |
| SP 16 | RCC Design Aids (most used in Mains) |
🔗 Official source: services.bis.gov.in
📌 Top 10 Preparation Tips for ESE Civil Engineering (2025)
- Stick to standard books and revise them multiple times.
- Analyze previous year papers – UPSC repeats question types.
- Make short notes – Include formulas, IS code clauses, charts.
- Practice mock tests for both Prelims and Mains.
- Join test series (IES Master / Made Easy) to simulate exam.
- Use flowcharts and figures in Mains to get better scores.
- Daily study target – 6–8 hours for working aspirants, 10+ hrs for full-timers.
- Use highlighters & bookmarks for quick revision.
- Revise weekly – especially GS topics and current affairs.
- Don’t ignore GS (Paper I) – it can be the deciding factor in Prelims!
✅ Conclusion
Choosing the best civil engineering books for ESE 2025 is half the battle won. With UPSC’s evolving paper pattern, it’s vital to:
- Master fundamental concepts through standard textbooks
- Strengthen your answer writing for Mains
- Be updated with BIS codes and current affairs
🎯 Start now with the right books, and build your preparation brick by brick. You can also download a study plan, weekly targets, or get a PDF version of this guide. Just let us know.
