UPSC ESE Medical Test: Standards, Fitness Criteria & Process

The UPSC ESE Medical test is compulsory for every candidate in the final list. The Railway Board conducts it at Railway hospitals and your final cadre is decided only after the medical board’s report. The UPSC ESE Medical Test decides whether you are physically fit for the service you opted for. This article explains the ESE medical examination based on the UPSC Gazette criteria simplified by MADE EASY. 

     Medical Fitness Criteria for UPSC Engineering Services PDF

What is the UPSC ESE Medical Test and Who Conducts It?

After the final ESE result, all candidates in the final list go through the ESE Medical examination. The UPSC ESE medical board checks your suitability for the services you have chosen. Cadre allocation happens only after the board’s recommendations.

It applies to services such as Railway Engineering Service, Central Engineering Services Group A, Central Engineering Service (Roads), IDSE, Central Water Engineering Service, BRES Group A and Indian Skill Development Service (ISDS). 

UPSC ESE Medical Process

The UPSC ESE Medical Process is conducted after the Final ESE result is declared. The candidates in the final list appear for a medical test at one of the Railway hospitals.

• The Railway Board conducts the medical. Doctors check whether a candidate is suitable for the service they opted for. 
• Height and chest are measured twice before the final decision. Height, chest, weight, eyes, hearing and general health are checked. 
• The medical board sends its recommendation. Then, cadre allocation is done after the medical reports. If declared unfit, you can file an appeal. 

What are the UPSC ESE Medical Standards?

The UPSC ESE Medical standards cover height, chest, weight, eyes, hearing, blood pressure and general health. Check out the UPSC ESE Medical Standards given below:

Test	Standard
Height	Male 152 cm; Female 150 cm
Chest (fully expanded)	Male 84 cm; Female 79 cm
Chest expansion	Minimum 5 cm for all services
Weight	BMI above 35 is temporarily unfit
Blood pressure	Hypertension is unfit
Diabetes	Diabetes mellitus is unfit

What are the UPSC ESE Height and Chest Criteria?

These UPSC ESE physical standards are measured twice before the final decision. See the UPSC ESE height and chest criteria given below:

• Height: 152 cm for male and 150 cm for female candidates. It is relaxable for Scheduled Tribes and races such as Gorkhas and Garhwalis. 
• Chest: You take deep breaths several times and the maximum expansion is noted. Fractions below half a centimetre are not counted. 
• Weight: Recorded in whole kilograms. If BMI is above 35, you are temporarily unfit. You can become fit if BMI falls below 35 without surgery or interventional therapies. 

What are the UPSC ESE Eyesight Requirements?

Eyesight is the most common trouble spot in the UPSC ESE medical test. It has a general eye examination and a visual acuity test for distant and near vision, with or without glasses. Check out the UPSC ESE eyesight requirements given below:

Services	Distant vision (better/worse eye)	Near Vision (better/worse eye)
Railway Engineering Service, CES Group A, CWES, CES (Roads), ISDS and similar technical services	6/6 or 6/9, 6/12 or 6/9	J1/J2
IDSE, AEE (QS&C) MES, BRES, AEE Corps of EME	6/6 or 6/9, 6/18 or 6/9	J1/J2
Non-technical: GSI Group A, Indian Railway Store Service	6/9 6/12	J1/J2

Key eye rules:

• For technical services, myopia must not exceed 6D and hypermetropia must not exceed 4D. Above these limits, you are unfit for technical services and may be sent to a special board for non-technical services. 
• Higher myopia is referred to three ophthalmologists, and a fundus examination is done. 
• Candidates with an Intra Ocular Lens or Implanted Contact Lens (ICL) are disqualified from all services. 
• LASIK may not be allowed if the surgery is at least 1 year old and the corneal bed is at least 425 micrometers (including flap) on pachymetry. 
• Contact lenses are not allowed during the test. 

How Does the UPSC ESE Colour Vision Test Work?

The UPSC ESE color vision test requirements vary by the service The UPSC ESE color vision test uses Ishihara plates and Edridge-Green’s Lantern. You must recognise red, green and yellow without hesitation.

Grade	Distance	Aperture	Exposure
Higher Grade	16 feet	3 mm	5 seconds
Lower Grade	16 feet	13 mm	5 seconds

• Higher Grade: Railway Engineering Service, IDSE, CES (Roads), Central Power Engineering Service, AEE Corps of EME, BRES, Survey of India, AEE (QS&C) MES. 
• Lower Grade: CES Group A, Central Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Service, Naval Armament, Naval Stores, Ordnance Factory, CWES, CGI, DAQAS, ISDS.  
• Not Required: Indian Telecommunication Service, Junior Telecom Officer, Indian Railway Store Service. 

CES (Roads) candidates may also face a night blindness test. Survey of India candidates may face a stereoscopic fusion test. 

Hearing, Blood Pressure and General Health

• Hearing: Deafness up to 30 decibels in speech frequencies (1000-4000) with improvement through a hearing aid is fit for both technical and non-technical jobs. Eardrum perforation, discharging ears, deviated nasal septum and nasal polyps lead to temporary unfitness. Malignant tumors are unfit. 
• Blood pressure: Readings above 140/90 mm Hg need further tests. Diagnosed hypertension is unfit for all services. 
• Diabetes: Sugar in urine leads to further tests. Diabetes mellitus is declared unfit. 
• General Health: Speech should be clear, teeth in good order and no chronic or communicable disease. Transplanted organs and malignancies are unfit. Organ donation history is fit if health is normal. 

What is Temporary Unfitness in ESE?

Temporary unfitness ESE means you are unfit now but you can become fit after treatment or surgery. Examples are BMI above 35, eardrum perforation, deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps, hydrocele, varicose veins and piles. Grade I haemorrhoids are fit. 

What to do if you are temporarily unfit? 

1. Get treatment for the condition name in the board’s result. 
2. Keep all reports and prescriptions. 
3. Meet the target, such as BMI below 35 without surgery or interventional therapies. Hearing range of 30 dB or better in case of ear surgery.  
4. If you disagree with the result, file an appeal within 7 working days.

Note: Confirm the re-examination process with the medical board. 

Which UPSC ESE Medical Documents Should You Carry?

To know which UPSC ESE Medical documents you should carry, always check the latest year’s guidelines on the DoT website. As per the official Department of Telecommunications (DoT) medical guidelines for ESE 2024, prepare these before the UPSC ESE medical test:

• Three copies of the Medical Board Report Form, printed on both sides of A4 paper, with personal details filled in. Sign it in front of the Medical Board Chairman. 
• Any government issued photo ID and your UPSC ESE admit card. 
• 10 recent passport-size photographs (not older than 15 days, white background, name and date printed; edited photos are not allowed) 
• If you wear glasses, carry your latest glasses, the prescription slip showing the power and photos with glasses. 
• PwBD candidates must carry an original Disability Certificate with one photocopy and Annexure II. 
• Medical examination fee is payable at the hospital. 
• Candidates are required to take the medical test after 8-10 hours of fasting.  

How to file a UPSC ESE Medical Appeal?

If you are declared unfit in the UPSC ESE Medical test, you can appeal against the board’s decision. A UPSC ESE medical appeal must be filed within 7 working days from the result date. The appeal fee is Rs. 100. You must also submit a medical certificate from a registered doctor stating that he is aware you were declared unfit by the medical board. 

Conclusion

Knowing the UPSC ESE Medical fitness criteria early lets you spot and treat any problem before the medical board does. Check your vision, weight and blood pressure well in advance. Candidates are advised to keep checking the official website for updates. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the UPSC ESE medical test compulsory?

Ans. Yes, every candidate in the final list must clear it. Cadre is allotted only after the medical board’s report. 

Can I wear glasses during the ESE Medical Examination?

Ans. Yes, you can wear glasses during the ESE Medical Examination. Vision standards are checked with or without glasses (corrected vision). Contact lenses are not allowed during the test. 

Does color blindness disqualify ESE candidates?

Ans. No, color blindness does not disqualify ESE candidates. Higher or lower grade color perception is needed only for certain services. It is not required for Indian Telecommunication Service, Junior Telecom Officer and Indian Railway Store Service. 

What documents should I carry for ESE medicals?

Ans. For ESE medicals, carry three copies of the Medical Board Report Form and ESE admit card. Candidates must carry 10 passport photo ID, ESE admit card. Candidates wearing glasses must carry their glasses prescription. PwBD candidates are required to carry their disability documents. (source: DoT medical guidelines, ESE 2024)

What happens if I am declared medically unfit?

Ans. If the unfitness is temporary, you can become fit after treatment. You can also appeal within 7 working days after the result declaration with a Rs. 100 fee and a registered doctor’s certificate.