The Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board (MPESB) is reopening online applications for its Group-03 Combined Recruitment Test 2026 (second). The test fills Sub Engineer, Draftsman, Laboratory Technician and similar posts across state departments. The August rulebook lists 1700 posts, and the Board has since added more. Applications reopen from 13 to 27 October 2026, and the exam that was due from 7 October will now be held in December or January.
MPESB Group 3 2026 at a glance
| Board | Madhya Pradesh Employees Selection Board (MPESB), Bhopal |
| Exam | Group-03 Sub Engineer, Draftsman, Laboratory Technician and Equivalent Posts Combined Recruitment Test 2026 (second) |
| Posts | 1700 in the rulebook dated 27 August 2026; more added since, revised rulebook awaited |
| Reopened applications | 13 to 27 October 2026 (corrections up to 28 October) |
| Exam | Postponed from 7 October 2026 to December-January |
| Age | 18 to 40 years as on 1 January 2026 (45 for some categories) |
| Exam pattern | One online paper, 200 marks, 3 hours |
| Fee | Rs 500; Rs 250 for MP SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwD |
Why the form is open again
The Board first took applications for this test from 29 August to 12 September 2026. After that, two changes came in:
- The Tribal Affairs Department increased the number of posts and sent a revised reservation table on 17 September 2026.
- The Public Health Engineering Department applied reservation for contract workers and sent its revised table on 28 September 2026.
So the Board's notice of 1 October 2026 reopens the online form and moves the exam. A revised rulebook with the new post numbers will be put on esb.mp.gov.in, and candidates can apply or correct their forms according to it.
Important dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| First application window | 29 August to 12 September 2026 |
| First correction window | 29 August to 17 September 2026 |
| Notice reopening the form | 1 October 2026 |
| Reopened online application | 13 to 27 October 2026 |
| Corrections in the form | 13 to 28 October 2026 |
| Exam (earlier from 7 October 2026) | December-January (dates to be announced) |
| Age counted on | 1 January 2026 |
Vacancies: 1700 posts in the rulebook
The rulebook of 27 August 2026 lists 132 post codes. The category split of the 1700 posts:
| UR | EWS | SC | ST | OBC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 628 | 146 | 246 | 254 | 426 | 1700 |
These numbers will change in the revised rulebook, because the Tribal Affairs Department has added posts.
Departments with the most posts
| Department | Post (code) | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| Water Resources Department, Bhopal | Sub Engineer (Civil) (124) | 379 |
| Water Resources Department | Sub Engineer (Civil), only for VH, EH and MD divyang candidates (125, 126, 127) | 28, 25 and 31 |
| Water Resources Department | Sub Engineer (Electrical/Mechanical) (128) | 23 |
| Rural Engineering Services, Bhopal | Sub Engineer (120) | 290 |
| Public Works Department, Bhopal | Sub Engineer (020 and 021) | 225 and 68 |
| Public Health Engineering, Bhopal | Sub Engineer (Electrical/Mechanical) (131) | 70 |
| Public Health Engineering | Sub Engineer (Civil) (130) | 24 |
| MP Urban Development Company Ltd. | Sub Engineer, contract (037) | 49 |
| Indore Development Authority | Sub Engineer (018) | 41 |
| Principal Chief Conservator of Forests | Draftsman (132) | 35 |
| Bhopal Development Authority | Sub Engineer (105) | 34 |
| Tribal Affairs Department | Sub Engineer (Civil) (123) | 27 |
| Directorate of Geology and Mining | Surveyor (002), Mining Inspector (001) | 14 and 04 |
| Krishi Abhiyantriki Sanchalanalay | Mechanical Assistant (Sub Engineer) (045) | 12 |
| MP Laghu Udyog Nigam | Sub Engineer (Civil) (129) | 10 |
The rest are small numbers of Laboratory Technician, Draftsman, Technical Assistant and Computer Operator posts in government polytechnic and engineering colleges, usually 1 to 3 per college. Some PWD posts split as UR 106, EWS 12, SC 46, ST 5 and OBC 56 in post code 020; each post code in the rulebook has its own split.
Eligibility and qualification
Each post follows its department's recruitment rules. The rulebook's general condition is that you must hold the degree or diploma in the subject the department asks for, or a higher qualification, on the date you apply. Examples from the rulebook:
- Sub Engineer (Civil): a three year diploma or a degree in Civil Engineering.
- Post code 089 (Sub Engineer): the civil diploma or degree, plus at least a 1 year diploma in GIS Application and Remote Sensing, or Geoinformatics/Geomatics, from an institute recognised by the Government of India or the State Government.
- Electrical and Mechanical Sub Engineer, Draftsman, Laboratory Technician, Technical Assistant, Surveyor and Mining Inspector: the diploma, degree or trade certificate set by each department, given post by post in the rulebook.
You also have to mark your order of preference among the posts. If you are recommended for a post but do not meet its appointment conditions, the candidature for that post is cancelled and cannot be moved to another post.
Pay scale
Sub Engineer posts such as post code 089 are at Level-8, with a pay scale of Rs 32,800 to Rs 1,03,600. Draftsman, Laboratory Technician and other posts have their own levels, given against each post code in the rulebook.
Age limit
- Minimum 18 years and maximum 40 years, counted as on 1 January 2026.
- Maximum 45 years for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, for employees of state departments, corporations, boards, commissions and autonomous bodies, for home guards, and for women candidates.
- Relaxation for persons with disabilities and ex-servicemen follows the General Administration Department's orders.
- EWS candidates get no age relaxation, under the GAD circular of 2 February 2022.
- With all relaxations added, no one may be over 45 years, except contract workers and the categories under rule 14.
Application fee
| Candidates | Exam fee |
|---|---|
| Unreserved | Rs 500 per question paper |
| SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwD candidates who are original residents of Madhya Pradesh | Rs 250 per question paper |
| Direct recruitment backlog posts only | No fee |
Filling the form at an MPOnline kiosk adds a portal fee of Rs 60. Filling it yourself as a registered citizen user adds Rs 20.
Selection process, exam pattern and syllabus
Selection is through one online exam. The question paper:
| Part | Subjects | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| A | General Knowledge, General Hindi, General English, General Mathematics, General Reasoning, General Science, General Computer Knowledge | 100 |
| B | Questions based on the technical trade or subject of the post | 100 |
| Total | 200 |
- Each correct answer earns 1 mark, and 0.25 marks are deducted for each wrong answer.
- The exam runs in two shifts of 3 hours: the first from 9:00 to 12:00 (reporting 7:00 to 8:00), the second from 2:30 to 5:30 (reporting 12:30 to 1:30), with 10 minutes before each to read the instructions.
- If a question is struck out after objections, marks are scaled up in proportion to the remaining questions, for every candidate.
- Aadhaar registration is compulsory, and biometric verification is done at entry and during the exam. Bring an original photo ID (voter card, PAN, Aadhaar, driving licence or passport).
Reservation
Direct recruitment follows the state's vertical reservation: Scheduled Tribes 20%, Scheduled Castes 16%, Other Backward Classes 27% (subject to the court's decision) and EWS 10%. District level posts follow the district roster. Women, ex-servicemen, persons with disabilities and, in Public Health Engineering, contract workers get horizontal reservation as shown in each post's table.
How to apply
- Read the rulebook. Once the revised rulebook is published on esb.mp.gov.in, check the post codes and numbers there.
- Open the MPESB online form on the MPOnline portal between 13 and 27 October 2026, either yourself as a registered citizen user or at an MPOnline kiosk.
- Complete Aadhaar registration, fill your qualification and post preferences carefully, and pay the fee.
- If you applied in the first window and need to change anything, use the correction window from 13 to 28 October 2026.
- Download the Test Admit Card from the MPESB website when it is issued. It is not sent by post.
Points to check before you apply
- The post count will change. The 1700 figure is from the August rulebook; the revised rulebook will add posts.
- Your post preferences matter, because a recommendation for a post you are not qualified for is cancelled, not shifted.
- Women and reserved categories of MP get the 45 year upper limit; EWS candidates do not.
- Negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer applies.
- The exam is not in October any more. It is planned for December-January.
Official links
- Group-03 Combined Recruitment Test 2026 (second) rulebook, updated 27 August 2026 (PDF)
- MPESB online application (MPOnline)
- MPESB official website (reopening notice of 1 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is the MPESB Group 3 exam still on 7 October 2026?
No. The notice of 1 October 2026 moves it to December-January. New dates will be announced.
How many posts are there?
1700 in the rulebook of 27 August 2026. The Board has increased the posts since then and will publish the new numbers in a revised rulebook.
I already applied in August-September. Do I need to apply again?
The notice opens the form again from 13 to 27 October and corrections until 28 October, following the revised rulebook. Check your existing form during this window.
Is there any age relaxation for EWS?
No. The rulebook says EWS candidates get no age relaxation.