Editor,
I wish to highlight the significance of the Assistant Engineer Selection Examination (AESE) 2025-26, which marks a decisive shift towards merit-based and technically sound recruitment in Arunachal Pradesh. The Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) deserves sincere appreciation for this long overdue and visionary reform.
The most impactful change is the revamped marking pattern. Earlier AE exams gave equal weightage to technical and non-technical subjects, often favouring candidates strong in general studies and English over those with solid engineering fundamentals. AESE 2025-26 corrects this imbalance by allocating 67% weightage to technical subjects and 33% to non-technical, with two technical papers, ensuring that technical competence is finally given due priority.
Equally commendable is the three-stage selection process- prelims, mains, and viva – which rigorously evaluates aspirants and filters only the best. After a six-year wait, the state now benefits from a large, mature, and highly competitive pool of civil engineers who have prepared in depth for this opportunity.
The new, comprehensive syllabus is another landmark reform. Unlike the earlier outdated and limited syllabus, the present one covers core subjects such as structural analysis, fluid mechanics, hydrology, and surveying, encouraging deeper learning and aligning the exam with national standards. This approach has the potential to produce engineers of IES and national-level calibre in the future.
This is not a reflection on the competence of earlier engineers, who have served the state with dedication, but a recognition that the current recruitment process is far more rigorous and forward-looking. High expectations from the new batch are therefore natural and justified.
Once again, the APPSC deserves appreciation for strengthening the technical foundation of engineering services in Arunachal through this bold and necessary reform.
A concerned
civil engineer