GATE Exam Pattern 2026 – Know the Marking Scheme & Paper Structure
GATE Exam Pattern 2026: The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is one of the most prestigious entrance exams for engineering graduates. It provides admission opportunities to M.E./M.Tech. programs in reputed institutes like IITs, NITs, etc., and the GATE score is also considered for recruitment in Public Sector Undertakings. The exam is designed to evaluate a candidate’s proficiency in core subjects of their respective disciplines along with general aptitude.
The test consists of 65 questions with a total of 100 marks. To grasp the complete structure of the upcoming exam, candidates must thoroughly understand the GATE Exam Pattern 2026. Having a clear idea of the exam format will help aspirants prepare more effectively. In this article, we will discuss the detailed GATE Exam Pattern 2026 for all papers.
GATE Exam Pattern 2026
Candidates planning to appear for the GATE 2026 examination should carefully review the exam pattern to understand the marking scheme, question types, exam duration, and other key details. IIT Guwahati will conduct the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering next year for 30 different disciplines.
For effective preparation, candidates are advised to go through the GATE Exam Pattern 2026 thoroughly. A detailed exam pattern has been provided on this page.
GATE 2026 Question Paper Pattern
The GATE Question Paper includes three types of questions:
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)
Numerical Answer Type (NAT)
The exam will consist of 65 questions carrying a total of 100 marks, with a duration of 3 hours. Negative marking will be applicable for MCQs as per the rules set by the conducting authority. A detailed GATE 2026 Exam Pattern is presented in the table below:
GATE Exam Pattern 2026 Overview | |
|---|---|
Features | Description |
Exam Name | GATE 2026 |
Duration | 3 hours |
Exam mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
Language of examination | English |
Number of Subjects | 30 |
Types of questions | Multiple choice questions (MCQ) |
Multiple select questions (MSQ) | |
Numerical Answer type (NAT) | |
Testing of abilities | Recall |
Comprehension | |
Application | |
Analysis & Synthesis | |
Distribution of Marks in all Papers EXCEPT papers AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, and XL | General Aptitude: 15 marks |
Engineering Mathematics**: 13 marks | |
Subject Questions: 72 marks | |
Total: 100 marks | |
(**XE includes Engineering Mathematics section XE-A of 15 marks) | |
Distribution of Marks in papers AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, and XL | General Aptitude: 15 marks |
Subject Questions: 85 marks | |
Total: 100 marks | |
No. of questions | 65 |
Total Marks | 100 |
Number of Sections in GATE Paper | General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate's Selected Subject(s) |
Section-wise Number of Questions | General Aptitude- 10 questions, |
Core Discipline- 55 questions | |
Section-wise Weightage of Marks | General Aptitude- 15 marks, |
Core Discipline- 85 marks | |
Marking Scheme | Questions carry either 1 mark or 2 marks |
Negative Marking | For 1 mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer; |
For 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer; | |
No negative marking for MSQs and NATs | |
GATE Question Paper - Subject-Wise Weightage
The GATE Exam Pattern varies for each paper in terms of sections and marks distribution. Each paper includes a General Aptitude section, contributing 15% of the total marks. This section assesses verbal, numerical, and quantitative skills. It comprises 10 questions, with 5 carrying 1 mark each and the remaining 5 carrying 2 marks each.
GATE GA Weightage of Marks | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Subject | Number of questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
General Aptitude | 5 | 1 | 5 |
5 | 2 | 10 | |
Total | 10 | - | 15 |
For the papers with codes AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, PE, PI, TF, and XE, the marks distribution will be as follows: 15% will be assigned to General Aptitude, 13% to Engineering Mathematics, and the remaining 72% to the subject paper.
For the papers with codes AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, and XL, 15% of the total marks will be allotted to General Aptitude, while the subject paper will carry the remaining 85% of the total marks.
GATE Exam Pattern for AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF, and ST Papers
The question paper for the paper codes AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF, and ST is divided into three sections, which are as follows:
Sections | Marks Weightage |
|---|---|
General Aptitude | 15% |
Engineering Mathematics | 13% |
Core Discipline | 72% |
GATE Exam Pattern 2026
In addition to the 10 questions in the General Aptitude section, there will be 55 questions from the core discipline and engineering mathematics. Of these, 25 questions will be worth 1 mark each, while 30 will be worth 2 marks each.
Subjects Distribution
Subjects | Number of questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF, and ST | 25 | 1 | 25 |
30 | 2 | 60 | |
Total | 55 | - | 85 |
GATE Exam Pattern for CY, EY, MA, and PH Papers
Each GATE paper with the codes CY, EY, MA, and PH is divided into two sections: General Aptitude and Core Discipline.
Sections | Number of Questions | Marks Weightage |
|---|---|---|
General Aptitude | 15 | 15% |
Core Discipline | 55 | 85% |
The marking scheme for GATE papers with codes AR, CY, EY, MA, and PH is presented in the table below:
Subjects | Number of questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
AR, CY, EY, MA, PH | 25 | 1 | 25 |
30 | 2 | 60 | |
Total | 55 | - | 85 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Architecture and Planning (AR)
The GATE Exam Pattern for Architecture and Planning paper has been updated this year. The updated exam pattern consists of three sections: GA (General Aptitude), Part A, and Part B. Everyone must attempt Part A, but Part B is further divided into two sections: B1 (Architecture) and B2 (Planning). Candidates need to choose one of these two sections during the exam.
Sections | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
GA | 10 | (5 x 1) + (5 x 2) | 15 |
Part A (mandatory) | 39 | (18 x 1) + (21 x 2) | 60 |
Part B: Part B1 (Architecture) or Part B2 (Planning) | 16 | (7 x 1) + (9 x 2) | 25 |
Total | 55 | - | 100 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Geomatics Engineering (GE)
Geomatics Engineering was added as a subject in the GATE 2022 examination. The exam pattern for Geomatics Engineering includes three sections: General Aptitude (GA), Part A, and Part B.
Sections | Number of questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
GA | 10 | (5 x 1) + (5 x 2) | 15 |
Part A (mandatory) | 36 | (17 x 1) + (19 x 2) | 55 |
Part B: Section I or Section II | 16 | (8 x 1) + (11 x 2) | 30 |
Total | 55 | - | 100 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Geology and Geophysics (GG)
The GATE 2026 Geology and Geophysics (GG) paper comprises three sections: General Aptitude, Part A, and Part B. Part B is further divided into Section 1 (Geology) and Section 2 (Geophysics). General Aptitude and Part A are mandatory for all candidates. At the same time, they can choose either Section 1 or Section 2 from Part B.
Sections | Sub-section | Number of questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GA | - | 10 | 1 or 2 | 15 |
Part A | - | 25 | 1 | 25 |
Part B (either one based on candidatesselection) | Geology | 30 | 2 | 60 |
Geophysics | 30 | 2 | 60 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NM)
Sections | Number of questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
GA | 10 | (5 x 1) + (5 x 2) | 15 |
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 55 | (25 x 1) + (30 x 2) | 85 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Engineering Sciences (XE)
Section-wise Distribution of Marks for GATE XE Paper:
General Aptitude: 10 questions carrying 15 marks in total.
Section A (Engineering Mathematics): 11 questions carrying 15 marks in total.
Section B-H: Candidates must choose any TWO sections from Section B to Section H. Each section consists of 22 questions carrying 35 marks in total.
Subjects under Section B-H:
XE-B: Fluid Mechanics
XE-C: Material Science
XE-D: Solid Mechanics
XE-E: Thermodynamics
XE-F: Polymer Science and Engineering
XE-G: Food Technology
XE-H: Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
Sections | Number of 1 mark questions | Number of 2 mark questions | Number of Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GA | 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
Section A (Engineering Sciences) | 7 | 4 | 11 | 15 |
Section B (Any two of these) | 9+9 | 13+13 | 22+22=44 | 35+35=70 |
Total | 30 | 70 | 65 | 100 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Humanities and Social Sciences (XH)
The GATE XH paper was introduced in 2021, providing an opportunity for students with a humanities background to apply for GATE. The paper is divided into three sections. General Aptitude and B1 (Reasoning and Comprehension) are mandatory sections, while candidates must choose any ONE from C1 to C6.
Subjects under C1 to C6:
XH–C1: Economics
XH–C2: English
XH–C3: Linguistics
XH–C4: Philosophy
XH–C5: Psychology
XH–C6: Sociology
Section Total | Number of 1 mark questions | Number of 2 mark questions | Total Number of Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GA | 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
B1* (Reasoning and Comprehension) | 5 | 10 | 15 | 15 |
C1-C6 (Any one of these) | 20 | 20 | 40 | 60 |
Total | 30 | 70 | 65 | 100 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Life Sciences (XL)
Section-wise Distribution of Marks for GATE XL Paper:
General Aptitude: Compulsory, 10 questions worth 15 marks.
Section P (Chemistry): Compulsory, 15 questions worth 25 marks.
Section Q-U: Candidates must choose any TWO. Each section has 20 questions worth 30 marks.
Subjects under Section Q-U:
XL-Q: Biochemistry
XL-R: Botany
XL-S: Microbiology
XL-T: Zoology
XL-U: Food Technology
Section Total | Number of 1 mark questions | Number of 2 mark questions | Total Number of Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GA | 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
Section P (Chemistry) | 5 | 10 | 15 | 25 |
Section Q-U (Any two of these) | 10+10 | 10+10 | 20+20=40 | 30+30=60 |
Total | 30 | 70 | 65 | 100 |
GATE Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering (CE)
Subject | No. of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
Engineering Mathematics | 10 | 13 |
General Aptitude | 10 | 15 |
Civil Engineering Subject | 45 | 72 |
Total | 65 | 100 |
Nature of questions in GATE CE exam:
Application & Formula Based
Figures Based Questions
Core Topics
Analysis or Common Data Questions
Linked Questions
GATE Exam Pattern for Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)
Subject | No. of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
Engineering Mathematics | 10 | 13 |
General Aptitude | 10 | 15 |
Computer Science and Engineering Subject | 45 | 72 |
Total | 65 | 100 |
Marking Scheme (CSE):
Correct answers: +1 and +2
Incorrect answers: –⅓ (for 1-mark MCQ), –⅔ (for 2-mark MCQ)
Unattempted: 0
GATE Exam Pattern for Mechanical Engineering (ME)
Key Points:
Total Marks: 100
Total Questions: 65
Duration: 3 Hours
General Aptitude: 15%
Engineering Mathematics: 13%
Mechanical Engineering Subject: 72%
GATE Exam Pattern for Electrical Engineering (EE)
The GATE EE paper consists of General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and Subject-specific questions.
General Aptitude: 15%
Engineering Mathematics: 13%
Electrical Engineering Subject: 72%
Paper Code | GA Marks | Subject Marks | Total Marks | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, CY, EC, EE, ES, EY, IN, MA, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PH, PI, TF, ST | 15 | 85 | 100 | 180 |
AR [Part A + Part B1 (Architecture) OR Part B2 (Planning)] | 15 | 60 + 25 | 100 | 180 |
GE [Part A + Part B (Section 1 OR Section 2)] | 15 | 55 + 30 | 100 | 180 |
GG [Part A + Part B (Geology OR Geophysics)] | 15 | 25 + 60 | 100 | 180 |
XE (Section A + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 15 + (2 × 35) | 100 | 180 |
XH (Section B1 + Any ONE Section) | 15 | 25 + 60 | 100 | 180 |
XL (Section P + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 25 + (2 × 30) | 100 | 180 |
GATE 2026 Marking Scheme
Total Questions: 65
Total Marks: 100
Duration: 180 minutes
GA: 10 questions, 15 marks (5 × 1 mark, 5 × 2 marks)
Weightage:
Engineering Mathematics: ~13%
General Aptitude: 15%
Core Subject: ~72%
Negative Marking in GATE
MCQs:
1-mark: –⅓ mark for wrong answer
2-mark: –⅔ mark for wrong answer
MSQs: No negative marking
NATs: No negative marking
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
For papers like AE, CE, CS, EE, ME, etc.:
General Aptitude: 15%
Engineering Mathematics: 13%
Core Subject: 72%
For papers like AR, CY, EY, MA, PH, XH, XL, etc.:
General Aptitude: 15%
Core Subject: 85%
For 1-mark MCQ, ⅓ mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.
For 2-mark MCQ, ⅔ mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.
There is no negative marking for MSQs (Multiple Select Questions) and NATs (Numerical Answer Type).
AR (Architecture & Planning): GA + Part A (mandatory) + Part B (B1 or B2).
GE (Geomatics Engineering): GA + Part A (mandatory) + Part B (choose Section I or II).
GG (Geology & Geophysics): GA + Part A (mandatory) + Part B (Geology or Geophysics).
XE (Engineering Sciences): GA + Section A (Engg. Mathematics) + Any TWO sections from B-H.
XH (Humanities & Social Sciences): GA + B1 (Reasoning & Comprehension) + Any ONE from C1–C6.
XL (Life Sciences): GA + Section P (Chemistry) + Any TWO sections from Q-U.