06 Feb, 2026: GATE 2026 begins on February 7, 2026. Download Question Papers Here
GATE Exam Pattern 2026: Check Subject-Wise Paper Pattern, Marking Scheme, Type Of Questions, Two-Paper Combination
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Content Curator | Updated On - Feb 6, 2026
Important Updates for GATE} }
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE 2026) is going to be conducted by IIT Guwahati in Computer-Based Test mode. Candidates willing to qualify for GATE this year must understand the details about the GATE exam Pattern 2026 to score well in this exam.
- As per the official GATE 2026 Exam Pattern, there will be 30 test papers or subjects.
- The three types of questions will be asked in the question paper: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.
- Each paper will consist of 65 questions carrying a total of 100 marks, with +1 or + 2 marks for each question.
IIT Guwahati has released the official GATE 2026 exam pattern for the candidates. Check the details from the direct link provided below.
To appear for GATE 2026, the key step is to understand the exam pattern and marking scheme in detail. As per official notification, the GATE exam is scheduled for 7, 8, 14 and 15 February 2026. Candidates can find and read the complete details about GATE exam pattern 2026, exam duration and marking scheme here.
Also Read
Key Summary
|
Ques. Is it permissible for me to use a calculator during GATE 2026?
Ans. Yes, students are allowed to use a virtual onscreen calculator during the GATE exam as they are not permitted to bring their calculators into the exam room.
Ques. Where can I get the official GATE exam pattern 2026?
Ans. The official GATE exam pattern 2026 can be accessed from the official website, gate2024.iisc.ac.in. Candidates can also check the direct link provided in the article above.
Table of Contents
- GATE 2026 Exam Pattern: Key Highlights
- GATE 2026 Paper Codes
- What is the GATE Exam Pattern 2026?
3.1 GATE 2026 Exam Pattern of General Aptitude
3.4 What is GATE 2026 Two Paper Combination?
- Question Distribution and Detailed GATE Exam Pattern 2026
4.1 GATE Exam Pattern 2026 For Architecture And Planning (AR)
4.2 GATE Exam Pattern 2026 For Geomatics Engineering (GE)
4.3 GATE Exam Pattern 2026 For Computer Science And Engineering
- GATE Marking Scheme 2026
- GATE Question Paper PDF Free Download
- Frequently Asked Questions
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern: Key Highlights
| Particulars | Description |
|---|---|
| Exam Name | GATE |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Exam mode | Single-paper Computer-Based Test(CBT) |
| Type of questions | Multiple choice questions (MCQ) |
| Multiple select questions (MSQ) | |
| Numerical Answer type (NAT) | |
| No. of questions | 65 |
| GATE Exam Total Marks | 100 |
| Number of Sections | Two/ Three (depending on the paper) |
| Section-wise Number of Questions | General Aptitude- 10 questions, |
| Core Discipline- 55 questions | |
| Section-wise Weightage | General Aptitude- 15 marks |
| Core Discipline- 85 marks | |
| Marking Scheme | Each correct answer in the exam will be awarded either 1 or 2 marks. |
| GATE 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 2026 Paper Codes
Candidates can check the subject codes tabulated below to identify their paper codes. Understanding paper codes will help in knowing the GATE exam pattern effectively.
| Paper Name | GATE Paper Code | Paper Name | GATE Paper Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | AE | Instrumentation Engineering | IN |
| Agricultural Engineering | AG | Life Sciences | XL |
| Architecture and Planning | AR | Mathematics | MA |
| Biotechnology | BT | Mechanical Engineering | ME |
| Bio-medical Engineering | BM | Mining Engineering | MN |
| Civil Engineering | CE | Metallurgical Engineering | MT |
| Chemical Engineering | CH | Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering | NM |
| Computer Science & Information Technology | CS | Physics | PH |
| Chemistry | CY | Production and Industrial Engineering | PI |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | EC | Textile Engineering & Fibre Science | TF |
| Electrical Engineering | EE | Ecology and Evolution | EY |
| Engineering Sciences | XE | Statistics | ST |
| Petroleum Engineering | PE | Environmental Science and Engineering | ES |
| Geomatics Engineering | GE | Humanities and Social Sciences | XH |
| Geology and Geophysics | GG | Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (Newly added) | DA |
What is the GATE Exam Pattern 2026?
The GATE 2026 exam pattern will be released on the official website. As per past years’ trend, the exam will be held in Computer-based test (CBT) mode for 30 test papers. The question papers of GATE 2026 will be divided into three types as follows:
- Multiple choice questions (MCQ)
- Multiple select questions (MSQ)
- Numerical Answer type (NAT)
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern of General Aptitude
The exam pattern differs for each paper, considering the sections and marks distribution. However, every paper includes a General Aptitude section, constituting 15% of the GATE exam total marks. This section evaluates verbal, numerical, and quantitative abilities.
| Subject | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | 2 | 10 | |
| Total | 10 | - | 15 |
The exam will consist of General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and subject- specific question paper. All papers do not include Engineering Mathematics. The distribution of questions and marks is different for GATE Test papers with and without Engineering Mathematics, as mentioned in the table below:
| Paper Code | GATE Exam Pattern |
|---|---|
| CE, CS, EC, AE, AG, BT, CH, ME, MN, MT, EE, IN, TF, XE, PE, ST, and PI | GA (General Aptitude) – 15 Engineering Mathematics – 13 questions Subject of the Paper – 72 questions |
| AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, XH, and XL | GA (General Aptitude) – 15 Subject of the Paper – 85 questions |
Ques. What do all 30 GATE 2026 exam papers have in common?
Ans. Aside from the time limit and other basic similarities, the general aptitude section of 15% weightage is common for all 30 papers.
Ques. Can I sit for multiple GATE 2026 papers?
Ans. Yes, a candidate can sit for up to 2 papers. Two paper combinations can be chosen from the given list of combinations of papers.
What is GATE 2026 Two Paper Combination?
The GATE 2026 two-paper combination allows candidates to select two subjects instead of one. However, they must choose two subjects from the list of combinations approved by the GATE authorities. In this concept, the primary paper is related to the candidate’s undergraduate discipline and the secondary paper allows the candidate to apply their knowledge in the related field. Candidates can check the test papers allowed as second paper for the candidate’s choice of the first paper here -
GATE 2026 Two-paper Combinations – Official Link
The details of two paper combinations as per GATE exam pattern are given below:
| Code of the First Paper | Code of the Second Paper | Code of the First Paper | Code of the Second Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| AE | CE, ME, XE | GG | GE |
| AG | CE | IN | BM, EC, EE, ME |
| AR | CE, GE | MA | CS, DA, PH, ST |
| BM | BT, IN | ME | AE, DA, IN, NM, PI, XE |
| BT | BM, XL | MN | - |
| CE | AE, AG, AR, ES, GE, NM, XE | MT | XE |
| CH | ES, PE, XE | NM | CE, ME |
| CS | DA, EC, GE, MA, PH, ST | PE | CH |
| CY | XE, XL | PH | CS, DA, EC, EE, MA, XE |
| DA | CS, EC, EE, MA, ME, PH, ST, XE | PI | ME, XE |
| EC | CS, DA, EE, IN, PH | ST | CS, DA, MA, XH |
| EE | DA, EC, IN, PH | TF | - |
| ES | CE, CH, GE | XE | AE, CE, CH, CY, DA, ME, MT, PH, PI |
| EY | XL | XH | ST |
| GE | AR, CE, CS, ES, GG | XL | BT, CY, EY |
Question Distribution and Detailed GATE Exam Pattern 2026
| Paper Code | General Aptitude (GA) Marks | Subject: Compulsory Section | Subject: Optional Section(s) | Total Marks | Total Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF (Includes 13 marks of Engineering Mathematics, paper-specific) | 15 | 85 | -- | 100 | 180 |
| CY, DA, EY, MA, PH, ST | 15 | 85 | -- | 100 | 180 |
| AR: Part A (Compulsory) + B1/B2 (choose during exam: B1 – Architecture, B2 – Planning) | 15 | 60 | 25 | 100 | 180 |
| GE: Part A (Compulsory) + B1/B2 (choose during exam: B1 – Surveying & Mapping, B2 – Image Processing & Analysis) | 15 | 55 | 30 | 100 | 180 |
| GG: Part A (Compulsory) + B1/B2 (choose at time of application: B1 – Geology, B2 – Geophysics) | 15 | 25 | 60 | 100 | 180 |
| XE: Section A (Engineering Mathematics – Compulsory) + any TWO of the other sections | 15 | 15 | 2 × 35 | 100 | 180 |
| XH: Section B1 (Reasoning & Comprehension – Compulsory) + any ONE of the other sections (chosen at time of application) | 15 | 25 | 60 | 100 | 180 |
| XL: Section P (Chemistry – Compulsory) + any TWO of the other sections | 15 | 25 | 2 × 30 | 100 | 180 |
Also Read
| GATE Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering | GATE Exam Pattern for Computer Science |
| GATE Exam Pattern for Mechanical Engineering | GATE Exam Pattern for Biomedical Engineering |
GATE Paper Pattern For Architecture And Planning (AR)
The GATE Examination Pattern for the Architecture and Planning paper has been revised this year. The updated exam pattern consists of three sections, General Aptitude (GA), Part A, and Part B. Part A is compulsory for all candidates, while Part B is divided into two Sections, B1 (Architecture) and B2 (Planning). During the exam, students must choose one of the given sections to attempt.
| Sections | No. of Ques. | Marks per Ques. | 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 2026 For Geomatics Engineering (GE)
Geomatics Engineering is a new program introduced in 2022. The exam pattern for Geomatics Engineering includes three sections, that is, General Awareness, Part A, and Part B.
| Sections | No. of Ques. | Marks per Ques. | 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 Computer Science And Engineering
The detailed GATE exam pattern for Computer Science and Engineering are given below.
| Subject | No. of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Mathematics | 10 | 13 |
| General aptitude | 10 | 15 |
| Computer science and engineering subject | 45 | 72 |
| Total | 65 | 100 |
Also Check : How to Prepare for GATE in 4 Months
Ques. Can I choose multiple subjects or papers in GATE 2026?
Ans. Yes, Candidates can choose combination papers as per official notification. Candidates can check the test papers allowed as second paper for the candidate’s choice of the first paper here - Two- paper combinations.
Ques. How many types of questions are there in the GATE exam as per GATE Exam Pattern 2026?
Ans. The questions of GATE exam is divided into three different sections:
| Question Type | Description | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | Candidates choose 1 correct answer out of 4 options. | • Only one option is correct• Answer marked by clicking the correct choice |
| Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) | Each question has 4 options, with one or more correct answers. | • Multiple answers may be correct• No negative marking• No partial credit for incomplete/incorrect combinations |
| Numerical Answer Type (NAT) | Requires entering a numeric value (integer/decimal) using the virtual keypad. | • No answer choices provided• Answer can be integer or decimal• Precision (decimal places) specified• Acceptable range allowed to avoid round-off errors |
GATE Marking Scheme 2026
As per GATE Exam pattern 2026 there will be three types of questions and each type will have a certain marking scheme and negative marking as mentioned below:
1. Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) - There will be no negative marking for wrong answers.
2. Multiple choice Questions (MCQs) -
- 1/3rd of negative marking for 1 mark questions.
- 2/3rd of negative marking for 2 mark questions.
3. Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions - There is no negative marking for wrong answers.
| Question Type | Correct Answer | Incorrect Answer | Negative Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSQ | Varies | 0 | No |
| NAT | Varies | 0 | No |
| MCQ (1 Mark) | +1 | -1/3 | Yes |
| MCQ (2 Marks) | +2 | -2/3 | Yes |
Also Check: GATE 2026 Score Calculation
GATE Question Paper PDF Free Download
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques. What is the negative marking as per GATE Exam Pattern 2026?
Ans. The GATE 2026 negative marking is as mentioned below:
| GATE 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 |
Ques. What is the minimum percentage required for appearing in the GATE exam?
Ans. To appear in the exam, candidates do not require any minimum percentage. However, specific academic performance or percentage criteria can be required by PSUs or Institutions during recruitment or admission process after the results.
Ques. What is the validity period of the GATE 2026 Score?
Ans. From the date of result declaration, GATE 2026 score will be valid for 3 years. So, tentatively it will be valid till March 2029.
Ques. How to download the GATE 2026 syllabus PDF?
Ans. Candidates can visit the official website of GATE 2026 released by IIT Guwahati and can find the link displaying GATE Paper and Syllabus. Students should download the syllabus PDF for future reference.
Ques. Are there any changes or updates in the GATE 2026 syllabus?
Ans. IIT Guwahati has added a new paper - Energy Sciences to the 2026 syllabus, namely, XE-I under XE i.e. Engineering Sciences Paper. Candidates can check the new Energy Science syllabus here - Official GATE Syllabus for Energy Sciences - Download PDF Here
Ques. What are the help desk details of IIT Guwahati for GATE 2026?
Ans. In case candidates face any issues related to GATE 2026 registration process or any other process, they can reach the IIT Guwahati officials on the given contact details
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| helpdesk.gate@iitg.ac.in (General query)pwd.gate2026@iitg.ac.in (PWD related query) | |
| Phone | +91 361 258 6500 |
| Time | 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:30 PMApplication Specific Queries: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PMMonday to Friday (Government working days only) |
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
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