MN includes mine development and surveying, ground control, mining methods, machinery, ventilation, environmental hazards and mine economics. Geological knowledge and engineering calculations are both part of the paper.

Mining Engineering is tested within a 100-mark paper. The paper also includes General Aptitude. The sections below show the complete subject syllabus.

GATE MN Syllabus and Marks Distribution

There is no optional subject block in this paper. All listed sections are part of the syllabus.

Mining Engineering Unit-wise Syllabus

Engineering Mathematics

• Linear Algebra: Matrices and Determinants; Inverse and Rank of matrix; Systems of linear equations; Eigen values and Eigen vectors.
• Calculus: Limit, continuity and differentiability; Partial Derivatives; Mean value theorems; Indeterminate forms and L' Hospital's rule; Maxima and minima; Taylor's theorem; Sequences and series; Fourier series.
• Vector Calculus: Gradient; Divergence and Curl; Line; surface and volume integrals; Stokes, Gauss and Green's theorems.
• Differential Equations: Linear and non -linear first order ODEs; Higher order linear ODEs with constant coefficients; Cauchy's and Euler's equations.
• Probability and Statistics: Probability: Joint, Conditional, Bayes' Theory; Descriptive Statistics; Sampling theory and hypothesis testing; Binomial, Poisson, exponential and normal distributions; Pearson Correlation and linear regression.
• Numerical Methods: Solutions of linear algebraic equations; Interpolation; Integration of trapezoidal and Simpson's rule; Single and multi-step methods for differential equations.

Mining Geology, Mine Development and Surveying

• Mining Geology: Minerals, Rocks and their Origin, Classification, Ore Genesis; Structural Geology. Mine Development: Methods of access to deposits; Underground drivages; Drilling methods and machines; Explosives and initiation system, blasting tools, blast design practices; ground vibration
• Mine Surveying: Levels and levelling, tacheometry, triangulation; Errors and adjustments ; Correlation; Underground surveying; Curves and contouring; Photogrammetry; Theodolite, EDM, Total Station, GPS, Remote sensing and Astronomical survey.

Geomechanics and Ground Control

• Engineering Mechanics: Equivalent force systems; Equations of equilibrium; Two dimensional frames and trusses; Friction forces; Particle kinematics and dynamics; Beam analysis.
• Geomechanics: Geo-technical properties of rocks; Rock mass classification; Instrumentations and in-situ stress measurement techniques; Theories of rock failure; Stress distribution around mine openings; Subsidence; Slope and Dump stability.
• Ground Control: Design of pillars and supporting systems; Mine filling. Strata Control.

Mining Methods and Machinery

• Mining Methods: Surface mining: layout and haul road development, loading, transportation and mechanization, continuous mining systems ; highwall mining ; Underground coal mining:bord and pillar systems , longwall mining, thick seam mining methods, Underground metal mining: open, supported and caving stoping methods, stope mechanization, ore handling systems.
• Mining Machinery: Generation and transmission of mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic power ; Materials handling: wire ropes, haulages, conveyors , face and development machineries, hoisting systems , pumps; comminution methods and machinery, Rock-tool interaction and mechanical cutting.

Surface Environment, Mine Ventilation and Underground Hazards

• Surface Environment: Air, water and soil pollution: Standards of quality, causes and dispersion of contamination and control; Noise pollution and control; Land reclamation; EIA.
• Mine Ventilation: Underground atmosphere; Heat load sources and thermal environment, air cooling ; Mechanics of airflow, distribution, natural and mechanical ventilation; Mine fans and usage ; Auxiliary ventilation; Ventilation survey and planning; Ventilation networks.
• Underground Hazards: Mine Gases, Methane drainage; Underground hazards from fires, explosions, dust and inundation; Rescue apparatus and practices; Safety management plan; Safety data analytics; Mine illumination; Mine legislation; Occupational health and safety.

Mineral Economics, Mine Planning, Systems Engineering

• Mineral Economics: Mineral resource classification; Discounted cash flow analysis ; Mine valuation; Mineral taxation.
• Mine Planning: Sampling methods, practices and interpretation; Reserve estimation techniques : Basics of geostatistics and quality control; Optimization of facility location; Mine planning and its components, Determination of mine size and mine life; Ultimate pit design ; Grade-tonnage relationship, ore dilution, recovery and cut-off grade; Equipment Selection.
• Systems Engineering: Concepts of reliability; Reliability of simple systems ; Maintainability and availability; Linear programming, transportation and assignment problems; Network analysis ; Inventory models; Queuing theory.

General Aptitude Syllabus

General Aptitude contributes 15 marks within the 100-mark paper. It is not an additional paper that can be left out when choosing the technical sections.

Chapter-wise Weightage and Important Topics

Only the section-wise marks are fixed. IIT Madras has not assigned a guaranteed number of marks to each chapter of Mining Engineering. A topic may appear in one year and receive fewer questions in another; a past-paper count is not an official 2027 weightage.

For a chapter-weightage comparison, record the year, paper code, session, question number and marks of each matching question. Keep a combined question under one main topic or label the overlap explicitly; counting it twice inflates the total. GATE previous-year question papers can be used for this topic-by-topic practice.

Question Types and Negative Marking

The paper uses one-mark and two-mark questions. The number of MCQ, MSQ and NAT questions is not a fixed chapter-wise quota. In an MSQ, selecting one correct option is not enough when the correct answer contains two options.