GATE 2026 XL Question Paper (Available): Download Life Science PDF here
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2027 ( GATE )
GATE 2027 City Allotment Notification
4 Jan '27
GATE 2026 XL Question Paper: IIT Guwahati released the official GATE XL question paper and answer key. Candidates who are planning to appear in the upcoming GATE XL paper can download the GATE Life Sciences 2026 exam question paper PDF along with answer key solutions. The XL paper in GATE exam is conducted for M.Tech or Ph.D. admissions in IITs and IISc, PSUs. Aspirants can also find memory-based GATE XL question paper below.
Memory Based Question Papers PDF here
GATE 2026 Life Science XL Question Paper: The official and memory-basedGATE question paper 2026 for Life Science XL is available below. As per the student reaction received by shiksha.com the exam was of moderate level, though some questions were lenghty, with overall good attempts of 55-57. The GATE 2026 Life Science (XL) question paper is a specialised test paper which is designed for graduates from biological sciences, biotechnology, and related fields who want to move into post graduation into the same field. Candidates can also check the GATE 2026 Cutoff for XL (Life Sciences) to know the cutoff.
Latest:
GATE 2026 Life Science Analysis
From the following table, students can check the analysis of the GATE Exam Life Sciences question paper conducted today.
| Subject | Difficulty Level (Easy/Medium/Hard) | No. of Questions Attempted | Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | Easy | 10 |
Data Interpretation, Spatial Visualization, Syllogisms, and Basic Profit/Loss.
|
| Chemistry (XL-P) | Hard | 15 |
Physical: Kinetics (k) values), Thermodynamics. Organic: Stereochemistry & Name Reactions. Inorganic: Coordination Chemistry.
|
| Biochemistry (XL-Q) | Moderate | 20 |
Enzyme Kinetics, Protein Folding (Ramachandran Plot), and TCA cycle regulation.
|
| Biochemistry (XL-R) | Easy to moderate | 20 |
Plant Hormones, Photosystems (PS I & II), Genetics (Linkage maps), and Economic Botany.
|
| Microbiology (XL-S) | Moderate | 20 |
Microbial Growth Curves, Virology (Viral replication), Antibiotic resistance, and Lac Operon.
|
| Zoology (XL-T) | Moderate | 20 |
Comparative Physiology, Developmental Biology (Organogenesis), and Animal Behavior (Ethology).
|
| Food Tech (XL-U) | Moderate | 20 |
Thermal Processing (D,Z,F) values), Food Chemistry, and Preservation Techniques.
|
Must Read:
- GATE 2026 Life Science XL Question Paper PDF
- GATE XL (Life Sciences) 2026: Scheme of the exam and Section-wise Weightage
- GATE 2026 Breakdown of Questions and Marks
- GATE 2026 Marking Scheme
- What is the GATE exam?
GATE 2026 Life Science XL Question Paper PDF
We will be sharing the download links for the question paper of GATE Life Sciences XL here as and when it is released.
Download GATE 2026 XL Question Paper
Want to know your GATE Rank and Colleges Accepting Your Score
Commonly asked questions
Yes, GATE has negative marking for Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) only. In GATE question paper, MCQs will be of one and two marks. Hence, the marking scheme for such questions can be checked below -
- For one mark MCQ - 1/3rd mark will be deducted
- For two mark MCQ - 2/3rd mark will be deducted
The GATE "Robotics and Automation" (RA) question paper will have a total of 100 marks.
General Aptitude: 15 marks
Subject Questions: 85 marks
The marking scheme and time duration remain the same. GATE "RA" paper structure can be checked below:
Part "A" is common, which carries 60 marks. It is compulsory for all candidates
Part "B" is optional. It carries 25 marks in total. Candidates can either select Part B1 (Electrical Stream) or Part B2 (Mechanical Stream) during the test.
This year, IIT Guwahati is conducting GATE 2026, and two things have been modified -
- The GATE fees have been revised for all categories
- A new sectional paper has been introduced, called Energy Science (under Engineering Sciences).
The details are available on the official website as well as in the information brochure.
MCQs, MSQs, and NATs are types of questions that are asked in GATE-
| Question type | Meaning |
| MCQs | Multiple-choice questions |
| MSQs | Multiple select questions |
| NATs | Numerical-based questions |
Each question has a different marking scheme. Candidates must check GATE marking scheme carefully.
GATE XL (Life Sciences) 2026: Scheme of the exam and Section-wise Weightage
| Section |
Subject |
No. of Questions |
Total Marks |
Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A |
General Aptitude (GA) |
10 |
15 |
Verbal, Quant, Analytical, and Spatial Aptitude. |
| Part B |
Chemistry (XL-P) |
15 |
25 |
Atomic structure, Thermo, Kinetics, Biomolecules. |
| Part C |
Optional Life Science (Any Two) |
40 (20 per section) |
60 |
Select from: Biochemistry, Botany, Microbiology, Zoology, or Food Tech. |
| Total |
All Sections |
65 |
100 |
Time duration - 3 hours |
Also read:
GATE 2026 Breakdown of Questions and Marks
Candidates can check GATE Life Sciences section-wise marks break-down below:
| Section |
1-Mark Questions |
2-Mark Questions |
Total Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude |
5 |
5 |
10 |
| Chemistry (XL-P) |
5 |
10 |
15 |
| Optional Section 1 |
10 |
10 |
20 |
| Optional Section 2 |
10 |
10 |
20 |
Also read:
Commonly asked questions
The GATE zones are the authorities that perform any operations related to the GATE examination. These are managed by the GATE offices of IISc and IITs. The list of GATE zones is as follows-
- IISc Bengaluru
- IIT Delhi
- IIT Bombay
- IIT Guwahati
- IIT Kanpur
- IIT Kharagpur
- IIT Madras
- and IIT Roorkee
Yes, GATE General Aptitude is common for all papers. The general aptitude section carries 15 marks out 100 marks, comprising 10 questions in total. The section mainly tests candidates' analytical and thinking skills in the exam. Here's a breakdown of the GATE General breakdown of questions -
- The GA section includes 5 questions of 1 mark and
- 5 questions of 2 marks.
The GATE marking scheme is the same for all.
Considering the past year's trends and experts analysis, GATE CSE, ECE, and EE papers are considered as the toughest papers in GATE exam. Here's why -
Complex technical concepts and fundamentals
Heavy mathematics
Branch popularity and number of registered candidates are more.
According to topper's and experts, the ideal number of questions to attempt correctly is 50 to 55, to obtain a GATE rank under 1000.
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GATE 2026 Marking Scheme
| Question Type |
Correct Answer |
Negative Marking (1-Mark Q) |
Negative Marking (2-Mark Q) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) |
Full marks |
-1/3 |
-2/3 |
| MSQ (Multiple Select Questions) |
Full marks |
No |
No |
| NAT (Numerical Ability Test) |
Full marks |
No |
No |
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19 Mar '27 - 9 Apr '27
What is the GATE exam?
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, short for the GATE exam, is organized by different IITs every year. In 2026, the entrance exam is being organized by IIT Guwahati, to shortlist candidates for admissions into M.Tech, M.Sc., and Ph.D. programs, as well as for recruitment in various Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
Also read:
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 days ago
Yes, SRMJEEE PG does accept GATE scores for admission. Candidates applying through GATE must provide their scores at the time of filling application form.
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
For the OBC category students, the GATE last round closing scores were between 289 and 504 for admission to M.Tech course at NIT Durgapur. Below given is the year-wise GATE cutoff comparison:
| Course | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Tech. in Biotechnology | 314 | 330 | 315 |
| M.Tech. in Geotechnical Engineering | 324 | 321 | 350 |
| M.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering | 447 | 514 | 504 |
| M.Tech. In Environmental Science and Technology | 302 | 309 | 289 |
| M.Tech. in Power Systems | 319 | 323 | 319 |
| M.Tech. in Power Electronics and Machine Drives | 332 | 323 | 334 |
| M.Tech. in Microelectronics and VLSI | 464 | 475 | 459 |
| M.Tech. in Operations Research | 324 | 389 | 355 |
| M.Tech. in Machine Design | 334 | 335 | 325 |
| M.Tech. in Instrumentation and Control | 332 | 329 | 325 |
| M.Tech. in Next generation communication and network | 324 | 342 | 333 |
| M.Tech. in AI and Data Analytics in Process Engineering | – / – | 427 | 353 |
| M.Tech. in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science | – / – | 499 | 500 |
| M.Tech. in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence | – / – | 323 | 333 |
| M.Tech.7 in Sustainable Materials and Technology | – / – | 345 | 304 |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
During the NIT Durgapur cutoff 2026 for the General AI category, the GATE overall cutoff scores ranged between 351 and 548. Considering the CCMT last round cutoff 2026, the most competitive course for admission was M.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering, with cutoff score concluding at 548.
For
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Yes, candidates can change their category during the rectification phase. A fnon-refundable fee of INR 500 must be paid to change to make modifications in application.
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 3 weeks ago
If the edit option is visible on dashboard, then it means you can edit. However, officials will open defect rectification window before result declaration giving another chance to upload correct photo and signature.
T
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, the correction link of GATE 2027 application is not activated yet. The link along with required details and instructions will be notified soon on the official website.
I
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
The syllabus of SRMJEEE PG and GATE is same, but the questions asked in SRMJEEE PG are moderate level. Most questions are basic and direct formula-based.
B
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
Yes, you can change or correct spelling mistakes in your name during the GATE Application Form Correction process by paying a fee of ₹500 and providing supporting documents.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, Alliance School of Business only accepts the scores of its own exam called ARAT for admitting candidates to its PhD course.
Candidates can also get direct admission into PhD courses if they completed UG level graduation with an aggregate over 75% in honors mode or in a UG course of four year dura
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The GATE total marks is 100. The marks in GATE question paper is distributed as follows:
- General Aptitude - 15 marks
- Engineering Mathematics - 13 marks
- Subject/Core Discipline - 72 marks
A
Contributor-Level 8
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