Vikrant
Vikrant Shukla
Deputy Manager
Updated on Feb 7, 2026 00:47 IST
The GATE 2026 Life Science (XL) exam will be conducted by the IIT Guwahati, on February 7, 2026, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. As one of the versatile papers in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, the XL paper is a gateway M.Tech or Ph.D. admissions in IITs and IISc, PSUs. Check here the memory-based question papers of GATE XL.

The GATE 2026 Life Science (XL) exam will be conducted by IIT Guwahati, today from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The XL paper is for M.Tech or Ph.D. admissions in IITs and IISc, PSUs. Check here the memory-based question papers of GATE XL.

Memory Based Question Papers PDF here

Memory Based Question Papers PDF here

GATE 2026 Life Science XL Question Paper: The exam conducting authority, IIT Guwahati will conduct the GATE 2026 exam for various subjects from today onwards. The first paper is GATE XL to be held in first shift, 9:30 am to 12 pm today. 

The GATE 2026 Life Science (XL) question paper is a specialized 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. We will be sharing here the GATE 2026 Life Science XL Question Paper (memory-based) as and when it is out. Candidates can also check the GATE 2026 Cut off for XL (Life Sciences) to know the expected cut off.

Also read:

Table of contents
  • GATE 2026 Life Science Analysis (Soon)
  • GATE 2026 Life Science XL Question Paper PDF (Soon)
  • GATE XL (Life Sciences) 2026: Scheme of the exam and Section-wise Weightage
  • GATE 2026 Marking Scheme
  • What is the GATE exam?

GATE 2026 Life Science Analysis (Soon)

From the following table, students can check the analysis of the GATE 2026 Life Sciences question paper conducted today.

Section

Subject

Difficulty Level (Easy/Medium/Hard)

No. of Questions Attempted

Expected Accuracy

Notable Topics

Part A

General Aptitude

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

Part B

Chemistry (XL-P)

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

Part C-1

Optional: ________

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

Part C-2

Optional: ________

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

To be shared soon

TOTAL

Overall Paper

 

/ 65

   

GATE 2026 Life Science XL Question Paper PDF (Soon)

We will be sharing the download links for the question paper of GATE 2026 Life Sciences XL here as and when it is released. 

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: What is GATE Login 2026

GATE 2026 Breakdown of Questions and Marks 

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: GATE EE Syllabus 2026

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

Also read: GATE 2026 DA Syllabus

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: MTech Exams other than GATE

Q:   Where can I download the GATE previous year question paper?
A:

The GATE previous years question paper are available on the official website - gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Candidates who are appearing for GATE exam must attempt the question paper to understand what sort of questions are asked in the exam. Candidates can download them for free. However, they must check the paper code carefully before downloading PDF.

Q:   What are the benefits of solving GATE old question papers?
A:

So, if you are planning to appear for GATE this year, then it is very important to solve the GATE old question paper, as they come with tons of benefits. 

  • First and foremost, the GATE old question paper allows students to understand the GATE exam structure and pattern, with which you can tally and filter out the GATE subject-wise weightage, and which questions are asked more frequently.
  • Also, solving the GATE previous year's paper gives you an upper hand in improving your time management skills and accuracy. 
  • Besides that, the GATE old question paper also gives you a clear understanding of the difficulty level. 

Therefore, it is advised to keep a habit of solving GATE old question papers. Try to solve atleast one full-length paper per day. 

Q:   Which are the most registered papers in GATE examination?
A:

The following are the most registered subjects/papers in the GATE examination -

  • Computer Science and Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electronics and Communication Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering

Every year, Lacs of candidates register for the above subjects, making the respective branch competitive. 

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Q:   Can I download the GATE question papers for free?
A:

Yes, candidates can download GATE question papers for free. The GATE exam papers are available in PDF format and can be downloaded for free. IIT Guwahati has activated GATE mock test 2026 link for students to practice.

Q:   How many reasoning and comprehension questions asked in GATE 2026 question paper?
A:

The reasoning and compulsory is a compulsory section in the GATE question paper. For humanities and social sciences, the reasoning and comprehension section contains 16 questions of 25 marks, where 7 questions will be of 1 mark and 9 questions will be of 2 marks. 

Q:   What is the benefit of attempting two papers in GATE?
A:

Attempting two papers in GATE allows students to broaden their skills and career options in different disciplines. Implemented in 2021, the GATE two paper combination can be chosen from the given list of paper combinations (already set by the authorities). With the GATE two paper combination list, also, you have better chances of qualifying the examination. 

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Vikrant Shukla
Deputy Manager

Vikrant Shukla - Deputy Manager

Role: News Writer & Editor

Education: Graduation in Mass Communication, Master's in Political Science

Expertise: Engineering Exams

About: Vikrant has 9+ years of experience in content

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Answered Yesterday

Yes, there is negative marking for GATE Engineering Mathematics section. Candidates must go through exam pattern and marking scheme carefully before attempting any question. 

T

Taru Shukla

Contributor-Level 7

Answered Yesterday

No, GATE questions are not exactly repeated. However, the concept, core, and question format may remain the same. Therefore, candidates must focus on concept-building and practice GATE PYQs as many times as possible. In addition, solve mock test paper to improve accuracy and time management.

A

Aishwarya Uniyal

Contributor-Level 7

Answered Yesterday

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

S

Shiksha Hazarika

Contributor-Level 7

Answered a week ago

NHCE Bangalore accepts GATE score for admission to M.Tech programme. However, it is not compulsory. Aspirants can also get into M.Tech course based on their Karnataka PGCET scores. Selected candidates have to confirm their seat by paying the course fees.

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a week ago

Chandigarh University does not announce branch-wise GATE Exam 2026 cut-offs for M.E. admissions. Since GATE is not mandatory for admission, there are no fixed cut-offs for different specialisations. However, for GATE fellowship allocation, competition may vary by branch depending on the number of ap

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A

Aadarshini

Guide-Level 11

Answered 2 weeks ago

Candidates need to graduate from BTech at IIT Dhanbad with a minimum GPA of 8.0 or above to qualify for M.Tech admissions without GATE. Only the candidates who clear BTech from IIT Dhanbad are allowed admissions without GATE into M.Tech at II Dhanbad with the aforementioned score.

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

No, the GATE 2026 has already been concluded for IIT Dhanbad M.Tech admissions. The GATE 2026 registrations are closed in the month of October. Candidates who have appeared for GATE will need to wait for all merit-lists to be revealed. 

S

Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

The PhD admissions to the Institute Assistantship courses at IIT Guwahati require candidates to appear for the GATE or CEED. 

However, PhD admissions to the other categories of PhD courses at IIT Guwahati are not decided on the basis of the aforementioned entrance exams scores.

 

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Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

No, GATE is not a mandatory entrance exam for Plaksha University MS in AI admissions. Candidates also have the option to appear for other entrance exams to qualify for MS in AI admissions such as GRE, CAT and GMAT.

However, candidates who have cleared their UG level course from top institutes such as

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Saurabh Khanduri

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

The GATE paper will be divided into sections like engineering mathematics, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, water resources engineering, environmental engineering, etc.
Here's the GATE 2026 Syllabus for Civil Engineering

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Nikita Chauhan

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