GATE Civil Engineering (CE) Syllabus 2026: Pattern, Chapter-Wise Weightage, and Career Scope
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2026 ( GATE )
Result - 19 Mar '26
GATE Syllabus 2026 Civil Engineering: The Indian Institute of Guwahati has released GATE 2026 Civil Engineering (CE) syllabus on its official website - gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The GATE CE 1 and 2 exam dates have been announced. Students who are appearing civil engineering exam, can check GATE CE syllabus 2026 below, along with chapter-wise weightage, and important topics covered.
GATE 2026 Civil Engineering Syllabus: IIT Guwahati is conducting GATE 2026 exam this year. The MTech engineering entrance exam is ongoing, and branch-wise dates have been announced. Students appearing for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering can check GATE CE syllabus 2026 below along with chapter-wise weightage, impoortant topics, exam pattern, and other details below. As per GATE 2026 exam date, CE paper will take place in two slots - CE1 and C2 on Feb 14 in two shifts (forenoon- 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and afternoon - 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm). Candidates appearing civil engineering paper, must check GATE exam day guidelines and GATE dresscode before reaching the test centre.
The GATE admit card 2026 can be downloaded at the GOAPS portal using their enrollment ID and password.
Latest Update: GATE 2026: what to carry, do's and don'ts, and hall instructions
What is GATE Civil Engineering?
Civil Engineering is the most demanding test subject for the GATE 2026 exam. Every year, thousands and lakhs of candidates appear for the GATE civil engineering exam. Civil engineering involves designing, constructing, and maintaining the physical and natural environment. Graduates in civil engineering can work on various projects, such as transportation, water, energy systems, etc. Students appearing Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering CE paper must be aware of GATE 2026 exam date and branch-wise shift timing.
GATE 2026 Civil Engineering - Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| GATE Paper Code of Civil Engineering | CE |
| Number of candidates registered last year (2025) | 101596 |
| Number of candidates who appeared last year (2025) | 79951 |
| GATE CE cutoff (category-wise) last year | Gen-29.2 | OBC-NCL/EWS-26.2 | SC/ST/PwD-19.4 |
| Participants over the years | Consistent |
| Career scope | Higher scope in PSUs like IOCL, ONGC, AAI, NPCIL, etc. |
Also read: GATE exam 2026 dates and shift timings
GATE Civil Engineering (CE) Subject-Wise Weightage
Civil Engineering (CE) is one of the most registered GATE papers out of 30 papers. Candidates appearing for the civil engineering paper on Feb 14, can check subject-wise weightage analysis below of last 5 years below -
| Subject |
Average percentage |
|---|---|
| Reasoning, Aptitude, and English | 15% |
| Soil Mechanics | 14.30% |
| Engineering Mathematics | 12.95% |
| Environmental Engineering | 11.10% |
| Highway Engineering | 8.05% |
| Strength of Materials | 5.65% |
| Fluid Mechanics | 5.00% |
| Surveying Engineering | 4.50% |
| Reinforced Cement Concrete | 4.25% |
| Structural Analysis | 4.15% |
| Steel Structures | 3.25% |
| Open Chanel Flow | 2.50% |
| Engineering Hydrology | 2.35% |
| Irrigation Engineering | 2.10% |
| Building Materials | 2.00% |
| Railway and Airport Engineering | 1.25% |
| Engineering Mechanics | 1.10% |
| Construction Management (PERT- CPM) | 0.50% |
GATE 2026 Civil Engineering (CE) Syllabus
The GATE 2026 civil engineering syllabus comprises the subjects and topics relevant to the stream. The GATE CE syllabus (Civil Engineering) is divided into sections: engineering mathematics, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, water resources engineering, environmental engineering, transportation engineering, and geomatics engineering. Candidates can check the GATE 2026 civil engineering (CE) exam syllabus below -
Section I - Engineering Mathematics
| Topics |
Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
| Linear Algebra |
Matrix algebra | Systems of Linear Equations | Eigen Values and Eigen Vectors |
| Calculus |
Functions of Single Variables | Evaluation of Definite and Indefinite Integrals | Vector Identities | Directional Derivatives |
| Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE) |
First-order (linear and non-linear) equations | higher-order linear equations with constant coefficients | Euler-Cauchy equations |
| Partial Differential Equations (PDE) |
Fourier series | Separation of variables | First and second-order one-dimensional wave equation and two-dimensional Laplace equation |
| Probability and Statistics |
Sampling theorems | Random variables - discrete and continuous | Poisson and Normal Distribution | Linear Regression |
| Numerical Methods |
Error Analysis | Newton’s and Lagrange Polynomials | Integration of Trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule | |
Section II - Structural Engineering
| Topics |
Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
| Engineering Mechanics |
System of forces | Free body diagrams | Free vibrations of undamped SDOP system | Centre of mass |
| Solid Mechanics |
Bending moment and shear force in statically determinate beams | Simple stress and strain relationships | Buckling of column | Combined and Direct Bending Stresses |
| Structural Analysis |
Method of Superposition | Displacement Methods | Slop Deflection and Moment Distribution Methods | Influence Lines |
| Construction Materials and Management |
Constructional Materials: Structural Steel- Composition, Material properties and behaviour | Constructional Management | Project planning and network analysis |
| Concrete Structures |
Working Stress and Limit State Design Concepts | Design of Beams | Slabs | Bond and Development Length |
| Steel Structures |
Working Stress and Limit State Design Concepts| Concepts of Plastic Analysis - Beams and Frames | Beam-Column Connections |
Also check:
Section III - Geotechnical Engineering
| Topics |
Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
| Soil Mechanics |
Three-Phase System and Phase-relationships | Compaction of soils | Principles of Effective Stress and Quicksand Condition | Mohr’s Circle |
| Foundation Engineering |
Sub-surface investigations | Stability of Slopes -finite and infinite slopes | Combined footing and Raft foundation | Pile Group Efficiency | Boussinesq’s Theory | Earth pressure theories |
Section IV - Water Resources Engineering
| Topics |
Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
| Fluid Mechanics |
Properties of Fluids | Momentum and Energy Equations | Flow in Pipes | Concept of Boundary Layer and its growth |
| Hydraulics |
Forces on immersed bodies | Channel Hydraulics | Dimensional Analysis and Hydraulic Similitude | Energy-Depth Relationships |
| Hydrology |
Hydrologic Cycle | Hydrograph Analysis | Flood Estimation and Routing | Application of Darcy’s Law |
| Irrigation |
Types of Irrigation Systems and Methods | Crop Water Requirements | Lined and Unlined Canals | Cross Drainage Structures |
Section V - Environmental Engineering
| Topics |
Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
| Water and Wastewater Quality and Treatment |
Basics of water quality standards | Water quality index | Water distribution system | Drinking water treatment | Sludge disposal | Reuse of treated sewage for different applications |
| Air Pollution |
Types of pollutants, their sources and impacts | air pollution control | air quality standards | Air quality index and limits |
| Municipal Solid Wastes |
Characteristics, Generation, Collection, and Transporation of Solid Wastes | Engineered Systems for Solid Waste Management |
Section VI - Transporation Engineering
| Topics |
Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
| Transportation Infrastructure |
Geometric Design of Highways - Cross Sectional Elements | Geometric Design of Railway Track | Concept of Airport Runway Length |
| Highway Pavements |
Highway Materials | Desirable Properties of Bituminous Paving Mixes | Design Factors for Flexible and Rigid Pavements |
| Traffic Engineering |
Traffic studies of flow and speed | Microscopic and Macroscopic parameters of Traffic Flow |
Section VII - Geomatics Engineering
| Topics |
Sub-topics |
|---|---|
| Principles of Surveying |
Errors and their adjustment | Maps - scale, co-ordinate system | Distance and Angle Measurement | Levelling and Trigonometric levelling | Traversing and Triangulation Survey | Total Station - Horizontal and Vertical Curves |
| Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing |
Scale | Flying Height | Basics of Remote Sensing and GIS |
GATE 2026 CE Syllabus: Download PDF below
The GATE civil engineering 2026 syllabus can be downloded below
| GATE civil engineering syllabus | Download Link |
|---|---|
| GATE 2026 Civil Engineering Syllabus PDF | Download GATE CE syllabus 2026 |
| GATE 2025 Civil Engineering Syllabus PDF | Download here |
GATE 2026 Civil Engineering Allowed Two-Paper Combination
Candidates opting for the GATE civil engineering paper (CE) in the GATE 2026 examination as the primary subject can opt for the following test papers as the secondary papers in the GATE two-paper combinations.
- Data Science (DA)
- Textile Engineering and Fibre Science (TF)
- Electrical Engineering (EE)
- Aerospace Engineering (AE)
- Agricultural Engineering (AG)
- Architecture and Planning (AR)
- Environmental Science and Engineering (ES)
- Geomatics Engineering (GE)
- Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NM)
- Engineering Sciences (XE)
Also check:
GATE 2026 Civil Engineering Exam Pattern
The GATE CE exam will be conducted online (computer-based test). The exam is three hours long. The GATE exam pattern is as follows -
- The total mark of the GATE 2026 question paper is 100 marks.
- The general aptitude section carries 15 marks, and the remaining 85 marks are subject-specific questions, of which the engineering mathematics section will carry 13 marks.
- Each question carries one or two marks. For a one-mark question, 1/3rd marks will be deducted; for a two-mark question, 2/3rd marks will be deducted for an incorrect answer.
Also read:
Recommended Books for GATE 2026 Civil Engineering (CE) Preparation
When it comes to looking for good books, graduates appearing for the civil engineering paper must research before purchasing books. Here are some of the top-rated books for GATE 2026 civil engineering preparation -
| Book Name |
Author Name |
|---|---|
| Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications |
Kenneth Rosen |
| Advanced Engineering Mathematics |
Erwin Kreyszig |
| Soil Mechanics |
Gopal Ranjan and Rao, Venkat Ramaiha, and S.K Garg |
| Strength of Materials/ Mechanics of Structure |
Gere and Timoshenko |
| Waste Water Engineering |
B.C Punmia Part I and II |
| Fluid Mechanics |
RK Bansal and Fox and Richard |
| Highway Engineering |
SK Khanna |
| Geotechnical Engineering: Principles and Practices Book |
Donald P Coduto |
GATE 2026 CE Books for Freshers and Repeaters (Topic-wise)
If you are appearing for the GATE exam for the first time or it's your 2nd or 3rd attempt, candidates can refer to the following books for better understanding and revision -
| GATE CE Topics | Recommended Books |
|---|---|
| Strength of materials | A textbook on strength of materials by Dr U.C Jindal, Mechanics of Materials by Gere and Timoshenko, Strength of materials for transformation of stresses, properties of metals by E.Popov |
| Theory of structure | Structural Dynamics by Mario Paz, Theory of Structure/Analysis of Structure by S. Ramamrutham, Theory of Structure/Analysis of Structure by Gupta and Pandit, CS Reddy |
| RCC Design | RCC Design by AK Jain and S.N Sinha, Prestressed Concrete (2nd edition) by N.Krishna Raju |
| Steel Design | Limit State Design of Steel Structures (2nd edition) by S.K Duggal, Steel Design by L.S Negi |
| GATE Books for Preparation |
PSUs That Recruit GATE Civil Engineering Graduates and Career Scope
PSUs, otherwise called Public Sector Undertakings, are government-owned corporations or enterprises where the government holds the most shares. Here are some PSUs that recruit candidates under GATE Civil Engineering. In addition, candidates can check CE career scopes through GATE scores -
| Sectors | Options |
|---|---|
| PSUs | NTPC, ONGC, NBCC, and NHAI |
| Public works | CPWD, State PWD, Municipal Corporations |
| Defense | MES, BRO |
Read more about PSU recruitment through GATE
| Important Links For GATE 2026 | |
|---|---|
| GATE Syllabus | GATE 2026 Question Papers (all subjects) |
| GATE Eligibility Criteria 2026 | |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 19 hours ago
Yes, with 50 marks in the GATE exam candidates can get admission to few IITs and NITs as well.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 19 hours ago
For top NITs, the safe score in GATE will be roughly around 650 - 750 scores. However, it also depends on other factors, such as category, past year trends, etc.
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 19 hours ago
Here are some colleges that offer M.Tech admission in CSE round -
- Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur
- Central University of Rajasthan
- Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology
- Central Institute of Technology, Kokrajhar
- Central University of Rajasthan
- Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur
U
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 20 hours ago
The GATE CCMT cutoff for CSE (round 1) at NIT Delhi can be checked below -
- Minimum GATE score - 668
- Maximum GATE score - 741
T
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 20 hours ago
Yes, 65 marks in GATE is considered as good and is expected to correspond to a AIR of 800-1000. Students who secure 65 marks do have good options in getting into IITs and NITs for branches like EE, ME, CE, etc.
H
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
MTech in CSE, ECE, ME, CE, DA, and EE usually have the highest salaries in India. Many IITs and IIITs offer placement packages over 50 LPA. However, the average package remains around 20 to 30 LPA.
For subjects like EE, CE, and ME opportunities for high salaries are mainly through PSU jobs, as these
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
There are 20000+ seats for M.Tech admission through GATE including IITs, NITs, and IISc admission. Each IITs have an approximately seat intake of 1000+ seats. On the other hand, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, have around 20000+ seats.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
The GATE 2026 toppers list will be released after the result, along with qualifying marks. Last year, 21 students secured GATE score of 1000, securing top AIR position in their respective subjects.
I
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Candidates can check toppers list on official website - gate2026.iitg.ac.in under GATE papers section. The topper's list will have the name of candidate, with raw marks and scores.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Swarnava Biswas was the ECE topper in GATE 2025, securing 82.67 marks out of 100 and GATE score of 1000.
P
Contributor-Level 7
Upasana Pradhan is an Mtech graduate in Electronics and Communication Engineering from DTU who specialises in curating postgraduate and undergraduate engineering entrance exam content, such as GATE, TS PGECET, KCET,
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