GATE Pattern

The GATE Engineering Mathematics contains 11 questions of 15 marks, out of which 7 questions carry one mark and 4 questions carry 2 marks each. Candidates must check the pattern carefully before attempting the GATE question paper. The engineering mathematics section will be available for the following GATE papers: AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, and PI. 

Candidates appearing for GATE 2026 XL paper can check the exam pattern below -

• General aptitude carries 15 marks
• Chemistry (compulsory) section comprises 17 questions carrying a total of 25 marks (9 questions of 1 mark and 8 questions of 2 marks)
• Each optional section (out of 2) in the GATE XL paper contains 19 questions of 30 marks (8 questions of 1 mark and 11 questions of 2 marks)
• Total time duration is three hours. 
• Exam mode is online.

Any candidate who wishes to switch the optional section during exam, must deselect the first one to answer. 

Normally, the duration of the GATE exam is 3 hours. However, the duration for students availing the scribe facility (PwD or dyslexic) will get an hour compensatory time to complete the exam, which is four hours. Candidates have to opt for compensatory time at the time of filling out the application form. After the exam duration is over, the test will terminate automatically. 

No, doing this can be one of the harmful decisions that you are going to make in your GATE preparation. Instead, give attention to all the topics and chapters equally. You can start with the high-weightage topics and chapters in GATE first, but also try to give at least an hour per day to go through the lower weightage topics. Look for what sort of questions are asked in previous years, whether they are theoretical or numerically-based. Prepare according to that. By doing this, you are exercising a balanced GATE preparation. 

Here are some of the most important civil engineering topics that will help aspirants to score 60+ marks in GATE 2026 -

• Engineering mathematics 
• Environmental engineering (around 10 to 11 marks)
• Geotechnical engineering (around 13 marks)
• Fluid mechanics and OCF (7 to 8 marks)
• Transportation engineering
• Irrigation and Hydrology
• Structural Analysis and steel structures 

The GATE Energy Science syllabus can be checked below -

• Energy resources and conversion technologies - fossil energy resources, nuclear energy resources, biomass, hydropower, etc.
• Energy storage, economics, environment, and efficiency - energy storage systems, energy management, environmental impacts of energy use, etc. 

The GATE paper code of Energy Science is GATE XE-I. 

No, there is no change in the GATE 2026 syllabus. However, a new sectional paper has been added under Engineering Sciences. The paper name is Energy Science and the GATE paper code is XE-I. Candidates can download the GATE syllabus 2026 PDF from the official website. 

The GATE paper pattern for Architecture and Planning (AR) is as follows -

• The general aptitude section carries 15 marks
• The part A of GATE AR consists of 60 marks and part B carries 25 marks
• The Part B of the GATE AR paper is divided into two parts, where B1 is the architecture and B2 is the planning. 

Candidates must go through the exam pattern carefully, as it helps a lot in the preparation and revision process. 

The GATE pattern and structure for data Science and artificial intelligence can be checked below -

• The exam mode is online and the question paper will be available in English language.
• The general aptitude section carries 15 marks and the remining 85 marks are reserved for the subject-based questions. 
• The time duration of GATE DA paper is 3 hours. 
• However, PwD or dyslexic candidates will get one hour compensatory time to attempt the GATE exam.