The GATE examination is attended by lakhs of students all over the nation. GATE 2026 exam is conducted for 27 papers. As GATE exam has become crucial for entering into PSUs, and to pursue higher education at NITs, IITs, IIITs, and few other deemed universities, it's very important to have a clear idea about the GATE exam paper pattern, number of questions, etc and plan accordingly to crack this prestigious examination.
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern Overview
- Duration: 3 hours for all papers
- Total Questions: 65 questions
- Total Marks: 100 marks
- Mode: Online Computer-Based Test (CBT)
- Papers: 27 papers
Since the examination is an ONLINE computer-based test, at the end of the stipulated time (3-hours), the computer will automatically close the screen inhibiting any further action.
GATE Exam Pattern of Questions for 2026
GATE 2026 would contain questions of three different types in all the papers:
1. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
Carrying 1 or 2 marks each in all the papers and sections. These questions are objective in nature, and each will have a choice of four answers, out of which the candidate has to select (mark) the correct answer.
Negative Marking for Wrong Answers:
- For 1-mark MCQ: 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer
- For 2-mark MCQ: 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer
2. Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)
Carrying 1 or 2 marks each in all the papers and sections. These questions are objective in nature, and each will have choice of four answers, out of which ONE or MORE than ONE choice(s) is / are correct.
Important Notes:
- There is NO negative marking for a wrong answer in MSQ questions
- There is NO partial credit for choosing partially correct combinations of choices or any single wrong choice
Example: Which of the following is/are state(s) in India? (A) Maharashtra (B) Gujarat (C) Mumbai (D) Goa. The correct answer is (A), (B) and (D). Candidates will get full marks only if this exact combination is selected.
3. Numerical Answer Type (NAT)
Questions carrying 1 or 2 marks each in all the papers and sections. For these questions, the answer is a signed real number, which needs to be entered by the candidate using the virtual numeric keypad on the monitor (keyboard of the computer will be disabled).
Key Points:
- No choices will be shown for these type of questions
- The answer can be a number such as 10 or -10 (an integer only)
- The answer may be in decimals: 10.1 (one decimal), 10.01 (two decimals), or -10.001 (three decimals)
- There is NO negative marking for a wrong answer in NAT questions
GATE Exam Pattern of Marks for 2026
In all the papers, there will be a total of 65 questions carrying 100 marks, out of which 10 questions carrying a total of 15 marks will be on General Aptitude (GA), which is intended to test the Language and Analytical Skills.
Papers with Engineering Mathematics
For papers: AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, PE, PI, TF, XE
- Engineering Mathematics: ~15% of total marks
- General Aptitude: 15% of total marks
- Subject Paper: ~70% of total marks
Papers without Engineering Mathematics
For papers: AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, XL
- General Aptitude: 15% of total marks
- Subject Paper: 85% of total marks
The Design of Questions
The questions in a paper may be designed to test the following abilities:
1. Recall
Based on facts, principles, formulae or laws in the discipline. The candidate is expected to obtain the answer either from memory or at most from a one-line computation.
2. Comprehension
Tests the candidate's understanding of the basics by requiring him/her to draw simple conclusions from fundamental ideas.
3. Application
The candidate is expected to apply his/her knowledge either through computation or by logical reasoning.
4. Analysis and Synthesis
Questions present data, diagrams, images, etc. that require analysis. Synthesis questions might require comparing two or more pieces of information, recognizing unstated assumptions, or separating useful information from irrelevant information.