What is GATE?
GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is an All-India entrance test managed and authorised in eight national regions. The GATE Committee conducts the exam, faculty members of IITs and IISc on behalf of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education and National Coordinating Board. The primary goal of the GATE exam is to test students’ knowledge and awareness in subjects like Science and Engineering.
Multiple Public Sector Undertakings use the GATE scorecard in order to recruit applicants for distinguished jobs at GAIL, Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil, etc.
GATE Exam Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
| Full Exam Name | Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering |
| Short Exam Name | GATE |
| Managing By | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur |
| Exam Level | National |
| Languages | English |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Application Fee (General) | 1500 |
| Mode of Exam | Online |
| Mode of Question Papers | MSQ/MCQ/NAT |
| Exam Duration | 3 Hours |
GATE Eligibility Criteria
The GATE Eligibility requirement is based on various parameters such as education qualification, age, nationality, etc.
- The minimum qualification required for applicants is 10+2+3, i.e. the students must have completed their Bachelor’s degree.
- Candidates who have certification from any of the professional societies, however, must ensure that the examinations administered by the societies are recognised by the MoE/AICTE/UGC/UPSC as equal to B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Arch. / B.Planning, etc.
- Candidates who have achieved or are pursuing their qualifying degree outside of India: Must be in their third or higher year of study or have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology / Science / Arts / Commerce.
- Indian students are eligible. International candidates from Nepal, Bangladesh, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) will also be eligible.
- A candidate who is currently studying in the final year of the undergraduate degree or who has already completed the UG degree in Engineering/ Technology/ Commerce/ Arts/ Science/ Architecture.
- There is no attempt limit; candidates just have to meet the eligibility criteria for GATE.
- There is no maximum or minimum age limit for all the GATE aspirants enrolling in the GATE exam.
Subjects for GATE Exam
GATE Exam will contain 27 disciplines/subjects starting this year. A candidate may present just one paper from each of the following fields.
GATE Paper | Code | GATE Paper | Code | |
| Aerospace Engineering | AE |
| IN | |
| Agricultural Engineering | AG | Mathematics | MA | |
| Architecture and Planning | AR | Mechanical Engineering | ME | |
| Biomedical Engineering | AR | Mining Engineering | MN | |
| Biotechnology | BT | Metallurgical Engineering | MT | |
| Civil Engineering | CE | Petroleum Engineering | PE | |
| Chemical Engineering | CH | Physics | PH | |
| Computer Science and Information Technology | CS | Production and Industrial Engineering | PI | |
| Chemistry | CY | Statistics | ST | |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | EC | Textile Engineering and Fibre Science | TF | |
| Electrical Engineering | EE | Engineering Sciences | XE | |
| Environmental Science & Engineering (New) | ES | Humanities & Social Sciences (New) | XH | |
| Ecology and Evolution | EY | Life Sciences | XL | |
| Geology and Geophysics | GG |
GATE Exam Paper Codes for XE, XL and XL Papers
| XE Paper Sections | Code | XL Paper Sections | Code | XH Paper Sections | Code |
| Engineering Mathematics(Compulsory – 15 Marks) | A | XL Paper Sections | P | Reasoning and Comprehension (Compulsory) (25 marks) | B1 |
| Any 2 optional sections (2×35 = 70 marks) | Any 2 optional sections (2×30 = 60 marks) | Any 1 optional section (60 marks) | |||
| Fluid Mechanics | B | Biochemistry | Q | Economics | C1 |
| Materials Science | C | Botany | R | English | C2 |
| Solid Mechanics | D | Microbiology | S | Linguistics | C3 |
| Thermodynamics | E | Zoology | T | Philosophy | C4 |
| Polymer Science and Engineering | F | Food Technology | U | Psychology | C5 |
| Food Technology | G | – | – | Sociology | C6 |
| Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences | H | – | – | – | |
GATE Exam Pattern
| Particulars | Details |
| Examination Mode | Computer Based Test (Online) |
| Duration | 3 Hours |
| Section | General Aptitude (GA) and Candidate Selected Subject |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions |
| Design of Questions | Application Analysis and synthesis Comprehension Recall |
| Number of Questions | 10 (GA) + 55 (subject) = 65 Questions |
| Total Marks | 100 Marks |
| Marking Scheme | All of the questions will be of 1 or 2 marks |
GATE Exam Pattern: Section wise marks distribution
| Paper Code | Marks Distribution |
Distribution of Questions in all Papers except AR, CY, EY, XH, GG, MA, PH, and XL | General Aptitude (GA) – 15, Engineering Mathematics -13, and The subject of the Paper – 72 |
| Distribution of Questions in AR, CY, MA, PH, XH, EY, GG, and XL | General Aptitude (GA)- 15 and The subject of the Paper- 85 |
GATE Exam Pattern Marking Scheme
There is a different marking scheme depending on which subject you are attempting. Go through the marking scheme of the different papers in the chart below.
| Paper Code | General Aptitude (GA) Marks | Subject Marks | Total Marks | Total Time (Minutes) |
| AE, AR, AG, BT, CE, CH, CS, CY, EC, EE, ES, EY, IN, MA, ME, MN, MT, PE, PH, PI, TF, ST, and BM | 15 | 85 | 100 | 180 |
| GG [Part A + Part B (Section 1 Geology OR Section 2 Geophysics)] | 15 | 25 + 60 | 100 | 180 |
| XE (Section A + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 15 + (2 x 35) | 100 | 180 |
| XH (Section B1 + Any ONE Section) | 15 | 25 + (1 x 60) | 100 | 180 |
| XL (Section P + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 25 + (2 x 30) | 100 | 180 |
GATE Syllabus
GATE Agricultural Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Farm machinery
- Farm power
- Soil and water conservation engineering
- Irrigation and drainage engineering
- Agricultural process engineering
- Dairy and food engineering
GATE Architecture and Planning Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Architecture, planning, and design
- Construction and management
- Environmental planning and design
- 3 Urban design, landscape, and conservation
- Planning process
- Housing
- Services and infrastructure
- History and contemporary architecture
- Building construction and structural systems
- Building services and sustainability
- Regional and settlement planning
- Planning techniques and management
- Infrastructure planning
GATE Biotechnology Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- General biology
- Genetics, cellular, and molecular biology
- Fundamentals of biological engineering
- Bioprocess engineering and process biotechnology
- Plant, animal, and microbial biotechnology
- Recombinant DNA technology and other tools in biotechnology
GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Structural engineering
- Geotechnical engineering
- Water resources engineering
- Environmental engineering
- Transportation engineering
- Geomatics engineering
GATE Chemical Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Process calculations and thermodynamics
- Fluid mechanics and mechanical operations
- Heat transfer
- Mass transfer
- Chemical reaction engineering
- Instrumentation and process control
- Plant design and economics
- Chemical technology
GATE Computer Science and Information Technology Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Computer science and information technology
GATE Chemistry Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Physical chemistry
- Inorganic chemistry
- Organic chemistry
GATE Electronics and Communication Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Networks, signals, and systems
- Electronic devices
- Analog circuits
- Digital circuits
- Control systems
- Communications
- Electromagnetics
GATE Electrical Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Electric circuits
- Electromagnetic fields
- Signals and systems
- Electrical machines
- Power systems
- Control systems
- Electrical and electronic measurements
- Analog and digital electronics
- Power electronics
GATE Geology and Geophysics Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Common section
- Geology
- Geophysics
GATE Instrumentation Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Instrumentation engineering
GATE Mathematics Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Mathematics
GATE Mechanical Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Applied mechanics and design
- Fluid mechanics and thermal sciences
- Materials, manufacturing and industrial engineering
GATE Metallurgical Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Metallurgical thermodynamics
- Transport phenomena and rate processes
- Mineral processing and extractive metallurgy
- Physical metallurgy
- Mechanical metallurgy
- Manufacturing processes
GATE Mining Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Mining geology, mine development, and surveying
- Geomechanics and ground control
- Mining methods and machinery
- Surface environment, mine ventilation, and underground hazards
- Mineral, economics, mine planning, systems engineering
GATE Petroleum Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Petroleum engineering
GATE Physics Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Mathematical physics
- Classical mechanics
- Electromagnetic theory
- Quantum mechanics
- Thermodynamics and statistical physics
- Atomic and molecular physics
- Solid state physics
- Electronics
Nuclear and particle physics
GATE Production and Industrial Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- General engineering
- Manufacturing processes-I
- Manufacturing processes-II
- Quality and reliability
- Industrial engineering
- Operations research and operations management
GATE Statistics Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Statistics
GATE Textile Engineering and Fibre Science Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Textile engineering and fibre science
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Ecology
- Evolution
- Mathematics and quantitative ecology
- Behavioural ecology
- Applied ecology and evolution
GATE XE Engineering Mathematics Syllabus
- Linear algebra
- Calculus
- Vector calculus
- Complex variables
- Ordinary differential equations
- Partial differential equations
- Probability and statistics
- Numerical methods
GATE XE Fluid Mechanics Syllabus
- Flow and fluid properties
- Kinematics of fluid motion
- Integral analysis for a control volume
- Differential analysis
- Dimensional analysis
- Internal flows
- Bernoulli’s equation and its applications, potential flows
- External flows
GATE XE Materials Science Syllabus
- Classification and structure of materials
- Thermodynamics, kinetics, and phase transformations
- Properties and applications of materials
- Characterization and measurements of properties
- Processing of materials
- Degradation of materials
GATE XE Solid Mechanics Syllabus
- Mechanics of rigid bodies
- Mechanics of deformable bodies
- Vibrations
GATE XE Thermodynamics Syllabus
- Basic concepts
- First law of thermodynamics
- Second law of thermodynamics
- Properties of pure substances
- Thermodynamic relations
- Thermodynamic cycles
- Ideal gas mixtures
GATE XE Polymer Science and Engineering Syllabus
Polymer science and engineering
GATE XE Food Technology Syllabus
- Food chemistry and nutrition
- Food microbiology
- Food products technology
- Food engineering
GATE XE Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Syllabus
Atmospheric and Ocean science
GATE XL Chemistry Syllabus
- Atomic structure and periodicity
- Structure and bonding
- s, p, and d block elements
- Chemical equilibrium
- Electrochemistry
- Reaction kinetics
- Thermodynamics
- Structure-reactivity correlations and organic reaction mechanismsChemistry of biomolecules
GATE XL Biochemistry Syllabus
Biochemistry
GATE XL Botany Syllabus
Botany
GATE XL Microbiology Syllabus
Microbiology
GATE XL Zoology Syllabus
- Zoology
GATE XL Food Technology Syllabus
- Food chemistry and nutrition
- Food microbiology
- Food products technology
- Food engineering
GATE Biomedical Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Engineering mathematics
- Electrical Circuits
- Signals and systems
- Analog and digital electronics
- Measurements and control systems
- Sensors and instrumentation
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Medical imaging systems
- Biomechanics
- Biomaterials
GATE Environmental Science and Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Mathematics foundation
- Environmental chemistry
- Environmental microbiology
- Water resources and environmental hydraulics
- Water and wastewater treatment and management
- Air and noise pollution
- Solid and hazardous waste management
- Global and regional environmental issues
- Environmental management and sustainable development
GATE XH Reasoning and Comprehension Syllabus
Reasoning and comprehension
GATE XH Economics Syllabus
- Microeconomics
- Macroeconomics
- Statistics, econometrics and mathematical economics
- International economics
- Public economics
- Development economics
- Indian economy
GATE XH English Syllabus
- English
GATE XH Linguistics Syllabus
- Language and linguistics
- Levels of grammar and grammatical analysis
- Historical linguistics
- Sociolinguistics
- Areal typology, universals, cross-linguistic features
- Methods of analysis
- Applied linguistics
GATE XH Philosophy Syllabus
- Classical Indian philosophy
- Contemporary Indian philosophy
- Classical and modern western philosophy
- Contemporary western philosophy
GATE XH Psychology Syllabus
- Research methods and statistics
- Psychometrics
- Biological and evolutionary basis of behaviour
- Perception, learning, memory and forgetting
- Cognition
- Personality
- Motivation, emotion and stress and coping
- Social psychology
- Development across the lifespan
- Applications of psychology
GATE XH Sociology Syllabus
- Sociological theory
- Research methodology and methods
- Sociological concepts
- Agrarian sociology and rural transformation
- Family, marriage, and kinship
- Indian society/ sociology of India
- Social movements
- Sociology of development
GATE Geomatics Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Geomatics engineering (part-A)
- Geomatics engineering (part-B: Section-I)
- Geomatics engineering (part-B: Section-II)
GATE Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Syllabus
- General aptitude
- Naval architecture and marine engineering