GATE Exam Pattern 2026: Marking Scheme, Exam Day Requirements & Total Marks

A new sectional paper on Energy Science (XE-I) in the Engineering Sciences (XE) paper has been introduced by IIT Guwahati. The students can opt for a maximum of 2 subject codes for the GATE exam from the two-paper combination list.

The entrance exam will be held in English medium / languages for a total duration of 180 Minutes (3 Hours) on the basis of GATE exam pattern 2026. The GATE exam is held Online in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode which is conducted once a year. According to the GATE 2026 exam pattern, the exam will be conducted for a total of 100 Marks.

The details about the GATE pattern 2026 can be obtained from this article including the medium, mode, time allotted, section-wise details, marking criteria, and many others.

 The GATE paper pattern 2026 is available online on the exam’s official website i.e., ‘gate2026.iitg.ac.in’ by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati. Candidates should have deep knowledge about the test pattern as it will aid them in securing excellent marks in the GATE 2026 exam.

Check the below-stated table to get an overview about the GATE 2026 exam pattern:

IIT Guwahati (the exam conducting body) will conduct the exam for a total of 100 Marks which have to be solved within the time limit of 180 Minutes i.e., 3 Hours. As per the GATE exam pattern 2026, there will be two sections in the paper which are General Aptitude (GA) and Subject selected by the candidates. The GATE exam 2026 paper will have a total of 65 questions, 10 questions from GA sections and the remaining 55 questions from the subject-core discipline.

On the basis of GATE Exam Pattern 2026, in each test paper, the General Aptitude section will carry 15 marks and remaining 85 marks will be for the subject components.

Refer to the below-stated table to know the distribution of marks as per different paper codes in the GATE exam 2026:

*Aspirants after fulfilling the GATE Eligibility Criteria 2026 and completing the GATE Registration 2026 process should go through the exam pattern to understand the format of the test.

As per the GATE exam pattern 2026, the exam will have 3 types of questions which will carry 1 or 2 Marks for each question. The details about the type of questions and their marking scheme are as follows:

IIT Guwahati (the exam conducting body) will conduct the exam for a total of 100 Marks which have to be solved within the time limit of 180 Minutes i.e., 3 Hours. As per the GATE exam pattern 2026, there will be two sections in the paper which are General Aptitude (GA) and Subject selected by the candidates. The GATE exam 2026 paper will have a total of 65 questions, 10 questions from GA sections and the remaining 55 questions from the subject-core discipline.

On the basis of GATE Exam Pattern 2026, in each test paper, the General Aptitude section will carry 15 marks and remaining 85 marks will be for the subject components.

Refer to the below-stated table to know the distribution of marks as per different paper codes in the GATE exam 2026:

* Aspirants after fulfilling the GATE Eligibility Criteria 2026 and completing the GATE Registration 2026 process should go through the exam pattern to understand the format of the test.

GATE Exam Pattern 2026: Type of Questions

As per the GATE exam pattern 2026, the exam will have 3 types of questions which will carry 1 or 2 Marks for each question. The details about the type of questions and their marking scheme are as follows:

GATE Exam Pattern 2026: Paper-Wise Marking Scheme

In the General Aptitude sections, there will be a total of 10 questions (of overall 15 marks) and the GATE marking scheme for the same is mentioned-below:

• 5 questions carry 1 Mark each which make a total of 5 Marks.
• The remaining 5 questions carry 2 Marks each (5x2 = 10 Marks).

*Students should know that as per the GATE 2026 exam pattern, the GA section is common in each test paper with the same marking pattern.

Apart from the 10 questions in the GA section, there will be remaining 55 questions from the subject component and the marking scheme of the same as per the different test papers is mentioned below:

For Test Papers except AR, GE, GG, XE, XH, and XL

In these papers, there will be 25 questions carrying 1 Mark each and 30 questions will contain 2 Marks each. The paper will be conducted for a total of 85 Marks.

Architecture and Planning (AR)

The test paper comprises two parts including Part A of 60 Marks and Part B of 25 Marks apart from the General Aptitude (GA) section. The paper will include MCQs, MSQs, and NAT questions.

Students should refer to the below-given points to know the exam pattern of AR test paper:

• Part A of the paper is compulsory to attempt which will have a total of 39 questions out of which 18 questions will carry 1 Mark each and 21 questions will carry 2 Marks each.
• Part B will be divided into 2 sections which are B1 (Architecture) and B2 (Planning); students can opt for any one section during the examination.
• In Part B, there will be 16 questions; 7 questions of 1 Mark and 9 questions of 2 Marks each.

Geomatics Engineering (GE)

This test paper is divided into two parts which are Part A and B. The Part A is Engineering Mathematics and Basic Geomatics (Compulsory for all candidates) of 55 Marks. The Part B is segregated into 2 sections which are Section I - Surveying and Mapping, and Section 2 - Image Processing and Analysis. The total marks of Part B are 30.

Below-given is the marking scheme for GE test paper:

• The Part A consists of a total of 36 questions, 17 questions of 1 Mark each and 19 questions of 2 Marks each.
• In Part B, each section has 19 questions; 8 questions of 1 Mark and remaining 11 questions carries 2 Marks. Candidates can select for any one of the sections from Part B at the time of exam.

Engineering Sciences (XE)

To know about the XE test pattern of GATE exam, students should refer to the below-listed points:

• Section A (Engineering Mathematics) is compulsory for all students. In this section, there will be a total of 11 questions of 15 Marks of which 7 questions will carry 1 Mark each and 4 questions will be of 2 Marks each.

• Along with Section A, the XE paper will also have 2 additional sections. Students can opt for any 2 sections from B to H code during the exam. Each section will comprise 22 questions of 35 Marks, 9 questions of 1 Mark each and 13 questions of 2 Marks each.

Following are the subjects in Section B to I:

Life Sciences (XL)

Aspirants who are appearing in the XL paper of GATE 2026 exam have to answer as per the below-given sections:

• Section P - Chemistry (Compulsory): It has a total of 17 questions of 25 marks, 1 Mark each for 9 questions and 2 Marks each for 8 questions.
• Any two of XL Sections Q to U: Candidates have to choose any 2 additional sections from Q to U section code. Each section will contain 19 questions carrying a total of 30 Marks, 1 Mark each for 8 questions, and 2 Marks each for 11 questions.

Check the below-listed table to know the subjects included in section Q to U:

Important Points to Consider About XL & XE:

Below-given are some essential points related to the XL and XE test paper:

• Students who desire to change the optional section at the time of examination are first required to deselect the previously opted section, ‘Q through U for XL test paper’ and ‘B through I for XE paper’.
• All the marked answers will be deleted once the students deselect the optional section.

Geology and Geophysics (GG)

This test paper contains 2 parts that are Part A (compulsory) and B. The Part B has 2 sections which are Section 1 – Geology and Section 2 – Geophysics. Students need to select any 1 section from Part B during the GATE application process.

Go through the below-listed points to have an understanding about the test pattern of GG paper:

• In Part A, a total of 16 questions will be there in the paper carrying 25 Marks, 7 questions will be of 1 Mark each, and 9 questions carry 2 Marks each.
• Each section of Part B will contain 39 questions which will be carrying a total of 60 Marks, 1 Mark each for 18 questions, and 2 Marks each for 21 questions.

Humanities and Social Sciences (XH)

Students who have opted for XH test paper should go through the below-given description of its exam pattern:

• This test paper has 2 sections, Section B1 – Reading and Comprehension (Compulsory) and any one of XH sections from C1 to C6.
• Section B1 will have a total of 15 questions carrying 25 Marks, 7 questions of 1 Mark each, and 9 questions of 2 Marks each.
• Students have the choice to select 1 section of their choice from C1 to C6 while filling the application form of GATE exam 2026. There will be 39 questions from the optional section which will carry 60 Marks, 18 questions of 1 Mark each, and 21 questions of 2 Marks each.

The list of section codes from C1 to C6 is mentioned in the table given below:

* For XH and GG test papers, students are not allowed to make requests for change of section at the time of examination.

In accordance with the GATE exam pattern 2026, the authorities have prescribed various facilities to the Person with Benchmark Disability (PwD) category candidates. Following are the details of the same:

Scribe Facilities

PwD and Dyslexic candidates can avail the scribe facility at the time of application process. There are two methods to arrange the scribe which are as follows:

• Scribes arranged by Candidates: The scribe should not be an appearing candidate for GATE exam 2026. The Government of India (GoI) has prescribed the guideline that the scribe should be one step less qualified than the aspirant appearing for the exam.

Note: If the students chose to bring their own scribe but are not able to bring it, in such cases, it will not be possible to make an arrangement for the new scribe.

* The scribe will not receive any payment for their service.

• Scribes arranged by GATE: Check the below-given points to know about the details of the scribe arranged by the exam authorities:
  • Candidates should know that the qualification of scribe that is arranged by the GATE will not be more than the minimum eligibility criteria of the exam. In addition to this, the minimum educational qualification of the scribe will be at least 10^th Class or above.
  • The authorities will provide 2 scribes to each PwD / Dyslexic candidate. However, students are required to select one as per their choice from the available options of scribe offered to them.
  • Students should know they will not be allowed to bring their own scribe, if they have opted for a scribe arranged by the GATE option.

Assistive Devices

Candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disability category are provided with assistive facilities; the details of the same can be understood from the following points:

• PwD candidates can use assistive devices (if required) such as Abacus, Braille Slate, Wheel chair, etc.

• Students have to bring their own assistive devices, the authorities are not responsible for the arrangements.
• These candidates are provided with an option to view the content on the computer screen in magnified font (Step 1 magnification: approximately 1.25x and Step 2 magnification: approximately 1.5x).
• To be familiar with the arrangements, the authorities allow PwD students to visit the examination centre a day before the entrance test.

Compensatory Time

Check the below-given points to know about the compensatory time provided to the PwD candidates in the test as per the GATE exam pattern 2026:

• All PwD / Dyslexic candidates can avail the compensatory time of 60 Minutes (for the exam) at the time of application process, whether they have opted for the scribe facility or not.
• Students should know that the IIT Guwahati (exam conducting body) will not provide on-spot compensatory time facility to the PwD students during the examination.

* In order to secure good marks in the exam, applicants are suggested to prepare as per the GATE Syllabus 2026 along with the paper pattern.