GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Solutions PDF - Download Link

GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Solutions PDF - Download Link

Shivani PooniaUpdated on 22 Feb 2026, 01:58 PM IST

The GATE 2026 exam was conducted on 7, 8, 14, and 15 February 2026. This year, the GATE 2026 Exam was conducted by IIT Guwahati. The GATE Civil Engineering Exam 2026 was held on 14 February 2026. GATE CE Exam 2026 was conducted in two sessions (Forenoon and Afternoon). Both shifts have been completed, and exam details are provided below. Following the examination, the Candidate Response, Master Question Paper, and Master Answer Key have been uploaded on the GOAPS portal, allowing candidates to verify their recorded responses and analyse their expected performance. The GATE Exam 2026 is the entry point for Civil Engineering students to get successful admission into some of the reputed colleges in India, like NITs, IISc and IITs.

This Story also Contains

  1. GATE 2026 CE-1 Feb 14 Forenoon Shift
  2. GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Question Paper Overview
  3. Download GATE CE Question Paper 2026
  4. GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Exam Pattern
  5. GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus 2026
  6. GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Subject-Wise Weightage
  7. Download GATE Civil Engineering Previous Year’s Question Papers
  8. Benefits of Solving GATE CE Previous Year Question Papers
GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Solutions PDF - Download Link
GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Solutions PDF

The GATE 2026 exam is an aspirant's first step towards achieving their favourite work life. But to crack this exam, aspirants need to be smart. This is where the GATE CE Question Paper 2026 comes into play. It helps you see the GATE CE 2026 Exam Pattern, past trends, and understand the difficulty level of the exam. Here is all the information you need about the GATE CE 2026 Exam from the GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Solutions to the GATE 2026 CE Syllabus, Exam Pattern, and Mock Tests, Memory-based questions in an easily accessible manner.

GATE 2026 CE-2 Feb 14 Afternoon Shift

Some memory-based questions for CE-2 are added below:

Question 1: A rectangular catchment ABCD has an area of 7 hectares. The times of concentration from the four extreme points A, B, C and D to the outlet are 10, 20, 15 and 25 minutes, respectively. The rainfall intensity-duration relationship is given by I=25t+20, where I= rainfall intensity in cm/hr and t= time of concentration in minutes. The runoff coefficient of the catchment is 0.4. Determine the peak discharge from the catchment. (Enter the numerical value only in m3/s.)

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Question 2: A bridge has an expected design life of 50 years. It is designed for a flood discharge of 1000 m3/s, which corresponds to a return period of 100 years. Determine the risk (probability) that the design flood will be equalled or exceeded at least once during the design life of the bridge. (Enter the numerical value of risk in decimal form, correct up to three decimal places).

Question 3: A portal frame has a span of 4m(2m+2m) and a height of 3m. The left base is hinged and the right base is roller supported. A horizontal load of 50 kN acts at the top left joint. A vertical concentrated load of 90 kN acts at the midspan of the top beam. Determine the absolute value of the maximum bending moment in the frame.

Question 4: Match the following:

Air pollutantTreatment Tech.
(1) Dust(P) Cyclone seperation
(2) CO(Q) Wet lime water scrubber
(3) SO2(R) ESP
(4) Fly ash(S) Catalytic Convertor

Question 5: Long-term deformation of a material under sustained constant loading is primarily governed by:
(a) Creep
(b) Modulus of toughness
(c) Modulus of resilience
(d) Yield strength

Question 6: In a reinforced concrete slab, 10 mm diameter bars are provided at a centre-to-centre spacing of 150 mm to resist a given design moment. If instead of 10 mm bars, 12 mm diameter bars of the same grade of steel are used, determine the required centre-to-centre spacing (in mm ) so that the slab resists the same design moment. (Assume effective depth and other parameters remain unchanged. Enter the numerical value only in mm.)

Question 7: Which of the following methods are used to check whether the flexural stresses in a prestressed concrete beam remain within permissible limits at transfer and final stages? Select all the correct option(s).
(a) Hoyer's effect
(b) Limiting zone of prestress method
(c) Magnel's graph
(d) Load balancing method

Question 8: Let P = (101010101). Which of the following statements is/are correct?
(a) PTP = I
(b) P is skew-symmetric
(c) The value of each eigenvalue of P is 1
(d) The trace of P is equal to the sum of its eigenvalues

Question 9: (y+3x−13)^3 + (x+y−7)^2 = 0 where x and y are integers. The value of x^3+y3^ is ____ .

Question 10: Bag-I contains 4 white and 6 black balls, Bag-ll contains 4 white and 3 black balls. A ball is selected at random and it comes out to be a black ball. What is the probability that it is from Bag I?

Question 11: Consider the matrix A = (9151550). The matrix A is decomposed using Cholesky decomposition. Determine the value of l22.

Question 12: Given the following data: x:(−2,1,2), y:(28,4,16). Let P2(x) be the quadratic interpolating polynomial passing through the above three points. Find the value of P2(0).

Question 13: Bernoullis equation is applicable in fluid, than which condition is satisfied?

(a) Flow should be steady

(b) Fluid should be frictionless

(c) Fluid should be incompressible

(d) Flow should be rotational

Question 14: What is the purpose of windrose diagram?

(a) Orientation of runway

(b) Length of runway

(c) Width of runway

(d) Gradient

Question 15: Algae is used where?

(a) Septic tank

(b) Slow sand filter

(c) Oxidation pond

(d) Trickling filter

Overall Analysis

Overall difficulty level: The overall difficulty level of the exam was Moderate to Difficult.

Number of questions asked

Topics

Marks

General Aptitude

15

Engineering Mathematics

13

Strength of materials

5

Structural Analysis

4

Reinforced Cement Concrete

6

Design of steel structures

2

Building material construction

0

Construction management

0

Geotechnical engineering

13

Fluid Mechanics

8

Engineering hydrology

4

Irrigation Engineering

1

Environmental engineering

11

Transportation engineering

11

Surveying

7

GATE 2026 CE-1 Feb 14 Forenoon Shift

Question 1: Consider a soil sample where the following parameters are defined:
S = Soil suction head
K= Hydraulic conductivity
w= Moisture content

If the moisture content (w) of the soil increases, which of the following statements regarding the soil suction head (S) and hydraulic conductivity (K) is correct?

(a) Both S and K increase.
(b) Both S and K decrease.
(c) S increases while K decreases.
(d) S decreases while K increases.

Question 2: For a two-lane road and a two-lane highway, the length of the submit curve depends on what?

(a) friction(lateral)

(b) Acceleration

(c) SSD

(d) OSD

Question 3: A clay deposit is found to have a natural water content and void ratio that corresponds to a preconsolidation pressure ( σp′ ) that is greater than the present effective overburden pressure ( σo′ ). This clay is best classified as:
(a) OCC (Over Consolidated Clay)
(b) LCC (Lightly Consolidated Clay)
(c) NCC (Normally Consolidated Clay)
(d) Quick Clay

Question 4: In a rectangular open channel, a hydraulic jump occurs. The ratio of the post-jump depth (y2) to the pre-jump depth (y1) is measured to be 2 . What is the Froude number (Fr1) of the flow immediately before the jump?
(a) 2
(b) 1.5
(c) 3
(d) 2.5

Question 5: The Rational Method formula for estimating peak runoff is given as Q=CiA360. For the result Q to be in cubic meters per second (m3/s), what must be the units of rainfall intensity (i) and catchment area (A) ?
(a) i in cm/hr, A in km2
(b) i in mm/hr, A in km2
(c) i in mm/hr, A in hectares
(d) i in m/hr, A in hectares

Question 6: Match the Gradually Varied Flow (GVF) profiles on a mild slope (M1,M2,M3) with the nature of their water surface slope (dy/dx) relative to the flow direction.
Profile \& Nature of Slope (dy/dx)
P. M1 Profile \& 1. Positive (Rising Curve)
Q. M2 Profile \& 2. Negative (Drawdown Curve)
R. M3 Profile \& 3. Positive (Rising Curve)

Select the correct classification:
(a) M1 is Rising, M2 is Rising, M3 is Falling
(b) M1 is Rising, M2 is Falling, M3 is Rising
(c) M1 is Falling, M2 is Rising, M3 is Falling
(d) M1 is Rising, M2 is Falling, M3 is Falling

Overall Analysis

Overall difficulty level: The overall difficulty level of the exam was Moderate to slightly tough.

The General Aptitude section was scoring, and the core civil engineering section was conceptual and lengthy. The core technical section contained lengthy and conceptual questions.

Number of questions asked

Topics

Marks

General Aptitude

15

Engineering Mathematics

13

Strength of materials

2

Structural Analysis

4

Reinforced Cement Concrete

4

Design of steel structures

3

Building material construction

3

Construction management

1

Geotechnical engineering

15

Fluid Mechanics

6

Engineering hydrology

4

Irrigation Engineering

3

Environmental engineering

9

Transportation engineering

11

Surveying

7

GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Question Paper Overview

It is important to have a clear picture of the exam before you start your preparation. Below is a quick overview of the GATE CE 2026 Exam. Please refer to the GATE CE 2026 Exam Pattern to get more in-depth information about the exam pattern.

Paper Name

Civil Engineering

Paper Code

CE

Date of Examination

14 February

Conducting Body

IIT Guwahati

Mode of Examination

Computer-Based Test

Total Marks

100

Duration

3 Hours

Section-wise weightage

General Aptitude: 15 Marks

Subject Questions: 85 Marks

Question Types

MCQs, MSQs, NATs

Download GATE CE Question Paper 2026

Having access to the right resources is half the battle won, and one such resource is the GATE CE 2026 Question Paper. Candidates can use the GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Solutions PDF Free Download to analyze the difficulty level and question trends. The official question paper will be released by IIT Guwahati after few days concludes.

You can simply download the GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Solutions PDF by using the link given below. The link will be activated after the release of the official question paper.

GATE 2026 CE Question Paper

Link to be available soon

GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Exam Pattern

Getting familiarized with the exam pattern can help you avoid negative marking and can help you efficiently manage time. GATE CE 2026 Exam Pattern will be as follows. The exams will be conducted in online mode, i.e., Computer-Based Test (CBT).

Paticulars

Details

Exam Mode

Online Computer-Based Test(CBT)

Duration

3 Hours

Question Pattern

  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

  • Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)

  • Numerical Answer Type (NAT)

Number of Sections

  • General Aptitude

  • Civil Engineering

Types of Sections

  • Recall

  • Comprehension

  • Application

  • Analysis and Synthesis

Total Number of Questions

10 (General Aptitude)

55 (Civil Engineering)

Total-65 Questions

Total Marks

100 Marks

Marking Scheme

1 Mark and 2 Mark question

Negative Marking

  • For a 1-mark MCQ question, 1/3 mark will be deducted.

  • 2-mark questions, ⅔ marks will be deducted.

  • No negative marking in MSQ and NAT questions.

GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus 2026

The GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Syllabus is comprehensive, right from the fundamentals of mathematics to advanced structural analysis. The GATE CE 2026 syllabus can be categorized broadly into three sections: General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and Core Civil Engineering topics. You can refer to the GATE 2026 CE Syllabus for a detailed insight into the syllabus.

Sections

Important Topics

General Aptitude

  • Verbal Aptitude

  • Quantitative Aptitude

  • Analytical Aptitude

  • Spatial Aptitude

Engineering Mathematics

  • Linear Algebra

  • Calculus

  • Partial Differential Equation(PDE)

  • Ordinary Differential Equation(ODE)

  • Probability and Statistics

  • Numerical Methods

Transportation Engineering

  • Transportation Infrastructure

  • Highway Pavements

  • Traffic Engineering

Geomatics Engineering

  • Principle of surveying

  • Maps

  • Distance and angle measurement

  • Horizontal and vertical curves

  • Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing

GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Subject-Wise Weightage

You need to know the subject-wise weightage to get a good score in GATE CE 2026. We have prepared an expected weightage table for GATE CE 2026 on the basis of the analysis of previous years.

Chapter Name

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

Total

Percentage

Aptitude

10

10

10

10

10

50

15.87%

Engineering Mathematics

9

9

6

12

5

41

13.02%

Environmental Engineering

7

6

8

7

7

35

11.11%

Geomatics Engineering

3

5

4

2

6

20

6.35%

Geotechnical Engineering

8

8

13

8

7

44

13.97%

Structural Engineering

11

14

11

9

7

52

16.51%

Transportation Engineering

8

7

5

7

7

34

10.79%

Water Resources Engineering

9

6

8

10

6

39

12.38%

Grand Total

65

65

65

65

55

315

100%

GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Repeated Topics

Here are the "Repeated Topics" that have appeared frequently in past exams, and chances are that they may appear in the GATE CE question paper 2026.

Subject

Key Topics

Engineering Mathematics

Linear Algebra, Calculus, Differential Equations

Structural Engineering

Structural Analysis, Design of Steel Structures, Design of Concrete Structures

Geotechnical Engineering

Soil Mechanics, Foundation Engineering, Earth Pressure Theories

Environmental Engineering

Water Supply Engineering, Wastewater Engineering, Air Pollution

Transportation Engineering

Highway Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Pavement Design

Transportation Engineering

Surveying, Remote Sensing, GIS

Fluid Mechanics & Hydraulics

Fluid Properties, Fluid Statics, Open Channel Flow

Hydrology & Irrigation

Hydrological Cycle, Groundwater Hydrology, Irrigation Methods

Construction Materials & Management

Construction Planning, Project Management, Building Materials

Download GATE Civil Engineering Previous Year’s Question Papers

Solving previous years' papers is the best way to simulate the actual exam environment. It helps you understand the GATE 2026 CE Question Paper with Answers PDF pattern better. Below are the links to download the previous years' question papers.

Benefits of Solving GATE CE Previous Year Question Papers

  • Understand the Exam Pattern: The GATE Exam consists of mixed-type questions (MCQs, MSQs, and NATs). Solving the actual question paper helps you get familiar with the weird exam pattern.
  • Time Management: Solving previous year papers and giving mock tests regularly helps you in improving your speed and accuracy.
  • Self Assessment: The previous year's paper plays a very important role in your self-assessment. You will get answers to all those questions, like “Where did I make the mistake?” and “How a simple minus sign stopped me from gaining those two marks, resulting in negative marks?”, while solving the previous year's question paper. They help you identify your weak areas.
GATE Previous Year Question Paper's
Download GATE previous year question papers to understand exam pattern and difficulty level. Practice with these papers to boost your preparation and improve your score.
Check Now

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who conducted the GATE exam 2026?
A:

The GATE Exam 2026 was conducted by IIT Guwahati.

Q: When will the GATE CE Question Paper 2026 be released?
A:

The GATE CE Question Paper 2026 will be released by IIT Guwahati after the exam is conducted.

Q: Can a 2nd-year B.Tech student apply for the GATE Exam?
A:

No, a 2nd-year B.Tech student cannot apply for GATE. The candidate must be in their 3rd year or higher of an undergraduate degree.

Q: What is the negative marking pattern in GATE Mathematics?
A:

For MCQ questions, 1/3 mark is deducted for each wrong answer. There is no negative marking for MSQ and NAT-type questions.

Q: What was the difficulty level of the GATE 2026 Civil Engineering (CE) exam?
A:

The overall analysis for the CE-1 paper was moderate to tough, and for the CE-2 difficulty level was moderate.

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