GATE Marking Scheme 2026 - IIT Guwahati has published the GATE 2026 marking scheme on the official website, gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Candidates can check the GATE marking scheme 2026 on this page. The marking scheme includes details such as the total number of questions, section-wise questions, and mark distribution. In MCQs, incorrect answers will incur a penalty: 1/3 mark for 1-mark questions and 2/3 mark for 2-mark questions, with no negative marking for MSQs or NATs. The GATE exam will consist of a total of 65 questions: 10 questions from General Aptitude (GA) and 55 subject-specific questions. Each question will carry either 1 or 2 marks. The GATE 2026 exam will be held on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026.
This Story also Contains
Students can also attempt the GATE 2026 mock test to understand the marking scheme. The exam will be conducted for 30 test papers. Read this article carefully to understand the GATE 2026 better marking scheme.
Below is the marking scheme for GATE 2026. Check the number of questions and their mark distribution:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Total Number of Questions | 65 |
Exam Sections | General Aptitude: 10 Questions Subject Component: 55 Questions |
Marks Carry | 1 or 2 |
Type of Questions | MCQ: Multiple Select Questions MSQ: Multiple Choice Questions NAT: Numerical Answer Type |
Negative Marking | 1 Mark MCQ: 1 for correct attempt and -⅓ for wrong attempt. 2 Mark MCQ : 2 for correct attempt and -⅔ for wrong attempt. |
In test papers AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, and TF |
|
In test papers AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, and XL |
|
XE has a common compulsory section | XE-A(Engineering mathematics) carry 15 marks |
Below is the section-wise question distribution for all GATE 2026 papers. There will be a total of 30 papers.
| GATE Paper Code | General Aptitude (GA) | Subject Questions | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, and TF | 15 | 85 | 100 |
AR [Part A + Part B (B1: Architecture or B2: Planning)] | 15 | 60 + 25 | 100 |
GE [Part A + Part B (Section I or Section II) | 15 | 55 + 30 | 100 |
GG [Part A + Part B (Section 1: Geology or Section 2: Geophysics)] | 15 | 25 + 60 | 100 |
XE (Section A + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 15 + (2 x 35) | 100 |
XH (Section B1 + Any ONE Section) | 15 | 25 + 60 | 100 |
XL (Section P + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 25 + (2 x 30) | 100 |
CY, DA, EY, MA, PH | 15 | 85 | 100 |
Candidates must understand the GATE exam pattern and the GATE 2026 syllabus before starting the GATE exam preparation. Check the latest exam pattern as well.
GATE Exam Pattern
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
Examination Mode | Computer based Exam(CBT) |
Language | English |
Exam Duration | 3 Hours (180 minutes) |
Numbers of Questions | 65 |
Marks Carry | 1 or 2 |
Type of Questions | MCQ : Multiple Select Questions MSQ : Multiple Choice Questions NAT : Numerical Answer Type |
Negative Marking | 1 Mark MCQ : 1 for correct attempt and -⅓ for wrong attempt. 2 Mark MCQ : 2 for correct attempt and -⅔ for wrong attempt. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
GATE 2026 will be for 100 marks with a duration of 3 hours.
For 1-mark MCQs, ⅓ mark is deducted; for 2-mark MCQs, ⅔ mark is deducted. No negative marking for MSQ and NAT questions.
Most 1-mark questions carry 1 mark each, and 2-mark questions carry 2 marks each. Wrong attempts will have negative marking.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Student, if you are planning to appear for GATE 2027, the registration is scheduled to start on 27 August 2026. The regular last date is 27 September 2026, and you can submit the form with a late fee up to 5 October 2026. The exam will be held on
Dear Student,
Careers360 has GATE Electrical Engineering (EE) preparation resources that can be useful for GATE 2027. While a dedicated GATE EE 2027 notes PDF may not be available, you can refer to the latest GATE EE preparation material, syllabus, important topics, books, and previous-year questions.
Hello, for GATE preparation, the best paper for a Robotics and Automation student depends on your academic background and the area you want to specialise in. Common choices include Mechanical Engineering (ME), Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC), and Electrical Engineering (EE).
You can check the GATE paper details and syllabus
Hey there,
For GATE preparation, you should first follow the official GATE syllabus and then choose textbooks according to your engineering branch.
For each subject, a good preparation strategy is:
Study the basic concepts from a standard textbook.
Make short notes and formula sheets.
Solve topic-wise GATE previous-year questions.
Practise numerical-answer-type questions
Among top 100 Universities Globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026
Recognized as Category-1 Deemed to be University by UGC | 41,000 + Alumni Imprints Globally | Students from over 20+ countries
NAAC A+ Accredited | Among top 2% Universities Globally (QS World University Rankings 2026)
NAAC A+ Accredited | Highest CTC 45 LPA | Scholarships Available
Campuses in Ropar, Agartala, Aizawl, Ajmer, Aurangabad, Calicut, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima, Gorakhpur, Patna & Srinagar
100+ Recruiters | 100+ Placements of 2026 Batch | NBA & NAAC Accredited | Highest CTC 37 LPA