GATE 2026 XL Marks vs Rank: Expected Rank Analysis for Life Sciences

GATE 2026 XL Marks vs Rank: Expected Rank Analysis for Life Sciences

Gandubilli UnnatiUpdated on 26 Feb 2026, 10:56 AM IST

GATE 2026 XL Marks vs Rank - Candidates can check the GATE 2026 XL marks vs rank from the article below. The authority will not release the GATE 2026 XL marks vs rank on the official website. However, candidates can check the GATE 2026 XL marks vs rank based on the previous year's trends. To be in the top ranks for the GATE 2026 exam for XL, candidates need to score above 55 marks in the exam. This would translate to a rank of above 200. Candidates will be able to determine their marks vs rank through the GATE 2026 result. The expected GATE 2026 XL marks vs rank have been updated here.

This Story also Contains

  1. GATE 2026 Expected XL Marks vs Ranks
  2. GATE Marking Scheme (Life Sciences – XL)
  3. GATE XL Qualifying Cutoff Marks
GATE 2026 XL Marks vs Rank: Expected Rank Analysis for Life Sciences
GATE 2026 XL Marks vs Rank

The GATE 2026 Marks vs rank helps candidates get an idea about what rank they can score based on the marks scored by them. Hence, it helps them prepare better and improve their score in the GATE exam. The XL Maks vs rank for the GATE 2026 exam will be lower than that of other branches that are higher in demand. To be eligible for admission, candidates must clear the GATE 2026 cutoff.

GATE 2026 Expected XL Marks vs Ranks

Candidates can check the GATE 2026 XL expected marks vs rank in the table below. This is based on the previous year's GATE cutoffs.

GATE XL MarksExpected AIR Range

75 – 80

1 – 10

70 – 74

10 – 30

65 – 69

30 – 80

60 – 64

80 – 200

55 – 59

200 – 500

50 – 54

500 – 1,000

45 – 49

1,000 – 2,000

40 – 44

2,000 – 3,500

35 – 39

3,500 – 4,800

31 – 34

4,800 – 5,500

28 – 30

5,500 – 7,000

25 – 27

7,000 – 9,000

21 – 24

9,000 – 12,000

GATE XL Marks vs Rank based on 2024 cutoffs

GATE XL MarksExpected AIR Range

75 – 80

1 – 10

70 – 74

10 – 35

65 – 69

35 – 100

60 – 64

100 – 250

55 – 59

250 – 600

50 – 54

600 – 1,200

45 – 49

1,200 – 2,300

40 – 44

2,300 – 3,800

35 – 39

3,800 – 5,200

29 – 34

5,200 – 6,000

26 – 28

6,000 – 7,500

23 – 25

7,500 – 9,500

20 – 22

9,500 – 12,000

GATE Marking Scheme (Life Sciences – XL)

Candidates must be aware of the GATE XL marking scheme to determine their marks in the exam. There is negative marking in the GATE exam hence, candidates must know the GATE 2026 exam pattern to determine their score.

GATE XL Marking Scheme

Question TypeMarks per QuestionNegative MarkingDetails

MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)

1 mark

1/3 mark deducted

One correct option

MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)

2 marks

2/3 mark deducted

One correct option

MSQ (Multiple Select Questions)

1 or 2 marks

No negative marking

One or more correct options

NAT (Numerical Answer Type)

1 or 2 marks

No negative marking

Numerical value to be entered

General Aptitude (GA)

1 or 2 marks

As per MCQ rules

Same scheme as subject questions

GATE XL Qualifying Cutoff Marks

Candidates can also refer to the previous years GATE XL cutoffs here

YearPaperGeneralOBC-NCL/EWSSC/ST/PwD

2025

Life Sciences (XL)

31.3

28.1

20.8

2024

Life Sciences (XL)

29.3

26.3

19.5

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What marks are required for a top rank in GATE 2026 XL?
A:

To secure a top 100 rank in GATE 2026 XL, candidates generally need to score 60 marks or above. For top 10 ranks, scores usually exceed 70–75 marks, depending on paper difficulty.

Q: What rank can I expect with cutoff-level marks in GATE XL?
A:

Candidates scoring around the General category cutoff (29–31 marks) usually get a rank in the range of AIR 5,000 to 6,000. While this qualifies the candidate, top IIT admission chances are limited at this rank.

Q: Is GATE XL marks vs rank lower compared to other GATE papers?
A:

Yes. Since Life Sciences (XL) has comparatively lower competition and demand than branches like CSE or ME, the marks required for similar ranks are generally lower.

Q: When is the GATE 2026 XL exam date?
A:

The GATE 2026 XL exam date  was February 7, 2026, in the forenoon session.

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Questions related to GATE

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The cutoff marks for OBC category students are different for different paper codes. You can check the article on Gate cutoff for all the detailed information. Hope it helps.

IIT Guwahati has released GATE exam ME answer key in online mode. Here we have provided direct link to download IIT Guwahati Mechanical Engineering answer key.- Download Here

The official GATE 2026 Shift 2 (Feb 8) answer key was released by IIT Guwahati on February 22, 2026, on the GOAPS portal.

Check out the GATE 2026 February 8 Question Paper with Solutions .

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You can download GATE 2026 February 8 question paper with solutions by clicking on the link below: