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GATE XL 2026 Question Paper with Solutions- The GATE XL exam 2026 was conducted on February 7, forenoon shift. The overall difficulty level of the exam was reported to be moderate. This test is taken by students aiming for PSU opportunities in Life Sciences, M.Tech, and research programs in related fields. The Official GATE questions papers are released by IIT Guwahati. The GATE XL question paper and GATE XL answer key is available on the official website gate2026.iitg.ac.in.You can find the memory-based questions from the GATE Life Sciences 2026 exam added below. Aspirants can view the GATE Life Science 2026 question paper given in this article to evaluate how well their exam went.GATE 2026 exam provides students with a clear understanding of the exam pattern and question trends.
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The official GATE Answer Key 2026 and response sheet, along with the question paper, have been released. Candidates can download the Master Question Paper with Answer Key using their Enrollment ID and Password.
You can use the GATE 2026 XL question paper with solutions pdf free download along with that you can also refer to the GATE XL analysis below:
| Section | Difficulty Level | Key Topics Asked | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude (GA) | Easy | Dice, Pythagoras theorem, Age problems, Distance problems | Straightforward and scoring |
| Chemistry | Moderate | Organic reaction mechanisms (SN1/SN2), Nitric acid reactions, Buffer solutions, Coordination compounds | Concept-based, required clarity in fundamentals |
| Biochemistry | Easy | Pentose phosphate pathway, Enzyme kinetics, Turnover number | More MSQ & NAT questions than usual; scoring for prepared students |
| Botany | Moderate to Tough | Conceptual and analytical plant science questions | Required in-depth understanding |
| Microbiology | Moderate | Core microbiology concepts | Balanced mix of theory and application |
| Zoology | Moderately Challenging | Metabolic pathways, Enzyme kinetics, Receptor–ligand interaction | Conceptual and slightly lengthy |
| Food Technology | Easy | Basic food science and processing concepts | Easiest and most scoring section for many candidates |
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Memory based questions:
Question 1: Not a storage polysaccharide?
i.dextrion
ii.Chitin
iii. starch
iv. Glycogen
Question 2: Which one is containing I chinal C?
i. Leucine
ii. Serine
iii. Isolaricine $X$
iv. Threonine $x$
Follow the steps below to download the GATE 2026 Life Science Question Papers with Answers PDF:
Click on the GATE Life Science Question Papers link available in the table above.
By clicking on that link, you will be redirected to the official website of Careers360.
After logging in, click on the Download PDF option.
The GATE Life Science Question Paper with Answers PDF will be sent to your registered email ID.
Go through the table below to understand the paper pattern for the GATE XL question paper 2026:
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Total Marks |
100 |
|
Mode |
CBT (Computer-Based Test) |
|
Duration |
3 Hours |
|
Number of Questions |
65 |
|
Sections |
General Aptitude + Life Science |
|
Exam Date |
February 7, 2026 ( forenoon shift) |
The official answer key and response sheet, along with the question paper, have been released. You can use it to calculate your marks. Using the table and formula below, you can calculate your estimated marks for GATE 2026:
Formula:
Total Marks = Marks secured for correct responses – Negative marks for wrong responses
There is no negative marking for MSQ and NAT questions. You can also visit the marking scheme of GATE 2026
|
Component |
Details |
|
Total Marks |
100 marks per paper |
|
Exam Duration |
3 hours (180 minutes) |
|
Question Types |
MCQ, MSQ, NAT |
|
Marks per Question |
1 mark or 2 marks |
|
Negative Marking – MCQ |
1-mark MCQ: –1/3 mark for each wrong answer 2-mark MCQ: –2/3 mark for each wrong answer |
The Life Sciences (XL) paper allows candidates to choose any two sections from the following list:
|
Section Code |
Section Name |
|
XL-P |
Chemistry |
|
XL-Q |
Biochemistry |
|
XL-R |
Botany |
|
XL-S |
Microbiology |
|
XL-T |
Zoology |
|
XL-U |
Food Technology |
Each selected section carries 35 marks, and General Aptitude carries 15 marks, making a total of 100 marks. To view the whole syllabus, download the GATE 2026 Life Sciences syllabus.
You can check last year's GATE XL qualifying marks and prepare accordingly for GATE 2026:
|
Test Paper |
Cut-off (GEN) |
Cut-off (OBC-NCL/EWS) |
Cut-off (SC/ST/PwD) |
|
Life Sciences |
31.3 |
28.1 |
20.8 |
You can also download the GATE Computer Science Question Papers with Answers PDF:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The GATE Life Science Syllabus for 2026 is divided into three sections: Chemistry (XL-P), General Aptitude, and specific Life Science subjects, which include Botany (XL-R), Biochemistry (XL-Q), Zoology (XL-T), Microbiology (XL-S), and Food Technology (XL-U).
It was moderate to difficult.
The GATE Life Science Syllabus undergoes minor revisions annually, and significant changes are communicated officially through the GATE website.
The official date of the GATE 2026 result announcement is March 19, 2026, according to IIT Guwahati.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
Yes, many NITs allow ECE students to apply for M.Tech in CSE if they have a valid GATE CSE score and satisfy the institute’s eligibility criteria. Most NITs mention eligibility as “same or related discipline,” under which ECE and EE are commonly accepted allied branches.
Some well-known NITs where
Hey,
With a VITMEE rank around 944, getting M.Tech CSE at Vellore Institute of Technology Chennai in Category 1 is honestly quite difficult because Category 1 seats usually close at much lower ranks.
But you still have decent chances for:
• Category 2 or 3 in core CSE
• Category
Hi,
Your scholarship eligibility depends on whether your GATE 2026 score meets the General category qualifying cutoff. If your category could not be changed after the correction window, then you are usually treated as a General category candidate during admission and scholarship processing.
Generally:
• If your score is equal
Hi,
With a GATE score of 426, you do have a chance of getting MTech Data Science in some NITs , especially through later counselling rounds or in comparatively less competitive NITs. For top NITs, though, Data Science seats can still be quite competitive since it is a popular specialisation.
Hello Student,
Getting a seat in Mining Engineering in MBM Jodhpur with 67th percentile as an OBC candidate might be difficult, as the cut off goes around 75-80th percentile.
What you can do is to go for spot rounds or REAP's last round, provided the seats remain vacant.
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