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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 |
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 Student,
Congratulation on your GATE DA score of 578, with a GATE DA score of 578 , you have a good chance of getting admission to some IIT specially during the spot round or Institute specific admission rounds depending on the number of vacant seats and the cut off.
Hello Dear Student,
NIT Jamshedpur admits non-GATE candidates through a direct Institute Admission Test (IAT). This process typically happens during "spot round" admissions to fill seats left vacant after CCMT counseling concludes. Non-GATE applicants take a written test and interview, with fees totaling approximately 1.88 Lakhs.
You can check, find
Hey there,
The GATE Scholarship result/status can be checked through the AICTE PG Scholarship Portal. Log in using your registered credentials to view your application status, approval, or payment details. If your scholarship status is pending, you should contact your institute's scholarship coordinator for verification.
Thanks and all the best,
Hi!
Given below are thre links to access the PYQs to GATE:
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-mathematics-question-papers
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/last-15-years-gate-papers-solutions
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-question-papers
Hello Ansh
Please check the link given below for UP GNM previous year question paper:
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/up-gnm-question-papers
Hope it helps.
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