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    GATE 2026 XL Question Paper OUT: Download Life Sciences Paper PDF with Solutions

    GATE 2026 XL Question Paper OUT: Download Life Sciences Paper PDF with Solutions

    Shivani PooniaUpdated on 22 Feb 2026, 01:40 PM IST

    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 aspirants aiming for PSU opportunities in Life Sciences or M.Tech, research programs in related fields. 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. Along with the question paper, the official GATE XL answer key is available on the official website gate2026.iitg.ac.in. GATE 2026 exam provides students with a clear understanding of the exam pattern and question trends.

    This Story also Contains

    1. GATE 2026 XL Question Paper with Solutions PDF Free Download
    2. How to Download GATE Life Science 2026 Question Papers with Answers PDF?
    3. GATE XL 2026 Question Paper: Overview
    4. GATE 2026 XL Question Paper with Solutions: Marking Scheme
    5. GATE XL Question Paper 2026: Section Distribution
    6. GATE XL Question Paper: Previous Years
    GATE 2026 XL Question Paper OUT: Download Life Sciences Paper PDF with Solutions
    GATE 2026 XL Question Paper

    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.

    GATE 2026 XL Question Paper with Solutions PDF Free Download

    You can use the GATE 2026 XL question paper with solutions pdf free download shortly. Until then, you can view the snippets of memory-based question paper added below. Also, you can view the analysis for the question paper below:

    SectionDifficulty LevelKey Topics AskedRemarks
    General Aptitude (GA)EasyDice, Pythagoras theorem, Age problems, Distance problemsStraightforward and scoring
    ChemistryModerateOrganic reaction mechanisms (SN1/SN2), Nitric acid reactions, Buffer solutions, Coordination compoundsConcept-based, required clarity in fundamentals
    BiochemistryEasyPentose phosphate pathway, Enzyme kinetics, Turnover numberMore MSQ & NAT questions than usual; scoring for prepared students
    BotanyModerate to ToughConceptual and analytical plant science questionsRequired in-depth understanding
    MicrobiologyModerateCore microbiology conceptsBalanced mix of theory and application
    ZoologyModerately ChallengingMetabolic pathways, Enzyme kinetics, Receptor–ligand interactionConceptual and slightly lengthy
    Food TechnologyEasyBasic food science and processing conceptsEasiest and most scoring section for many candidates


    Memory based questions:

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper


    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE 2026 XL Question paper

    GATE Life Science 2026 Question Papers with Answers PDF

    Available soon


    How to Download GATE Life Science 2026 Question Papers with Answers PDF?

    Follow the steps below to download the GATE 2026 Life Science Question Papers with Answers PDF:

    1. Click on the GATE Life Science Question Papers link available in the table above.

    2. By clicking on that link, you will be redirected to the official website of Careers360.

    3. After logging in, click on the Download PDF option.

    4. The GATE Life Science Question Paper with Answers PDF will be sent to your registered email ID.

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    GATE XL 2026 Question Paper: Overview

    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)


    GATE 2026 XL Question Paper with Solutions: Marking Scheme

    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


    GATE XL Question Paper 2026: Section Distribution

    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.

    GATE 2026 Qualifying Marks for XL(Previous Year)

    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

    GATE XL Question Paper: Previous Years

    You can also download the GATE Computer Science Question Papers with Answers PDF:

    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: What is the syllabus of GATE Life Science 2026?
    A:

    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).

    Q: What is the difficulty level of the GATE Life Science paper?
    A:

    It was moderate to difficult.

    Q: Does the GATE Life Science Syllabus change every year?
    A:

    The GATE Life Science Syllabus undergoes minor revisions annually, and significant changes are communicated officially through the GATE website.

    Q: When will the results of GATE 2026 XL be announced?
    A:

    The official date of the GATE 2026 result announcement is March 19, 2026, according to IIT Guwahati.

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    Questions related to GATE

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to GATE ?

    Yes. You can. GATE eligibility specifies that students in their 3rd year and above can appear for the exam. Since the results are valid for 3 years, you can use the same for your admissions.

    If you score 500 marks in GATE2026, your chances of getting into good engineering colleges (especially NITs, IIITs and some older IITs) are strong for most disciplines, while top branches like CSE/EEE/ECE at older IITs may still require higher ranks. Your GATE AllIndia Rank (AIR) with 500 marks usually falls

    Hello….
    In GATE 2026 Computer Science, a score of around 32 marks in the SC category may roughly correspond to a rank between 3,000 and 6,000, based on trends from recent years. However, the exact rank depends on the paper’s difficulty, number of candidates, and normalization, so it can vary

    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.