GATE Application Date:28 Aug' 25 - 28 Sep' 25
GATE Chemistry Syllabus 2026 - IIT Guwahati published the GATE 2026 Chemistry syllabus on the official website, gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The 2026 GATE chemistry syllabus is also updated on this page. The complete GATE subject-wise syllabus 2026 is available online. Students preparing for the upcoming GATE 2026 exam can refer to this article. GATE exam must check the GATE exam syllabus for chemistry before starting their preparation. The GATE 2026 exam date for Chemistry will be held in February 2026. GATE Chemistry Syllabus (CY) 2026 includes topics from three sections- Physical, Inorganic and Organic Chemistry.
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Aspirants should also solve GATE Chemistry previous year question papers after completing the syllabus. Candidates can download the GATE Chemistry syllabus 2026 pdf for better exam preparation. The GATE 2026 chemistry syllabus pdf helps students to know the important topics and chapters. Read the complete article to learn about the gate syllabus for chemistry. The paper code for GATE chemistry is CY.
GATE Chemistry Syllabus 2026
Candidates can check the detailed GATE 2026 syllabus for Chemistry on this page. The GATE 2026 chemistry syllabus pdf download link has been activated by the authorities on the website, gate2026.iitg.ac.in.
| Chapters | Topics |
|---|---|
| Structure | Postulates of quantum mechanics. Operators. Time dependent and time independent Schrödinger equations. Born interpretation. Dirac bra-ket notation. Particle in a box: infinite and finite square wells; concept of tunnelling; particle in 1D, 2D and 3D-box; applications. Harmonic oscillator: harmonic and anharmonic potentials; Hermite polynomials. Rotational motion: Angular momentum operators, Rigid rotor. Hydrogen and hydrogen-like atoms: atomic orbitals; radial distribution function. Multi-electron atoms: orbital approximation; electron spin; Pauli exclusion principle; slater determinants. Approximation Methods: Variation method and secular determinants; first order perturbation techniques. Atomic units. Molecular structure and Chemical bonding: Born- Oppenheimer approximation; Valence bond theory and linear combination of atomic orbitals – molecular orbital (LCAO-MO) theory. Hybrid orbitals. Applications of LCAO-MO theory to H2+, H2; orbital theory (MOT) of homo- and heteronuclear diatomic molecules. Hückel approximation and its application to annular π – electron systems |
| Group theory | Symmetry elements and operations; Point groups and character tables; Internal coordinates and vibrational modes; symmetry adapted linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO- MO); construction of hybrid orbitals using symmetry aspects |
| Spectroscopy | Atomic spectroscopy; Russell-Saunders coupling; Term symbols and spectral details; origin of selection rules. Rotational, vibrational, electronic and Raman spectroscopy of diatomic and polyatomic molecules. Line broadening. Einstein’s coefficients. Relationship of transition moment integral with molar extinction coefficient and oscillator strength. Basic principles of nuclear magnetic resonance: gyromagnetic ratio; chemical shift, nuclear coupling |
| Equilibrium | Laws of thermodynamics. Standard states. Thermo Chemistry. Thermodynamic functions and their relationships: Gibbs-Helmholtz and Maxwell relations, Gibbs-Duhem equation, van’t Hoff equation. Criteria of spontaneity and equilibrium. Absolute entropy. Partial molar quantities. Thermodynamics of mixing. Chemical potential. Fugacity, activity and activity coefficients. Ideal and Non-ideal solutions, Raoult’s Law and Henry’s Law, Chemical equilibria. Dependence of equilibrium constant on temperature and pressure. Ionic mobility and conductivity. Debye-Hückel limiting law. Debye-Hückel-Onsager equation. Standard electrode potentials and electrochemical cells. Nernst Equation and its application, relationship between Electrode potential and thermodynamic quantities, Potentiometric and conductometric titrations. Phase rule. Clausius- Clapeyron equation. Phase diagram of one component systems: CO2, H2O, S; two component systems: liquid- vapour, liquid-liquid and solid-liquid systems. Fractional distillation. Azeotropes and eutectics. Statistical thermodynamics: microcanonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles, Boltzmann distribution, partition functions and thermodynamic properties |
| Kinetics (Topic have been rearranged) | Elementary, parallel, opposing and consecutive reactions. Steady state approximation. Mechanisms of complex reactions. Unimolecular reactions. Potential energy surfaces and classical trajectories, Concept of Saddle points, Transition state theory: Eyring equation, thermodynamic aspects. Kinetics of polymerization. Catalysis concepts and enzyme catalysis. Kinetic isotope effects. Fast reaction kinetics: relaxation and flow methods. Diffusion controlled reactions. Kinetics of photochemical and photophysical processes |
| Surfaces and Interfaces | Physisorption and chemisorption. Langmuir, Freundlich and Brunauer– Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherms. Surface catalysis: Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Surface tension, viscosity. Self-assembly. Physical Chemistry of colloids, micelles and macromolecules |
| Chapters | Topics |
|---|---|
| Main Group Elements | Hydrides, halides, oxides, oxoacids, nitrides, sulfides – shapes and reactivity. Structure and bonding of boranes, carboranes, silicones, silicates, boron nitride, borazines and phosphazenes. Allotropes of carbon, phosphorous and sulphur. Industrial synthesis of compounds of main group elements. Chemistry of noble gases, pseudohalogens, and interhalogen compounds. Acid-base concepts and principles (Lewis, Brønsted, HSAB and acid-base catalysis) |
| Transition Elements | Coordination Chemistry – structure and isomerism, theories of bonding (VBT, CFT, and MOT). Energy level diagrams in various crystal fields, CFSE, applications of CFT, Jahn- Teller distortion. Electronic spectra of transition metal complexes: spectroscopic term symbols, selection rules, Orgel and Tanabe-Sugano diagrams, nephelauxetic effect and Racah parameter, charge-transfer spectra. Magnetic properties of transition metal complexes. Ray-Dutt and Bailar twists, Reaction mechanisms: kinetic and thermodynamic stability, substitution and redox reactions. Metal-metal multiple bond |
| Lanthanides and Actinides | Recovery. Periodic properties, spectra and magnetic properties |
| Organometallics | 18-Electron rule; metal-alkyl, metal-carbonyl, metal-olefin and metal- carbene complexes and metallocenes. Fluxionality in organometallic complexes. Types of organometallic reactions. Homogeneous catalysis - Hydrogenation, hydroformylation, acetic acid synthesis, metathesis and olefin oxidation. Heterogeneous catalysis - Fischer- Tropsch reaction, Ziegler-Natta polymerization |
| Radioactivity | Detection of radioactivity, Decay processes, half-life of radioactive elements, fission and fusion processes |
| Bioinorganic Chemistry | Ion (Na+ and K+) transport, oxygen binding, transport and utilization, electron transfer reactions, nitrogen fixation, metalloenzymes containing magnesium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper and zinc. |
| Solids | Crystal systems and lattices, Miller planes, crystal packing, crystal defects, Bragg’s law, ionic crystals, structures of AX, AX2, ABX3 type compounds, spinels, band theory, metals and semiconductors. |
| Instrumental Methods of Analysis | UV-visible, fluorescence and FTIR spectrophotometry, NMR and ESR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy (Fe and Sn) and X-ray crystallography. Chromatography including GC and HPLC. Electroanalytical methods- polarography, cyclic voltammetry, ion-selective electrodes. Thermoanalytical methods. |
| Chapters | Topics |
|---|---|
| Stereochemistry | Chirality and symmetry of organic molecules with or without chiral centres and determination of their absolute configurations. Relative stereochemistry in compounds having more than one stereogenic centre. Homotopic, enantiotopic and diastereotopic atoms, groups and faces. Stereoselective and stereospecific synthesis. Conformational analysis of acyclic and cyclic compounds. Geometrical isomerism and optical isomerism. Configurational and conformational effects, atropisomerism, and neighbouring group participation on reactivity and selectivity/specificity. |
| Reaction Mechanisms | Basic mechanistic concepts – kinetic versus thermodynamic control, Hammond’s postulate and Curtin-Hammett principle. Methods of determining reaction mechanisms through kinetics, identification of products, intermediates and isotopic labelling. Linear free-energy relationship – Hammett and Taft equations. Nucleophilic and electrophilic substitution reactions (both aromatic and aliphatic). Addition reactions to carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom (N and O) multiple bonds. Elimination reactions. Reactive intermediates – carbocations, carbanions, carbenes, nitrenes, arynes and free radicals. Molecular rearrangements |
| Organic Synthesis | Synthesis, reactions, mechanisms and selectivity involving the following classes of compounds – alkenes, alkynes, arenes, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, nitriles, halides, nitro compounds, amines and amides. Uses of Mg, Li, Cu, B, Zn, P, S, Sn and Si based reagents in organic synthesis. Carbon-carbon bond formation through coupling reactions - Heck, Suzuki, Stille, Sonogoshira, Negishi, Kumada, Hiyama, Tsuji-Trost, olefin metathesis and McMurry. Concepts of multistep synthesis - retrosynthetic analysis, strategic disconnections, synthons and synthetic equivalents. Atom economy and Green Chemistry, Umpolung reactivity – formyl and acyl anion equivalents. Selectivity in organic synthesis – chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity. Protection and deprotection of functional groups. Concepts of asymmetric synthesis – resolution (including enzymatic), desymmetrization and use of chiral auxiliaries, organocatalysis. Carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond forming reactions through enolates (including boron enolates), enamines and silyl enol ethers. Stereoselective addition to C=O groups (Cram, Prelog and Felkin-Anh models). |
| Pericyclic Reactions and Photochemistry | Electrocyclic, cycloaddition and sigmatropic reactions. Orbital correlations - FMO and PMO treatments, Woodward-Hoffmann rule. Photo Chemistry of alkenes, arenes and carbonyl compounds. Photooxidation and photoreduction. Di-π-methane rearrangement, Barton-McCombie reaction, Norrish type-I and II cleavage reaction. |
| Heterocyclic Compounds | Structure, preparation, properties and reactions of furan, pyrrole, thiophene, pyridine, indole, quinoline and isoquinoline. |
| Biomolecules | Structure, properties and reactions of mono- and di-saccharides, physicochemical properties of amino acids, chemical synthesis of peptides, chemical structure determination of peptides and proteins, structural features of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, steroids, terpenoids, carotenoids, and alkaloids. |
| Experimental techniques in Organic Chemistry | Optical rotation (polarimetry). Applications of various chromatographic techniques such as thin-layer, column, HPLC and GC. Applications of UV-visible, IR, NMR and Mass spectrometry in the structural determination of organic molecules. |
It is important for GATE 2026 aspirants to know the important books for GATE 2026 Chemistry exam preparation. The following books can be used by candiadtes to prepare for the chemistry GATE 2026 exam.
| Book Name | Author |
|---|---|
Concept Check in Organic Chemistry Tauheed Nadeem | Avinash More |
Success Guide to Inorganic Chemistry | Tauheed Nadeem |
3,000 Solved Problems In Chemistry (Schaum’s Outline Series) | David E Goldberg |
Chapterwise GATE Chemistry Solved Papers (2014-2000) | Arihant Publications |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, the GATE 2026 Chemistry syllabus has been released on the official website.
The important topics of the GATE Chemistry syllabus 2026 includes-Thermodynamics, Reaction Mechanism, Chemical Kinetics, Organometallics, Main Group Elements, Stereochemistry and Spectroscopy
The duration of the GATE 2026 examination will be of 3 hours.
For GATE 2026 Chemistry exam, the candidates can avail the combination of Chemical Engineering (CH) and Life Sciences (XL).
The Chemistry syllabus typically includes sections such as Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and General Aptitude.
While the core topics remain relatively consistent, minor changes might occur. It's advisable to refer to the latest syllabus for accuracy.
The authority will announce the GATE 2026 chemistry exam date online.
On Question asked by student community
Hello
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How to clear GATE Exam :
First, know the syllabus and exam pattern.
Make a small study plan and follow it every week.
Read from good books or trusted online notes.
Practice old GATE question papers.
Give mock tests to check speed and accuracy.
Revise your notes and formulas again and again.
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Score high in GATE, because PSUs take only top ranks.
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Hello,
Yes, you can change your category from General to OBC during the GATE 2026 correction window.
GATE always allows candidates to correct details like category. You will need to pay a small correction fee for this change. Make sure you upload a valid OBC certificate as per the format and date mentioned by GATE.
So, wait for the correction window, log in to your application, and update your category to OBC.
Hope it helps !
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