GATE 2026 Ecology and Evolution syllabus - The IIT Guwahati has uploaded the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus 2026 with the information brochure. Students can find the link of the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus on the official website, gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Candidates can check the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus on this page. Aspirants aiming for admission through the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering must refer to the EY syllabus 2026 to prepare for their exam. Fundamental Concepts, Macroevolution, Molecular Evolution, Phylogenetics, Sensory Ecology, etc., are a few major topics under the GATE EY syllabus. Understanding the GATE 2026 Ecology and Evolution syllabus will help candidates prepare for the exam systematically. The authority will conduct the GATE 2026 exam on February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026. And the GATE Ecology and Evolution 2026 exam is scheduled on February 08, 2026.
Direct link to download the GATE 2026 Ecology and Evolution Syllabus
Yes, the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) will conduct the GATE 2026 exams on February 7, 8, 14, and 15. The tests will be carried out on Saturdays and Sundays in dual shifts. The exams will be conducted in a computer-based mode.
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Along with the GATE 2026 ecology and evolution syllabus, candidates can also check the GATE exam pattern released online. The authorities will prepare the GATE question papers as per the GATE syllabus 2026 for ecology and evolution. Check out the complete article for more details about the GATE ecology and evolution syllabus 2026.
The GATE syllabus for ecology and evolution is 85% based on the undergraduate engineering course and the rest 15% is from general aptitude. The GATE EY syllabus 2026 is divided into five main sections as follows
Ecology
Evolution
Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology
Behavioral Ecology
Applied Ecology and Evolution
Candidates can refer to the GATE ecology and evolution syllabus and exam pattern within the article to start their preparation. The GATE 2026 syllabus for ecology and evolution will be updated below. Candidates can check the detailed GATE ecology and evolution (EY) syllabus based on the previous years notification below:
The general aptitude consists of 15% weightage in GATE EY. Below is the syllabus for GATE General Aptitude.
| Chapters | Topics |
|---|---|
| GATE GA syllabus for Verbal Aptitude |
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| GATE GA syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude |
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| GATE GA syllabus for Analytical Aptitude |
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| GATE GA syllabus for Spatial Aptitude |
|
The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati has released the GATE 2026 syllabus for Ecology and Evolution on the official website, gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The GATE EY syllabus 2026 includes topics like the origin and history of life on Earth, diversity, classification of life, and the history of evolution in its Evolution section. Each section in the GATE exam syllabus for ecology and evolution provides detailed information to candidates about what they need to learn and focus on. Candidates can check the GATE 2026 syllabus for Ecology and Evolution in the table below.
| Chapter | Topics |
|---|---|
| Fundamental Concepts | Abiotic and biotic components; scales (population, species, community, ecosystems, biomes); niches and habitats. |
| Population Ecology | Population growth rates (density dependent/independent); meta population ecology (colonization, persistence, extinction, patches, sources, sinks); age-structured populations. |
| Interactions | Types (mutualism, symbiosis, commensalism, competition, parasitism, predation, etc); ecophysiology (physiological adaptations to abiotic environment); prey-predator interactions (Lotka-Voltera equation, etc.) |
| Community Ecology | Community assembly, organization and succession; species richness, evenness and diversity indices, species-area relationships; theory of island biogeography |
| Ecosystems Structure and Function | Trophic levels and their interactions; nutrient cycles; primary and secondary productivity |
| Chapter | Topics |
|---|---|
| History of Evolutionary Thought | Lamarckism; Darwinism; Modern Synthesis |
| Fundamentals | Variation; heritability; natural selection; fitness and adaptation; types of selection (stabilizing, directional, disruptive) |
| Diversity of Life | Origin and history of life on earth; diversity and classification of life; systems of classification (cladistics and phenetics) |
| Life History Strategies | Allocation of resources; tradeoffs; r/K selection; semelparity and iteroparity |
| Interactions | Co-evolution (co-adaptations, arms race, Red Queen hypothesis, co-speciation); prey-predator interactions (mimicry, crypsis, etc) |
| Population and Quantitative Genetics | Origins of genetic variation; Mendelian genetics; HardyWeinberg equilibrium; drift; selection (one-locus two-alleles model); population genetic structure (panmixia, gene flow, FST); polygenic traits; gene-environment interactions (phenotypic plasticity); heritability |
| Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics | Neutral theory; molecular clocks; rates of evolution; phylogenetic reconstruction; molecular systematics |
| Macroevolution | Species concepts and speciation; adaptive radiation; convergence; biogeography |
| Chapter | Topics |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and Statistics in Ecology | Simple functions (linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, etc); concept of derivatives and slope of a function; permutations and combinations; basic probability (probability of random events; sequences of events, etc); frequency distributions and their descriptive statistics (mean, variance, coefficient of variation, correlation, etc). |
| Statistical Hypothesis Testing | Concept of p-value; Type I and Type II error, test statistics like t-test and Chi-square test; basics of linear regression and ANOVA. |
| Chapter | Topics |
|---|---|
| Classical Ethology | Instinct; fixed action patterns; imprinting; learnt behavior; proximate and ultimate questions. |
| Sensory Ecology | Neuroethology; communication (chemical, acoustic and visual signaling); recognition systems. |
| Foraging Ecology | Foraging behaviour; optimal foraging theory |
| Reproduction | Cost of sex; sexual dimorphism; mate choice; sexual selection (runaway selection, good genes, handicap principle, etc); sexual conflict; mating systems; parental care. |
| Social Living | Costs and benefits of group-living (including responses to predators); effect of competition (scramble and contest) on group formation; dominance relationships; eusociality; kin selection; altruism; reciprocity; human behaviour |
| Chapters | Topics |
|---|---|
| Biodiversity and Conservation | Importance of conserving biodiversity; ecosystem services; threats to biodiversity; invasive species; in-situ conservation (endemism, biodiversity hotspots, protected areas); ex-situ conservation; conservation genetics (genetic diversity, inbreeding depression); DNA fingerprinting and DNA barcoding. |
| Disease Ecology and Evolution | Epidemiology; zoonotic diseases; antibiotic resistance; vector Control Plant and animal breeding: Marker assisted breeding; genetic basis of economically important traits |
| Global Climate Change | Causes; consequences; mitigation |
To excel in the GATE Ecology and Evolution exam, candidates should prioritise certain topics. Some important topics in the syllabus include:
To achieve their desired score in the GATE 2026 Ecology and Evolution exam, candidates must thoroughly understand and prepare the syllabus. The syllabus covers a wide range of topics in ecology and evolution, mathematics and statistics, behavioural ecology, and applied aspects of the field. By strategically planning their preparation and utilising the recommended books, candidates can increase their chances of success. Therefore, aspirants are advised to refer to GATE books for Ecology and Evolution. While referring to the recommended books, candidates should also consult their graduation-level course books. Some trusted books for GATE 2026 ecology and evolution exam preparation include
Book | Author |
|---|---|
Fundamentals and Techniques of Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Pranav Kumar |
Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Evolution & Ecology | Verma P.S. & Agarwal V.K |
Test & Evaluation: Life Sciences / Biotechnology | Kumar Pranav & Mina Usha |
Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Keith Wilson & John Walker |
microbiology | Michael Pelczar |
Along with the GATE syllabus for Ecology and Evolution pdf, candidates must also be familiar with the GATE Exam pattern 2026. Understanding exam patterns makes candidates familiar with the mode of examination and the kind of questions asked.
Particulars | Specifications |
|---|---|
Exam duration | 3 hours |
Exam mode | Online (Computer-based test) in multiple shifts |
Type and total number of Questions | Total 65 Questions MCQs and MCQs and/or Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions |
Total marks of the exam | 100 |
Total number of sections |
|
Marking Scheme |
|
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The GATE 2026 exam will be conducted on February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026.
A candidate who is currently studying in the 3rd or higher years of any undergraduate degree program OR has already completed any Government-approved degree program in Engineering / Technology / Architecture / Science / Commerce / Arts is eligible to appear for the GATE 2026 examination
There is no age limit for the GATE exam 2026.
Yes, questions related to current environmental issues and conservation efforts are often included in the GATE EY exam to assess the candidates' awareness of real-world challenges.
No, candidates are not allowed to carry any electronic devices, including calculators, to the GATE examination hall.
Ecology and evolution offer great research prospects, opening up various career opportunities after GATE. Fields such as ecology, environmental consulting, natural resource management, and genetics become accessible. Notable institutions in India for Ecology and Evolution include the Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment in New Delhi.
On Question asked by student community
Hello,
The link to the question paper is attached here. You can access the question papers along with the answer key on the careers360 website. Careers360 also provides students with preparation tips that will help them in preparing and the mock test and analyse their in-depth performance.
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/last-15-years-gate-papers-solutions
Thank you.
Hello,
Here is a link for the sample papers for GATE Exam with DA subjects. Tap on the link given below to open it:
Thankyou.
Hello aspirant,
If you missed the correction window for GATE 2026, the portal will not allow changes right now. Usually, IIT opens a correction period only once. Since you need to change your surname, the best option is to contact the GATE organizing institute through their official support email or
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