GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 (Out) - Download EY Syllabus PDF

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 (Out) - Download EY Syllabus PDF

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Team Careers360Updated on 09 Oct 2025, 06:30 PM IST

GATE 2026 Ecology and Evolution syllabus - IIT Guwahati has published the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus 2026 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. 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.

This Story also Contains

  1. GATE 2026 Syllabus Ecology and Evolution (EY)
  2. GATE Ecology and Evolution Important Topics
  3. GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus 2026: Best Books to Refer
  4. GATE Exam Pattern for Ecology and Evolution
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 (Out) - Download EY Syllabus PDF
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026

Along with the GATE 2026 ecology and evolution syllabus, candidates can also check the GATE exam pattern released by the authorities. 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.

GATE 2026 Syllabus Ecology and Evolution (EY)

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

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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 the previous years notification below:

GATE EY Syllabus 2026 for General Aptitude (GA)

The general aptitude consists of 15% weightage in GATE EY. Below is the syllabus for GATE General Aptitude.

GATE syllabus for General Aptitude (GA)

ChaptersTopics
GATE GA syllabus for Verbal Aptitude
  • Basic English Grammar: tenses, articles, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, verb-noun agreement, and other parts of speech
  • Basic vocabulary: words, idioms, and phrases in context, reading and comprehension, Narrative sequencing.
GATE GA syllabus for Quantitative Aptitude
  • Data interpretation: data graphs (bar graphs, pie charts, and other graphs representing data), 2- and 3-dimensional plots, maps, and tables
  • Numerical computation and estimation: ratios, percentages, powers, exponents and logarithms, permutations and combinations, and series Mensuration and geometry Elementary statistics and probability
GATE GA syllabus for Analytical Aptitude
  • Logic: deduction and induction, Analogy, Numerical relations and reasoning
GATE GA syllabus for Spatial Aptitude
  • Transformation of shapes: translation, rotation, scaling, mirroring, assembling, and grouping paper folding, cutting, and patterns in 2 and 3 dimensions.
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

GATE Syllabus 2026 for Ecology and Evolution

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.

GATE EY Syllabus for Ecology

ChapterTopics
Fundamental ConceptsAbiotic and biotic components; scales (population, species, community, ecosystems, biomes); niches and habitats.
Population EcologyPopulation growth rates (density dependent/independent); meta population ecology (colonization, persistence, extinction, patches, sources, sinks); age-structured populations.
InteractionsTypes (mutualism, symbiosis, commensalism, competition, parasitism, predation, etc); ecophysiology (physiological adaptations to abiotic environment); prey-predator interactions (Lotka-Voltera equation, etc.)
Community EcologyCommunity assembly, organization and succession; species richness, evenness and diversity indices, species-area relationships; theory of island biogeography
Ecosystems Structure and FunctionTrophic levels and their interactions; nutrient cycles; primary and secondary productivity
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GATE EY Syllabus for Evolution

ChapterTopics
History of Evolutionary ThoughtLamarckism; Darwinism; Modern Synthesis
FundamentalsVariation; heritability; natural selection; fitness and adaptation; types of selection (stabilizing, directional, disruptive)
Diversity of LifeOrigin and history of life on earth; diversity and classification of life; systems of classification (cladistics and phenetics)
Life History StrategiesAllocation of resources; tradeoffs; r/K selection; semelparity and iteroparity
InteractionsCo-evolution (co-adaptations, arms race, Red Queen hypothesis, co-speciation); prey-predator interactions (mimicry, crypsis, etc)
Population and Quantitative GeneticsOrigins 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 PhylogeneticsNeutral theory; molecular clocks; rates of evolution; phylogenetic reconstruction; molecular systematics
MacroevolutionSpecies concepts and speciation; adaptive radiation; convergence; biogeography

GATE EY Syllabus for Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology

ChapterTopics
Mathematics and Statistics in EcologySimple 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 TestingConcept of p-value; Type I and Type II error, test statistics like t-test and Chi-square test; basics of linear regression and ANOVA.

GATE EY Syllabus for Behavioural Ecology

ChapterTopics
Classical EthologyInstinct; fixed action patterns; imprinting; learnt behavior; proximate and ultimate questions.
Sensory EcologyNeuroethology; communication (chemical, acoustic and visual signaling); recognition systems.
Foraging EcologyForaging behaviour; optimal foraging theory
ReproductionCost of sex; sexual dimorphism; mate choice; sexual selection (runaway selection, good genes, handicap principle, etc); sexual conflict; mating systems; parental care.
Social LivingCosts 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

GATE EY Syllabus for Applied Ecology & Evolution

ChaptersTopics
Biodiversity and ConservationImportance 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 EvolutionEpidemiology; zoonotic diseases; antibiotic resistance; vector Control Plant and animal breeding: Marker assisted breeding; genetic basis of economically important traits
Global Climate ChangeCauses; consequences; mitigation

Related links:

GATE Ecology and Evolution Important Topics

To excel in the GATE Ecology and Evolution exam, candidates should prioritise certain topics. Some important topics in the syllabus include:

  • Fundamental Concepts
  • Macroevolution
  • Molecular Evolution
  • Phylogenetics
  • Sensory Ecology
  • Foraging Ecology
  • Population Ecology

GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus 2026: Best Books to Refer

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

GATE Exam Pattern for Ecology and Evolution

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.

GATE Ecology and Evolution Exam Pattern

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

  • Aptitude

  • Ecology

  • Evolution

  • Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology

  • Behavioural Ecology

Marking Scheme

  • 1 mark MCQs – 1/3 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer.

  • 2 mark MCQs – 2/3 mark will be deducted for every wrong response.

  • Zero marks will be awarded for unattempted questions

  • No negative marking will be done for Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: When will the GATE 2026 exam be conducted?
A:

The GATE 2026 exam will be conducted on February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026.

Q: What is the eligibility criteria for GATE ecology and evolution?
A:

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

Q: What is the age limit for GATE exam 2026?
A:

There is no age limit for the GATE exam 2026.

Q: Can I expect questions related to current environmental issues in the GATE EY exam?
A:

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.

Q: Is a calculator allowed in the GATE EY exam?
A:

No, candidates are not allowed to carry any electronic devices, including calculators, to the GATE examination hall.

Q: What are the opportunities after GATE ecology and evolution?
A:

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.

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Questions related to GATE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to GATE ?

Hello

https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-da-data-science-and-artificial-intelligence-question-papers

Just visit the link I am attaching below, so that it will help you to download and practice the papers, so that you can practice well and score well.

Hope it will help you!!!

Hello dear candidate,

You will not receive another rectification mail unless and until there is still an error in your reuploaded signature. if everything is okay your status will change to accepted on the GATE portal.

My advice is that you should keep checking your application status on the official website of GATE 2026.

Thank you.

Hello,

Visit the below website to download the previous 15 years question paper of GATE exam.

https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/last-15-years-gate-papers-solutions

You'll also get the solutions from it. These question papers will help you a lot in your preparation.

All the best.

This is likely a temporary portal or validation issue, not something you did wrong. When candidates try to change category from GEN to OBC-NCL during the GATE correction window, the system checks required fields and sometimes a supporting certificate or fee is needed. If any required data or document is missing, or the server is busy, the portal can show Something went wrong, please try again. Explain to them that first they should log into the GATE portal, open the Correction tab and confirm which fields are editable and whether a payment or document upload is required for category change. Tell them to clear browser cache or try a different browser/device and retry. If the error persists, advise contacting GATE support or the zonal office with a screenshot and timing of the error so officials can check server logs.

Hello,

The GATE 2026 Agricultural Engineering (AG) paper will have a total of 100 marks. Out of this, 15 marks are for General Aptitude and 85 marks are for core Agricultural Engineering subjects.

The marks are generally distributed among major topics like Engineering Mathematics (12–13 marks), Farm Machinery (10–11), Farm Power (14–15), Soil & Water Conservation (12–13), Irrigation & Drainage (10–12), Agricultural Process Engineering (10–12), and Dairy & Food Engineering (9–10 marks).

The official qualifying marks for GATE 2026 are not yet released. However, based on previous years, the cutoff for the Agricultural Engineering paper is expected to be around 25 marks for General, 22.5 for OBC/EWS, and 16.6 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.

Hope it helps !