GATE Application Date:28 Aug' 25 - 28 Sep' 25
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering: IIT Guwahati will publish the GATE exam pattern 2026 for Civil Engineering on the official website. The exam includes three types of questions: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions. Candidates can check the GATE 2026 exam pattern for Civil Engineering on this page. The exam pattern of GATE 2026 will include the marking scheme, duration of the exam, types of questions, mode of exam, and more. A total of 65 questions will be asked in the GATE 2026 exam. Moreover, candidates must check the GATE 2026 CE syllabus along with the CE paper pattern. The authority will conduct the GATE entrance exam in online mode.
Also Read: GATE 2026 Syllabus | GATE 2026 Mock Test
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The authority will release the GATE 2026 exam pattern on the official website. The CE exam will consist of 65 questions carrying a total of 100 marks. It will be divided into two sections: General Aptitude (10 questions) and Civil Engineering Subject (55 questions). The weightage distribution for the GATE 2026 Civil Engineering paper will be 72% for subject-based questions, 13% for Engineering Mathematics, and 15% for General Aptitude.
Below are the important highlights of the GATE Civil Engineering exam pattern 2026:
Particulars | Details |
Exam Mode | Online Computer Based Test (CBT) |
Duration | 3 Hours (180 Minutes) |
Question Pattern |
|
Number of Sections |
|
Type of sections |
|
Total Number of Questions | 10 (General Aptitude) 55 (Civil Engineering) Total- 65 Questions |
Total Marks | 100 Marks |
Marking Scheme | 1 Marks and 2 Marks questions (No partial marking) |
Negative Marking |
|
Subject Code/Name | No. of Questions | Marks Distribution | Marks | Negative Marking | Total time |
General Aptitude | 10 | 5 Ques- 1 Marks 5 Ques- 2 Marks | 15 | 1/3 for 1 mark Que in MCQ 2/3 for 2 marks ques in MCQ No Negative marking in MSQ and NAT | |
CE (Civil Engineering) | 45 | 18 Ques- 1 Marks 27 Ques- 2 marks | 72 | ||
Engineering Mathematics | 10 | 7 Ques- 1 Marks 3-Ques- 2 Marks | 13 | ||
Total | 65 | 100 | 180 Minutes |
Topic | Weightage | Topic | Weightage |
Solid Mechanics | 7.75 | Highway & Surveying | 12 |
Structural Analysis | 3.5 | Design of Steel Structures | 4.25 |
Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic machine | 6.75 | Environment Engg | 9 |
Irrigation and Hydrology | 7.75 | General Aptitude | 15 |
RCC and Prestressed concrete | 6.5 | Engineering Mathematics | 12.25 |
Geo-Technical | 15.25 |
65 questions will be asked in the GATE Civil Engineering exam 2026. Three types of questions are asked in the GATE exam. Check below for more details.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ): Each question has four options, of which the candidate has to choose only one correct option. Each question carries 1 or 2 marks, in all the papers and sections.
Multiple Select Questions (MSQ): Candidates have to choose one or more options as answers to these types of questions. Each question carries 1 or 2 marks, in all the papers and sections. There is no partial marking.
Numerical Answer Type (NAT): Each question carries 1 or 2 marks, all papers, and sections. The candidate has to enter their answer using the virtual numeric keypad on the monitor.
Negative Marking: There will be negative markings for MCQ questions. For each wrong 1-mark question, 1/3 mark will be deducted and for each wrong 2-mark question, 2/3 mark will be deducted. However, there will be no negative markings in MSQ and NAT questions.
The authority designs the GATE exam pattern for Civil Engineering 2026 to test the following abilities of candidates.
Recall: Candidates are required to choose the correct answer using their memory or from a one-line computation. It tests the factual knowledge of the examinee. This part contains facts, principles, formulae, or laws in the discipline of the paper.
Comprehension: These questions are designed to test the understanding ability of the candidate in which he is required to conclude answers from fundamental ideas.
Application: The students are required to use their knowledge using computation or logical reasoning.
Analysis and Synthesis: They test the analytical skills of the candidate. They have to analyze the data which is present in the form of diagrams images, etc. Based on their analysis and synthesis of questions, candidates have to compare the information and choose the right answer.
The authority will release the syllabus for GATE Civil Engineering exam 2026 online. Candidates can check the GATE Civil Engineering syllabus in the table below.
GATE 2026 CE Sections | Important Topics |
Engineering Mathematics |
|
Transportation Engineering |
|
Geomatics Engineering |
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Given below is the GATE 2026 GA syllabus which is common for exam papers.
Syllabus for GATE GA 2026
Subject | Important Topics |
General Aptitude |
|
Also Read: GATE GA Previous Year Question Papers
Civil Engineering Topics | Authors |
Theory of Structure | CK Wang, S. Rammamrutham, L.S. Negi & Jangit |
Theory of Elasticity | Timoshenko & Gere |
Strength of Materials/Mechanics of Structure Soil Mechanics | Gare & Timoshenko, E. Popove, L. Singer, B.C. Punamia, Rammamrutham |
Geo-tech Engineering | Gopal Ranjan and Rao, R.F. Craig |
Pre-stressed Concrete | Krishna Raju |
Reinforced Concrete | Ashok K Jain |
Highway/ Pavement & Traffic | Khanna & Justo, Kadiyali |
Fluid Mechanics & Machines | RK Bansal, Modi & Seth |
Also Read: GATE 2026 Important Books for all Subjects
Candidates who qualify for the GATE exam will be eligible for admission to top institutes. Aspirants will be able to check the GATE Cutoff 2026 on the official website of GATE.
Also Read: GATE 2026 preparation tips
Candidates who are looking for previous year question papers can download GATE 2026 CE question papers from careers360 for free. All the answers are available with the sample papers. The candidates are advised to solve these papers to understand the GATE exam pattern for civil engineering 2026 and prepare for their exams so that they can score good grades.
Also Read: Download Free All subjects GATE Sample Papers
Here are the important tips for GATE preparation for Civil Engineering (CE) 2026
Go through the syllabus of GATE 2026 for Civil Engineering carefully and mark the important topics.
Understand the GATE exam pattern for Civil Engineering and make a study plan before starting your GATE CE 2026 preparation. Set a specific time for a specific topic and make a daily schedule. It is crucial to stick to the plan.
Don't forget to revise your course syllabus, and make sure that you have covered all sections.
Solve the GATE CE previous year's mock test papers and check your score to know your progress.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, the GATE 2026 exam pattern for civil engineering on the official website.
The GATE 2026 CE exam will include a total of 65 questions. In, the general aptitude section will have 10 questions, for engineering mathematics, 10 questions, and the remaining 45 questions related to the core subject which is civil engineering.
Yes, there will be a negative marking in MCQ questions and not for MSQs, NATs in GATE 2026 exam. For 1 marks questions, 1/3 mark will be deducted and for 2 marks questions, 2/3 mark will be deducted.
The GATE exam 2026 duration is 3 hours (180 Minutes). For disabled, candidates 1 hour of compensatory (extra) time for an examination shall be provided.
There will be a total of 7 sections in GATE CE exam. These subjects are Engineering Mathematics, Structural Engg, Geomatics Engg, Environmental Engg, Transportation Engg, Water Resource Engg, and Geotechnical Engg.
The GATE paper will comprise 65 questions for 100 marks. The duration of the GATE Civil Engineering exam will be three hours. Negative marking will be done for wrong answers.
The GATE CE 2026 exam will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.
GATE 2026 will be held for 30 papers.
Early preparation is considered to be good. It will save plenty of time for revision.
Candidates can check the GATE exam pattern for Civil engineering on the official website.
On Question asked by student community
Hello there,
For GATE Aerospace Engineering , here is a concise list of essential books to cover all important topics:
Aerodynamics:
Fundamentals of Aerodynamics – John D. Anderson Jr.
Aerodynamics for Engineering Students – Houghton & Carpenter
Flight Mechanics / Performance / Stability:
Introduction to Flight – John D. Anderson Jr.
Aircraft Performance & Design – John D. Anderson Jr.
Propulsion:
Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion – Hill & Peterson
Gas Turbines – V. Ganesan
Structures:
A Textbook of Strength of Materials – R.K. Bansal
Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students – T.H.G. Megson
Space Mechanics:
Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students – Howard D. Curtis
Engineering Mathematics:
Advanced Engineering Mathematics – Erwin Kreyszig / R.K. Jain & S.R.K. Iyengar
Practice:
GATE Aerospace mock tests and previous years’ solved papers.
Focus on these books to strengthen concepts, practice numericals, and revise efficiently for the exam.
To download free study materials for your exam,
CLICK HERE
.
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries, feel free to share your questions with us, and we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you, and I wish you all the best in your bright future.
Hello,
Yes, the GATE exam is valued for M.Sc. Microbiology in some institutes.
Many IITs, IISc, and some top universities accept GATE scores for admission to M.Sc. or integrated PhD programmes in Microbiology and related fields.
It is more commonly used for M.Tech/PhD admissions, but for M.Sc. Microbiology, a few institutes also consider GATE.
Some universities may prefer their own entrance exams instead.
It is best to check the admission rules of the specific university or institute you are interested in.
Hope it helps !
Hello
As an EEE (Electrical and Electronics Engineering) graduate, your core GATE paper is EE (Electrical Engineering).
You can also choose papers like IN (Instrumentation) or EC (Electronics and Communication) if you're comfortable. GATE now allows two-paper combinations EE plus IN is a valid pair.
Choose based on your strengths and future goals (e.g., PSU jobs, M.Tech). Always check the latest GATE brochure for updated paper codes and combinations.
Here’s a concise 5-point version you can use:
Know syllabus & pattern: Focus on core subjects of your branch and General Aptitude.
Study material: Use UG textbooks, reference books, and previous year GATE papers.
Plan & practice: Make a daily/weekly schedule, solve problems, and revise regularly.
Mock tests & accuracy: Take weekly mock tests, analyze mistakes, and improve speed.
PSU recruitment: Apply to PSUs like NTPC, IOCL, BHEL, ONGC, GAIL based on GATE scores; some conduct interviews.
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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