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GATE Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering 2026 - Download PDF

GATE Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering 2026 - Download PDF

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Team Careers360Updated on 10 Oct 2025, 05:59 PM IST

GATE 2026 Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering: IIT Guwahati has published the GATE Civil Engineering exam pattern 2026 on the official website. The exam pattern includes three types of questions: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions. The GATE 2026 exam pattern for Civil Engineering is updated on this page. The exam pattern of GATE 2026 exam includes the marking scheme, duration of the exam, types of questions, mode of exam, and more. Moreover, candidates must check the GATE 2026 CE syllabus along with the CE paper pattern. The authority will conduct the GATE entrance exam on February 7, 8, 14 & 15, 2026, in online mode.
Also Read: GATE 2026 Syllabus | GATE 2026 Mock Test

This Story also Contains

  1. GATE Exam Pattern 2026 Civil Engineering
  2. GATE Civil Engineering Marking Scheme 2026
  3. Syllabus of GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Topic Wise Weightage
  4. GATE Civil Engineering Question Paper Pattern 2026
  5. GATE 2026 Civil Engineering Question Paper
  6. GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus 2026
  7. GATE 2026 CE General Aptitude Syllabus
  8. GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Best Books
GATE Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering 2026 - Download PDF
GATE Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering

GATE Exam Pattern 2026 Civil Engineering

The authority released 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.

GATE Civil Engineering Exam Pattern 2026 Highlights

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

  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

  • Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)

  • Numerical Answer Type (NAT)

Number of Sections

  • General Aptitude

  • Civil Engineering

Type of sections

  • Recall

  • Comprehension

  • Application

  • Analysis and Synthesis

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

  • For 1-mark MCQ question, 1/3 mark will be deducted.

  • For 2-mark questions MCQ, 2/3 marks will be deducted.

  • No negative marking MSQ and NAT questions.

Related links:

Gate exam pattern for CSE

Gate exam pattern for Chemistry

Gate exam pattern for ECE

Gate exam pattern for Textile Engineering

Gate exam pattern for Mechanical Engineering

Gate exam pattern for Physics

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GATE Civil Engineering Marking Scheme 2026

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

Syllabus of GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Topic Wise Weightage

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



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GATE Civil Engineering Question Paper Pattern 2026

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.

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 2026 Civil Engineering Question Paper

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.

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GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus 2026

The authority released 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

  • Linear Algebra

  • Calculus

  • Partial Differential Equation (PDE)

  • Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE)

  • Probability and Statistics

  • Numerical Methods

Transportation Engineering

  • Transportation Infrastructure

  • Highway Pavements

  • Traffic Engineering

Geomatics Engineering

  • Principles of surveying

  • Maps

  • Distance and angle measurement

  • Horizontal and vertical curves

  • Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing


GATE 2026 CE General Aptitude Syllabus

Given below is the GATE 2026 GA syllabus which is common for exam papers.

Syllabus for GATE GA 2026

Subject

Important Topics



General Aptitude

  • Verbal Aptitude

  • Quantitative Aptitude

  • Analytical Aptitude

  • Spatial Aptitude

Also Read: GATE GA Previous Year Question Papers

GATE Civil Engineering 2026 Best Books

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

GATE Civil Engineering CutOff 2026

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

GATE 2026 Civil Engineering: Previous Year Question Papers

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

Quick Tips To Prepare GATE Civil Engineering Paper 2026

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)

Q: Is the GATE exam pattern for civil engineering 2026 released?
A:

Yes, the GATE 2026 exam pattern for civil engineering is available on the official website.

Q: How many questions will GATE CE Exam 2026 contain?
A:

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.

Q: Is there a negative marking in the GATE 2026 examination?
A:

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.

Q: What is the duration of the GATE 2026 Exam?
A:

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.

Q: How many sections are there in the GATE CE Exam 2026?
A:

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.

Q: What is the pattern of GATE 2026 Civil Engineering?
A:

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.

Q: What is the mode of the GATE CE 2026 Exam?
A:

The GATE CE 2026 exam will be conducted in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.

Q: How many papers are in GATE 2026?
A:

GATE 2026 will be held for 30 papers.

Q: When should I start preparing for GATE 2026?
A:

Early preparation is considered to be good. It will save plenty of time for revision.

Q: How to check the GATE Exam Pattern for Civil Engineering PDF?
A:

Candidates can check the GATE exam pattern for Civil engineering on the official website.

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On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to GATE ?
I am in 2nd year Can I register for Gate 2026

Hello

If you're in 2nd year right now, you can’t register for GATE 2026 just yet.
The exam is only open to students in the 3rd year or beyond in their degree.
It’s mainly because the GATE tests subjects that are usually taught later in your course.
But don’t worry, you are in a great position to start preparing early!
Focus on your basics, practice problem-solving, and build strong concepts now.
By the time you reach 3rd year, you’ll be well ahead of the game.

Read Complete Answer
S
SEJAL JAIN
10 Oct'25
I registered Gate 2026, 09 days earlier. 2 days left for registration with late fees. but my application status shown is under scrutiny. what can i do now.

Hello,

If your GATE 2026 application shows "under scrutiny," continue to monitor your applicant portal and registered email for updates, as this is a routine process where officials verify your details.  An "under scrutiny" status does not mean your application is rejected; you may be notified of discrepancies and given a chance to correct them during the application correction window, which opens later. Keep your application details accurate and prepare for the exam while waiting for the correction window to open.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Read Complete Answer
R
Rahul Mandal
9 Oct'25
how do i enter the name in GATE application form in all my id proofs its surname+first name but in GATE application the format is first name and surname please can anyone clear the confusion

Hello,

In the GATE application form , you should enter your name exactly as it appears in your official ID proof , even if the order is different.

For example:

  • If your ID proof shows Surname + First Name , enter it in the same way in the form.

  • Do not change the order to First Name + Surname.

This is important because your GATE admit card and scorecard will match your ID proof.

Keep it exactly the same to avoid any issues later.

Hope it helps !

Read Complete Answer
P
Prachi Kumari
9 Oct'25
can BSc home science graduate appear for gate 2026 exam

Hello,

Yes, you as a Bachelor of Science graduate in home science can appear for the GATE 2026 exam, as the eligibility criteria include graduates from "Science" and other fields, as well as those in the 3rd year or higher of an undergraduate program.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Read Complete Answer
R
Rahul Mandal
29 Sep'25
What importance will this Gate exam provide in the long run

Hey! The GATE exam (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is very important for long-term career growth. It opens opportunities for postgraduate studies (M.Tech, MS, PhD) in top institutes like IITs and NITs and is also used by many public sector companies (PSUs) for recruitment, often with higher salary packages. In the long run, qualifying GATE can enhance your technical knowledge, career prospects, and credibility in the engineering field.

Read Complete Answer
A
Ankur Mehta
29 Sep'25
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