GATE 2026 Exam Pattern for ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering)

GATE 2026 Exam Pattern for ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering)

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GATE Exam Pattern for ECE 2026 - IIT Guwahat has uploaded exam pattern for GATE 2026 Electronics and Communication Engineering on the official website, gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The GATE ECE exam pattern 2026 is given in this page. The paper pattern includes details about the marking scheme, types of questions, total marks, and much more. The GATE ECE question paper will have a total weightage of 85% in Electronics and Communication Engineering and 15% in General Aptitude. Students preparing for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering must prepare for the test, keeping in mind the GATE paper pattern for ECE. The GATE 2026 exam will be conducted on February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026,

GATE 2026 Exam Pattern for ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering)
GATE Exam Pattern for ECE 2026

The GATE 2026 electronics and communication paper pattern includes eight major sections of Engineering Mathematics, Networks, Signals and Systems, Electronic Devices, Analog Circuits, Digital Circuits, Control Systems, Communications, and Electromagnetics. The GATE ECE question paper will feature three types of questions, including Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ), Multiple-Select Questions (MSQ), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions. There will be a total of 100 questions in the GATE ECE exam. Candidates preparing for the GATE 2026 exam for Electronics and Communication Engineering can check the detailed syllabus and exam pattern here.

Highlights of GATE 2026 Electronics and Communication Exam Pattern

Students preparing for the GATE exam 2026 must know the exam pattern, marking scheme, weightage, sections, and the number of questions. Check the details below.

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  • There will be a total of 100 marks on electronics and communication question papers.

  • The exam will be conducted in online mode, CBT (computer-based test).

  • The GATE question paper of ECE will contain 3 types of MCQs, MSQs, and NAT.

  • There will be 1-mark and 2-mark questions in the exam.

  • The GATE 2026 ECE question paper will contain a total of 65 questions, with 10 questions on general aptitude and 55 questions on electronics and communication engineering.

  • The total time duration will be 3 hours (180 minutes) in the exam.

  • The 1/3 and 2/3 marks will be deducted for every incorrect answer. There will be negative markings in objective-type questions only.

  • The candidates appearing for the GATE 2026 ECE paper have the choice to choose IN, PH, EE, CS, or GE as their second paper.

GATE Previous Year Question Paper's
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GATE 2026 ECE Paper Marking Scheme

Candidates are advised to make a preparation strategy based on the GATE syllabus for ECE with weightage. Check out the complete details regarding the syllabus weightage below:

GATE ECE Marking Scheme 2026

Subject Code/Name

No. of Questions

Marks Distribution

Marks percent weightage

Negative Marking

Total time

General Aptitude

10

5 x 1

5 x 2

15

1/3 for 1 mark Que in MCQ


2/3 for 2-mark questions in MCQ


No Negative marking in MSQ and NAT


Electronics and communication engineering (ECE)


45

(25 x 1)

(30 x 2)

85



Engineering Mathematics

10





Total

65


100


180 Minutes


Also Read: GATE exam pattern for Civil Engineering

GATE Exam Pattern For Electronics And Communication- Syllabus And Topics

The GATE exam syllabus for ECE 2026 is available online on the website. Candidates appearing for the entrance test can check the GATE syllabus for ECE 2026 to know the important topics section-wise. Check the table below for the GATE 2026 ECE syllabus.

GATE 2026 ECE Syllabus

Sections

Important Topics



General Aptitude

  • Verbal Aptitude

  • Quantitative Aptitude

  • Analytical Aptitude

  • Spatial Aptitude

Engineering Mathematics

  • Linear Algebra

  • Calculus

  • Differential Equations

  • Vector Analysis

  • Complex Analysis

  • Probability and Statistics

Networks, Signals and Systems

  • Circuit analysis

  • Continuous-time signals

  • Discrete-time signals

Electronic Devices

  • Carrier transport

  • P-N junction, Zener diode

Analog Circuits

  • Diode circuits

  • BJT and MOSFET amplifiers

  • Op-amp circuits

Digital Circuits

  • Number representations

  • Sequential circuits

  • Data converters

  • Semiconductor memories

  • Computer organization

Control Systems

  • Basic control system components

  • Transient and steady-state analysis of LTI systems

  • Routh-Hurwitz and Nyquist stability criteria;

  • State variable model and solution of the state equation of LTI systems

Communications

  • Random processes

  • Analog communications

  • Information theory

  • Digital communications

Electromagnetics

  • Maxwell's equations

  • Plane waves and properties

  • Transmission lines


Also Read: How to Prepare for GATE Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE)

GATE 2026 Question Paper Pattern

Candidates can check all the important details carefully to know the GATE exam pattern for ECE 2026.

  • The GATE ECE exam 2026 will be a computer-based exam. The total time will be 3 hours.

  • The GATE paper total marks for ECE will be 100 marks.

  • There will be 1 and 2-mark questions. For MCQ questions, candidates will have 4 options, out of which 1 will be the correct answer.

  • The General aptitude section will have a total of 10 questions with 15% weightage.

  • The Engineering Mathematics and core subject electronics engineering will contain 55 questions with a total of 72% marks.

  • The GATE exam pattern for ECE electronics and communication will have multiple-choice questions, Multiple Select Questions (MSQs), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.

  • For MSQ questions, candidates will have 4 options, out of which candidates can choose one or more correct answers.

  • For NAT questions, candidates have to enter the numerical values using a virtual keypad. No choices will be given for these questions.

Also Read: Download Free ECE GATE Previous Year Papers

Best Books for GATE ECE electronics and communication Preparation 2026

Best books for GATE 2026 preparation, students must have:

Book Name

Author

Network Theory

Alexander Sadikuv

Electronic Devices

Jacob Millman & Christos C. Halkias

Analog Circuits

Donald A. Neaman

Digital Circuits

Ronald J. Toccii, Pearson Publications

Control System

Nagarath and Gopal


Read Also: Best recommended books for GATE ECE Preparation

GATE ECE Cutoff 2026

Candidates will be able to access the GATE 2026 cutoff for ECE on the official website. For admissions to M.Tech at the IITs, NITs, IIITs, other centrally funded institutes, and private institutes, candidates have to qualify for the GATE score. Students can analyze the GATE exam pattern for ECE and can solve the previous year's GATE cutoff to prepare and have an overview.

GATE ECE Previous Year Cutoff

Year

General

OBC-NCL

SC/ST/PH

20252522.516.6

2024

25

22.5

16.5

2023

29.9

26.9

19.9

2022

25

22.5

16.5

2021

25

22.5

16.6

2020

28.8

25.9

19.2

2019

26.7

24

17.8


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the GATE 2026 syllabus for ECE?
A:

The authority has released the GATE syllabus for ECE 2026 on the official website.

Q: What is the section-wise weightage of the GATE ECE question paper pattern?
A:

The GATE exam pattern for ECE electronics and communication has a total of 3 sections. The General aptitude contains 15% weightage, Engineering Mathematics will contain 13%, and ECE Electronics and Communication will contain 72% weightage.

Q: How many papers are there in GATE for ECE?
A:

There will be only one paper in GATE ECE 2026. GATE exam pattern for ECE Electronics and Communication consists of 3 main sections. General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and core subject (Electronics and Communication Engineering).

Q: What type of questions will be asked in GATE ECE 2026?
A:

GATE ECE question paper will have three types of questions. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT).

Q: How many questions will be asked in the GATE syllabus for ECE 2026?
A:

There will be a total of 65 questions in the GATE ECE exam: 55 questions from the core subjects, including Engineering Mathematics, and 10 questions from the General Aptitude section.

Q: How many sections will be there in the GATE 2026 syllabus for ECE?
A:

There will be three sections General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE). The core sections of the ECE are:

  • Section 1: Networks, Signals, and Systems

  • Section 2: Electronic Devices

  • Section 3: Analog Circuits

  • Section 4: Digital Circuits

  • Section 5: Control Systems

  • Section 6: Communications

  • Section 7: Electromagnetics

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Questions related to GATE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to GATE ?

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!!

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.

If your GATE application shows failed status even after a successful payment, don’t worry, this usually happens due to server or transaction update delays. First, wait for 24–48 hours as sometimes the status gets updated automatically. If it still shows failed, you should raise a query through the GATE application portal by providing your enrollment ID and payment receipt or transaction details. You can also contact the GATE zonal office via email or helpline with proof of payment. Keeping a screenshot of the payment success message will also help in resolving the issue quickly.

Hi dear candidate,

You can refer to the online E Books for GATE examination available on our official website that you can download anytime.

Kindly refer to the link attached below to access them for practice.

Link: GATE E-books and Sample Papers

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Hey! The qualifying cutoff for GATE CSE in 2025 was around 29.2 marks for General, 26.2 for OBC/EWS, and 19.4 for SC/ST/PwD. For GATE 2026, the official cutoff is not declared yet, but if we look at the past trends, it usually stays around 30–32 marks for General category. So, if you are preparing, it’s better to target a score well above this range to be on the safer side.