GATE Application Date:28 Aug' 25 - 28 Sep' 25
GATE Life Sciences Question Papers 2026: Aiming for GATE 2026 Life Sciences (XL)? There’s no better way to kickstart your prep than by diving into past question papers. Scheduled to be conducted by IIT Guwahati in February 2026 (tentative), this paper tests you across General Aptitude, Section P (Chemistry – compulsory), and two optional sections from areas like Biochemistry, Botany, Microbiology, Zoology, Food Technology, or Biotechnology. Analyzing these papers not only familiarizes you with the latest exam pattern but also reveals question trends and high-weightage topics — making your preparation smarter and more focused. Ready to decode the XL paper? Let’s begin! Solving the GATE exam question paper will help candidates understand the latest exam pattern, analyze question trends and strengthen their preparation across selected subject areas. Let's dive into details!
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Download Now: GATE 2026 Energy Science Sample Paper
Here is the link to the question paper:
Download Link |
In the given table, candidates can download the GATE previous year question papers for Life Sciences engineering.
GATE XL question paper link |
To have a better understanding of the exam candidates are advised to know the weightage of the GATE 2026 question paper. The candidates can check the weightage of GATE XL question paper 2026 in the given table:
Section | Type of Questions | Number of Questions | Sub-Total (Marks) |
Chemistry Section or Section P (Compulsory) | 1 mark questions | 5 | 5 |
2 mark questions | 10 | 20 | |
Sections Q to U | 1 mark questions | 10 | 10 |
2 mark questions | 10 | 20 |
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Candidates preparing for the GATE Life Sciences must be familiar with the exam pattern. The authority will release the GATE exam pattern online. GATE Life Science question paper consists of three sections: General Aptitude, Chemistry, and Core Discipline. The question paper of GATE Life Sciences includes 65 questions, with a weightage of 100 marks. Candidates should prepare every topic mentioned in the syllabus carefully to score good marks.
Particulars | Details |
GATE Exam Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT)/ Online |
GATE exam duration | 3 Hours |
GATE Life Sciences paper Sections | General Aptitude (GA) + Chemistry + Life Sciences (Core Subject) |
GATE XL Number of Questions | 10 (GA) + 15(Chemistry)+ 40 (Life Sciences)=65 Questions |
Distribution of Marks in Life Sciences paper | General Aptitude: 15 Marks + Chemistry: 25 Marks + Subject Questions: 60 Marks = Total: 100 Marks |
The authority conducts the GATE Life Sciences for 100 marks. The GATE XL question paper will be divided into three sections: General Aptitude (GA), Chemistry (mandatory), and any two optional sections. The Chemistry section is mandatory and carries a weightage of 25 marks. The optional sections carry a weightage of 30 marks each. GATE Life Sciences marking schemes will be based on Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Multiple Select Questions (MSQs). Check the below table to understand the GATE XL marking scheme.
GATE Paper Code | General Aptitude (GA) Marks | Subject Marks | Total Marks | Total Time (Minutes) |
XL (Section P + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 25 + (2 x 30) | 100 | 180 |
From the given set of available options candidates appearing for the upcoming exam can opt for any combination of GATE Life Sciences question paper.
Code of the First (Primary) Paper | Codes of Papers Allowed as The Second Paper |
XL | BT, CY, EY |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The GATE Life Sciences exam consists of three sections: General Aptitude, Section P (Chemistry), and Section Q-U (any two of these). There will be two types of questions including Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions, and the total number of questions is 65.
Yes, candidates can appear for 2 GATE papers. However, the choice of GATE papers can be made only based on the GATE Paper Combination released by the authorities.
You can check all the links that are added above in the article
On Question asked by student community
Yes, it will be acceptable. In GATE registration, the name should match your valid photo ID proof in terms of spelling, not the order. Many Indian IDs have surname written first, while the portal generates it as first–middle–last. Since all three parts of your name (Vikash, Rameshbhai, Bhagel) are correct, there won’t be any issue. Just ensure you upload the correct ID proof. During verification, they check spelling, photo, and signature, not the word order.
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 !
Hello! If you are preparing for GATE, there are plenty of free resources available online that can boost your preparation. You can easily access e-books, handwritten notes, subject wise PYQs, and test series shared by toppers on different platforms. Along with that, free PDFs and study material are available through various websites and Telegram channels. To make it easier, I will be attaching the link where you can find preparation tips, a study timetable, free study materials, and previous year question papers all in one place.
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-preparation-timetable
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/how-to-prepare-for-gate
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-preparation-material
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-mock-test
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-question-papers
Hello, with an AIR of 25070 and a score of 499 in NEET PG 2025 under the General category, getting a government seat in West Bengal for highly demanded branches like General Surgery or Orthopedics may be difficult, as these usually close at much higher ranks. However, you still stand a chance for other clinical or para-clinical branches through the state quota counselling. I suggest using the NEET PG college predictor link I’m sharing here, which will give you a clearer idea of the colleges and branches you may get based on your rank and category.
NEET PG College Predictor-
https://medicine.careers360.com/neet-pg-college-predictor
Hello,
You can download GATE Previous Year Question Papers either from the official website of GATE 2026, or from Careers360. Here are the links for both :
Official Website : Download GATE Previous Papers (https://gate2025.iitr.ac.in/download.html)
Careers360 : GATE Question Papers with Solutions
Hope it helps !
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