GATE Application Date:28 Aug' 25 - 28 Sep' 25
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national-level exam for taking admissions into M.Tech and PSU recruitment in India. It is jointly taken by IISc Bangalore and seven IITs on a rotational basis. GATE checks a candidate’s knowledge of undergraduate subjects in engineering, science, and architecture. A decent GATE score provides opportunities to get admission in M.Tech, MS, and PhD programs and jobs in top Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
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Wondering what will be GATE 2026 Questions difficulty Level: Easy, Moderate or Tough? We will provide a detailed set of GATE 2026 questions, carefully categorized by difficulty level in this article: Easy, Moderate, and Tough. This article will help candidates improve their preparation, check areas that need improvement, and improve confidence as they progress.
Also read: How to Prepare for GATE
Thinking about the difficulty level of GATE 2026? Based on our analysis of the past few years' difficulty level of the questions of the GATE exam, we are providing you with the expected difficulty level of GATE 2026. This table also provides factors affecting the prediction. Check the GATE 2026 question difficulty level expected below:
Branch | Predicted Difficulty Level | Key Factors Driving Prediction |
CSE (Computer Science & Engg.) | Moderate-to-Tough | More MSQs/NATs on algorithms, DBMS, OS; competition from IT sector graduates. |
EE (Electrical Engineering) | Tough | Heavy on numerical problems; power systems, machines, and signals expected to be lengthy. |
EC (Electronics & Communication) | Moderate-to-Tough | More focus on communication, signals, and digital circuits; VLSI weight may rise. |
ME (Mechanical Engineering) | Moderate | Standard mix of theory + numericals; design and thermodynamics will remain scoring. |
CE (Civil Engineering) | Moderate | Structural and environmental expected to dominate; numericals in geotech and transportation. |
DS (Data Science & AI) | Moderate-to-Tough | Paper still evolving; focus on ML, probability, statistics, data interpretation, and coding logic. |
It is always recommended to know the previous few years difficulty level of questions. It will give an idea of what kind of questions will come this time. Here you can check it:
Year | CSE | Electrical (EE) | Electronics & Comm (EC) | Mechanical (ME) | Civil (CE) | Data Science & AI (DA) |
2025 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Easy to Moderate | Moderate to Hard |
2023 | Moderate to Tough | Hard | Moderate to Tough | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate to Hard |
2022 | Moderate to Tough | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate to Tough | Moderate to Tough | |
2021 | Easy to Moderate | Moderate | Moderate to Tough | Moderate | Moderate | |
2020 | Easy to Moderate | Moderate | Moderate to Hard | Moderate | Easy to Moderate |
Also read: GATE Previous Years Question Papers
The GATE exam pattern will give a good idea about how the questions are going to be. All the subjects will have the same paper pattern:
Particulars | Details |
Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
Duration | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
Total Marks | 100 marks |
Total Questions | 65 questions (MCQ, MSQ, NAT) |
Sections | General Aptitude (15%), Engineering/Subject (85%) |
We have given weightage of GATE 2026 as per chapters. You can check it below:
This table will provide you with the chapterwise weightage. The weightage is made according the last 5 years of GATE question papers.
Chapter | Weightage |
Aptitude | 16.40% |
Engineering Mathematics | 15.73% |
Programming and Data Structures | 9.89% |
Computer Networks | 9.89% |
Computer Organization & Architecture | 9.44% |
Operating System | 8.54% |
Theory of Computation | 8.76% |
Digital Logic | 7.19% |
Algorithms | 4.94% |
Databases | 4.72% |
Compiler Design | 4.49% |
The GATE Electronics and communication weightage is as follows. This will provide you with the chapters that are most important.
Chapter Name | Weightage |
Analog and Digital Electronics | 18.41% |
Aptitude | 15.87% |
Control Systems | 9.52% |
Electric Circuits | 8.57% |
Electrical and Electronic Measurements | 13.33% |
Electrical Machines | 5.40% |
Electromagnetic Fields | 2.86% |
Engineering Mathematics | 4.13% |
Power Electronics | 4.44% |
Power Systems | 9.84% |
Signals and Systems | 7.62% |
Grand Total | 100.00% |
Also Read:
The GATE civil weightage is as follows:
Chapter Name | Weightage |
Aptitude | 15.87% |
Engineering Mathematics | 13.02% |
Environmental Engineering | 11.11% |
Geomatics Engineering | 6.35% |
Geotechnical Engineering | 13.97% |
Structural Engineering | 16.51% |
Transportation Engineering | 10.79% |
Water Resources Engineering | 12.38% |
Grand Total | 100.00% |
This table will give you with a clear idea of the most important chapters to study in GATE ECE.
Chapter Name | Weightage |
Analog Circuits | 11.38% |
Aptitude | 15.38% |
Communications | 9.23% |
Control Systems | 8.62% |
Digital Circuits | 7.69% |
Electromagnetics | 6.77% |
Electronic Devices | 8.62% |
Engineering Mathematics | 11.08% |
Networks, Signals, and Systems | 7.38% |
Signals and Systems | 13.54% |
Grand Total | 100.00% |
Engineering maths has the highest weightage of 27.62% followed by Fluid mechanics. The other chapters weightage is as follows:
Chapter Name | Weightage |
Applied Mechanics and Design | 23.81% |
Aptitude | 15.87% |
Engineering Mathematics | 27.62% |
Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences | 17.78% |
Materials, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering | 14.92% |
Grand Total | 100.00% |
Aptitude always has 10 questions. Apart from that, probability and DSA have the highest weightage of 16.92%.
Chapter Name | Weightage |
Aptitude | 15.38% |
Artificial Intelligence (AI) | 8.46% |
Calculus and Optimization | 8.46% |
Database Management and Warehousing | 8.46% |
Linear Algebra | 10.77% |
Machine Learning | 14.62% |
Probability and Statistics | 16.92% |
Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms | 16.92% |
Total | 100.00% |
Also read: Most repeated questions in Gates PDF free download
We have gone through the GATE 2026 Questions Difficulty Level: Easy, Moderate or Tough? Part of the article, now let’s focus on the cutoff that is expected for GATE 2026.
Paper / Branch | General | OBC-NCL / EWS | SC / ST / PwD |
CSE (CS) | 27 – 30 | 24 – 26 | 18 – 20 |
Electrical (EE) | 25 – 28 | 22 – 25 | 16 – 18 |
Electronics & Comm (EC) | 26 – 29 | 23 – 26 | 17 – 19 |
Mechanical (ME) | 28 – 32 | 25 – 29 | 18 – 21 |
Civil (CE) | 25 – 30 | 22 – 26 | 16 – 20 |
Data Science & AI (DA) | 30 – 35 | 27 – 31 | 20 – 23 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Generally, Electrical (EE) and Electronics (EC) are said to be tougher as they have a tricky numerical and conceptual mix.
Overall GATE exam will be moderately, but in some papers, it is considered to be difficult. The table is given above with subject names and their predicted difficulty level.
Both are tough. JEE Advanced checks the deeper problem-solving for undergrad admission, while GATE checks the advanced UG-level engineering knowledge.
No. Each year the level changes: sometimes lengthy but moderate, sometimes conceptually tough. That’s why cutoffs also fluctuate yearly.
On Question asked by student community
Hey! If you want to do M.Tech without a GATE score, there are several colleges that offer admission through their own entrance exams or selection process. For example, VIT Vellore (VITMEE), BITS Pilani (BITS HD), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI Entrance Exam), Amity University (Amity JEE), Thapar University (TUET), and Pondicherry University all accept students without GATE. Many private universities like Sanskriti University and Lingaya’s Vidyapeeth also allow admission through their own exams. You should check each college for eligibility, application process, fee structure, and placement opportunities before applying.
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.
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