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    GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026 (Out) - Download PDF

    GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026 (Out) - Download PDF

    Gandubilli UnnatiUpdated on 18 Nov 2025, 04:40 PM IST

    GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026: IIT Guwahati has published the GATE 2026 syllabus for Zoology on the official website gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Candidates can check the detailed GATE 2026 syllabus for zoology on this page. The zoology paper is a part of the GATE Life Sciences (XL) 2026 paper. The Zoology syllabus for the GATE 2026 exam is divided into 11 major sections, namely, Animal Diversity, Evolution, Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, etc. Students who are applying for the GATE exam can download the free syllabus PDF on the official website. The GATE 2026 exam will be conducted on February 7, 8, 14 and 15, 2026. The GATE XL is scheduled for February 07, 2026.
    Direct link to download the GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026

    LiveGATE 2026 Result LIVE (OUT): IIT Guwahati MTech entrance exam result at gate2026.iitg.ac.in; toppers, branchesMar 20, 2026 | 11:33 PM IST

    The computer-based test GATE 2026 was conducted on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026 by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati.

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    This Story also Contains

    1. GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026
    2. GATE Zoology 2026 Exam Pattern
    3. Best Books for GATE Zoology Preparation
    GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026 (Out) - Download PDF
    GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026

    The GATE 2026 zoology exam code is XL-T. Candidates attempting the zoology paper must also be aware of the GATE 2026 exam pattern. The GATE Zoology syllabus is designed to assess the comprehensive understanding of students in the field of zoological sciences. Students planning to apply for the GATE 2026 exam can read the complete article carefully to get a vivid idea about the exam pattern, GATE syllabus Zoology pdf download, and more.

    GATE Zoology Syllabus 2026

    Sections

    Study Areas

    Animal Diversity

    Distribution, systematics and classification of animals, phylogenetic relationships

    Evolution

    Origin and history of life on earth, theories of evolution, natural selection, adaptation, speciation

    Genetics

    Basic Principles of inheritance, the molecular basis of heredity, sex determination, and sex-linked

    characteristics, cytoplasmic inheritance, linkage, recombination, and mapping of genes in

    eukaryotes, population genetics, genetic disorders, roles of model organisms in understanding

    genetic principles

    Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

    Nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates; replication, transcription & translation, Krebs

    cycle, glycolysis, enzyme catalysis, hormones and their actions, roles of vitamins and minerals

    Cell Biology

    Basic principles of cellular microscopy, structure of cell, cytoskeletal organization, cellular

    organelles and their structure and function, cell cycle, cell division, chromosomes, and chromatin

    structure

    Gene expression in Eukaryotes

    Eukaryotic genome organization and regulation of gene expression, transposable elements

    Animal Anatomy and Physiology

    Comparative physiology, the respiratory system, the Muscular system, circulatory system, digestive

    system, the nervous system, the excretory system, the endocrine system, the reproductive system,

    skeletal system

    Parasitology and Immunology

    Nature of parasite, host-parasite relation, protozoan and helminthic parasites, the immune

    response, cellular and humoral immune response

    Development Biology

    Gametogenesis, Embryonic development, cellular differentiation, organogenesis, metamorphosis,

    Model organisms used in developmental biology, genetic and molecular basis of development,

    stem cells

    Ecology

    The ecosystem, Animal distribution, ecological niche and its contribution to ecological diversity,

    the food chain, population dynamics, species diversity, zoogeography, biogeochemical cycles,

    conservation biology, ecotoxicology

    Animal Behaviour

    Type of behaviours, courtship, mating and territoriality, instinct, learning and memory, social

    behaviour across the animal taxa, communication, pheromones, evolution of behaviour in animals

    GATE Zoology 2026 Exam Pattern

    The exam pattern for GATE 2026 consists of the total number of questions and the marks per question in the exam. It also includes the marks for correct and incorrect responses. The GATE exam will be conducted in 30 major Papers. The overall GATE test duration is 3 hours. GATE is a Computer Test conducted online in two sections: General Aptitude (GA) and Candidate-selected Subject. The total score for the test is 100 marks, and all of the questions will be worth 1 or 2 marks.

    GATE Exam Format 2026 Highlights

    ParticularsDetails

    Examination Mode

    Computer-Based Test (Online)

    Duration

    3 Hours

    Type of Questions

    • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

    • Multiple Select Questions (MSQs)

    • Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions

    Design of Questions

    The questions are designed to test the listed abilities

    • Application

    • Analysis

    • Comprehension

    • Recall

    • Synthesis

    Number of Questions

    65 Questions (including 10 questions from General Aptitude)

    Distribution of Questions in Zoology

    • Questions from Subject Concerned - 85 Marks

    • General Aptitude - 15 Marks

    Total Marks

    100 Marks

    Marking Scheme

    All of the questions will be worth 1 or 2 marks

    GATE Negative Marking

    Two types of MCQs:

    • MCQs - 1 mark for each correct answer; 1/3 mark will be deducted for every wrong answer.

    • MCQs - 2 marks for each correct answer; 2/3 marks will be deducted for every incorrect response. There are no negative marks for Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions

    • NO negative marking for MSQ & NAT.

    Also Read: GATE Question Paper

    Best Books for GATE Zoology Preparation

    Here’s a list of some popular preparation books for GATE 2026. Students can easily purchase these materials on online platforms.

    GATE Zoology Preparation Books 2026

    Book Name

    Publication

    GKP GATE 2025 : Life Science - Zoology - Guide(Includes Solved papers of 2016-2024)

    GK Publications

    GATE 2024: Life Science - Zoology - Guide by Dr. Prabhanshu Kumar Er. Preeti Tripathi

    GK Publications

    Gate Life Science Zoology [XL-T] Question Answer Book 4000+ MCQ As Per Updated

    Diwakar Education Hub

    Gkp Gate 2025: Life Science - Zoology - Guide includes Solved Papers Of 2016-2024

    GK Publications

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What is the GATE Zoology exam date?
    A:

    The zoology paper is a part of the GATE Life Sciences 2026 paper. IIT Guwahati has released the GATE 2026 exam dates on the official website, i.e., February 07, 2026. 

    Q: Is the GATE 20265 syllabus released?
    A:

    Yes, IIT Guwahati has released the GATE 2026 syllabus on August 8, 2025.

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

    You can start your GATE 2026 preparation immediately to get a good GATE score. However, students are recommended to dedicate at least 500 hours to practice, revision, and test series to increase their expected scores.

    Q: What is the syllabus of GATE Life Sciences 2026?
    A:

    The syllabus of GATE Life Sciences comprises various topics such as XL - U Food Technology, XL - P Chemistry, XL - Q Biochemistry, XL - R Botany, XL - S Microbiology, and XL - T Zoology.

    Q: Can a zoology student do a GATE exam?
    A:

    Yes, a zoology student can do a GATE exam. However, the candidate must complete their 3rd year of a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or a related field to fulfill the academic requirement of the test.

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    Questions related to GATE

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to GATE ?

    Every PSU has different cut-off marks and eligibility. Hence, it is suggested to apply for PSU after checking the eligibility. Also, they do not reveal the marks of the finally selected candidates. So, wait for the final merit list.

    Yes. You can. GATE eligibility specifies that students in their 3rd year and above can appear for the exam. Since the results are valid for 3 years, you can use the same for your admissions.

    If you score 500 marks in GATE2026, your chances of getting into good engineering colleges (especially NITs, IIITs and some older IITs) are strong for most disciplines, while top branches like CSE/EEE/ECE at older IITs may still require higher ranks. Your GATE AllIndia Rank (AIR) with 500 marks usually falls