Which is the Hardest Subject in GATE 2026? Difficulty Ranking & Insights

Which is the Hardest Subject in GATE 2026? Difficulty Ranking & Insights

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GATE Application Date:28 Aug' 25 - 28 Sep' 25

Team Careers360Updated on 01 Sep 2025, 12:12 PM IST

Which is the hardest subject in GATE - The hardest subjects for GATE examinations are Mechanical Engineering(ME), Electrical Engineering(EE), Electronics and Communication Engineering(EC) many more based on several factors, discussed below. However, the exam toughness is quite a subjective entity which highly depends on individual preparation, some papers are universally regarded as tougher due to their vast syllabus, conceptual depth, and intense competition.

This Story also Contains

  1. List of Hard GATE Subjects 2026
  2. Which is the Hardest Subject in GATE?
  3. Number of Candidate appeared in GATE Examination
  4. Cutoff for Hardest GATE Subjects
  5. Why is Mechanical Engineering (ME) considered the hardest subject in GATE?
  6. Does Paper Selection Affect GATE Difficulty?
Which is the Hardest Subject in GATE 2026? Difficulty Ranking & Insights
Which is the Hardest Subject in GATE 2026? Difficulty Ranking & Insights

The following subjects are listed as hardest subjects for GATE examination because of the highest number of participation, vast and comprehensive syllabus and difficult level of questions. Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is considered one of India’s toughest engineering entrance exams, testing candidates on in-depth technical knowledge and problem-solving skills. While the difficulty level of GATE largely In this article, we will discuss which is the hardest subject in GATE, why it is challenging, and how competition varies across streams.

Also Check : GATE Eligibility Criteria | GATE Subject Wise Weightage

Which is the Hardest Subject in GATE?

While difficulty is subjective, Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Electrical Engineering (EE) are often considered the hardest subjects in GATE. These papers have:

  • A vast syllabus covering core technical subjects.

  • High competition due to large numbers of aspirants.

  • Conceptually tough questions requiring analytical problem-solving.

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Other papers like Electronics (EC), Civil (CE), and Computer Science (CS) are also tough but depend on how well a candidate understands core concepts.

Number of Candidate appeared in GATE Examination

Below is the curated list of candidates who appeared in GATE examination for year 2025, 2024 and 2023. Where some subjects reported a higher number of candidates participated in the exam. Highest the number of participating candidates implies higher competition and toughness level.

Candidates Participated in GATE Exam

GATE Subject with Code

Number of Candidates Participated in GATE Exam

2023

2024

2025

Mechanical Engineering (ME)

63489

65,546

62015

Electrical Engineering (EE)

55292

67701

Electronics and Communication Engg. (EC)

45833

63,092

81475

Civil Engineering (CE)

83187

85,869

79951

Computer Science & IT (CS)

75679

1,23,967

170825

Instrumentation Engineering (IN)

8746

9,900

11935

Chemical Engineering (CH)

13607

13,937

14843

Cutoff for Hardest GATE Subjects

GATE cutoff of the recent years gives a clear idea about comprehensive comparison among the difficulty level of different subjects; which one is easier and which one is hard. Here is the year wise general cutoff for subjects regarded as the hardest subject in the GATE Exam.

Year wise cutoff for Hardest GATE Subject

GATE Subject with Code

Year wise General cutoff for GATE Exam(Out of 100)

2023

2024

2025

Mechanical Engineering (ME)

28.4

28.6

35.8

Electrical Engineering (EE)

25

25.7

25

Electronics and Communication Engg. (EC)

29.9

25

25

Civil Engineering (CE)

26.6

28.3

29.2

Computer Science & IT (CS)

32.5

27.6

29.2

Instrumentation Engineering (IN)

34.8

32.7

25.6

Chemical Engineering (CH)

32.10

25

27.7

Why is Mechanical Engineering (ME) considered the hardest subject in GATE?

Mechanical Engineering is regarded as the hardest subject because of:

Particulars

Details

Extensive Syllabus

Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Machine Design, Manufacturing, etc., require in-depth study.

Complex Numerical Problems

Many questions involve multi-step calculations.

High Number of Candidates

ME consistently has one of the largest applicant pools in GATE.

Conceptual & Analytical Blend

Both theoretical understanding and numerical accuracy are tested rigorously.


Electrical Engineering (EE) : Why is it tough?

Electrical Engineering is also extremely challenging due to:

Particulars

Details

Mathematically Intensive Topics

Power Systems, Electrical Machines, Control Systems.

Tough Numerical Problems

Accuracy and time management are critical.

Demanding Competition

It attracts a high number of applicants, making the cut-offs competitive.

Does Paper Selection Affect GATE Difficulty?

  • Yes, the choice of paper significantly affects perceived difficulty:

  • Papers like Instrumentation (IN), Chemical Engineering (CH), though tough, have fewer candidates, reducing competition.

  • However, core branches (ME, EE, EC, CE, CS) remain the most competitive due to higher participation.

  • Subjects like Environmental Science (ES) and Geology (GG) are considered moderate in toughness.

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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Does fewer applicants in a paper make it easier to crack GATE?
A:

While subjects with fewer applicants may have slightly lower cut-offs, the conceptual depth of questions remains tough. So preparation is equally important.

Q: Is Computer Science (CS) in GATE difficult?
A:

Yes, GATE CS is challenging due to its conceptual subjects like Algorithms, Data Structures, and DBMS, combined with high competition.

Q: Which is the hardest subject in GATE overall?
A:

Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Electrical Engineering (EE) are widely regarded as the toughest papers in GATE.

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Questions related to GATE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to GATE ?

How to make a GATE mock test:

  1. First, see the GATE exam pattern (3 hours, 65 questions, 100 marks).

  2. Collect the syllabus and old question papers.

  3. Make questions (easy, medium, tough) in MCQ, MSQ, and NAT type.

  4. Arrange them with marks and negative marking like the real exam.

  5. Use Google Forms or Quizizz to create the test.

  6. Give answers or solutions at the end.

For GATE Life Sciences question banks, you can go for GATE past year's papers to understand the exam style, and you can buy online test series from a coaching site for lots of new practice questions.

you can get question book one from publishers like IFAS or GKP. Also use free online resources like NPTEL and EasyBiologyClass for extra practice and study materials. Good luck!

Here are GATE exam aptitude topics from high to low weightage:

1. English Comprehension & Vocabulary

2.Numerical Ability and Arithmetic

3.Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability

4.Data Interpretation

5.Geometry & Mensuration basic

6.Algebra basic

7.Probability and Statistics

8.General Knowledge and Miscellaneous Verbal like  odd one out, analogy, word usage.


If you are needed to prepare for gate exam from ece batch there 65 questions in exam pattern total marks is 100 here 15% is aptitude general questions then 15% mathematics engineering questions , 70% core subjects you need to concentrate on more core related subject like controls system , signals and system , digital circut these topics covers most of the basics but you need to prepare more topics in core subjects and create a structure plan for yourself dialy attend mock test with time duration these steps will help to prepare very easily.