The GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) 2027 examination is a popular choice for students who want to pursue M.Tech, explore PSU opportunities, or build a career in data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The exam tests your understanding of mathematics, programming, data structures, machine learning, and other core AI concepts.
- As per the official GATE 2027 website (gate2027.iitg.ac.in), the GATE DA paper consists of 65 questions carrying a total of 100 marks and is divided into two sections: General Aptitude and Core Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
- General Aptitude carries 15 marks, while the remaining 85 marks are dedicated to the core Data Science and Artificial Intelligence subjects.
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Papers 2027 help you get familiar with the latest exam pattern, marking scheme, and question types. Practising these papers regularly improves your conceptual understanding, problem-solving ability, speed, and accuracy, giving you better confidence for GATE DA 2027.
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Papers 2027
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 1
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 2
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 3
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 4
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 5
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 6
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 7
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 8
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 9
GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Paper 10
Download any of the GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) sample papers above and solve them in one timed session of about 128 minutes. Each paper contains 46 questions worth 72 marks—20 questions of 1 mark and 26 questions of 2 marks—just like the core technical section of the actual GATE DA exam.
You can download these sample papers on Collegedunia to start your preparation. Before planning your practice, visit the official GATE 2027 website, gate2027.iitg.ac.in, for the latest information brochure, syllabus, important dates, and exam schedule. Since the organising IIT changes every year, the official GATE website also changes accordingly.
- GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Sample Papers 2027
- GATE Data Science and AI Exam Pattern and Marks Distribution 2027
- GATE Data Science and AI Sample Papers - Why Recent Papers Matter Most
- GATE Data Science and AI Topic Wise Weightage - High Scoring Areas to Focus in Sample Papers
- GATE Data Science and AI Sample Paper Video Solutions 2027 - Watch Before You Start Solving
- How to Use GATE Data Science and AI Sample Papers to Clear in First Attempt
- GATE Data Science and AI Negative Marking and Attempt Strategy
- GATE Data Science and AI 4 Week Preparation Plan Using Sample Papers
- FAQs on GATE Data Science and AI Sample Papers 2027
- Core questions: 46 questions worth 72 marks, split as 20 questions of 1 mark and 26 questions of 2 marks. This is the Data Science and AI core, which includes its own mathematics, but not General Aptitude.
- Time budget: The full paper allows 180 minutes for 65 questions, which is about 2.77 minutes per question, so the DA core earns roughly 128 minutes.
- Marking scheme: Negative marking applies only to MCQs, at one third of the marks allotted. A wrong 1 mark MCQ costs 0.33 and a wrong 2 mark MCQ costs 0.67. MSQ and NAT questions carry no negative marking.
- Paper format: 65 questions worth 100 marks in 180 minutes. General Aptitude is 15 marks and the Data Science and AI subject is the other 85, of which about 72 marks are the technical core these papers train.
- Mode: Computer based test, with an on-screen calculator. Your own calculator is not allowed.
- Conducting body: The IITs and IISc by rotation. Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA), added in 2024, is the newest of the GATE papers.
- Syllabus base: Probability and Statistics, Linear Algebra, Calculus and Optimization, Programming with Data Structures and Algorithms, Database Management and Warehousing, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Unlike the engineering branches, the DA mathematics is part of the core, not a separate section. No General Aptitude in these papers.

GATE Data Science and AI Exam Pattern and Marks Distribution 2027
The GATE Data Science and AI paper carries the same overall shape as every branch, but the DA core is what these sample papers train you for. The structure below has held steady since the paper launched in 2024, so you can plan around it.
- Total paper: 65 questions worth 100 marks in 180 minutes, computer based, in English.
- Section split: General Aptitude 10 questions and 15 marks, and the Data Science and AI subject 55 questions and 85 marks. Unlike engineering papers, the DA mathematics sits inside the subject, so probability, linear algebra and optimization all count as core.
- Core covered here: 46 questions and 72 marks, split as 20 questions of 1 mark and 26 questions of 2 marks. These sample papers leave out only General Aptitude so you can focus on the Data Science and AI core, math included.
- Question types: MCQ with four options, MSQ where more than one option can be right, and NAT where you type a number.
- Marking: Only MCQs are penalised, at one third of the question's marks. MSQ and NAT carry no penalty at all, so an unsure NAT is always worth a guess.
- Conducting body: The IITs and IISc by rotation, announced each year on the official website gate2027.iitg.ac.in. Data Science and AI is the newest of the GATE papers.
Key advice: The DA core is 72 marks and it is wide, running from Bayes theorem to eigenvalues to gradient descent to decision trees. You cannot afford blind spots. A GATE Data Science and AI sample paper forces you across all seven areas in one sitting, which is the only honest test of whether your revision is even.
GATE Data Science and AI Sample Papers - Why Recent Papers Matter Most
GATE does release its question papers, which puts you in a better position than most exams. But DA is only a few years old, with just a handful of official sets, so extra practice at the right level is hard to find.
- Few official papers exist: The DA paper started in 2024, so there are only a small number of past sets to solve. You will run out fast, and a spread of GATE DA sample papers is the only way to keep drilling at the real standard once the official ones are done.
- NAT questions carry a lot of the 2 mark load: A large share of the 2 mark DA questions are Numerical Answer Type, where you compute a value and type it, whether that is a probability, an eigenvalue, or a model's accuracy. These carry no negative marking, so recent practice teaches you to attempt every one rather than skip.
- Machine learning and AI weight is settling in: The applied areas, machine learning and artificial intelligence, now carry steady marks every year alongside the math and programming. A good sample paper mirrors that balance so you do not over-prepare probability and arrive light on classifiers and search.
GATE Data Science and AI Topic Wise Weightage - High Scoring Areas to Focus in Sample Papers
The official DA syllabus groups the subject into seven areas. The 46 core questions spread across them with Machine Learning, Programming and Probability carrying the most. The table below shows how our sample papers distribute them.
| Area | Questions | Difficulty | What to Watch For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Learning | 9 | Moderate to Hard | Linear and logistic regression, kNN, naive Bayes, decision trees, SVM, neural networks, k-means and PCA, plus bias and variance. The largest block, so weak fundamentals here cost you the most. |
| Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms | 9 | Moderate to Hard | Python, searching and sorting, stacks, queues, trees and graphs, and time complexity. Reading and tracing code correctly is where careful candidates pull ahead. |
| Probability and Statistics | 8 | Moderate | Distributions, conditional probability and Bayes theorem, hypothesis testing, and regression and correlation. Formula-heavy but predictable, and a frequent NAT source. |
| Database Management and Warehousing | 6 | Easy to Moderate | Relational model, SQL, normalization, indexing and OLAP for warehousing. Direct questions, so these are quick and reliable marks. |
| Linear Algebra | 5 | Moderate | Matrices, systems of equations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, SVD and projections. Eigenvalue and rank numericals repeat every year. |
| Artificial Intelligence | 5 | Moderate | Search including A star, logic and reasoning, and reasoning under uncertainty. Small but scoring if you know the standard algorithms cold. |
| Calculus and Optimization | 4 | Moderate | Maxima and minima, gradient descent and convex optimization. Short numericals that tie directly into the machine learning questions. |
Note: Don't overlook Database Management and Linear Algebra just because they appear in the middle of the syllabus. Together, they contribute around 11 questions and more than 15 marks in many papers. The questions are usually straightforward and require less preparation time than topics like Machine Learning. In a GATE Data Science and AI sample paper, these subjects are often the easiest way to score quick and reliable marks.
GATE Data Science and AI Sample Paper Video Solutions 2027 - Watch Before You Start Solving
Many GATE Data Science and AI questions seem straightforward, but small mistakes—like setting up a probability problem incorrectly, missing a sign in a gradient calculation, or misreading a Python question—can cost valuable marks.
The video below walks through previous years' GATE Data Science and AI questions from the major topics. Watch it once, then solve Sample Paper 1 and see how many of the same question patterns you can identify.
Watch:
Source: GATE Data Science & Artificial Intelligence Exam 2027 Complete Information Books, Syllabus, Cut -off (YouTube)
How to Use GATE Data Science and AI Sample Papers to Clear in First Attempt
The DA core rewards two things, breadth and clean numerical and coding work. Your preparation should push you across all seven areas while cutting the small slips that cost you sure marks.
- Time every paper at 128 minutes. That is the pace the DA core earns inside the full 180. If you routinely take 160, you are borrowing the time General Aptitude will need on exam day.
- Attempt every NAT. A large part of the 2 mark load is Numerical Answer Type with no negative marking, so a solved value or even a careful estimate is always better than a blank.
- Log why you got it wrong, not just what. Wrong probability model, a sign slip in the math, or a misread line of code. Those three need three different fixes.
- Balance your revision by area. A steady 60 percent can hide the fact that every miss is Machine Learning or Database. Track score per area, not just the total.
- Do not skip the 1 mark questions. Twenty of them carry 20 marks between them and take the least time per mark in the paper.
- Rework each paper's machine learning and programming sections. Together they are 18 questions and the heaviest part of the paper, so a second pass there moves your score more than anywhere else.
GATE Data Science and AI Negative Marking and Attempt Strategy
GATE's marking scheme is more forgiving than most students assume, but only if you know which question type you are looking at. Getting this wrong costs marks that nothing else will win back.
- Only MCQs are penalised. The deduction is one third of the marks allotted, so a wrong 1 mark MCQ costs 0.33 and a wrong 2 mark MCQ costs 0.67.
- Never leave a NAT blank. Numerical Answer Type questions carry no negative marking, and they make up a big share of the DA core. An unsure value is free, and a blank is a guaranteed zero.
- MSQ needs all or nothing. Multiple Select Questions carry no penalty either, but partial ticks earn nothing. Only mark the options you are sure of, and remember there may be just one.
- On MCQs, eliminate before you guess. A blind guess across four options is a losing trade at one third negative. Once two options are gone, on a 2 mark machine learning or database MCQ, it turns clearly in your favour.
GATE Data Science and AI 4 Week Preparation Plan Using Sample Papers
- Week 1: Revise the DA mathematics, covering probability and statistics, linear algebra, and calculus and optimization. Solve Sample Papers 1 and 2 at 128 minutes each and start your error log.
- Week 2: Work through Programming with Data Structures and Algorithms and Database Management and Warehousing, especially Python tracing, sorting, graphs, SQL and normalization. Solve Sample Papers 3, 4 and 5.
- Week 3: Cover Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, including regression, decision trees, SVM, k-means, PCA, search and reasoning under uncertainty. Solve Sample Papers 6, 7 and 8.
- Week 4: Solve Sample Papers 9 and 10 back to back to check your pace holds across all seven areas, then revise only your error log. Keep the last 2 days light, with no new topics.
FAQs on GATE Data Science and AI Sample Papers 2027
Ques.How many questions and marks does the GATE Data Science and AI core carry in these sample papers?
Ans.Each GATE Data Science and AI sample paper carries 46 questions worth 72 marks, made up of 20 questions of 1 mark and 26 questions of 2 marks. This is the DA core, which includes its own mathematics, so it leaves out only General Aptitude, which is a separate paper. In the real exam the full paper is 65 questions and 100 marks, with General Aptitude taking 15 marks.
Ques.Is there negative marking in the GATE Data Science and AI paper?
Ans.Only on MCQs, and the deduction is one third of the marks allotted to that question. So a wrong 1 mark MCQ costs you 0.33 and a wrong 2 mark MCQ costs 0.67. Multiple Select Questions and Numerical Answer Type questions carry no negative marking at all, which matters a lot in DA because so much of the core is NAT. Never leave a NAT question blank.
Ques.How much time should I spend on the Data Science and AI core in the real exam?
Ans.Budget about 128 minutes for the 46 core questions. The paper gives 180 minutes for 65 questions, which is roughly 2.77 minutes per question, so 46 DA core questions earn about 128 minutes. That leaves the remaining time for General Aptitude. Practising a full GATE Data Science and AI sample paper at this pace is the best way to keep that balance under real pressure.
Ques.Which areas carry the most weight in the GATE Data Science and AI paper?
Ans.Machine Learning and Programming with Data Structures and Algorithms are the two largest blocks, followed closely by Probability and Statistics. Database Management and Warehousing, Linear Algebra, Artificial Intelligence and Calculus and Optimization fill out the rest. Our GATE DA sample papers spread the 46 questions across all seven so you are never blindsided by an area you skipped.
Ques.Do these sample papers include the Data Science and AI mathematics?
Ans.Yes. Unlike the engineering branches, GATE DA counts probability and statistics, linear algebra, and calculus and optimization as part of its own core syllabus, so these sample papers include all of them. The only thing left out is General Aptitude, which is a shared part of the full paper and is provided separately, so you can drill the DA core on its own.
Ques.Are these GATE Data Science and AI sample papers the same as previous year papers?
Ans.No. GATE does publish its past papers, and you should solve those too, though DA only started in 2024 so there are just a few sets. These are original questions written to the current pattern, with 46 core questions in 128 minutes and the 20 plus 26 mark split, so you get fresh practice once you have exhausted the official sets. They also weight NAT questions, machine learning and AI the way recent DA papers do.








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