GATE Paper Analysis 2026: Check Difficulty Level, Branch-wise Question Paper Analysis, Weightage of Topics

IIT Guwahati is scheduled to host the GATE 2026 examination on February 7, 8, 14 and 15 across multiple sessions. The GATE 2026 paper analysis will be updated after each shift of the exam. The GATE paper analysis will include subject-wise difficulty levels, question trends, topic weightage, and student feedback, helping candidates gain insights into the exam pattern.

The GATE 2026 February 7 Shift 1 is now over. Candidates reported that the morning session maintained a mix of conceptual and application-oriented questions.

• The average number of attempt of questions made by students was 50 ot 57.
• As per the students’ initial reaction, the GATE Aptitude and GATE Maths paper was on the easier side.
• Students who took ES (Environmental Science) also reported that the paper went well. Questions were easy in nature. 
• Candidates who took Instrumentation Engineering also reported that the paper was easy. 
• Early reactions describe the paper as moderate with a few challenging bits, especially in core subject sections. 

Check: GATE 2026 Exam Live Updates: Feb 7 Shift 2 Begins, Check Question Paper, Difficulty Level and Student Reactions

GATE 2026 second shift was conducted for AE, BT, CH, CY, GE, PH and XH. You can check the detailed analysis of how the Shift 2 papers went below. Based on students' reactions, the GATE 2026 second shift was moderate. 

• The GATE CH exam question paper was easy to moderate.
• Few students found CH paper to be lengthy. 
• Maths and aptitude were easy to moderate with not-so-heavy calculations.
• GA section was very easy with direct formula based questions.

GATE 2026 Paper Analysis

The in-depth exam analysis of the GATE 2025 exam for 32 discipline, alsong with the question papers, and solutions are available in this article.

GATE Paper Analysis 2026 Latest Trends

• GATE 2026 Exam Day Guidelines: Reporting Time, Items Allowed, Rules
• GATE Cutoff 2026 Expected, Brach-wise Cutoff for IITs, NITs, IIITs, GIFTs & PSUs, Marks vs Rank
• GATE Question Paper (Available): Check Previous Year Question Paper with Solution PDF

GATE 2026 Paper Analysis: Difficulty Level

GATE 2026 Feb7 Shift 1 Question Papers

GATE 2026 Paper Analysis: Shift Wise

We have provided the paper-wise analysis and difficulty level below.

GATE 2026 Feb 7 Shift 1 Overall Paper Analysis

Candidates can check a brief overview of the GATE 2026 Feb 7 papers and the GA difficulty level below -

GATE 2025 Paper Analysis

GATE 2025 Exam Analysis

The GATE 2025 is being conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. This examination is administered jointly by IISc Bengaluru and seven IITs, namely, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee—on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India.

GATE 2026 Feb 1 Shifts 1 and 2 Exam Analysis

• Civil Engineering (CE1): The paper was of moderate difficulty level and contained an even mix of numerical and theoretical questions. The important topics were Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, and Environmental Engineering.
• Chemical Engineering (CH): The exam was of a moderate difficulty level, and the focus was on the core subjects such as Chemical Reaction Engineering, Process Calculations, and Thermodynamics.
• Physics (PH): Aspirants found the paper moderately tough, with serious focus on Quantum Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, and Classical Mechanics.
• Biotechnology (BT): The test was fairly challenging, with topics including Molecular Biology, Bioprocess Engineering, and Genetics.
• Civil Engineering (CE2): The general level of difficulty was found to be moderate in nature. The General Aptitude section was comparatively easier in comparison to the technical part. The technical part had an equal proportion of theoretical and numerical questions. Major topics were Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, and Environmental Engineering. Solution discussion and detailed analysis for the CE2 paper is provided here for more information.
• Statistics (ST): The test followed the revised pattern, having 10 questions from the General Aptitude portion and 55 questions from Statistics topics. The level of difficulty was likely to be moderate and cover topics like probability theory, statistical inference, and linear models. The question paper and the detailed solutions are available for the candidates to check their performance.
• Engineering Sciences (XE) and Life Sciences (XL): These question papers provided a variety of sections for candidates to opt from according to their specialization. Detailed solutions and analyses for these question papers are likely to be published soon.
• Mining Engineering (MN): The question paper provided questions related to mining techniques, mine ventilation, and rock mechanics. Detailed analyses and solutions for this question paper are also likely to be published soon.

GATE 2026 Feb 2 Shifts 1 and 2 Exam Analysis

GATE 2025 February 8 Shift 1 and 2 Exam Analysis:

• Chemistry (CY): The question paper was of a moderate level, with an even distribution of easy to tough questions. Inorganic Chemistry was challenging, while Organic and Physical Chemistry were moderate. The General Aptitude section was easy.
• Aerospace Engineering (AE): The difficulty level of the paper was moderate. The General Aptitude section was long and challenging. Core subjects such as Aerodynamics, Propulsion, and Flight Mechanics had tough questions, which needed theoretical as well as practical knowledge.
• Data Science & AI (DA): The paper was moderate, but the General Aptitude section was long and challenging. Data Structures and Algorithms were important, and the paper consisted of easy to tough questions.
• Environmental Science & Engineering (ES): The test was of a moderate level, with a proper combination of easy, moderate, and difficult questions. The General Aptitude section was easy, and main topics such as Environmental Chemistry and Ecology were important.
• Production & Industrial Engineering (PI): The test was of a moderate level. The General Aptitude section was easy, and main topics such as Manufacturing Processes and Operations Research were moderately difficult, needing a clear understanding of concepts.
• EC (Electronics and Communication): Expected to be moderate to hard, with a decent blend of theory and practice questions.
• GE (Geology and Geophysics): Expected to be moderate, with few application-based questions.
• XH (Humanities and Social Sciences): Most likely to be moderate, with emphasis on General Aptitude and subject-related questions from fields.
• BM (Biomedical Engineering): Most likely to be moderate, with an equal distribution of questions from Biomedical Engineering fundamentals, Medical Instrumentation, and Signal Processing.
• EY (Environmental Science and Engineering): Most likely to be moderate, with topics such as Environmental Chemistry, Ecology, and Waste Management, with a couple of tough questions from interdisciplinary topics.

GATE 2025 CS Shift 1 Exam Analysis

The exam was rated as Easy to Moderate by most candidates. While the General Aptitude section was straightforward, some questions in the core subjects were time-consuming.

Question Distribution:

The GATE CS 2025 question paper comprised a total of 65 questions divided into three types:

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): 33
• Multiple Select Questions (MSQs): 18
• Numerical Answer Type (NAT): 14

Section-Wise Analysis:

“Based on the feedback, attempting 48-53 questions with reasonable accuracy was considered a good performance in this shift.”

Topic-Wise Question Breakdown:

GATE 2025 CS Shift 2 Exam Analysis

The exam was rated as Moderate, with a balanced mix of theoretical and numerical questions. Some sections were reported to be more challenging, requiring an in-depth understanding and application of concepts.

Question Distribution:

The GATE CS 2025 question paper comprised a total of 65 questions carrying 100 marks, distributed as follows:

The types of questions included:

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): 1-mark and 2-mark questions with negative markings for incorrect answers.
• Multiple Select Questions (MSQs): 1-mark and 2-mark questions without negative marking.
• Numerical Answer Type (NAT): 1-mark and 2-mark questions without negative marking.

Section-Wise Analysis:

“Based on the feedback, attempting 50-55 questions with reasonable accuracy was considered a good performance in this exam.”

Topic-Wise Weightage:

GATE 2025 ME Exam Analysis

The exam was rated as Easy to Moderate, with a balanced mix of theoretical and numerical questions.

Question Distribution:

The GATE ME 2025 question paper comprised a total of 65 questions carrying 100 marks, distributed as follows:

The types of questions included:

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): 25 (1-mark questions), 13 (2-mark questions)
• Multiple Select Questions (MSQs): 1
• Numerical Answer Type (NAT): 5 (1-mark questions), 21 (2-mark questions)

Section-Wise Analysis:

“Based on the feedback, attempting 50-55 questions with reasonable accuracy was considered a good performance in this exam.”

Topic-Wise Weightage:

GATE 2025 EE Exam Analysis

The exam was rated as Moderate, with a balanced mix of theoretical and numerical questions.

Question Distribution:

The GATE EE 2025 question paper comprised a total of 65 questions carrying 100 marks, distributed as follows:

The types of questions included:

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): 1-mark and 2-mark questions with negative markings for incorrect answers.
• Multiple Select Questions (MSQs): 1-mark and 2-mark questions without negative marking.
• Numerical Answer Type (NAT): 1-mark and 2-mark questions without negative marking.

Section-Wise Analysis:

“Based on the feedback, attempting 50-55 questions with reasonable accuracy was considered a good performance in this exam.”

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Agricultural Engineering (AG)

There were 65 questions in the GATE 2025 AG Exam, out of which 10 were from the General Aptitude section and 55 from Engineering Mathematics and core Agricultural Engineering subjects. The overall difficulty level was rated as moderate, with a balanced mix of theoretical and numerical questions that tested the conceptual understanding of the candidates.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Mathematics (MA)

The GATE 2025 MA Exam consisted of 65 questions in total, out of which 10 were from General Aptitude and 55 from Core Mathematics. The exam was rated as moderate to difficult. Several questions were time-consuming and required a deep understanding of the concepts.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NM)

The GATE 2025 NM exam consisted of 65 questions, including 10 questions from General Aptitude and 55 questions from core topics related to naval architecture and marine engineering. The overall difficulty level of the exam was rated as moderate to difficult, with a significant portion of the paper requiring a deep understanding of core concepts.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Metallurgical Engineering (MT)

There were 65 questions in the GATE 2025 MT exam. These questions consisted of 10 from General Aptitude and 55 from core Metallurgical Engineering topics. The exam was rated moderate, with both theoretical and numerical questions being distributed fairly. Even though the paper was spread well over all topics, some carried a higher weightage than others.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Textile Engineering and Fibre Science (TF)

The GATE 2025 TF exam had 65 questions in total, with 10 questions from General Aptitude and 55 questions from core Textile Engineering topics. The overall difficulty of the exam was rated as moderate. Questions were straightforward, but they needed clarity in fundamental concepts to solve them accurately.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Instrumentation Engineering (IN)

The GATE 2025 IN exam consisted of 65 questions, 10 from General Aptitude and 55 from core Instrumentation Engineering topics. The overall difficulty of the test was rated to be moderate, with a very good mix of easy and tough questions.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Petroleum Engineering (PE)

There were 65 questions in the GATE 2025 PE exam, of which 10 questions were from General Aptitude and 55 from core Petroleum Engineering subjects. The exam was rated as moderate, with a broad range of topics covered, having a notable emphasis on practical applications.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE 2025 Architecture and Planning (AR)

The GATE 2025 AR exam comprises 65 questions with 10 from General Aptitude and 55 from core Architecture and Planning subjects. Overall, the level of difficulty was rated to be moderately tough. The paper was diversified, with this aspect testing both theoretical knowledge and design aptitude.

Topic-Wise Weightage

GATE Previous Year Paper Analysis

GATE 2024 EE Paper Analysis

GATE 2024 EE Paper Analysis: Weightage of Topics

GATE 2024 Paper Analysis of ECE

GATE 2024 ECE Paper Analysis: Weightage of Topics

GATE 2024 Paper Analysis for Computer Science (CS)

GATE 2024 Computer Science Paper Analysis Shift 1: Weightage of Topics

GATE 2024 Computer Science Paper Analysis Shift 2: Weightage of Topics

GATE 2024 Paper Analysis for Biotechnology (BT)

GATE 2024 Paper Analysis for Civil Engineering (CE)

GATE 2024 Civil Engineering Paper Analysis: Weightage of Topics

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GATE 2024 Paper Analysis for Chemical Engineering (CH)

GATE 2024 Chemical Engineering Paper Analysis: Weightage of Topics

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GATE 2024 Paper Analysis for Environmental Science (ES)

GATE 2024 paper analysis for environmental science and engineering was reported to be easy to moderate in difficulty. Although, the General Aptitude section was slightly difficult. The number of MCQs, NATs and MSQs has been mentioned in the section below.

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GATE 2024 Paper Analysis for Data Science (DA)

As per the analysis, 10 questions were from Probability and Statistics, 8 from Programming and Data Structure, 7 from Database Management and Warehouse. The following table mentions the topics and the number of questions asked from each topic.

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GATE 2024 Paper Analysis for Mechanical (ME)

The overall difficulty level of GATE ME was easy to moderate. As per students’ review, questions were based on Machine Design, Rankine Cycle, Thermodynamics, Productions, etc.

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GATE Previous Years’ Paper Analysis

GATE paper analysis from 2023 to 2016 of all the subjects are discussed below along weightage of each topic.

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for CE Shift 1

• GATE 2023 CE Question Paper in shift 1 was reported as moderate toi difficult by the students.
• There were 34 MCQs, 9 MSQs, and 22 NATs.
• Topic-wise weightage is provided below:

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for CE Shift 2

• GATE 2023 CE Question Paper in shift 2 was reported as moderate by the students.
• There were 35 MCQs, 11 MSQs, and 19 NATs.
• Topics with high weightage included
  • Engineering Mathematics (9-11 marks)
  • Geotech engineering (12-15 marks)
  • Environmental Engineering (10-12 marks)
  • Hydrology + Irrigation (4 marks)
  • SOM + Structures (11-14 marks)

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for CH

• GATE 2023 CH Question Paper was reported as moderate by the students.
• There were 38 MCQs, 3 MSQs, and 24 NATs

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for XE

• GATE 2023 XE Question Paper was reported as easy by the students.
• There were 39 MCQs, 4 MSQs, and 22 NATs

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for IN

• GATE 2023 IN Question Paper was reported as moderate by the students.
• There were 31 MCQs, 1 MSQ, and 33 NATs

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for ECE

• GATE 2023 ECE Question Paper was reported to be easy to moderate in overall difficulty. 
• There were 45 MCQs, 16 NATs, and 4 MSQs.
  • ​There were 1 and 3 MSQs carrying 1 mark and 2 marks respectively.
  • And 19 and 16 MCQs carrying 1 mark and 2 marks respectively.
• Engineering Mathematics carried the highest weightage with 15 marks. 

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for EE

• GATE 2023 Electrical Engineering paper was reported to be moderately difficult. 
• There were 6 MSQs, 31 MCQs and 28 NATs. 

• A detailed GATE 2023 paper analysis for Electrical has been updated here with the highest weightage subjects shortly. 

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for Mechanical

• GATE 2023 Mechanical Engineering Question Paper was reported to be moderately difficult.
• There were 30 MCQs, 8 MSQs and 27 NATs carrying a weightage of 47 marks, 10 marks and 43 marks respectively.
• A detailed GATE 2023 paper analysis for Mechanical Engineering is available here along with highest weightage topics.

GATE 2023 Paper Analysis for CSE

• The overall difficulty of GATE CSE 2023 question paper was reported to be easy to moderate.
• There were 34 MCQs, 15 MSQs and 16 NATs in the paper. All questions in General Aptitude were MCQ based. 
• 1 mark questions in GATE CSE 2023 paper were more time-consuming as compared to 2 marks questions. 
• Data Structure & Programming carried the highest weightage in GATE 2023 CSE paper. 

GATE 2023 CSE Paper Analysis: Highest Weightage Topics