The GATE 2026 Examination will start from February 7, 2026, organized by IIT Guwahati in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The examination will be held at eight zonal centers and 200+ cities, consisting of all subjects GATE 2026 Question papers. Based on previous year feedback from the candidates the GATE exam was considered as moderate to difficult, with a predominance of Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions and multi-concept application problems.
In this article, collegedunia will provide you access to the GATE 2026 question papers, official answer keys, GATE 2026 memory based questions and shift-wise analysis to help you calculate your expected score and determine the difficulty level of your branch.
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GATE 2026 Question Paper PDF with Solutions
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
| Particulars | Details |
| Examination Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Duration | 3 Hours (180 Minutes) |
| Number of Subjects (Papers) | 30 Papers |
| Sections | General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate's Selected Subject |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions |
| Total Number of Questions | 65 Questions (10 GA + 55 Subject) |
| Distribution of Marks | General Aptitude: 15 MarksEngineering Mathematics*: 13 MarksSubject Questions: 72 MarksTotal: 100 Marks |
| Marking Scheme | Questions carry 1 mark or 2 marks |
| Negative Marking | 1/3 mark for 1-mark MCQ2/3 mark for 2-mark MCQNo negative marking for MSQ or NAT |
GATE 2026 Section-wise Weightage & Difficulty (Expected)
| Section | No. of Questions | Marks Weightage | Difficulty Level |
| General Aptitude | 10 | 15 Marks | Easy |
| Engineering Mathematics | 8 - 10 | 13 - 15 Marks | Moderate |
| Technical Core Subject | 45 - 47 | 70 - 72 Marks | Moderate to Tough |
| Total | 65 | 100 Marks | Moderate |
GATE 2026 Question Paper Analysis (Overall) – Expected
| Parameter | Details |
| Exam Conducting Body | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati |
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate to Difficult |
| Most Challenging Section | Technical Core (due to high NAT/MSQ count) |
| Easiest Section | General Aptitude |
| Question Types | MCQs, MSQs, and NATs |
| Major Trend | Heavy focus on Numerical Answer Type (NAT) in core papers |
How to attempt GATE 2026 Paper in 3 Hours ?
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