The GATE 2026 Biotechnology (BT) exam is now over on 7th February 2026 from 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM.

The GATE 2026 Biotechnology (BT) paper was moderate as per the initial feedback from the students and experts’ analysis.

  • General Aptitude: Easy to moderate; straightforward verbal, numerical, and reasoning questions.
  • Engineering Mathematics: Moderate to hard; NAT-heavy, focused on calculus, linear algebra, and probability.
  • Core Biotechnology: Moderate to tough; application-based MSQs and NATs, with Bioprocess Engineering being the most challenging.

The paper had ~30-40% NATs and MSQs, which were numerical-heavy. High-yield areas like molecular biology and bioprocess engineering accounted for ~30-35% of core marks, similar to prior years.

Also Read: Download GATE 2026 BT Question Paper (Available) with Solution Pdf

GATE 2026:Biotechnology (BT) Paper Analysis

As per the experts, the paper was balanced. Genetics, cell biology, and bio-process engineering had the maximum number of questions. The bio process engineering and mathematics sections were heavily loaded with NATs.

Section Key Topics with High Weightage Approximate Weightage (Marks/Questions)
General Aptitude Grammar, data interpretation, logical reasoning 15 marks (10 questions)
Engineering Mathematics Linear algebra, calculus, differential equations, probability & statistics 13 marks (~8-10 questions)
Biochemistry Enzyme kinetics, metabolism, biomolecules ~10-15 marks (~6-8 questions)
Genetics, Cellular, and Molecular Biology DNA replication, transcription, translation, gene interactions, cell signaling ~15-20 marks (~10-12 questions)
Microbiology and Immunology Microbial growth, host-pathogen interactions, immune responses ~10-12 marks (~6-8 questions)
Bioprocess Engineering Kinetics of microbial growth, reactor design, mass/heat transfer ~15-18 marks (~9-11 questions)
Recombinant DNA Technology (RDT) and Bioinformatics Cloning vectors, PCR, DNA sequencing, sequence alignment ~8-10 marks (~5-7 questions)
Plant, Animal, and Microbial Biotechnology Tissue culture, transgenic organisms, fermentation ~5-7 marks (~3-5 questions)

Check: What is the rank of 40 marks in GATE?

Expected Good Attempts & Cutoff For Biotechnology Paper Analysis:

As per the previous year's paper analysis, you need to attempt about 70-75 questions with very high accuracy to score a good mark.

GATE Paper Expected Good Attempts Expected Cutoff Marks (General) Expected Cutoff marks (OBC/EWS) Expected Cutoff Marks (SC/ST)
Biotechnology (BT) 70-75 30-32 27-29 20-22

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