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Kitiyala Jamir

Updated on 09th February, 2023 , 13 min read

GATE Exam Pattern

Exam

What is GATE Exam?

The official notification for the GATE 2023 exam, along with the schedule and 2023 GATE exam pattern, has been released by IIT Kanpur. Before creating a study schedule, candidates applying for one of the 29 papers are advised to review the GATE exam pattern. Additionally, before preparing for the upcoming exam, candidates must comprehend the format of the exam.

Aspirants will learn about changes to the GATE exam format and scoring system in this article because they need to know what kinds of questions will earn them high scores and where they should watch out for silly errors. In the following sections, let's examine the GATE exam pattern

GATE Exam Pattern 2023

The table given below is a list of GATE Exam Pattern 2023 :

Particulars

Details

Examination Mode

Computer Based Test (CBT)

Duration

3 Hours

Number of Subjects (Papers)

29

Sections

General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate's Selected Subject(s)

Type of Questions

(a) Multiple Choice Questions 

(b) Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)

and/or Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions

Questions for testing these abilities

Recall, Comprehension, Application, Analysis & Synthesis

Number of Questions

10 (GA) + 55 (subject) = 65 Questions

Distribution of Marks in all Papers EXCEPT papers

AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, XH and XL

General Aptitude: 15 Marks + Engineering Mathematics: 13 Marks +

Subject Questions: 72 Marks = Total: 100 Marks

Distribution of Marks in papers AR, CY, EY,

GG, MA, PH, XH and XL

General Aptitude: 15 Marks + Subject Questions:

85 Marks = Total: 100 Marks

Marking Scheme

Questions carry 1 mark and 2 marks

Negative Marking

There will be negative marking.

For 1-mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.

For 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.

NO negative marking for MSQ & NAT.

 

GATE Exam Pattern 2023: Highlights

The table below are the key highlights of GATE Exam Pattern 2023:

Feature

Description

GATE Examination Mode

Computer-Based Test (CBT)

GATE Exam Language

English

GATE Duration

3 Hours (180 Minutes)

GATE Sectional Time Limit

None

GATE Total Marks

100

GATE Total Number of questions

65

GATE Type of Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ);

Multiple Select Questions (MSQ);

Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions

GATE Number of Sections

Two/ Three (depending on the paper)

GATE Section-wise Number of Questions

General Aptitude- 10 questions,

Core Discipline- 55 questions

GATE Section-wise Weightage

General Aptitude- 15 marks,

Core Discipline- 85 marks

GATE Marking Scheme

1 or 2 marks for each correct answer

GATE Negative Marking

For 1 mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer;

For 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer;

No negative marking for MSQs and NATs

*Chemistry will be required instead of Engineering Mathematics for the Life Science (XL) Paper. In XH, reasoning and comprehension will be compulsory subjects.

  1. The GATE exam consists of 65 questions totaling 100 marks on a single paper that can be completed online in three hours.
  2. There will be multiple-choice (MCQ), multiple-selection (MSQ), and numerical answer type (NAT) questions on the exam.
  3. The weighting of the marks is broken down into three sections for the AE, AG, BT, BM, CE, CH, CS, EE, IN, ME, MN, MT, PE, PI, TF, ST, and XE papers in accordance with the GATE exam pattern.
    • Thirteen points, or roughly 13% of the total, will be assigned to engineering mathematics.
    • 15% of the total points, or 15 points, will come from the General Aptitude section.
    • The remaining 72 marks, or 72% of the total, are allocated to the paper's subject (technical section).
  4. The weighting of the marks is divided into two sections in accordance with the GATE exam pattern for the AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, XH, and XL papers.
    • The General Aptitude section is a total of 15% ,that is 15 marks.
    • The remaining 85 marks, or 85% of the total, are devoted to the topic of the paper.

GATE Exam Pattern 2023: Marking Scheme

According to the GATE exam pattern 2023, the marking scheme for the exam is set up so that students receive 1-2 marks for each accurate response on the paper. 

The marking scheme of DATE Exam Pattern 2023 is mentioned in detailed in the table below:

Paper Code

 General Aptitude (GA) Marks   

 Subject Marks    

 Total Marks  

 Total Time (Minutes )

AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, CY, EC, EE, ES,

EY, IN, MA, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PH, PI, TF, ST     

15

85

100

180

AR [Part A + Part B1 (Architecture)

OR Part B2 (Planning)]

15

60 + 25

100

180

 
  • Engineering and general intelligence In GATE 2023, mathematics will be a required section, accounting for 15% of the total points in papers with the following codes: AE, AG, BT, CE, CH, CS, EE, IN, ME, MN, MT, PE, PI, TF, and XE. The remaining 70% will be weighted toward the student's chosen subject.
  • For AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, and XL, a General Aptitude section will be required in the GATE 2023 question papers, accounting for 15% of the total marks. The remaining 85% will be applied to the selected topic

GATE Exam Pattern 2023: Negative GATE Marking

The GATE exam pattern 2023 states that Multiple-Select Questions (MSQ) do not have negative marking. However, in an MCQ, there will be a penalty for selecting the incorrect response. 

The marking scheme of DATE Exam Pattern 2023 is mentioned in detail in the table below.

Type of Questions

Marking Scheme

Multiple-choice questions (MCQ)

A wrong answer will result in a 1/3 mark deduction for a 1-mark MCQ.

A wrong answer will result in a deduction of 2/3 marks for MCQs worth 2 marks.

Multiple-select questions (MSQ)

No negative marking

Numerical-answer type questions

No negative marking

GATE Exam Pattern 2023: Detailed Pattern of Every Subject

Every paper in the GATE Exam Pattern 2023 varies depending on the parts and the allocation of the marks.

  • All GATE exams include a section on general aptitude. 15% of the total scores are evaluated in this section. The questions in GA are built on the foundations of verbal, numerical, and quantitative abilities. There are a total of 10 questions, 5 of which are worth 1 point and 5 of which are worth 2 points, each holding two marks.
  • For the papers with the codes AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, PE, PI, TF, and XE, general aptitude will be given 15% of the marks, engineering mathematics will be given 13% of the points, and the remaining 72% of the marks will go to the subject paper.
  • General aptitude will account for 15% of the total marks on papers with the codes AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, and XL, while the subject paper will account for the remaining 85% of the total marks.

 

Subject

Number of questions

Marks per Question

Total Marks

General Aptitude

5

1

5

5

2

10

Total

10

-

15

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for Architecture and Planning (AR) 

This year's GATE Exam Pattern for the paper on architecture and planning has been updated. The updated exam format specifies that the paper will include three sections: GA (General Aptitude), Part A, and Part B. All applicants must complete Part A of the exam, while Part B is further separated into Sections B1 (Architecture) and B2 of the exam (Planning). During the exam, students must select one of the sections.

 

Sections

Number of questions

Marks per Question

Total Marks

GA

10

(5 x 1) + (5 x 2)

15

Part A (mandatory)

39

(18 x 1) + (21 x 2)

60

Part B: Part B1 (Architecture) or Part B2 (Planning)

16

(7 x 1) + (9 x 2)

25

Total

55

-

100

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for Geomatics Engineering in (GE)

IIT Kharagpur is introducing a brand-new paper for GATE Exam Pattern 2022 called Geomatics Engineering. The question paper for geomatics engineering has three sections: GA, Part A, and Part B. This is in accordance with the test structure.

Sections

Number of questions

Marks per Question

Total Marks

GA

10

(5 x 1) + (5 x 2)

15

Part A (mandatory)

36

(17 x 1) + (19 x 2)

55

Part B: Section I or Section II

16

(8 x 1) + (11 x 2)

30

Total

55

-

100

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for Naval Architecture & Marine Science (NM)

Three sections make up the General Aptitude, Part A, and Part B of the GATE GG paper. The remaining sections of Part B are Section 1 (Geology) and Section 2. (Geophysics). Part A and the General Aptitude part are required to be completed, and candidates must select either Section 1 or Section 2 from Part B.

Sections

Number of questions

Marks per Question

Total Marks

GA

10

(5 x 1) + (5 x 2)

15

Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

55

(25 x 1) + (30 x 2)

85

GATE Exam Pattern for Mechanical Engineering (ME)

The table below is the exam pattern for Mechanical engineering:

Particulars

Specifications

Exam duration

3 hours

Exam mode

Online (Computer-based test)

Type and total number of Question

Total 65 Questions

MCQs and MSQs and/or Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions

Total marks of the exam

100

Total number of sections

Aptitude

Engineering Mathematics

Subject-specific questions

 

Gate Exam Pattern for Computer Science Engineering (CSE)

The list below is the GATE Exam Pattern for CSE

Feature

Description

GATE Examination Mode

Computer-Based Test (CBT)

GATE Sectional Time Limit

None

GATE Total Marks

100

GATE Total Number of questions

65

GATE Type of Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ);
Multiple Select Questions (MSQ);
Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions

GATE Number of Sections

Two/ Three (depending on the paper)

GATE Section-wise Number of Questions

General Aptitude- 10 questions,
Core Discipline- 55 questions

GATE Section-wise Weightage

General Aptitude- 15 marks,
Core Discipline- 85 marks

GATE Marking Scheme

1 or 2 marks for each correct answer

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for Engineering Science (XE)

There are three components of the GATE XE exam. Sections A (Engineering Mathematics) and General Aptitude are required, and applicants must select TWO sections from Sections B through H of the GATE XE test.

10 general aptitude questions totaling 15 marks.

11 questions totaling 15 marks are included in Section A of the engineering mathematics section.

There are 22 questions in Section B-H, each worth 35 points.These two sections cover a range of topics, including:

  • XE-B – Fluid mechanics
  • XE-C – Material Science
  • XE-D – Solid mechanics
  • XE-E – Thermodynamics
  • XE-F – Polymer Science and Engineering
  • XE-G – Food technology
  • XE-H – Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences

The detailed marking scheme for XE paper is listed below:

Section

Total Number of 1 mark questions

Total Number of 2 mark questions

Total Number of Questions

Total Marks

GA

5

5

10

15

Section A (Engineering Sciences)

7

4

11

15

Section B (Any two of these)

9+9

13+13

22+22=44

35+35= 70

Total

30

70

65

100

GATE 2023 Exam Pattern for Geology and Geophysics (GG)

Three sections make up the General Aptitude, Part A, and Part B of the GATE GG paper. The remaining sections of Part B are Section 1 (Geology) and Section 2. (Geophysics). Part A and the General Aptitude part are required to be completed, and candidates must select either Section 1 or Section 2 from Part B

 

Sections

Sub-section

Number of questions

Marks per Question

Total Marks

GA

-

10

1 or 2

15

Part A

-

25

1

25

Part B (either one based on

candidates selection)

Geology

30

2

60

Geophysics

30

2

60

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for Humanities & Social Scicne (XH)

Students with a background in the humanities can now apply for GATE according to the GATE XH paper, which was launched in 2021. The essay is divided into three pieces. The sections of General Aptitude and B1 (Reasoning and Comprehension) are required, and candidates must select ONE out of C1 through C6. 

The table below consists of the subjects from C1-C6:

  • XH–C1: Economics
  • XH–C2: English
  • XH–C3: Linguistics
  • XH–C4: Philosophy
  • XH–C5: Psychology
  • XH–C6: Sociology

 

Section

Total Number of 1 mark questions

Total Number of 2 mark questions

Total Number of Questions

Total Marks

GA

5

5

10

15

B1* (Reasoning and Comprehension)

5

10

15

15

C1-C6(Any one of these)

20

20

40

60

Total

30

70

65

100


GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for Life Science (XL)

The GATE XL paper is divided into three portions and covers the disciplines C1–C6. Candidates must attempt Section P (Chemistry) and General Aptitude, and they must select two questions from Sections Q through U.

  • XL-Q – Biochemistry
  • XL-R – Botany
  • XL-S – Microbiology
  • XL-T – Zoology
  • XL-U – Food Technology

The table below shows the GATE Exam Pattern for XL:

Section

Total Number of 1 mark questions

Total Number of 2 mark questions

Total Number of Questions

Total Marks

GA

5

5

10

15

Section P(Chemistry)

5

10

15

25

Section Q-U(Any two of these)

10+10

10+10

20+20=40

30+30=60

Total

30

70

65

100

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF, and ST

There are three sections in the question paper for paper codes AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF, and ST. Which are:

Sections

   Marks Weightage   

General Aptitude

15%

   Engineering Mathematics   

13%

Core Discipline

72%

There will be 55 questions from core subjects and engineering mathematics, in addition to the 10 questions in the section on general aptitude. Each of the first 25 questions will be worth one mark, while the latter 30 will be worth two each.

Subjects

  Number of questions   

  Marks per Question   

  Total Marks   

  AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES   

, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF, and ST

25

1

25

30

2

60

Total

55

-

85

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for CY, EY, MA, and PH

General Aptitude and Core Discipline are the two sections that are included in each of the GATE exams for the codes CY, EY, MA, and PH.

Sections

Number of Questions

Marks Weightage

General Aptitude

15

15%

Core Discipline

55

85%

Below is a summary of the detailed marking criteria for the GATE AR, CY, EY, MA, and PH papers:

Subjects

   Number of questions    

   Marks per Question  

  Total Marks  

AR, CY, EY, MA, PH

25

1

25

30

2

60

Total

55

-

85

 

GATE Exam Pattern 2023 for Paper Subject Codes

There will be 29 subjects (papers) covered in the GATE exam. The examination list of papers and paper codes are displayed in the table below. A candidate may take the upcoming GATE exam's one or two papers of their choice. The table that is provided below includes codes for the various exam papers.

GATE Paper

Code

GATE Paper

Code

Aerospace Engineering

AE

Instrumentation Engineering

IN

Agricultural Engineering

AG

Mathematics

MA

Architecture and Planning

AR

Mechanical Engineering

ME

Bio-medical Engineering

BM

Mining Engineering

MN

Biotechnology

BT

Metallurgical Engineering

MT

Civil Engineering

CE

Petroleum Engineering

PE

Chemical Engineering

CH

Physics

PH

Computer Science and Information Technology

CS

Production and Industrial Engineering

PI

Chemistry

CY

Statistics

ST

Electronics and Communication Engineering

EC

Textile Engineering and Fibre Science

TF

Electrical Engineering

EE

Engineering Sciences

XE

Environmental Science Engineering

ES

Humanities Social Sciences

XH

Ecology and Evolution

EY

Life Sciences

XL

Geology and Geophysics

GG

   

GATE Exam Pattern 2023: Paper Two

A candidate can select any one or two subjects before taking the test, per the GATE exam pattern 2023. The candidate must choose those according to the disciplines in which he or she has earned a graduate degree. One or two subject papers may mention a candidate. Candidates who select two tests are limited to a list of approved combinations based on infrastructure and date availability.

The table below shows a list of allowed combinations along with first paper: 

   Codes of First Paper   

   Codes of Second Paper   

    Codes of First Paper     

Codes of Second Paper

AE

NM/ XE

IN

BM/ EC/ PH/ EE

AG

ES/ GE/ XE/ XL

MA

CS/ GE/ PH/ ST

AR

CE/ GE

ME

AE/ CH/ NM/ PI/ XE

BM

BT/ EC/ IN/ XL

MN

GE/ GG/ XE

BT

BM/ XL

MT

PH/ XE

CE

AE/ AR/ ES/ GE/ NM/ XE

NM

AE/ CE/ XE

CH

PE/ XE

PE

CH/ GG/ XE

CS

EC/ GE/ MA/ PH/ ST

PH

EC/ GE/ GG/ IN/ MA/ MT/ ST/ XE

CY

XE/ XL

PI

ME/ MT/ XE

EC

IN/ PH/ EE/ CS/ GE

ST

MA/ PH

EE

EC/ IN/ PH

TF

XE

ES

AG/ CE/ GE

XE

AE/ AG/ CH/ ME/ MN/ MT/ PE/ PI/ TF/ NM

EY

XL

XH

ST

GE

CE/ GG/ ES/ MN

XL

BM/ BT/ CY/ EY

GG

GE/ MN/ PE/ PH/ XE

   

GATE Exam Eligibility

Candidates who are enrolled in any undergraduate degree program's third or later years will be taken into consideration. A candidate is eligible to take the GATE 2022 exam if they have already finished any degree program in engineering, technology, architecture, science, or commerce that has been approved by the government.

However, candidates who have earned certification from one or more professional societies must make sure that the exams those societies hold have been recognized by MoE/AICTE/UGC/UPSC as being equivalent to B.E./B.Tech/B.Arch/B.Planning, etc.

Candidates from nations other than India who have earned or are pursuing their qualifying degree: They must either be in their third or higher year of study or have already finished their Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Technology, Science, Arts, or Commerce, which must have taken at least three years to complete.

 

Degree/Program

Qualifying Degree/Examination

Description of Eligible Candidates

Expected Year of Completion

B.E. / B.Tech. / B. Pharm.

Bachelor's degree in Engineering / Technology (4 years after 10+2 or 3 years after B.Sc. / Diploma in Engineering / Technology)

Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed

2023

B. Arch.

Bachelor's degree of Architecture (5- year course) / Naval Architecture (4- year course) / Planning (4- year course)

Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed

2024 (for 5-year program), 2023 (for 4-year program)

B.Sc. (Research) / B.S.

Bachelor's degree in Science (Post-Diploma/4 years after 10+2)

Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed

2023

Pharm. D. (after 10+2)

6 years degree program, consisting of internship or residency training, during third year onwards

Currently in the 3rd/4th/5th/6th year or already completed

2025

M.B.B.S./B.D.S.

Degree holders of M.B.B.S./B.D.S. and those who are in the 5th/6th/7th semester or higher semester of such programme.

5th, 6th, 7th or higher semester or already completed

2023

M. Sc. / M.A. / MCA or equivalent

Master's degree in any branch of Arts/Science/Mathematics/Statistics/ Computer Applications or equivalent

Currently in the first year or higher or already Completed

2023

Int. M.E./ M.Tech. (Post-B.Sc.)

Post-B.Sc Integrated Master's degree programs in Engineering/ Technology (4-year program)

Currently in any year

any year

Int. M.E./ M.Tech./M.Pharm or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2)

Integrated Master's degree program or Dual Degree program in Engineering/Technology (5-year program)

Currently in the 3rd /4th/5th year or already completed

2024

B.Sc. / B.A. / B.Com.

Bachelor degree in any branch of Science / Arts / Commerce (3 year program)

Currently in the 3rd year or already completed

2022

Int. M.Sc. / Int. B.S. / M.S.

Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year integrated B.S.-M.S. program

Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed

2024

Professional Society Examinations (equivalent to B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Arch.)

B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch. equivalent examinations of Professional Societies, recognized by MoE/UPSC/AICTE (e.g. AMIE by Institution of Engineers-India, AMICE by the Institute of Civil Engineers-India and so on)

Completed Section A or equivalent of such professional courses

NA

GATE Exam Pattern: Exam Fees

The table below is a list of Gate Exam Fees:

Category

Normal Application Fee

Late Application Fee

Women

INR 850

INR 1350

SC/ ST/ PwD

INR 850

INR 1350

All Other Candidates

INR 1700

INR 2200

International Students – Dubai and Singapore

US$ 200

US$ 250

Students From – Dhaka and Kathmandu

US$ 100

US$ 150

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find the official exam pattern of GATE?

To aid students in their exam preparation, the authorities have issued the official GATE exam pattern 2023 along with the brochure

Can I actually use a calculator during the test?

No, to answer the questions, candidates must use a virtual scientific calculator that is provided.

How many questions will you see on the GATE exam in total?

The GATE 2023 test pattern specifies that there will be a total of 65 questions on the examination.

If I respond to a question in GATE 2023 incorrectly, will that result in a penalty?

Yes, each incorrect MCQ will result in a candidate receiving fewer points. Negative marking is not offered in MSQs or NATs, though.

Can I more than one GATE 2023 exam?

Yes. In GATE 2023, a candidate may participate in up to two papers. The GATE information booklet list on the official website lists two paper combinations.

How long does the GATE exam last?

According to the GATE exam pattern 2023, candidates have three hours to complete the test. Candidates are required to complete the entire test, which consists of questions on a variety of subjects.

Is the GATE paper pattern dependent on sectional timing?

There is no sectional time in the GATE paper format. Candidates have three hours to do the entire test, which consists of all three portions

Is the negative marking similar for 1-mark and 2-mark questions in GATE?

The negative markings for questions with 1 and 2 marks in GATE 2023 are not equivalent. A 1-mark MCQ has negative marking, whereas a 2-mark MCQ has negative marking.

Is there any negative marking for GATE 2023 numerical answer type questions?

No, questions with numerical answers in the GATE exam do not carry a penalty for incorrect answers.

Who can apply for GATE 2023?

Candidates who are currently enrolled in their third year of graduation are also eligible to apply, according to the GATE 2023 eligibility requirements, in addition to graduates. The eligibility requirements have also been widened by IIT Kharagpur, making candidates with a BDS or MPharma degree eligible to take the exam.

Which institute will conduct the GATE 2023?

GATE 2023 will be held in more than 220 cities throughout India by IIT Kanpur.

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