GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering Exam Pattern
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2025 is a comprehensive examination that evaluates candidates' understanding and knowledge in various engineering and science subjects. Below is a summary of the GATE 2025 exam pattern to help candidates prepare effectively.
GATE 2025 Exam Pattern: Two-Paper Combination
GATE 2025 introduces an exciting opportunity for candidates to choose two subjects instead of just one, allowing them to enhance their knowledge and skills. This two-paper concept enables candidates to opt for a primary paper based on their undergraduate discipline and a secondary paper from related fields. The new two-paper combination list has been approved by the GATE authorities, and candidates must choose from this list during the application process.
Why Choose a Two-Paper Combination? Opting for a two-paper combination improves candidates' chances of acceptance into top engineering institutes. The primary paper corresponds to the candidate's field of study, while the secondary paper offers an opportunity to apply knowledge in a related area, providing an edge in interdisciplinary knowledge.
New Two-Paper Combination List for GATE 2025
| First Paper Code (Primary Paper) | Second Paper Code (Secondary Paper) |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering (AE) | Geomatics Engineering (GE) |
| Agricultural Engineering (AG) | Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| Architecture and Planning (AR) | Geology and Geophysics (GG), Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| Biomedical Engineering (BM) | Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA), Electrical Engineering (EE), Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| Biotechnology (BT) | Environmental Science and Engineering (ES), Ecology and Evolution (EY), Computer Science and Information Technology (CS), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) |
| Civil Engineering (CE) | Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA), Textile Engineering and Fibre Science (TF), Electrical Engineering (EE) |
| Chemical Engineering (CH) | Chemistry (CY), Life Sciences (XL), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) |
| Computer Science & IT (CS) | Engineering Sciences (XE), Biotechnology (BT), Electrical Engineering (EE), Mechanical Engineering (ME) |
| Chemistry (CY) | Chemical Engineering (CH), Humanities and Social Sciences (XH) |
| Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) | Biomedical Engineering (BM), Civil Engineering (CE), Instrumentation Engineering (IN), Chemical Engineering (CE), Metallurgical Engineering (MT), Biotechnology (BT), Humanities and Social Sciences (XH), Geomatics Engineering (GE) |
| Electronics and Communication (EC) | Life Sciences (XL) |
| Electrical Engineering (EE) | Biomedical Engineering (BM), Life Sciences (XL), Computer Science and Information Technology (CS), Civil Engineering (CE) |
| Environmental Science and Engineering (ES) | Biotechnology (BT), Ecology and Evolution (EY) |
| Ecology and Evolution (EY) | Biotechnology (BT), Mathematics (MA), Environmental Science and Engineering (ES) |
| Geomatics Engineering (GE) | Mining Engineering (MN), Engineering Sciences (XE), Aerospace Engineering (AE), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) |
| Geology and Geophysics (GG) | Architecture and Planning (AR), Mining Engineering (MN), Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| Instrumentation Engineering (IN) | Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) |
| Mathematics (MA) | Computer Science (CS), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA), Physics (PH), Statistics (ST) |
| Mechanical Engineering (ME) | Aerospace Engineering (AE), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA), Instrumentation Engineering (IN), Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering (NM), Production and Industrial Engineering (PI), Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| Mining Engineering (MN) | Geomatics Engineering (GE), Geology and Geophysics (GG) |
| Metallurgical Engineering (MT) | Production and Industrial Engineering (PI), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) |
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NM) | Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| Petroleum Engineering (PE) | Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| Physics (PH) | Life Sciences (XL) |
| Production and Industrial Engineering (PI) | Metallurgical Engineering (MT) |
| Textile Engineering & Fibre Science (TF) | Engineering Sciences (XE), Civil Engineering (CE) |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (XH) | Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA), Chemistry (CY) |
| Life Sciences (XL) | Chemical Engineering (CH), Electrical Engineering (EE), Physics (PH), Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) |
Important Notes While Selecting Two Subjects:
- Candidates must designate one subject as their primary paper and select a secondary paper accordingly.
- If a new combination is introduced after the registration, candidates can select it during the correction window, with the payment of the requisite fee.
- In case a combination is removed later, the candidate will receive a refund for the second paper fee.
Optional Paper Sections for GATE 2025
Certain papers like Engineering Sciences (XE), Humanities and Social Sciences (XH), and Life Sciences (XL) have optional sections. These sections allow candidates to choose specific areas to focus on.
GATE 2025 Engineering Sciences (XE) Optional Sections:
- Fluid Mechanics (B)
- Materials Science (C)
- Solid Mechanics (D)
- Thermodynamics (E)
- Polymer Science and Engineering (F)
- Food Technology (G)
- Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences (H)
GATE 2025 Humanities and Social Sciences (XH) Optional Sections:
- Economics (C1)
- English (C2)
- Linguistics (C3)
- Philosophy (C4)
- Psychology (C5)
- Sociology (C6)
GATE 2025 Life Sciences (XL) Optional Sections:
- Biochemistry (Q)
- Botany (R)
- Microbiology (S)
- Zoology (T)
- Food Technology (U)
GATE 2025 Exam Pattern: Types of Questions
The GATE exam consists of 65 questions worth 100 marks. The question types are divided into three categories:
- Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- 1 or 2 marks.
- Four options with negative marking (1/3 mark for 1-mark MCQs, 2/3 for 2-mark MCQs).
- Multiple Select Questions (MSQs)
- 1 or 2 marks.
- No negative marking.
- Correct answers are based on proportional accuracy.
- Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions
- 1 or 2 marks.
- No options provided.
- No negative marking.
Categories of Questions:
The questions in the GATE exam are designed to assess candidates' abilities in the following areas:
- Recall: Questions based on facts, formulas, or laws requiring memory or simple calculations.
- Comprehension: Questions testing understanding of basic concepts and logical deductions.
- Application: Questions that test how well candidates can apply their knowledge.
- Analysis and Synthesis: Questions requiring the analysis of data, graphs, or diagrams to form conclusions or synthesize new ideas.GATE 2025: Marking Scheme
- The GATE 2025 exam consists of 100 marks in total for each subject. The exam duration is 3 hours (180 minutes). Each test paper comprises two compulsory sections: General Aptitude (GA), which is allotted 15 marks, and subject-specific questions, which account for the remaining 85 marks.
- The marking distribution is as follows:
Marking Scheme for Different Papers
| Paper Code | General Aptitude (GA) Marks | Subject Marks | Total Marks | Total Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF | 15 | 13: Engineering Mathematics72: Specific subject | 100 | 180 |
| CY, DA, EY, MA, PH, ST | 15 | 85 | 100 | 180 |
| AR (Part A + Part B1 or B2) | 15 | 60: Part A25: Part B1/B2 | 100 | 180 |
| GE (Part A + Part B [Section I or II]) | 15 | 55: Compulsory Part A30: Part B1/B2 | 100 | 180 |
| GG (Part A + Part B [Section 1: Geology or Section 2: Geophysics]) | 15 | 25: Compulsory Part A60: Part B1/B2 | 100 | 180 |
| XE (Section A + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 15: Compulsory Section A35: Additional Section 135: Additional Section 2 | 100 | 180 |
| XH (Section B1 + Any ONE Section) | 15 | 25: Compulsory Section B160: Additional Section | 100 | 180 |
| XL (Section P + Any TWO Sections) | 15 | 25: Compulsory Section A30: Additional Section 130: Additional Section 2 | 100 | 180 |
Explanation of Sections
- General Aptitude (GA): Every paper in the GATE 2025 exam includes a General Aptitude section, which consists of 15 marks. This section is designed to assess your logical reasoning, numerical ability, and verbal ability.
- Subject-Specific Questions: Each paper contains questions based on the subject chosen by the candidate. The distribution of these questions is as follows:
- Engineering Mathematics: Generally 13 marks are allocated to questions in Engineering Mathematics, which is a key area for most of the engineering disciplines.
- Subject-Specific Questions: These form the bulk of the exam (e.g., 72 marks in most papers), assessing in-depth knowledge in the candidate's chosen engineering discipline.
- Optional Sections for Specialized Papers: Some papers have optional sections, allowing candidates to choose from multiple sections that align with their areas of interest or expertise:
- XE (Engineering Sciences) has sections like Fluid Mechanics, Materials Science, Thermodynamics, and more.
- XH (Humanities and Social Sciences) includes sections such as Economics, Philosophy, and Sociology.
- XL (Life Sciences) includes subjects like Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Food Technology.
Key Points to Remember:
- Total Marks: The total marks for every paper in GATE 2025 is 100, with each paper having a duration of 180 minutes (3 hours).
- Compulsory and Optional Sections: Candidates are required to attempt the compulsory sections and select additional sections (if applicable) as per the paper guidelines.
- No Negative Marking for MSQs (Multiple Select Questions) and NAT (Numerical Answer Type) questions.
- For further details on the GATE 2025 marking scheme, check the official website.
- By understanding this marking scheme and structure, candidates can effectively plan their preparation strategy, ensuring a well-rounded approach to all sections of the exam.
