The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has released the syllabus for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026. The exam is scheduled to be held on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026. Registration will open on August 25, through the official website – gate2026.iitg.ac.in.
GATE 2026 Registration: IIT-Guwahati to conduct exam; check important dates
GATE 2026 will serve as the gateway for admissions into MTech, MS, and PhD programmes offered by IITs, National Institutes of Technology (NITs), and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs). In addition, many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) will consider GATE scores for recruitment purposes.
GATE 2026: Exam Pattern and syllabus
This year, the exam will feature 30 test papers, including both full and sectional papers. A new “Energy Science” section has been added to the Engineering Sciences paper. Candidates can appear for either one or two test papers, but only from approved two-paper combinations, the details of which will be shared on the official website in due course.
The test will be conducted in English. Each paper will carry a total of 100 marks, with General Aptitude (GA) accounting for 15 marks, and the remaining 85 marks dedicated to the subject-specific syllabus.
For the XE paper, Engineering Mathematics (15 marks) is compulsory, along with two optional sections worth 35 marks each. For the XH paper, Reasoning and Comprehension (25 marks) is mandatory, along with one optional section worth 60 marks. For the XL paper, Chemistry (25 marks) is compulsory, along with two optional sections worth 30 marks each.
GATE 2026: Paper section and code
| XE Paper Sections and Codes: |
| A – Engineering Mathematics (Compulsory) |
| B – Fluid Mechanics |
| C – Materials Science |
| D – Solid Mechanics |
| E – Thermodynamics |
| F – Polymer Science and Engineering |
| G – Food Technology |
| H – Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences |
| I – Energy Science |
| XH Paper Sections and Codes: |
| B1 – Reasoning and Comprehension (Compulsory) |
| C1 – Economics |
| C2 – English |
| C3 – Linguistics |
| C4 – Philosophy |
| C5 – Psychology |
| C6 – Sociology |
| XL Paper Sections and Codes: |
| P – Chemistry (Compulsory) |
| Q – Biochemistry |
| R – Botany |
| S – Microbiology |
| T – Zoology |
| U – Food Technology |
Detailed subject-specific information is available on the GATE 2026 portal.
Candidates are required to know their paper codes, as they will be required during both application and examination. As per the notification, each applicant should submit only one application; those opting for a second paper must add it to their original form. Multiple applications will result in cancellation of all but one, with no refund of fees.
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As per the marking scheme, each correct answer will be worth one or two marks depending on the question type. For incorrect answers, one-third of a mark will be deducted for each one-mark question, and two-thirds of a mark for each two-mark question.
