GATE syllabus | Everything you need to know about the exam!

Every year around 850,000 students attempt the anticipated GATE exam. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national-level paper for admission to some of the most respected engineering programs in the country. 

Creating an effective study strategy is the best way to crack this exam. Candidates seeking admission to engineering programs need to have excellent knowledge of the following-

• GATE Exam Pattern
• GATE Syllabus 

So, keep reading to discover everything you should know about this exam! 

What is the GATE exam pattern? 

The GATE exam is conducted for 29 disciplines (including 2 new additions made in 2022), and students opt to attempt one or two papers out of the subjects available. Each subject has a specific code with a unique paper pattern. 

Some popular subjects that are a part of the options presented to students include-

• IN – Instrumentation Engineering
• EY – Ecology & Evolution 
• CS – Computer Science & Information Technology 
• BT – Biotechnology 
• AE – Aerospace Engineering 
• GG – Geology & Geophysics 
• GE – Geomatics Engineering 
• NM – Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering 
• ST – Statistics 
• PH – Physics 
• PE – Petroleum Engineering 
• MT – Metallurgical Engineering 

In addition to these subjects, the GATE syllabus also has general subjects with the following codes-

• XE – Engineering Sciences 
• XL – Life Sciences 
• XH – Humanities & Social Sciences

Each paper selected by the student is divided into two sections- 

• General Aptitude (GA) 
• Candidate-Selected Subject 

The exam is of 100 marks, and each question is worth 1 or 2 marks depending on the type of the question. 

GATE syllabus – Types of questions

The following types of questions are there in the GATE exam-

• Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions – No negative marking. 
• Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) – No negative marking.
• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) 
  • There are 2 types of MCQ questions asked- 
  • Type 1 – 1 mark is awarded to each correct answer, whereas ⦜ marks are deducted for each incorrect answer. 
  • Type 2 – 2 marks are awarded to each correct answer, and ⦝ marks are deducted for every incorrect answer. 

Each paper comprises 65 questions, including the 10 questions that are a part of the General Aptitude section. The questions presented in a typical GATE paper are designed to test comprehension, analysis, and application abilities. The following subjects have a specific distribution of questions, explained further in this blog-

• XL – Life Sciences
• XH – Humanities & Social Sciences
• PH – Physics
• MA – Mathematics
• GG – Geology & Geophysics
• EY – Ecology & Evolution
• CY – Chemistry
• AR – Architecture & Planning 

The distribution of questions for the above subjects is as follows- 

General Aptitude – 15 Marks 
Questions from Subject – 85 Marks 

For the remaining subjects in GATE, the following question distribution is followed-

Engineering Mathematics – 13 Marks
General Aptitude – 15 Marks
Questions from Subject – 72 Marks

What is the GATE syllabus? 

The GATE syllabus varies depending on the subject (or subjects) that a candidate selects. The syllabus of some commonly-chosen subjects for GATE is as follows- 

CE – Civil Engineering 

Topics under CE- 

Sections	Topics
1	Engineering Mathematics
2	Structural Engineering
3	Geotechnical Engineering
4	Water Resources Engineering
5	Environmental Engineering
6	Transportation Engineering
7	Geomatics Engineering

AE – Aerospace Engineering 

Topics under AE–

Sections	Topics
1	Engineering Mathematics
2	Flight Mathematics
3	Space Dynamics
4	Aerodynamics
5	Structures
6	Propulsion

CH – Chemical Engineering 

Topics under CH- 

Sections	Topics
1	Engineering Mathematics
2	Process Calculations and Thermodynamics
3	Fluid Mechanics & Mechanical Operations
4	Heat Transfer
5	Mass Transfer
6	Chemical Reaction Engineering
7	Instrumentation & Process Control
8	Plant Design & Economics
9	Chemical Technology

BT – Biotechnology 

Topics under BT–

Sections	Topics
1	Engineering Mathematics
2	General Biology
3	Genetics, Cellular & Molecular Biology
4	Fundamentals of Biological Engineering
5	Bioprocess Engineering & Process Biotechnology
6	Plant, Animal & Microbial Biotechnology
7	Recombinant DNA Technology & Tools in Biotechnology

AR – Architecture & Planning 

The AR paper is divided into two sections-

• Part A – 60 Marks (Compulsory for all candidates)
• Part B – 25 Marks. This part presents a choice of two sections to candidates-
  • Part B1 – Architecture 
  • Part B2 – Planning 

The topics of Part A include-

Sections	Topics
1	Architecture, Planning & Design
2	Construction & Management
3	Environmental Planning & Design
4	Urban Design, Landscape & Conservation
5	Planning Process
6	Housing
7	Services & Infrastructure

Part B1 has the following topics-

Sections	Topics
1	History & Contemporary Architecture
2	Building Construction & Structural Systems
3	Building Services & Sustainability

Part B2 contains topics such as- 

Sections	Topics
1	Regional & Settlement Planning
2	Planning Techniques & Management
3	Infrastructure Planning

Key takeaways 

• The GATE exam is one of the most recognized national exams for entry to reputed engineering programs across India. 
• Understanding the GATE syllabus and paper pattern of the exam can help students streamline their preparation process. 
• There are 29 subjects offered, of which candidates need to attempt a maximum of 2 papers. 
• Each subject covers a wide range of topics that need to be incorporated into a rigorous study schedule for optimal results.

Now that you know about the GATE syllabus, plan your prep and ace the exam! If you have any questions/suggestions, you can drop a comment below. Alternatively, you can also reach out to us!

Liked this blog? Read next: CTET syllabus | Everything you need to know about the exam!

FAQs 

Q1. What is the total duration of the GATE exam? 

Answer – The total duration of the GATE exam is 180 minutes. 

Q2. Which institute administers the GATE exam? 

Answer – The GATE exam is administered by the GATE committee. This consists of IISc faculty members and 7 different IITs. GATE 2022 is being conducted by IIT Kharagpur. 

Q3. Are GATE papers from previous years available online for practice? 

Answer – Yes, GATE papers from previous years for all subjects are available online. We recommend students practice with these papers to gain an understanding of the pattern.