
The expected number of questions in the GATE 2026 Civil Engineering usually varies from one topic to another. Topics with high weightage usually have a higher number of questions as compared to those with a lower weightage. For example, topics like Geotechnical Engineering, General Aptitude, and Engineering Mathematics usually have a higher number of questions as compared to chapters like Irrigation, Design of Steel Structure, and Structural Analysis. There is no doubt that the competition level in GATE 2026 is likely to be very high. Therefore, understanding the topic-wise weightage in GATE 2-26 Civil Engineering will allow students to mould their preparation strategy accordingly.
The GATE 2026 Civil Engineering is scheduled to be conducted on February 14, 2026. The exam will be conducted for two papers, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM (for CE Paper 1) and from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM (for CE Paper 2), respectively. The
GATE 2026 Exam
will be conducted at the national level with IIT Guwahati designated as the organising institute this year. The expected number of questions for each topic has been curated by closely analysing the past years’ trends in the chapter-wise weightage. A detailed insight into the previous few years’ topic-wise weightage in the GATE exam has also been mentioned in this article for students to compare and analyse.
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How to Get a Single-Digit Rank in GATE 2026?
Topic-wise GATE 2026 Civil Engineering Expected No. of Questions
The following table, provided below, offers an idea of the number of questions to be featured in the GATE 2026 Civil Engineering. This is a tentative list and it may vary from the official exam question paper. However, this will allow students to gear up for the upcoming entrance test according to the topic-wise priority chapters.
GATE 2026 Civil Engineering Subjects | Topic-wise Expected Number of Questions |
|---|---|
General Aptitude | 12 |
Engg. Maths. | 15 |
Geotechnical Engineering | 15 |
Environmental Engineering | 10 |
Transportation Engineering | 5 |
Strength of Materials | 2 |
FM & OCF | 7 |
Structural Analysis | 6 |
RCC | 4 |
Surveying | 4 |
Hydrology | 8 |
Design of Steel Structure | 1 |
Irrigation | 1 |
Construction Materials and Management | 2 |
Topic-wise Previous Years’ Trends in GATE Civil Engineering
Here are the previous years’ topic-wise weightage in GATE Civil Engineering for students to refer to. The following data is available for the years from 2022 to 2025, allowing an in-depth comparison and analysis of the chapter-wise priority.
Subjects | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General Aptitude | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Engg. Maths. | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
Geotechnical Engineering | 13 | 16 | 14 | 16 |
Environmental Engineering | 13 | 16 | 8 | 10 |
Transportation Engineering | 12 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
Strength of Materials | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
FM & OCF | 6 | 7 | 10 | 6 |
Structural Analysis | 6 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
RCC | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
Surveying | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
Hydrology | 2 | 5 | 3 | 6 |
Design of Steel Structure | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Irrigation | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Construction Materials and Management | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Check Will GATE 2026 be Tougher Than Last Year?
In a gist, students gearing up for the upcoming GATE 2026 Civil Engineering must take reference from the abovementioned table showing the topic-wise expected number of questions. Not only will this help them acquire an understanding of how to plot their preparation strategy, but also allow them to reflect on the past years’ trends to maximise their chances of securing a good score in the entrance test.
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