GATE 2026 Biotechnology Syllabus (Out) - Download GATE BT Syllabus PDF, Important Topics/Chapters, Section Wise Weightage

Updated By Lipi on 11 Aug, 2025 22:28

The GATE 2026 syllabus is released separately for all 30 papers by IIT Guwahati. The GATE syllabus 2026 includes subjects like General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and Core Engineering specialization.

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GATE 2026 Syllabus for Biotechnology

The GATE 2026 Biotechnology syllabus has been released by IIT Guwahati, expectedly in August 2025. The GATE BT syllabus 2026 will include the topics that will be covered in the upcoming GATE 2026 exam. The IIT Guwahati has released the syllabus in the form of PDF files and is available for download for all. Moreover, you can find the direct link to GATE Biotechnology syllabus 2026 pdf on this page. The GATE syllabus 2026 for Biotechnology generally remains the same over the years, and will feature important topics such as General Biology, Genetics, Cellular & Molecular Biology, and Biological Engineering. The GATE 2026 syllabus for Biotechnology features 3 sections, including Engineering Mathematics (15% weightage), General Aptitude (15% weightage), and Biotechnology (70% weightage).

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GATE Biotechnology Syllabus 2026 Section-Wise Topics

Knowing the syllabus is important because it helps manage time better by knowing what to study first. The syllabus acts like a guide to help you succeed in the exam. Provided below is the list of all the topics and subjects that will be covered in the GATE 2026 exam or class. It tells you what you need to study and understand.

Section

Topics

Subtopics

Engineering Mathematics

Linear Algebra

Matrices and determinants; Systems of linear equations; Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors

Calculus

Limits, continuity, differentiability; Partial derivatives, maxima and minima; Sequences and series; Tests for convergence

Differential Equations

Linear and non-linear first-order ODEs; Higher-order ODEs with constant coefficients; Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations; Laplace transforms

Probability and Statistics

Mean, median, mode, standard deviation; Random variables; Poisson, normal, and binomial distributions; Correlation and regression analysis

Numerical Methods

Solutions of linear and non-linear algebraic equations; Integration by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule; Single-step method for differential equations

General Biology

Biochemistry

Biomolecules (structure and function); Biological membranes; Metabolism (carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleic acids); Photosynthesis, respiration, electron transport chain; Enzymes (classification, kinetics, inhibition)

Microbiology

Bacterial classification and diversity; Microbial ecology; Viruses (structure, classification); Microbial growth and nutrition; Antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance

Immunology

Innate and adaptive immunity; Antibody structure/function; Antigen-antibody reactions; T and B cell development; Immune response regulation; Vaccines and immunization

Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Biology

Genetics and Evolutionary Biology

Mendelian inheritance; Gene interaction, linkage, recombination; Microbial genetics (transformation, transduction, conjugation); Genetic drift, species, speciation

Cell Biology

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structure; Cell cycle and growth control; Cell signaling; Post-translational modifications; Cell death and autophagy

Molecular Biology

Gene structure and mutation; Gene expression regulation; Nucleic acid processes (replication, transcription, splicing, translation); RNA interference; DNA repair

Fundamentals of Biological Engineering

Engineering Principles

Material/energy balances for reactive and non-reactive systems; Stoichiometry; Degree of reduction; Electron balance; Oxygen demand

Classical Thermodynamics and Bioenergetics

Thermodynamics laws; Reaction equilibria; Ligand binding; Metabolic pathways; Redox reactions

Transport Processes

Fluid flow (Newtonian/non-Newtonian); Mixing; Molecular diffusion; Oxygen transfer; Heat transfer; Heat exchangers

Bioprocess Engineering and Process Biotechnology

Bioreaction Engineering

Rate law; Reactor types (batch, mixed flow, plug flow); Enzyme immobilization; Kinetics (cell growth, substrate utilization, product formation); Optimization and scale-up

Upstream and Downstream Processing

Media formulation, optimization; Sterilization; Filtration; Centrifugation; Cell disruption; Chromatography (ion exchange, gel filtration, affinity, HPLC, FPLC); Extraction, adsorption, drying

Instrumentation and Process Control

Pressure, temperature, flow measurement; Valves; Feedback/feedforward control; Types of controllers (proportional, derivative, integral)

Plant, Animal and Microbial Biotechnology

Plants

Totipotency; Plant tissue culture; Production of secondary metabolites; Transgenic plants; Somaclonal variation

Animals

Animal cell culture; Hybridoma technology; Stem cell technology; Animal cloning; Transgenic, knock-in, knock-out animals

Microbes

Production of biomass, biofuels, bioplastics; Industrial enzymes, antibiotics; Large-scale production of recombinant proteins

Recombinant DNA Technology and Other Tools

Recombinant DNA Technology

Restriction/modification enzymes; Vectors (plasmids, bacteriophage, cosmids, Ti plasmid); Gene isolation and cloning; CRISPR-Cas

Molecular Tools

PCR; DNA/RNA labeling, sequencing; DNA fingerprinting, RAPD, RFLP; Gene transfer technologies

Analytical Tools

Microscopy (light, electron, confocal); Spectroscopy (UV, IR, MS, NMR); Electrophoresis; Microarrays; ELISA, RIA, flow cytometry

Computational Tools

Bioinformatics resources and search tools; Sequence/structure databases; Sequence analysis, alignment, phylogeny; Genomics, proteomics, metabolomics; Metagenomics

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GATE Biotechnology Syllabus 2026 for General Aptitude

The General Aptitude section of GATE 2026 is a common part of the exam for all, carrying 15% of the total marks. It includes topics like verbal ability, which covers grammar, sentence completion, and vocabulary, as well as numerical ability like basic math, percentages, averages, and data interpretation. Find below in detail the GATE 2026 General Aptitude syllabus. 

Sections

Topics

Verbal Aptitude

Basic English Grammar: Tenses, articles, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, verb-noun agreement, other parts of speech

Basic Vocabulary: Words, idioms, phrases in context, reading and comprehension, narrative sequencing

Quantitative Aptitude

Data Interpretation: Data graphs (bar graphs, pie charts, other data representations), 2D and 3D plots, maps, tables

Numerical Computation and Estimation: Ratios, percentages, powers, exponents, logarithms, permutations, combinations, series

Mensuration and Geometry

Elementary Statistics and Probability

Analytical Aptitude

Logic: Deduction and induction

Analogy

Numerical Relations and Reasoning

Spatial Aptitude

Transformation of Shapes: Translation, rotation, scaling, mirroring, assembling, grouping

Paper Folding, Cutting, and Patterns: 2D and 3D patterns

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GATE 2026 Biotechnology Syllabus PDF

The GATE BT syllabus 2026 by IIT Guwahati is now available online at the official GATE 2026 website. You can check the direct link to download the official PDF of the GATE 2026 BT syllabus here: 

GATE BT Syllabus 2026 PDF Download Link
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GATE Biotechnology Syllabus 2026 Important Topics

When you know which topics are important, you can use your time and energy on them instead of wasting time on less relevant areas. This makes your preparation more effective and increases the chances of scoring well. In short, knowing important topics helps you prepare smarter, not harder. Provided below are the GATE 2026 BT syllabus important topics to focus on.

Although you must prepare the whole syllabus very well, if there is less time, you can concentrate on the important topics where questions are frequently asked. For GATE 2026 Biotechnology, here are the important topics to focus on:

Sections

Important Topics

Engineering Mathematics

Linear Algebra: Matrices, Eigenvalues, and Eigenvectors

Calculus: Limits, Partial Derivatives, Maxima, and Minima

Differential Equations: First-order and Higher-order ODEs

Probability and Statistics: Distributions, Correlation, and Regression

General Biology

Biochemistry: Structure and function of biomolecules, Metabolism

Microbiology: Bacterial growth, Antibiotics, and Resistance

Immunology: Immune response, Antigen-antibody reactions, Vaccines

Genetics, Cellular, and Molecular Biology

Genetics and Evolutionary Biology: Mendelian inheritance; Gene interaction; Complementation; Linkage, recombination and chromosome mapping; Extra chromosomal inheritance; Microbial genetics - transformation, transduction and conjugation;

Cell Biology: Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell structure; Cell cycle and cell growth control;

Molecular Biology: Molecular structure of genes and chromosomes; Mutations and mutagenesis

Fundamentals of Biological Engineering

Thermodynamics: Metabolic pathways, Ligand binding. Transport Processes: Fluid flow, Oxygen transfer, Heat exchangers

Bioprocess Engineering

Bioreaction Engineering: Enzyme kinetics, Cell growth, Reactor types. Upstream/Downstream Processing: Filtration, Centrifugation, Chromatography

Plant, Animal and Microbial Biotechnology

Totipotency; Regeneration of plants; Plant growth regulators and elicitors;

Kinetics of cell growth; Micro & macro-carrier culture; Hybridoma technology; Stem cell technology; Animal cloning;

Production of biomass and primary/secondary metabolites - Biofuels, bioplastics, industrial enzymes, antibiotics;

Recombinant DNA Technology and Tools

CRISPR-Cas, Gene isolation, and cloning. Molecular tools like PCR, DNA sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis tools

GATE Biotechnology Syllabus 2026 Topic-Wise Weightage (Expected)

Knowing the expected weightage of marks from the GATE Biotechnology syllabus 2026 is important because it helps you prepare better. When you know which topics carry more marks, you can spend more time studying those areas to get a higher score. This way, you can complete their preparation on time and feel more confident during the exam.

Here is a look at the GATE BT syllabus 2026 topic-wise weightage of marks expected this year. 

Sections

Key Topics

Expected Marks Weightage 

General Aptitude

Aptitude and Reasoning

15

Section 1

Engineering Mathematics

13

Section 2

General Biology

23

Section 3

Genetics, Cellular & Molecular Biology

21

Section 4

Fundamentals of Biological Engineering

10

Section 5

Bioprocess Engineering & Process Biotechnology

7

Section 6

Plant, Animal & Microbial Biotechnology

6

Section 7

Recombinant DNA Technology & Biotechnology Tools

5

Total Marks

-

100

How to Prepare for GATE Biotechnology Syllabus 2026

To prepare for the GATE 2026 Biotechnology syllabus, you need a strategic approach. Here are a few valuable tips recommended by experts to help you prepare effectively for the exam:

  1. Practice GATE previous year question papers thoroughly while learning the subject and after completing them. This will help you know how prepared you were and how much you developed. 

  2. Include all essential formulas, concepts, and unit conversions in your notes, and revise them regularly.

  3. Keep track of the time while solving mock tests and question sets. By doing so, you can measure speed and accuracy.

  4. Begin the test series after your first revision. Start with part tests, then move to subject-wise and multi-subject tests. From December, aim to complete 20-30 full-length tests.

  5. Try to complete the syllabus within three months and practice test papers for the rest two months. 

Best Books for GATE Biotechnology Syllabus 2026

Knowing about the GATE 2026 syllabus alone is not enough; you must pick the right study materials and books to learn the concepts. Therefore, here we have listed some of the selected books recommended by experts that cover in-depth GATE BT 2026 syllabus.

Name of the Book

Authors/Publishers

Principles of Biochemistry

Lehninger

Molecular Cell Biology

Lodish and Baltimore

Biotechnology

Pranav Kumar

Immunology

Kuby

Bioprocess Engineering Principles

P. Doran

Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Erwin Kreyszig

A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning

R.S. Aggarwal

Previous Year Books

Made Easy Workbook or Bits and Bytes

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