GATE Exam Pattern 2019

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a popular entrance examination conducted for postgraduate engineering admissions. GATE exam also opens doors to attractive employment opportunities in Public Sector Undertakings i.e. PSUs. Candidates looking forward to pursuing research in various fields of engineering can also appear for GATE. Along with a good preparation strategy to crack the entrance exam, candidates must have a detailed understanding of the exam pattern of GATE 2019.

• GATE 2019 is held in online mode for 24 subjects (papers) with 3 sections namely:

  • General Aptitude,

  • Engineering Mathematics,

  • Specific subject of the paper.

• The question paper of GATE includes 2 types of Questions- MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) & NAT (Numerical Answer Type)

• The GATE 2019 will be of 180 minutes duration.

• In all the papers, there will be a total of 65 questions carrying 100 marks, out of which 10 questions carrying a total of 15 marks will be on General Aptitude (GA).

Highlights of GATE Exam Pattern

Particulars	Details
Mode of Examination	Online
Number of Questions	65
Total Marks	100
Type of Questions	MCQs and NAT
Language of Question Paper	English
Number of Sections	3
Name of the Sections	General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics* and Subject Specification Section *In place of Engineering Mathematics, Chemistry will be compulsory for Life Science (XL) Paper
Sectional Time-Limit	No

GATE Exam Paper with Codes 

A candidate can appear only for one paper out of the following streams:

GATE	Code	GATE	Code
Aerospace Engineering	AE	Geology and Geophysics	GG
Agricultural Engineering	AG	Instrumentation Engineering	IN
Architecture and Planning	AR	Mathematics	MA
Biotechnology	BT	Mechanical Engineering	ME
Civil Engineering	CE	Minning Engineering	MN
Chemical Engineering	CH	Metallurgical Engineering	MT
Computer Science and Information Technology	CS	Petroleum Engineering	PE
Chemistry	CY	Physics	PH
Electronics and Communication Engineering	EC	Production and Industrial Engineering	PI
Electrical Engineering	EE	Textile Engineering and Fibre Science	TF
Ecology and Evolution	EV	Engineering Science	XE
Statistics	ST	Life Sciences	XL

Types of Questions in GATE

The question paper of GATE includes 2 types of Questions- MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) & NAT (Numerical Answer Type).

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ):

• In MCQs, candidates are provided with 4 choices out of which one answer is correct. 

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) carrying 1 or 2 marks each in all the papers and sections.

• There is a negative marking for every incorrect response i.e.

  • For 1 mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for marking an incorrect answer.

  • For 2 mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for marking an incorrect answer.

Numerical Answer Type (NAT)

• Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions carrying 1 or 2 marks each in all the papers and sections.

• NAT includes questions with a value or a real number as their answer.

• NAT questions will be mentioned with, up to which decimal places, the candidates need to make an answer.

• The answer has to be entered using the mouse. 

• There won’t be any choices for these questions.

• Using the keyboard must be avoided as it will lock your answer panel.

• There is no negative marking for a wrong answer in NAT questions.

Detailed GATE 2019 Exam Pattern

GATE Exam Pattern for AE, AG, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, IN, ME, MN, MT, PE, PI, TF, and XE Papers:

• For all papers mentioned-above, Engineering Mathematics questions are compulsory and carries 15% of the total weightage .

• The questions based on the specific subject/discipline of the exam have 70% of the total weightage (70 Marks).

• The remaining part of GATE Question Paper includes General Aptitude questions carriers 15% of the total marks

 GATE Exam Pattern for AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST and XL Papers:

• The General Aptitude section carriers 15% of the total marks.

• The remaining 85% of the total marks will be based on the subject of the paper.

• There is no question from Engineering Mathematics in these papers.

GATE Exam Pattern for GG Paper:

• GA – General Aptitude section carrying 10 questions a total of 15 marks.

• Apart from the General Aptitude (GA) section, the GG question paper consists of two parts: Part A and Part B.

• Part A is common for all candidates.

• Part B consists of two sections: 

  • Section 1 (Geology)  

  • Section 2 (Geo-Physics).

• Candidates will have to attempt questions in Part A and in Part B attempt either Section 1 or Section 2.

• The distribution of the questions and marks is described below:

  • Part A consists of 25 questions (MCQs) and carry 1 mark for each question so the total 25 marks (Some questions may be numerical answer type questions)

  • Part B (Section 1 and Section 2) consists of 30 questions (MCQs Type) 2 mark for each question so the total 60 marks (Some questions may be numerical answer type questions).

GATE Exam Pattern for XE Paper:

XE Paper Sections	Codes
Engineering Mathematics (Compulsory)	A
Any 2 optional sections
Fluid Mechanics	B
Materials Science	C
Solid Mechanics	D
Thermodynamics	E
Polymer Science and Engineering	F
Food Technology	G
Atmospheric and Oceanic Science	H

• There are the following sections which will have to be answered in GATE XE paper:

• GA – General Aptitude section carrying 10 questions a total of 15 marks.

• Section A – Engineering Mathematics (Compulsory)

• Any two of XE section from B to H (as given in the paper code table). 

• Candidates can select two sections from B to H during the examination after viewing the questions. Only two optional sections can be answered at a time.

• Apart from the General Aptitude section, XE paper contains total 33 questions of total 50 marks.

• The distribution of the questions and marks is described below:

• Section A Engineering Mathematics :

  • This section contains 11 questions carrying a total of 15 marks in which

  • 7 questions carrying 1 mark each (sub-total 7 marks) 

  • 4 questions carrying 2 marks each (sub-total 8 marks).

  • Some questions may be of numerical answer type.

• Any two of XE section from B to H:

  • XE paper from section B to H contains 22 questions carrying a total of 35 marks.

  • 9 questions carrying 1 mark each (sub-total 9 marks) 

  • 13 questions carrying 2 marks each (sub-total 26 marks).

  • Some questions may be of numerical answer type.

GATE Exam Pattern for XL Paper:

XL Paper Sections	Codes
Chemistry (Compulsory)	P
Any 2 optional sections
Biochemistry	Q
Botany	R
Microbiology	S
Zoology	T
Food Technology	U

• There are the following sections which will have to be answered in GATE XL paper:

• GA – General Aptitude section carrying 10 questions a total of 15 marks.s.

• Section P– Chemistry (Compulsory)

• Any two of XL Sections Q to U (as given in the paper code table).

• Candidates can select two sections from B to H during the examination after viewing the questions. Only two optional sections can be answered at a time.

• Apart from the General Aptitude section, XL paper contains total 35 questions of total 55 marks.

• The distribution of the questions and marks is described below:

• Section P Chemistry: 

  • This section contains 15 questions carrying a total of 25 marks in which

  • 5 questions carrying 1 mark each (sub-total 5 marks)

  • 10 questions carrying 2 marks each (sub-total 20 marks).

  • Some questions may be of numerical answer type.

• Any two of XL Sections Q to U:

  • XL paper from section Q to U contains 20 questions carrying a total of 30 marks in which 

  • 10 questions carrying 1 mark each (sub-total 10 marks)

  • 10 questions carrying 2 marks each (sub-total 20 marks).

  • Some questions may be of numerical answer type.