GATE 2027 exam pattern is prescribed by IIT Madras on the official website, with no changes in the GATE 2027 question paper structure compared to last year. The question paper for GATE 2027 will carry 65 questions for a total of 100 marks for all 30 test papers.
- GATE 2027 exam will be conducted for a duration of 3 hours (180 minutes).
- For papers like AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, RA, ST, XH, and XL, the GATE question paper is divided into General Aptitude (15 marks) and Core Subject (85 marks).
- The rest of the GATE 2027 papers are divided into General Aptitude (15 marks), Engineering Mathematics (13 marks), and core subjects (72 marks).
- GATE 2027 marking scheme includes 1-2 marks for each correct answer and -1/3 marks and -2/3 marks for incorrect 1-mark and 2-mark MCQs, respectively.
- There is no negative marking for MSQs and NAT questions in the GATE 2027 examination.
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Last 5 Years GATE Question Papers
To understand the GATE exam pattern 2027, you should go through the previous years’ GATE 2027 question papers. You can check the previous years’ GATE papers in the table below.
| GATE Exam Year | GATE Question Paper PDF |
|---|---|
| GATE 2026 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2025 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2024 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2023 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2022 | Download PDF |
Key Summary
- Total number of questions and total marks in all GATE test papers are the same, i.e., 65 questions and 100 marks.
- GATE 2027 question paper will be conducted in English only.
- GATE 2027 question paper will be designed to test abilities like Recall, Comprehension, Application, and Analysis & Synthesis.
- General Aptitude will carry 15 marks in all GATE 2027 test papers.
- 85 marks will be asked from the core subject chosen by a candidate.
What is GATE Exam Pattern?
GATE 2026 will be conducted in CBT mode for a total of 30 test papers. The total number of questions in GATE will be 65, and the total marks in GATE are 100.
For each correct answer, students will get 1-2 marks, and for each incorrect answer in 1-mark and 2-mark questions, students will get ⅓ and ⅔ marks deducted, respectively.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Medium | English |
| Duration | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
| Total Questions | 65 |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Number of Papers | 30 |
| Question Types | MCQ, MSQ, NAT |
| Negative Marking | Yes (MCQs only; MSQ and NAT have no negative marking) |
GATE 2027 Exam Pattern for Papers With Engineering Mathematics
GATE 2027 question papers with Engineering Mathematics have questions distributed between 3 sections. Such test papers include 10 questions from GA, 10 from Engineering Mathematics, and 45 questions from Core Subjects.
- You can score a maximum of 15 marks in the GATE General Aptitude section.
- The weightage given to Engineering Mathematics in GATE question papers is 13 marks.
- Core subjects in GATE papers with Mathematics carry a weightage of 72 marks.
| Section | No. of Questions | 1-Mark Questions | 2-Mark Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude (GA) | 10 | 5 | 5 | 15 | — |
| Engineering Mathematics | 10 | 7 | 3 | 13 | — |
| Subject-Specific Questions | 45 | 18 | 27 | 72 | — |
| Total | 65 | 30 | 35 | 100 marks | 180 minutes |
Source: Official GATE Exam Pattern Page
GATE 2027 Exam Pattern for Papers Without Engineering Mathematics
GATE test papers without Engineering Mathematics include 10 questions from General Aptitude and 55 questions from core subjects.
- From General Aptitude, you can score a maximum of 15 marks.
- For test papers without Engineering Mathematics, the weightage given to core subjects is 85 marks.
| Section | No. of Questions | 1-Mark Questions | 2-Mark Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude (GA) | 10 | 5 | 5 | 15 | — |
| Subject-Specific Questions | 55 | 25 | 30 | 85 | — |
| Total | 65 | 30 | 35 | 100 marks | 180 minutes |
Source: Official GATE Exam Pattern Page
GATE 2027 Marking Scheme
GATE 2027 marking scheme for correct answers is the same for all 1-mark and 2-mark questions; however, for incorrect answers, it is different for MCQs than for MSQs and NAT questions.
- For correct 1-mark MCQs, MSQs, and NAT questions, you will get +1 mark added to the total score, and 2 marks for each 2-mark MCQ, MSQ, and NAT question.
- For each incorrect 1-mark MCQ, you will get -1/3 marks deducted from the overall score.
- For each incorrect 2-mark MCQ, you will get -2/3 marks deducted from the overall score.
- There is no negative marking for MSQs and NAT questions if answered incorrectly.
| Question Type | Marks per Question | Correct Answer | Wrong Answer | Unattempted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mark MCQs | 1 | +1 | −1/3 | 0 |
| 2 Mark MCQs | 2 | +2 | −2/3 | 0 |
| 1 Mark MSQs | 1 | +1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 Mark MSQs | 2 | +2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 Mark NAT | 1 | +1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 Mark NAT | 2 | +2 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Official GATE Exam Pattern Page
Ques. Is there partial marking for MSQs and NATs in GATE 2027?
Ans. No, there is no partial marking for MSQs and NAT questions in the GATE 2027 exam. You will get full marks for answering the question correctly, and no marks will be deducted for answering the questions incorrectly.
Also Check:
GATE 2027 Exam Pattern for CSE, ECE, EE, ME
GATE 2027 exam pattern is the same for CSE, ECE, EE, and ME. For each test paper, there will be a total of 65 questions.
- You can score a maximum of 100 marks in GATE CSE, ECE, EE, or ME papers.
- In each paper, 15 marks are asked from GA, 13 marks from Mathematics, and 72 marks from the core subject.
| Section | GATE CSE Exam Pattern | GATE ECE Exam Pattern | GATE EE Exam Pattern | GATE ME Exam Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Questions | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| Section-Wise Number of Questions | GA: 10EM: 10Core CSE Subjects: 45 | GA: 10EM: 10Core ECE Subjects: 45 | GA: 10EM: 10Core EE Subjects: 45 | GA: 10EM: 10Core ME Subjects: 45 |
| Type of Questions | MCQs, MSQs and NAT | MCQs, MSQs and NAT | MCQs, MSQs and NAT | MCQs, MSQs and NAT |
| Marking Scheme | Correct Answer: +1 or +2 marks Incorrect MCQs: -1/3 or -2/3 marks | Correct Answer: +1 or +2 marks Incorrect MCQs: -1/3 or -2/3 marks | Correct Answer: +1 or +2 marks Incorrect MCQs: -1/3 or -2/3 marks | Correct Answer: +1 or +2 marks Incorrect MCQs: -1/3 or -2/3 marks |
| Sectional Weightage (Marks) | GA: 15EM: 13Core CSE Subjects: 72 | GA: 15EM: 13Core ECE Subjects: 72 | GA: 15EM: 13Core EE Subjects: 72 | GA: 15EM: 13Core ME Subjects: 72 |
| Total Marks | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
GATE 2027 Exam Pattern for Robotics and Automation
GATE RA is a new test paper introduced by IIT Madras in 2027. The question paper for GATE RA will have a total of 65 questions divided into GA, Engineering Mathematics, and Core RA subjects.
- GATE GA will carry a total of 10 questions for 15 marks in GATE RA question paper.
- GATE RA question paper will carry 10 questions for 13 marks from Engineering Mathematics.
- From core RA subjects, you will face a total of 45 questions for a total of 72 marks.
| Section | Key Topics | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability | 10 | 15 |
| Engineering Mathematics | Linear Algebra, Calculus, Differential Equations, Probability & Statistics | 10 | 13 |
| RA Subject | Robot Kinematics & Dynamics, Machine Learning for Robotics, Sensors & Actuators, Control Theory, Computer Vision, Autonomous Systems, Mechatronics | 45 | 72 |
| Total | — | 65 | 100 |
Read More:
GATE Exam Pattern 2027: Type of Questions
GATE 2027 question paper will include 3 types of questions, including MCQs, MSQs, and NATs.
- MCQs will have a total of 4 options, out of which only 1 option will be correct.
- MSQs in GATE 2027 will have 4 or more options, with one or more options correct.
- For NAT questions in GATE 2027, you must type in the answer using an on-screen keypad.
- For MSQs and NAT questions, no negative marking is applicable in the GATE 2027 examination.
| Question Type | Full Form | Answer Format | Negative Marking | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCQ | Multiple Choice Question | Four options (A/B/C/D); select exactly one correct answer | Yes — −1/3 (1-mark) or −2/3 (2-mark) | 1 or 2 |
| MSQ | Multiple Select Question | Four or more options; one or more options may be correct — select all that apply | No | 1 or 2 |
| NAT | Numerical Answer Type | No options given; type the numerical answer using an on-screen keypad | No | 1 or 2 |
GATE Previous Years’ Question Papers PDF (2017 -2019)
| GATE Exam Year | GATE Question Paper PDF |
|---|---|
| GATE 2021 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2020 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2019 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2018 | Download PDF |
| GATE 2017 | Download PDF |
GATE 2027 Mock Tests
| GATE Test Paper | GATE 2027 Mock Test |
|---|---|
| GATE CSE | Attempt Here |
| GATE EC | Attempt Here |
| GATE EE | Attempt Here |
| GATE DA | Attempt Here |
| GATE CE | Attempt Here |
| GATE IN | Attempt Here |
| GATE PI | Attempt Here |
| GATE AR | Attempt Here |
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GATE 2027 Exam Pattern FAQs
Ques. How many questions are asked in GATE 2027?
Ans. GATE 2027 has 65 questions in every paper, distributed across General Aptitude (10 questions), Engineering Mathematics (10 questions, for applicable papers), and subject-specific topics (the remaining 45 or 55 depending on whether EM is included in that paper).
Ques. What is the total marks for GATE 2027?
Ans. GATE 2027 carries a total of 100 marks. General Aptitude contributes 15 marks, Engineering Mathematics contributes 13 marks for most engineering papers, and the subject-specific section contributes the remaining 72 marks. For papers without Engineering Mathematics, the subject section carries 85 marks.
Ques. Is there negative marking in GATE 2027?
Ans. Yes, but only for MCQ questions. A wrong 1-mark MCQ deducts 1/3 mark, and a wrong 2-mark MCQ deducts 2/3 mark. MSQ (Multiple Select) and NAT (Numerical Answer Type) questions carry no negative marking in GATE 2027.
Ques. What are the three question types in GATE 2027?
Ans. GATE 2027 uses MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions with one correct option), MSQ (Multiple Select Questions with one or more correct options), and NAT (Numerical Answer Type where you type a numerical answer with no options provided). MCQs have negative marking; MSQ and NAT do not.
Ques. How many papers are there in GATE 2027?
Ans. GATE 2027 has 30 test papers, including the newly introduced Robotics and Automation (RA) paper. You can appear for one paper or opt for two papers from an approved combination list specified in the official IIT Madras information brochure.
Ques. What is the new paper introduced in GATE 2027?
Ans. IIT Madras has introduced Robotics and Automation (RA) as a new standalone paper in GATE 2027. This paper was not available in GATE 2026 and covers topics including robot kinematics and dynamics, machine learning for robotics, sensors and actuators, control theory, computer vision, and autonomous systems.
Ques. What happened to the Textile Engineering paper in GATE 2027?
Ans. The Textile Engineering and Fibre Science paper has been converted from a standalone paper into a section within the Engineering Sciences (XE) paper starting GATE 2027. Students who were preparing for TF as an independent paper must now attempt it as part of the XE sectional paper format.
Ques. How long is the GATE 2027 exam?
Ans. GATE 2027 is a 3-hour (180-minute) exam with no per-section time limit, so you can allocate time across General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and subject questions as you see fit. A virtual scientific calculator is available on-screen throughout the exam; physical calculators are not permitted.
Ques. On which dates is GATE 2027 scheduled?
Ans. GATE 2027 is scheduled across three consecutive weekends in February: February 6–7, February 13–14, and February 20–21, 2027. Each day has two sessions — Forenoon and Afternoon. Results are expected on March 19, 2027.
Ques. What changes did IIT Madras make to the GATE 2027 registration process?
Ans. GATE 2027 now requires all Indian national applicants to complete DigiLocker registration and facial authentication before submitting their application on the GOAPS portal. This is a new mandatory step introduced for GATE 2027 and was not required in earlier cycles.
Ques. Is the GATE 2027 exam conducted online or offline?
Ans. GATE 2027 is conducted entirely as a Computer-Based Test (CBT). You appear at a designated test centre and answer questions on a computer. Only the virtual scientific calculator provided on-screen is allowed — no personal calculators or electronic devices are permitted inside the exam hall.
Ques. How long is a GATE 2027 score valid for?
Ans. A GATE 2027 score is valid for 3 years from the date of result declaration. You can use your score for admission to M.Tech, M.E., and Ph.D. programmes as well as for PSU recruitment during this validity window without re-appearing for the exam.
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