GATE 2026 Complete Guide – Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Preparation Strategy

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is the gateway to M.Tech in IITs/NITs and PSU jobs. This comprehensive guide covers everything about GATE 2026 including exam pattern, preparation strategy, and important resources.

GATE 2026 Overview

Aspect	Details
Conducting Body	IIT Roorkee (GATE 2026)
Exam Date	February 2026 (Expected)
Application Period	August-September 2025
Exam Mode	Computer Based Test (CBT)
Duration	3 hours
Total Marks	100
Total Questions	65 (10 GA + 55 Subject)
Validity	3 years
Application Fee	Rs. 1700 (General), Rs. 850 (Reserved)

GATE Exam Pattern 2026

Section	Marks	Questions
General Aptitude (GA)	15	10
Engineering Mathematics	13	~9
Core Subject	72	46
Total	100	65

Question Types

MCQs (1 mark): +1 for correct, -1/3 for wrong
MCQs (2 marks): +2 for correct, -2/3 for wrong
NAT (1 & 2 marks): No negative marking
MSQ: Multiple Select Questions (partial marking)

GATE Papers & Eligibility

Paper Code	Paper Name	Popular For
CS	Computer Science	IT Jobs, M.Tech CS
EC	Electronics & Communication	PSUs, M.Tech ECE
EE	Electrical Engineering	Power Sector PSUs
ME	Mechanical Engineering	Core PSU Jobs
CE	Civil Engineering	Govt Jobs, PSUs
CH	Chemical Engineering	IOCL, ONGC
IN	Instrumentation	BARC, ISRO
DA	Data Science & AI	New – AI Jobs

GATE CSE Syllabus 2026

Engineering Mathematics (13 marks)

Discrete Mathematics
Linear Algebra
Calculus
Probability & Statistics

Core Subjects (72 marks)

Subject	Weightage	Priority
Data Structures & Algorithms	~12%	Very High
DBMS	~8%	Very High
Operating Systems	~8%	Very High
Computer Networks	~7%	High
Theory of Computation	~8%	High
Compiler Design	~5%	Medium
Computer Organization	~8%	High
Digital Logic	~5%	Medium
Programming & DS	~8%	Very High

Month-wise Preparation Plan

Phase 1: Foundation (June – August)

Complete syllabus from standard books
Make notes while studying
Solve basic problems
Cover 2-3 subjects per month

Phase 2: Practice (September – November)

Solve previous year questions (PYQs)
Take subject-wise tests
Identify weak areas
Join test series

Phase 3: Revision (December – January)

Revise all subjects
Take full-length mock tests
Analyze mistakes
Focus on high-weightage topics

Best Books for GATE CSE

Subject	Book	Author
Data Structures	Classic DS	Narasimha Karumanchi
Algorithms	CLRS / Cormen	Cormen et al.
Operating Systems	Galvin	Silberschatz
DBMS	Korth	Silberschatz
Computer Networks	Forouzan	Behrouz Forouzan
TOC	Introduction to TOC	Ullman, Hopcroft
Compiler Design	Dragon Book	Aho, Ullman
COA	Morris Mano	M. Morris Mano

Top PSUs Recruiting Through GATE

PSU	Package (LPA)	Papers Accepted
ISRO	Rs. 10-12 LPA	CS, EC, ME, EE
BARC	Rs. 9-11 LPA	All branches
ONGC	Rs. 12-15 LPA	ME, EE, CH, CE
IOCL	Rs. 11-14 LPA	ME, EE, CH, CE
NTPC	Rs. 10-13 LPA	EE, ME
BHEL	Rs. 9-11 LPA	ME, EE, EC
Power Grid	Rs. 10-12 LPA	EE
DRDO	Rs. 10-12 LPA	EC, CS, ME

Top IITs for M.Tech (GATE Score Required)

Institute	CSE Cutoff (General)	Stipend
IIT Bombay	750+	Rs. 12,400/month
IIT Delhi	750+	Rs. 12,400/month
IIT Kanpur	700+	Rs. 12,400/month
IIT Madras	720+	Rs. 12,400/month
IIT Kharagpur	680+	Rs. 12,400/month
IISc Bangalore	780+	Rs. 12,400/month

GATE Score vs Rank (Approximate)

GATE Score	Expected Rank	Can Get Into
800+	Top 100	IIT Bombay/Delhi CSE
700-800	100-500	Top IITs
600-700	500-2000	IITs (other branches), NITs
500-600	2000-5000	NITs, IIITs
400-500	5000-15000	PSU Jobs, State colleges

Preparation Tips

Solve PYQs: Last 15 years questions are gold
Take Mock Tests: Join GATE Overflow, Made Easy test series
Focus on Aptitude: Easy 15 marks, dont ignore
NAT Questions: Practice numerical – no negative marking
Time Management: 3 hours for 65 questions needs speed
Revision: Regular revision is key to retention

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