GATE 2026 Paper Analysis (OUT): Subject-Wise Exam Analysis, Difficulty Level, Cutoff

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2026 ( GATE )

DeskCalelnderResult - 27 Mar '26 - 31 May '26

UPASANA PRADHAN
Updated on Mar 23, 2026 12:50 IST

By UPASANA PRADHAN, Assistant Manager- Editorial

GATE 2026 Exam Analysis: Candidates who appeared Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering this year can check GATE paper analysis of ECE, CSE, CE, ME, EE, and other papers here. IIT Guwahati has completed conducting Feb 7, 8, 14, and 15 exam. GATE 2026 Feb 15 exam was held for ECE (forenoon), AR and DA (in afternoon shift). GATE final answer key, provisonal key, question paper, and GATE response sheet 2026 have been released.

As per the GATE 2026 exam date issued by the authorities, shift timings were: (forenoon - 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, and afternoon - 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm). After each shift, students can check GATE 2026 paper analysis of all 30 subjects. Students can check GATE 2026 Feb 8 exam analysis below. Candidates who attempted GATE 2026, can find detailed paper analysis of all GATE papers (shift-wise), followed by GATE 2026 memory-based question paper and answer key.

Latest: 

Table of contents
  • GATE 2026 Paper Analysis: CE, EE, ME, CSE, ECE Paper Review
  • GATE 2026 Cutoff
  • GATE 2026 Answer Key
  • GATE 2025 CS, ME, EE, EC, CE, DA, CH, and CY Paper Analysis
  • GATE 2025 CS Shift 1 and 2 Paper Analysis
  • GATE 2025 ME Paper Analysis
  • GATE 2025 EE Paper Analysis
  • GATE 2025 DA Paper Analysis
  • GATE 2025 EC Paper Analysis: Shift 2
  • GATE 2025 CE Paper Analysis: Shift 1
View More
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GATE 2026 Paper Analysis: CE, EE, ME, CSE, ECE Paper Review

GATE 2026 paper analysis (day-wise) is updated here. Candidates can check GATE exam analysis 2026 of Feb 7, 8, 14, and 15 below. 

GATE 2026 Feb 15 (ECE and DA) Paper Analysis

GATE Subjects GATE 2026 Paper Analysis 
GATE EC Paper Analysis

The GATE ECE paper was moderately tough. Candidates found Mathematics and Aptitude easy to moderate. Many questions were tricky and time consuming

Some important topics were EMF, Analog Circuits, Control Systems, Op-amp Circuits, Discrete Time Signals, Vector Analysis, Differential Equations, etc.

MCQs - 42 questions (1 and 2 marks), NATs - 13 questions (1 and 2 marks), and MSQs (1 and 2 marks)

GATE 2026 Data Science Exam Analysis

Questions related to DBMS were tricky and lengthy, Heavy-level mathematics based questions, Aptitude was easy, NAT and MSQs were asked the most

MCQs - 33, MSQs - 14, NATs - 6 questions

Topics covered: DBMS, TRC, Python, Probability, Algorithm

Also read:

GATE Exam 2026 CE, EE, and ME Paper Analysis

GATE Subjects GATE 2026 Paper Analysis 
GATE Civil Engineering CE-1 and CE-2 paper analysis

Civil Engineering Shift 2 was moderate. Many students found the GATE CE-2 question paper to be balanced and having similar difficulty level to that of shift 1

The overall difficulty level of the GATE 2026 CE paper was moderate, with a balanced mix of easy, medium, and a few tough questions. Geotechnical Engineering section had the maximum number marks along with GA and engineering mathematics. Students can check chapter-wise weightage below.

GATE 2026 EE (Electrical Engineering) paper analysis

Moderate with numerical questions were of higher weightage

10 to 15  NATs were asked, MCQs had 35 to 40 questions, and MSQs had 12 to 15 questions

GATE 2026 ME (Mechanical Engineering) paper analysis ME paper was also moderate with concept-based questions. No MSQs were asked. NAT (2 questions - 1 mark, 18 questions - 2 mark, 28 questions of 1 mark, and 17 questions of 2 marks) were asked.

GATE Exam Civil Engineering (CE-2) Chapter-Wise Weightage 

Subject Marks Weightage
General Aptitude 15
Engineering Mathematics 13
Engineering Mechanics -
Strength of Materials 5
Structural Analysis 4
Reinforced Cement Concrete 6
Design of Steel Structures 2
Building Material Construction -
Construction Management -
Geotechnical Engineering 13
Fluid Mechanics and OCF 8
Engineering Hydrology 4
Irrigation Engineering 1
Environmental Engineering 11
Transportation Engineering 11
Surveying 7

GATE paper Civil Engineering CE-1 Chapter-Wise Weightage

Subject Marks Weightage
General Aptitude 15
Engineering Mathematics 13
Engineering Mechanics 2
Strength of Materials 4
Structural Analysis 4
Reinforced Cement Concrete 3
Design of Steel Structures 3
Building Material Construction 1
Construction Management -
Geotechnical Engineering 15
Fluid Mechanics and OCF 6
Engineering Hydrology 4
Irrigation Engineering 3
Environmental Engineering 9
Transportation Engineering 11
Surveying 7

GATE Exam Feb 7 & 8 Paper Analysis and Difficulty Level

GATE MTech paper analysis Subject-wise difficulty level, important topics, and weightage
GATE 2026 XE Exam Analysis GATE 2026 XE analysis shows a moderate-to-difficult paper. Technical sections like Solid Mechanics were challenging, while Aptitude remained scoring. The GATE XE question paper had more focus on statement-based questions. The GA section was easy and scoring. XE-E and XE-D were lengthy. Students stated that the GATE XE-D paper reflected mechanical GATE PYQs.
GATE XL Paper Analysis 2026 GATE 2026 XL exam was moderate to tough. The General Aptitude section was easy, core technical subjects featured tricky MSQs and calculation-heavy NAT questions.
GATE 2026 CS 1 and 2 Paper Analysis

GATE CSE 1 paper was overall moderate to lengthy, with Mathematics and Aptitude being moderate while CS section had some lengthy questions. (Topics covered: algorithm, OS, functions, graph theory, and CN)

GATE 2026 CSE2 paper was easy to moderate. Mathematics-based questions were fewer. COA, DBMS, and CN had maximum questions. Overall, the paper was balanced and slight easy compared to GATE 2026 CSE1. Engineering Mathematics was easy to moderate.

Number of MCQs, MSQs, and NATs asked in GATE 2026 CSE Shift 2 exam

Question type 1 mark 2 mark
MCQ 17 17
MSQ 5 6
NAT 6 13

GATE 2026 CSE Exam Chapter-wise weightage (memory-based)

Topics Marks and Weightage
Algorithm 4 questions (1 mark)
Operating Systems 5 questions (1 mark)
Engineering mathematics 7 questions (1 mark)
DBMS 4 questions (1 and 2 marks combined)
Computer Network 6 questions
COA 6 questions

GATE 2026 Feb 7 and 8 Question Paper Download

GATE 2026 Engineering Sciences XE question paper GATE 2026 XL question paper GATE 2026 CSE1 question paper
GATE 2026 CSE 2 question paper GATE Answer Key and Question Paper 2026 by Made Easy GATE 2026 All Subjects Question Paper
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What was the difficulty level of GATE 2026 Civil Engineering (CE-1) Shift 1 Paper?
A: 

GATE 2026 CE-1 paper was conducted on Feb 14 in forenoon shift. Based on the experts and students feedback, the paper was easy to moderate with concept loaded questions. The most important topics that were covered in GATE 2026 CE-1 question paper were - Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental, and Transportation Engineering.

Q:   What was the difficulty level of GATE 2026 (EE) Electrical Engineering paper?
A: 

GATE 2026 EE paper was moderate comprising 10 to 15  NATs, MCQs had 35 to 40 questions, and MSQs had 12 to 15 questions (approximately).

Q:   What was the GATE 2025 cutoff for Aerospace Engineering branch?
A: 

The GATE 2025 cutoff for Aerospace Engineering (category-wise) can be checked below -

  • General category - 28.9
  • OBC-NCL or EWS category - 26
  • SC/ST category - 19.2
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GATE 2026 Cutoff

The GATE cutoff scores and results were released on March 19. The GATE 2026 cutoff is the minimum score the candidates must score to be eligible for admissions or PSU recruitments. The authorities will release the GATE 2026 minimum qualifying cutoff for all 30 subjects along with the result. To check result, candidates must log in using their enrollment ID and password through GOAP portal. 

Also check:

GATE 2026 XE cutoff GATE 2026 XL cutoff marks GATE 2026 cutoff for CSE
GATE Civil Engineering CE 2026 cutoff GATE 2026 Electrical Engineering (EE) cutoff GATE 2026 Mechanical Engineering (ME) cutoff
GATE 2026 ECE cutoff mark Is GATE score of 500 enough for CSE MTech admission GATE 2026 qualification rate for popular branches
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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the GATE cutoff for CSE?
A: 

GATE 2026 CSE cutoff (category-wise) can be checked here -

General

OBC-NCL EWS

SC/ST and PwD

30

27

20

The cutoff is the minimum mark that is required for all candidates to qualify for the exam. IIT Guwahati announced GATE result 2026 on March 19. 

Q:   What is the expected GATE 2026 cutoff marks?
A: 

IIT Guwahati has released GATE 2026 cutoff mark on its official page. Candidates who have appeared exam, can check qualifying marks now. The GATE passing mark differs for each branch paper.

Q:   Which are the most registered papers in GATE examination?
A: 

The following are the most registered subjects/papers in the GATE examination -

  • Computer Science and Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electronics and Communication Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering

Every year, Lacs of candidates register for the above subjects, making the respective branch competitive. 

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GATE 2026 Answer Key

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   How to download the GATE 2026 answer key PDF?
A: 

Candidates can download answer key from the official website of GATE. GATE answer key will be available in two formats - provisional and final answer key. Provisional answer key of GATE can be raised for objection.

The process to download the GATE 2026 answer key PDF can be checked below -

  • Visit GATE official website 
  • Login using enrollment ID and password
  • The answer key will be displayed on screen
  • Check and download

Based on final answer key GATE scores will be calculated.

Q:   What is the difference between GATE provisional and final answer key?
A: 

The GATE provisional and final answer key are different. The GATE provisional answer key is released along with the response sheet. Through the provisional answer key, candidates will be able to raise objections. On the other hand, the final answer key is basically released after the review process, which is used for the GATE score evaluation. Candidates must note that the final answer key cannot be rechecked or raised for objections. 

Q:   What is GATE answer key?
A: 

GATE answer key is released after exam is over. The answer key released on Feb 22, 2026. It contain answers to the questions asked in test. Candidates can download answer key, response sheet, and question paper using enrollment ID and password.

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GATE 2025 CS, ME, EE, EC, CE, DA, CH, and CY Paper Analysis

IIT Roorkee hosted the GATE 2025 exam for all 30 subject test papers. Candidates can check the complete GATE 2025 exam analysis to analyse their attempts at the GATE 2025 question paper. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is a national-level entrance exam conducted to offer admission to MTech/research programs or apply for PSU recruitment. 

The GATE 2025 question paper comprises 65 questions (MSQs, NAT, and MCQs) across various subjects for 100 marks. The exam is three hours long, covering questions based on problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Here is an in-depth GATE 2025 paper analysis of CS, ME, CH, CE, DA, CY, EC, EE, IN, and XE papers

GATE 2025 Branch-Wise Difficulty Level

Subject Paper Difficulty Level
Computer Science Engineering (CSE) Moderate
Instrumentation Engineering (IN) Moderate
Mechanical Engineering (ME) Moderate
Electrical Engineering (EE) Moderate
Civil Engineering (CE) Easy to Moderate
Electronics and Communication (EC) Moderate
Chemical Engineering (CH) -
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) Moderate

 

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   Will GATE 2026 be tougher GATE 2025?
A: 

This year, IIT Guwahati conducted the GATE 2026 exam. IIT Guwahati conducted the GATE exam in 2018. Based on the GATE 2018 and past year paper format, the GATE 2026 is expected to be moderately difficult. The question paper is expected to have higher weightage on concept-based questions, blending numerical and practical analysis. Candidates are advised to practice the previous year's question paper as many times as possible to understand the difficulty level of the question paper. 

Q:   Will physical calculator be allowed during the GATE exam?
A: 

No, physical calculators are not allowed inside GATE exam hall. Candidates will be provided with a virtual calculator to solve their questions. It is advised to practice using GATE calculator to improve accuracy.

Q:   What is the compensatory time given to the candidates availing scribe facility in GATE exam?
A: 

A compensatory time of 60 minutes is given to candidates who have opted for scribe facility in GATE exam. To avail this facility, candidates have to choose option while filling GATE form. 

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GATE 2025 CS Shift 1 and 2 Paper Analysis

The GATE 2025 CSE exam was conducted in two shifts on February 1, 2025. Overall, the paper was easy to moderate with balanced-level questions. The GATE 2025 CS question paper was a mix of easy, moderate, and challenging questions. Candidates can check the section-wise difficulty level below -

Section Difficulty-Level
General aptitude easy to moderate
Engineering Mathematics easy to moderate
Core technical subjects moderate to difficult

GATE 2025 CSE Paper Analysis: Key Topics Asked

The GATE 2025 CSE shift 1 and 2 question paper answer key comprised questions from the following topics -

  • Boolean algebra
  • Combinational and sequential circuits
  • Minimization
  • Number representations and computer arithmetic (fixed and floating-point)
  • Computer Organization and Architecture
  • Programming and Data Structure
  • Algorithms
  • Operating Systems
  • Computer Networks

Read more - 

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What are the GATE exam shift timings?
A: 

There are two shift timings for the GATE exam. Candidates can find the details of the shift timing on the official website. The GATE shift timings are as follows -

  • Forenoon  - 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
  • Afternoon - 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Candidates can also find the exam timing details mentioned in the GATE admit card. Candidates are advised to appear for the GATE 2026 exam on the date prescribed in the hall ticket. 

Q:   Which IIT is conducting the GATE 2026 exam?
A: 

The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati conducted GATE 2026 exam. The exam dates along with branch-wise exam dates was released on official website - gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The entrance test was held in two shifts -

  • Forenoon - 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
  • Afternoon - 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
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GATE 2025 ME Paper Analysis

The GATE 2025 ME exam was conducted on February 2, 2025, in the first shift (9:30 am to 12:30 pm). Based on students' reactions and feedback, the GATE 2025 ME paper had a mix of conceptual and theoretical questions. Some technical questions were tricky in the core subject section. On the other hand, the general aptitude and engineering mathematics section had easy-to-moderate questions. MCQs had higher weightage than MSQs and NATs. Here is a section-wise breakdown of the difficulty level. 

Section Difficulty Level
engineering mathematics easy to moderate
general aptitude easy
core subject moderate to difficult

GATE 2025 ME Paper Analysis: Key Topics Covered

The GATE 2025 Feb 2 ME paper comprised questions from the following topics -

  • engineering mechanics
  • strength of materials
  • machine design
  • theory of machine
  • manufacturing process
  • fluid mechanics
  • machine design

Read More

GATE 2025 ME Paper Analysis shift 1

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GATE 2025 EE Paper Analysis

The GATE 2025 EE paper was conducted on Feb 2 in the second shift (2:30 pm to 5:30 pm). Overall, the paper was moderately tricky, with few challenging questions. The majority of the questions were solvable. The GATE EE 2025 question paper had maximum MCQ questions. Aptitude and Engineering mathematics were moderate, and technical subjects were easy to moderate. Candidates can check the section-wise difficulty level below -

Section Difficulty Level
general aptitude easy to moderate
engineering mathematics moderate
core technical subjects easy to moderate

GATE 2025 EE Paper Analysis: Key Topics Covered

The GATE EE 2025 question paper comprised questions from the following topics -

  • Signal system
  • Control system
  • Electrical machine
  • Power Electronics
  • Network Theory
  • Power System

Read here - GATE 2025 EE paper analysis shift 2

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   What was the GATE EE cutoff last year?
A: 

The IIT Roorkee conducted GATE 2025 exam. The cutoff for GATE EE (last year) can be checked below -

  • cutoff for general category - 25
  • cutoff for OBC-NCL or EWS category - 22.5
  • and cutoff for SC/ST category was 16.6

This year, IIT Guwahati is conducting GATE 2026. Candidates can refer to these cutoff and plan their choice filling.

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GATE 2025 DA Paper Analysis

The GATE 2025 Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) exam was conducted on February 15 in the first shift (9:30 am to 12:30 pm). Overall, the paper was moderate. The question paper was unbalanced for a few students with some challenging questions. Here is a section-wise GATE 2025 DA question paper difficulty level below -

Section Difficulty Level
General aptitude easy to moderate
Data Science and AI moderate

GATE 2025 DA Paper Analysis: Key Topics Covered

The GATE 2025 DA shift 1 question paper covered questions from the following topics -

  • Probability and statistics
  • linear algebra
  • calculus and optimisation
  • machine learning
  • artificial intelligence
  • programming, data structure and algorithm

Read More - GATE 2025 DA exam analysis shift 1 

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GATE 2025 EC Paper Analysis: Shift 2

The GATE 2025 electronics and communication (EC) paper was conducted on Feb 15, 2025, in the second shift (2:30 pm to 5:30 pm). Candidates found the paper to be moderately difficult. The technical question had a few questions that were challenging and time-consuming. On the other hand, the general aptitude and mathematics was easy to moderate. Candidates can check the GATE 2025 EC paper section-wise difficulty level below -

Section Difficulty level
General aptitude easy to moderate
Mathematics easy to moderate
Technical section (core subjects) moderate to difficult

GATE 2025 EC Paper Analysis: Key Topics Covered

The GATE 2025 Feb 15 EC paper comprised questions from the following topics-

  • Network theory
  • Digital circuits
  • Control systems
  • Analog circuits
  • Signals and Systems
  • Communication
  • Electronic devices

Read more - GATE 2025 EC paper analysis

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GATE 2025 CE Paper Analysis: Shift 1

The GATE 2025 Civil Engineering (shift 1) exam was conducted on February 16 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. The paper was easy to moderate, with a few challenging questions. A few questions were unconventional and required critical thinking. The general aptitude section was easy to moderate. On the other hand, the core section was moderately difficult. Read here - GATE 2025 CE shift 1 paper analysis 

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GATE Exam

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 6 days ago

Yes, ITT Guwahati released GATE 2026 qualifying cutoff marks for all subjects on March 28. Candidates can check passing mark of respective papers now.

A

Aishwarya Uniyal

Contributor-Level 7

Answered a week ago

Aspirants with GATE scores can get admission in M.Tech programme at IIIT Pune. The seats are allotted via CCMT Counselling. In 2025, the closing GATE cutoff was 354 for Electronics & Communication Engineering and 536 for CSE. The cutoffs are quite competitive considering the limited seats available

...Read more

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a week ago

Aspirants without scores can get admission in M.Tech programme at IIIT Pune. Such candidates need to appear for written test conducted by the institute. Selected aspirants also need to pass the personal interview round for final selection.

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a week ago

JNU CCMT cutoff 2025 was based on the results for the GATE exam, followed by the CCMT counselling process. For the M.Tech Computer Science and Technology course, the overall cutoff ranged from 529 to 338 for the OBC AI category. 

Candidates can refer to the table below to know the cutoff range for di

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a week ago

The JNU M.Tech cutoff 2025 for the OBC AI category varied from 338 to 529 for the M.Tech CSE and M.Tech ECE courses. In the last round, MTech CSE came out as the more competitive course, with the cutoff being 443. 

Students can refer to the table below to know the round 1 and last round JNU CCMT cuto

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

IIT Guwahati has updated the status of GATE result on the homepage of the official website (under the notification tab). Candidates can login to their page and access the result link.

P

Piyush Shukla

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 weeks ago

IIT Guwahati has declared GATE 2026 result. Candidates can access their result at official website.

S

Shiksha Gaurav

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 weeks ago

Candidates can find the direct link to access GATE result 2026 at gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The new tab will be created at candidate's login dashboard. The link will reflect once you are logged in.

S

Sumridhi Sinha

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 weeks ago

The GATE 2026 final answer key will be released soon. The official announcement will be done by the authorities on official website - gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Candidates must note that final answer key cannot be challenged. 

A

Abhay Choudhury

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 weeks ago

IIT Guwahati released GATE 2026 final answer key. Candidates can login at GOAPS and access master question paper and answer key.

A

Aishwarya Uniyal

Contributor-Level 7

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