Pattern of GATE Question Paper

Patterns of Question Papers
The patterns of examination papers are described below. This is followed by a description of the various types of multiple choice objective questions.

AE through TF Papers (except GG paper)

There will be a total of 60 questions carrying 100 marks. Q.1 to Q.20 (20 questions) will carry one mark each
(sub-total 20 marks). Q.21 to Q.60 (40 questions) will carry two marks each (sub-total 80 marks).
Q.51 through Q.56 (3 pairs) will be common data questions and question pairs (Q.57, Q.58) and (Q.59,
Q.60) will be linked answer questions. The answer to the second question of the last two pairs will depend
on the answer to the first question of the pair. If the first question in the linked pair is wrongly answered
or is un-attempted, then the answer to the second question in the pair will not be evaluated.
NEGATIVE MARKING: For Q.1 to Q.20, 1/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. For Q.21 to
Q.56, 2/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. The question pairs (Q.57, Q.58), and (Q.59, Q.60)
are questions with linked answers. There will be negative marks only for wrong answer to the first
question of the linked answer question pair i.e. for Q.57 and Q.59, 2/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong
answer. There is no negative marking for Q.58 and Q.60.

All the papers bearing the codes AE, AG, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, IN, ME, MN, MT, PI and TF will contain few
questions on Engineering Mathematics.

GG (Geology & Geophysics) Paper

GG paper will consist of two parts: Part A and Part B.
There will be a total of 60 questions carrying 100 marks. Part A will be common to both Geology &
Geophysics candidates and will contain 20 questions (Q.1 to Q.20) carrying one mark each (sub-total 20
marks). Part B will contain two sections; Section 1 (Geology) and Section 2 (Geophysics). In each of these
sections, Q.21 to Q.60 (40 questions) will carry two marks each (sub-total 80 marks).
Q.51 to Q.56 (3 pairs) will be common data questions and question pairs (Q.57, Q.58) and (Q.59, Q.60) will
be linked answer questions. The answer to the second question in these two pairs will depend on theanswer to the first question of the pair. If the first question in the linked pair is wrongly answered or is unattempted,
then the answer to the second question in the pair will not be evaluated.

NEGATIVE MARKING: For Q.1 to Q.20, 1/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. For Q.21 to Q.56,
2/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. The question pairs (Q.57, Q.58), and (Q.59, Q.60) are
questions with linked answers. There will be negative marks only for wrong answer to the first question
of the linked answer question pair i.e. for Q.57 and Q.59, 2/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.
There is no negative marking for Q.58 and Q.60.

XE Paper – Section A (Engineering Mathematics)

There will be 12 questions carrying 20 marks in XE Section A (Engineering Mathematics) paper, which is
compulsory. Q.1 to Q.4 (4 questions) will carry one mark each (sub-total 4 marks). Q.5 to Q.12 (8 questions)
will carry two marks each (sub-total 16 marks).

NEGATIVE MARKING: For Q.1 to Q.4, 1/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer and for
Q.5 to Q.12, 2/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.

XE Paper Sections (other than Section A)

XE section papers (Sections B through G) will contain 24 questions carrying 40 marks. Q.1 to Q.8 (8
questions) will carry one mark each (sub-total 8 marks). Q.9 to Q.24 (16 questions) will carry two marks
each (sub-total 32 marks).
Q.19 through Q.22 (2 pairs) will be common data questions and question pair (Q.23, Q.24) will be linked
answer question. The answer to the second question of the pair of linked question will depend on the
answer to the first question of the pair. If the first question in the linked pair is wrongly answered or is unattempted, then the answer to the second question in the pair will not be evaluated.

NEGATIVE MARKING: For Q.1 to Q.8, 1/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer and for Q.9 to
Q.22, 2/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. The question pair (Q.23, Q.24) will have questions
with linked answers. There will be negative marks only for wrong answer to the first question of the linked
answer question pair. For Q.23, 2/3 mark will be deducted for wrong answer. There will be no negative mark
for Q.24.

3.3.5. XL Paper Section H (Chemistry)
There will be 18 questions carrying 30 marks in XL Section H (Chemistry) paper, which is compulsory. Q.1
to Q.6 (6 questions) will carry one mark each (sub-total 6 marks). Q.7 to Q.18 (12 questions) will carry two
marks each (sub-total 24 marks).
Question pair (Q.15, Q.16) will be the common data questions and question pair (Q.17, Q.18) will have
linked answer question.

NEGATIVE MARKING: For Q.1 to Q.6, 1/3 mark will be deducted for wrong answer. For Q.7 to Q.16,
2/3 mark will be deducted for wrong answer. The question pair (Q.17, Q.18) will have questions with linked
answers. There will be negative marks only for wrong answer to the first question of the linked answer
question pair. For Q.17, 2/3 mark will be deducted for wrong answer. There is no negative mark
for Q.18.

XL Paper Sections (other than Section H)

XL section papers (Sections I through M) will contain 21 questions carrying 35 marks. Q.1 to Q.7 (7
questions) will carry one mark each (sub-total 7 marks). Q.8 to Q.21 (14 questions) will carry two marks
each (sub-total 28 marks).

NEGATIVE MARKING: For Q.1 to Q.7, 1/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer and for Q.8 to
Q.21, 2/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.