GATE 2027 Exam Pattern — Everything You Need to Know About the Paper

GATE has 65 questions in total. General Aptitude has 10 questions, and the remaining 55 questions are from Engineering Mathematics and branch-specific technical subjects. The paper is for 100 marks with both 1-mark and 2-mark questions.

Yes, but only for MCQs. For 1-mark MCQs, the penalty is 0.33 marks, and for 2-mark MCQs, it is 0.67 marks. NAT questions have no negative marking, so you should attempt all NAT questions.

NAT means Numerical Answer Type. You type a numerical response using the on-screen keypad and there are no options to choose from. NAT questions do not have negative marking, so every NAT question should be attempted.

GATE duration is three hours (180 minutes) for 65 questions. On average this is around 2 minutes and 45 seconds per question, but real-time allocation varies by difficulty. Timed mock practice is essential for handling exam pressure.

Yes. A virtual on-screen calculator is provided during the exam. Physical calculators are not allowed, so it is important to practise with the virtual calculator in advance.

The GATE ECE paper includes General Aptitude (10 questions, 15 marks), Engineering Mathematics (13 marks), and technical subjects totalling 72 marks: Networks, Electronic Devices, Analog Circuits, Digital Circuits, Control Systems, Signals and Systems, Communication Systems, and Electromagnetics.

A practical approach is to first attempt questions you are sure about, then solve medium-difficulty questions, and leave the toughest for the final pass. Always keep time reserved for NAT questions. Regular full-length mocks are the best way to build reliable time management.