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

GATE 2026 day 2 exam has successfully conducted by IIT Guwahati. Candidates can check CSE 1 and CSE 2 paper analysis here. The CS 2 paper was mostly easy to moderate, with most questions coming from Discrete Mathematics, Computer Organisation and Architecture (COA), and Computer Networks (CN). Students who took the gate 2026 exam say the second shift was easier than the first.

However, GATE CSE 1 paper was moderate to tough, with lengthy problems from graph theory. The Algorithms section had the most questions, while a few questions were relatively easy to solve. Based on student feedback and subject experts, the overall GATE 2026 paper analysis is as follow. GATE XE paper was easy to moderate, and GATE XL question paper was moderate. Candidates appearing for the exam can check the detailed shift-wise GATE 2026 paper analysis, along with memory-based question papers and GATE answer keys for better preparation.

GATE paper analysis day-wise has been updated here. Candidates can check the GATE 2026 exam analysis for February 7, 8, 14, and 15 below to understand the difficulty level, important topics covered, and overall exam trends. Check the table below for subject-wise GATE 2026 MTech Paper Analysis:

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

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

The official GATE 2026 answer key will be released by IIT Guwahati after the exam, likely in the fourth week of February. Students can check the provisional answer key using their enrollment ID and password and raise objections if needed. After reviewing, the final GATE exam 2026 answer key will be published. Meanwhile, unofficial answer keys from coaching institutes can help estimate scores.

GATE 2026 cutoff scores and results are scheduled to be released on March 19. The cutoff is the minimum marks that candidates need to qualify for admission to MTech/MSc programs or PSU recruitment. IIT Guwahati will publish the cutoff for all 30 GATE 2026 exam subjects along with the results. Candidates must log in to the GOAPS portal using their enrollment ID and password to check their GATE 2026 result. The cutoff helps students understand their eligibility and chances for admission or jobs.

IIT Roorkee conducted GATE 2025 exam for all 30 subject test papers. Candidates can check below deatiled table for GATE 2025 exam analysis. Its helps candidates to examine their performance and review their attempts in GATE 2025 question paper. Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is a national-level examination conducted for admission to MTech and research courses and for recruitment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

GATE 2025 question paper consisted of 65 questions, including MCQs, MSQs, and NATs, carrying a total of 100 marks. The duration of exam is three hours. GATE exam questions are designed to test problem-solving ability and analytical thinking. Below is a detailed GATE 2025 paper analysis for CS, ME, CH, CE, DA, CY, EC, EE, IN, and XE papers.

GATE 2025 Branch-Wise Difficulty Level

GATE 2025 Computer Science and Engineering exam was conducted in two shifts on February 1, 2025. The paper was easy to moderate in terms of difficulty, according to what students said and wrote about it. GATE question paper had a mix of easy, medium, and hard questions, which was fair for candidates who had studied hard.

Both exam shifts were similar and tested candidates ability to understand concepts, solve problems, and manage your time. Check the below table for section-wise difficulty level to understand how each part of the paper performed.

Section-wise Difficulty Level

Important Topics Asked in GATE 2025 CSE

CSE question paper in both shifts included questions from the following important topics:

• Boolean Algebra

• Combinational and Sequential Circuits

• Minimization Techniques

• Number Representations and Computer Arithmetic (Fixed and Floating-Point)

• Computer Organization and Architecture (COA)

• Programming and Data Structures

• Algorithms

• Operating Systems (OS)

• Computer Networks (CN)

GATE 2025 Mechanical Engineering (ME) exam was held on February 2, 2025, during the first shift (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM). According to student feedback and reviews, the paper included a balanced mix of conceptual and theoretical questions. While some core technical questions were tricky, the General Aptitude and Engineering Mathematics sections were easy to moderate. MCQs carried more weight compared to MSQs and NATs.

GATE 2025 ME Section-Wise Difficulty Level

GATE 2025 ME Paper Analysis: Important Topics Covered

GATE 2025 ME question paper (February 2) included questions from the following key topics:

• Engineering Mechanics

• Strength of Materials

• Machine Design

• Theory of Machines

• Manufacturing Processes

• Fluid Mechanics

GATE 2025 Electrical Engineering (EE) exam was held on February 2, 2025, in the second shift (2:30 PM – 5:30 PM). Overall, the paper was moderately tricky, with a few challenging questions, but most questions were solvable. The exam had a higher number of MCQs. General Aptitude and Engineering Mathematics were of moderate difficulty, while the core technical subjects were easy to moderate.

Section-wise Difficulty Level

Key Topics Covered in GATE 2025 EE

The main topics asked in the EE paper were:

• Signals and Systems

• Control Systems

• Electrical Machines

• Power Electronics

• Network Theory

• Power Systems

GATE 2025 Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA) exam was held on February 15, 2025, in the first shift (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM). Overall, the paper was of moderate difficulty. Some students found the paper slightly unbalanced, with a few questions being more challenging.

Section-wise Difficulty Level

Key Topics Covered in GATE 2025 DA

The main topics in the shift 1 DA paper included:

• Probability and Statistics

• Linear Algebra

• Calculus and Optimization

• Machine Learning

• Artificial Intelligence

• Programming, Data Structures, and Algorithms

GATE 2025 Electronics & Communication exam was held on February 15, 2025, in the second shift (2:30 PM – 5:30 PM). Overall, GATE EC paper was moderately difficult. Some technical questions were tricky and time-consuming. Further, General Aptitude and Mathematics were easy to moderate.

Section-wise Difficulty Level

Key Topics Covered in GATE 2025 EC

The main topics in the EC paper (Shift 2) were:

• Network Theory

• Digital Circuits

• Control Systems

• Analog Circuits

• Signals and Systems

• Communication Systems

• Electronic Devices

Note: GATE analysis helps students to understand the important topics and prepare better for future exams.

GATE 2025 Civil Engineering (CE) exam, Shift 1, was held on February 16, 2025, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Overall, paper was easy to moderate, with a few questions being tricky and unusual, requiring critical thinking. The General Aptitude section was easy to moderate, while the core technical section was moderately difficult.