The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 began on February 7 . The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, is conducting the exam. Two sessions ran throughout the day.
The forenoon session ran from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The afternoon session took place from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. This analysis provides subject-wise details based on student feedback.
Exam Overview
GATE 2026 has a total of 100 marks. The exam includes a General Aptitude section. It also features compulsory and optional subject sections.
This analysis helps candidates assess their performance. It covers the difficulty level for both morning and afternoon shifts.
Shift 1 Analysis (February 7)
The first shift tested students in Agricultural Engineering and Environmental Science and Engineering. Other subjects included Geology and Geophysics, and Instrumentation Engineering.
Mathematics, Mining Engineering, and Textile Engineering and Fibre Science were also part of Shift 1. Engineering Sciences (XE) and Life Sciences (XL) were also administered.
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Overall Difficulty | Subject Difficulty | Expected Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG | Agricultural Engineering | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| ES | Environmental Science and Engineering | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| GG | Geology and Geophysics | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| IN | Instrumentation Engineering | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| MA | Mathematics | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| ME | Mining Engineering | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| TE | Textile Engineering and Fibre Science | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| XE | Engineering Sciences | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| XL | Life Sciences | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Shift 2 Analysis (February 7)
The second shift covered Aerospace Engineering and Biotechnology. Chemical Engineering and Chemistry were also examined.
Geomatics Engineering, Physics, and Humanities and Social Sciences were among the subjects in Shift 2. Further analysis of this shift is available.
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Overall Difficulty | Subject Difficulty | Expected Good Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AE | Aerospace Engineering | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| BT | Biotechnology | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| CH | Chemical Engineering | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| CY | Chemistry | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| GE | Geomatics Engineering | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| PH | Physics | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| XH | Humanities and Social Sciences | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Attendance
IIT Guwahati will release exact attendance figures. Preliminary reports suggest 1.6 to 1.95 million candidates appeared nationwide.
GATE is a national exam. It is used for admission to M.Tech/M.S programs. Prestigious institutes like IITs, NITs, and IISc accept GATE scores.