The GATE 2026 Life Science exam concludes February 15, 2026. Candidates need to know qualifying marks to assess their chances.
Analysis of past trends suggests the GATE 2026 Life Science expected qualifying mark for the General category will be between 30 and 35.
Life Science Cutoff Trends
Life Sciences cutoffs often exceed those of core engineering fields. In a previous year, the General category cutoff was 31.3. The OBC-NCL/EWS category cutoff was 28.1, and the SC/ST/PwD category cutoff was 20.8.
Qualifying marks are the first step for admission to research institutions like IISc Bangalore and IITs. The GATE 2026 Life Science qualifying marks will vary based on exam difficulty and candidate performance.
Expected Qualifying Marks for GATE 2026 Life Sciences
Here are the projected qualifying marks by category:
| Category | Expected Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| General | 30-35 |
| OBC-NCL/EWS | 26-30 |
| SC/ST/PwD | 18-22 |
Past Three Years’ GATE Life Science Cutoffs
Reviewing past qualifying scores can help candidates set realistic targets. The following table shows cutoffs for the last three years:
| Year | General | OBC-NCL/EWS | SC/ST/PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31.3 | 28.1 | 20.8 |
| 2024 | 29.3 | 26.3 | 19.5 |
| 2023 | 32.9 | 29.6 | 21.9 |
These figures are for reference only. Official qualifying cutoffs will be released after the results.