Introduction

The GATE exam has a total of 100 marks. GATE stands for General Aptitude Test in Engineering. The exam is conducted by IISC and 7 IITs. The scores from this examination are used to help students get admission into Masters's programs in India or apply for jobs in the government sector. Understanding the structure of this examination and how the criteria for scoring can help us better strategise our approach to the examination. Let us look at what the exam pattern looks like and the way that marks are divided amongst the questions.

Basics of GATE Exam pattern

Depending on the subject code the pattern of the examination may change. However, the basic pattern for the examination is as follows.

It is an online examination and is conducted via computers.
There are 65 questions in total and the student will get a score out of 100 marks.
The student will be given 3 hours to complete the paper.
The exam is conducted for a total of 29 subjects. You will be required to choose the subject for which you want to take the exam.
Depending on your subject your paper will have either 2 or 3 sections. For all subjects, General Aptitude and Core Subject sections are common. However, if your chosen subject is based on engineering, then there will be an Engineering Mathematics section.
The questions will either be in the form of Multiple Choice Questions, Multiple Select Questions or Numerical Anser Type Questions.
Each question may either carry 1 mark or 2 marks. This will depend on the type of question.
There is a negative marking in GATE exams. They are only for Multiple Choice type questions. For questions which carry 1 mark, the examiner will deduct 1 mark for 3 wrong questions. For questions which carry 2 marks, the examiner will deduct 2 marks for 3 wrong questions.

Types of Questions

The questions in a GATE exam can take 3 different forms. They are as follows

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

These are the standard question types that we see in most competitive examinations today. You will be asked a question and will have to mark the correct answer from the given choices. However, we must remember that there is a negative marking in MCQ-type questions.

Multiple Select Questions (MCQs)

Multiple Select Questions are objective-type questions, which means you will have to choose your answer from the given options. Unlike MCQs, in MCQs, the answer could either be one of the options or more than one option. There is no negative marking in MCQs.

Numerical Answer Type (NATs)

These kinds of questions don't have options. You will be given an empty slot and are supposed to enter digits which will be the right answer. There is no negative marking in this kind of question.

Marks in GATE Exam

The GATE exam has a total of 100 marks. These 100 marks are divided between the sections, giving each of them a specific weightage. Depending on the subject the weightage can vary. If it is an engineering-based paper the division of weightage is as follows

General Aptitude - 15%
Engineering Mathematics - 13%
Core Discipline - 72%

For all the other subjects the division of marks is as follows

General Aptitude - 15%
Core discipline - 85%

Conclusion

The GATE exam is a very important examination for all aspirants looking to either go forward with their Master’s degree or looking to apply for jobs in the public sector. The best way to prepare for this examination is by understanding all aspects of it. Having understood the total marks and their division, we are now better informed and can strategize accordingly.