The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an All-India examination administered and conducted in eight zones across the country by the GATE Committee comprising of Faculty members from IISc, Bangalore and other seven IIT’s on behalf of the National Coordinating Board, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development. The GATE score/rank is used for admissions to Post Graduate Programmes (ME, M.Tech, MS, direct PhD) in institutes like IIT and IIScetc with financial assistance offered by MHRD. PSUs too use the GATE scores for recruiting candidates for various prestigious jobs with attractive remuneration.
In GATE examination, candidates can apply for only one of the 23 papers listed in the table given below. Candidates are expected to appear in a paper appropriate to the discipline of their qualifying degree. However, candidates are free to choose any paper according to their admission plan, keeping in mind the eligibility criteria of the institutions in which they wish to seek admission. For more details regarding the admission criteria in any particular institute, candidates are advised to refer to the websites of that particular institute.
The eligibility to appear for GATE exam is as follows:
| Section |
Question No |
No. of Questions |
Marks Per Question |
Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | 1 to 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Technical | 1 to 25 | 25 | 1 | 25 |
| Engineering | 26 to 55 | 30 | 2 | 60 |
| Total Question: 65 | Total Marks: 100 | Total Duration: 3hrs | ||
| Technical Section:70 Marks | General Aptitude:15 Marks |
Engineering Mathematics:15 Marks |
25 marks to 40 marks will allotted to Numeric Answer Type Questions
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
These questions are objective in nature, and each question will have choice of four answers, out of which the candidate has to mark the correct answer. Each question carries 1 or 2 marks questions in all the sections.
Numerical Answer Question
There will be no choices available for these types of questions. A Numeric Answer question carries 1 or 2 marks questions in all sections. The answer for these questions is a real number, to be entered by using mouse and virtual keypad displayed on the monitor. NO negative marking for these questions.
| Negative Marking | ||
| Question Type |
Marks |
Negative Marking |
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) | 1 Mark | 0.33 |
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) | 2 Marks | 0.66 |
| Numerical Answer Question | 1 Marks | NIL |
| Numerical Answer Question | 2 Marks | NIL |
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Unlike CBSE's old pattern of only one test at the end of the academic year, the CCE conducts several. There are two different types of tests. Namely, the formative and the summative. Formative tests will comprise the student's work at class and home, the student's performance in oral tests and quizzes and the quality of the projects or assignments submitted by the child. Formative tests will be conducted four times in an academic session, and they will carry a 40% weightage for the aggregate. In some schools, an additional written test is conducted instead of multiple oral tests. However, at least one oral test is conducted.
The summative assessment is a three-hour long written test conducted twice a year. The first summative or Summative Assessment 1 (SA-1) will be conducted after the first two formatives are completed. The second (SA-2) will be conducted after the next two formatives. Each summative will carry a 30% weightage and both together will carry a 60% weightage for the aggregate. The summative assessment will be conducted by the schools itself. However, the question papers will be partially prepared by the CBSE and evaluation of the answer sheets is also strictly monitored by the CBSE. Once completed, the syllabus of one summative will not be repeated in the next. A student will have to concentrate on totally new topics for the next summative