The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, the organising institute for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026, has officially released the sample paper for the newly introduced Energy Science sectional paper under the Engineering Sciences (XE) subject, along with previous years’ question papers (PYQs) for all subjects. Aspirants can now download the GATE 2026 sample papers and PYQs from the official GATE 2026 website to better understand the exam format and question styles.
This is the first time the Energy Science paper is being offered as part of GATE’s optional subjects, expanding the range of choices for candidates. With this addition, students under the XE category will now be able to choose from eight optional papers, thereby offering greater flexibility for specialisation.
GATE 2026 Exam Dates and Structure
GATE 2026 will be conducted over four days — February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026 — for admission to postgraduate programmes such as MTech and MArch and for recruitment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). The exam will feature 30 test papers covering a wide range of disciplines in engineering, technology, and sciences.
As per the official GATE 2026 XE-I (Energy Science) sample paper, the section will consist of 22 questions in total. Of these, nine questions will carry one mark each, while 13 questions will be worth two marks each.
The GATE XE paper pattern assigns:
- 70 marks for the two chosen optional papers (including Energy Science, if opted for)
- 15 marks for the mandatory Engineering Mathematics section
- The remaining marks are for the General Aptitude section, common to all GATE papers.
Access to GATE PYQs from 2007–2025
In a move welcomed by aspirants, IIT Guwahati has made available a comprehensive repository of GATE previous year question papers along with answer keys. Candidates can download:
- PYQs in bulk from 2007 to 2025
- Year-wise question papers from 2021 to 2025
The repository covers all GATE subjects, enabling candidates to practise a variety of question formats and difficulty levels.
GATE 2026 Syllabus and Registration Timeline
The GATE 2026 syllabus is now live on the official website, with subject-wise downloadable PDFs for all 30 test papers, including the newly introduced Energy Science paper. Aspirants are advised to carefully review the syllabus to streamline their preparation strategy.
Registration for GATE 2026 will open on August 25, 2025 via the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) 2026 portal. The last date to submit the application form without late fees is September 25, 2025.
Preparation Benefits of Sample Papers and PYQs
Experts recommend that aspirants make full use of the sample paper and previous year papers to familiarise themselves with question types, distribution of marks, and time management strategies. Practising PYQs is particularly useful for identifying recurring concepts, refining problem-solving speed, and boosting confidence ahead of the exam.
For detailed information, syllabus downloads, sample papers, and PYQs, candidates should visit the official GATE 2026 portal managed by IIT Guwahati, for more details and download CLICK HERE
