GATE Aerospace Engineering Syllabus 2025

GATE Aerospace Engineering syllabus 2025 has six sections. The GATE Syllabus for Aerospace Engineering and its subject topics are divided into Core topics and Special topics. 90% of the questions will be covered from the Core Topics and the remaining 10% will be from the special topics. Along with this, candidates are also suggested to practice GATE previous year question papers.

The GATE 2025 exam will be conducted by IIT Roorkee as a computer-based test for a total of 30 test papers. The exam is scheduled to be conducted on Feb 1,2,15 and 16, 2025 in two sessions for 3 hours. 

GATE Aerospace Engineering Syllabus 2025

The GATE Aerospace syllabus is divided into six parts:

1. Engineering Mathematics
2. Flight Mechanics
3. Space Dynamics
4. Aerodynamics
5. Structures
6. Propulsion

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Section 1: Engineering Mathematics

The following are the various topics and sub-topics to be covered in the Engineering Mathematics section.

Linear Algebra

• Vector algebra
• Matrix algebra
• Systems of linear equations
• Rank of a matrix
• Eigenvalues and eigenvectors

Calculus

• Functions of single variable
• Limits
• Continuity and differentiability
• Mean value theorem
• Chain rule
• Partial derivatives
• Maxima and minima
• Gradient
• Divergence and curl
• Directional derivatives. Integration
• Line
• Surface and volume integrals. Theorems of Stokes
• Gauss and Green.

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Differential Equations

• First-order linear and nonlinear differential equations
• Higher-order linear odes with constant coefficients. Partial differential equations and separation of variables methods.

Special Topics

• Fourier series
• Laplace transforms
• Numerical methods for linear and nonlinear algebraic equations
• Numerical integration and differentiation

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Section 2: Flight Mechanics

The following are the various topics and sub-topics to be covered in the Flight Mechanics Section.

 Basics

• Atmosphere: Properties, standard atmosphere
• Classification of aircraft
• Aeroplane (fixed-wing aircraft) configuration and various parts

 Aeroplane performance

• Pressure altitude( Equivalent, Calibrated, Indicated, Air Speeds)
• Primary flight instruments: Altimeter, ASI, VSI
• Turn-bank indicator
• Drag polar
• Takeoff and landing
• Steady climb & descent, absolute and service ceiling
• Cruise, cruise climb, endurance or loiter
• Load factor, turning flight, V-n diagram
• Winds: head, tail & crosswinds

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 Static stability

• The angle of attack, sideslip
• Roll, pitch & yaw controls
• Longitudinal stick fixed & free stability, horizontal tail position and size
• Directional stability, vertical tail position and size
• Dihedral stability
• Wing dihedral, sweep & position
• Hinge moments, stick forces

Special topics

• Dynamic stability: Euler angles
• Equations of motion
• Aerodynamic forces and moments
• Stability & control derivatives
• decoupling of longitudinal and lateral-directional dynamics
• Longitudinal modes
• Lateral-directional modes

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Section 3: Space Dynamics

The following are the various topics and sub-topics to be covered in the Space Dynamics Section.

Core Topics

• Central force motion
• Determination of trajectory
• Orbital period in simple cases

Section 4: Aerodynamics

The following are the various topics and sub-topics to be covered in the Aerodynamics Section.

Basic Fluid Mechanics

• Conservation laws: Mass, momentum, (Integral and differential form)
• Potential flow theory: Sources, Sinks, Doublets
• Line vortex and their superposition
• Viscosity, Reynolds number

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Airfoils and wings

• Airfoil nomenclature
• Aerodynamic coefficients: lift, drag and moment
• Kutta-Joukoswki theorem
• Thin airfoil theory, Kutta condition, starting vortex
• Finite wing theory: Induced drag, Prandtl lifting line theory
• Critical and drag divergence Mach number.

Compressible Flows

• Basic concepts of compressibility, Conservation equations
• One dimensional compressible flows, Fanno flow, Rayleigh flow
• Isentropic flows
• Normal and oblique shocks, Prandtl-Meyer flow
• Flow-through nozzles and diffusers.

Special topics

• Elementary ideas of viscous flows including boundary layers
• Wind Tunnel Testing: Measurement and visualization techniques.

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Section 5: Structures

The following are the various topics and sub-topics to be covered in the Structures Section.

Strength of Materials

• States of stress and strain
• Stress and strain transformation
• Mohr's Circle
• Principal stresses
• Three-dimensional Hooke's law
• Plane stress and strain
• Failure theories: Maximum stress, Tresca, Von Mises
• Strain energy
• Castigliano's principles
• Analysis of statically determinate and indeterminate trusses and beams
• Elastic flexural buckling of columns

Flight vehicle structures

• Characteristics of aircraft structures and materials
• Torsion, bending and flexural shear of thin-walled sections
• Loads on aircraft

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Structural Dynamics

• Free and forced vibrations of undamped and damped SDOF systems
• Free vibrations of undamped 2-DOF systems

Special topics

• Vibration of beams
• Theory of elasticity: Equilibrium and compatibility equations
• Airy’s stress function

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Section 6: Propulsion

The following are the various topics and sub-topics to be covered in the Propulsion Section.

 Basics

• Thermodynamics
• Boundary layers
• Heat transfer
• Combustion thermochemistry

 Thermodynamics of aircraft engines

• Thrust, efficiency and engine performance of turbojet
• Turboprop, turboshaft, turbofan and ramjet engines
• Thrust augmentation of turbojets and turbofan engines
• Aerothermodynamics of non-rotating propulsion components such as intakes, combustor and nozzle.

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 Axial compressors

• Angular momentum, work and compression
• Characteristic performance of a single axial compressor stage
• Efficiency of the compressor
• Degree of reaction

Axial turbines

• Axial turbine stage efficiency

Centrifugal compressor

• Centrifugal compressor stage dynamics, inducer, impeller and diffuser.

Rocket propulsion

• Thrust equation and specific impulse
• Vehicle acceleration, drag, gravity losses,
• Multi-staging of rockets
• Classification of chemical rockets
• Performance of solid and liquid propellant rockets

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GATE Aerospace Engineering Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme 2025

The GATE Aerospace Engineering Exam will consist of questions from the subject of General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and Subject-specific i.e. questions from Aerospace engineering subject.

The paper will have 85% of questions from Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mathematics topics. The remaining 15% of questions will be from General Aptitude. Candidates are required to attempt 65 questions. The time allocated is 3 HRs.

The following table explains the Marks Weightage for GATE Aerospace Engineering Exam in further detail:

GATE Aerospace Engineering Exam Pattern

Marks Weightage for GATE AE Exam
Section	Number of Questions	Total Marks	Marking Scheme
General Aptitude (GA)	10	15	5 MCQ’s for 1 mark each5 MCQ’s for 2 marks each
Engineering Mathematics	55	13	25 Questions for 1 mark each 30 Questions for 2 marks each
Aerospace Engineering (AE)		72

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GATE Aerospace Engineering Reference Books 2025

GATE books are available in the market for the GATE AE preparation. However, the following table contains the section-wise reference books for GATE Aerospace Engineering 2025:

GATE Aerospace Engineering Reference Books

Section	Books with the Name of  Author/Publisher
Engineering Mathematics	Made Easy Engineering Mathematics - For GATE & ESE 2025
	GATE Engineering Mathematics by R K Kanodia
Flight Mechanics	Introduction to Flight - John D. Anderson, Jr.
	Airplane Performance, Stability and Control By Courtland D. Perkins and Robert E. Hage
Space Dynamics	Rocket Propulsion and Space Dynamics by J. W. Cornelisse, H. F. R. Schöyer, K. F. Wakker
Aerodynamics	Aerodynamics for Engineering Students, By Edward Lewis Houghton and P. W. Carpenter
	Fundamentals of Aerodynamics - John D,  Anderson, Jr.
Structures	A Textbook of Strength of Materials - RK Bansal
Propulsion	Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion - Hill & Peterson
	Gas Turbines - V Ganesan

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GATE Aerospace Engineering Previous Year’s Question Paper

We have added the GATE Aerospace Engineering past five years’ question papers along with the answer keys for all the students. Click on the link to download the question papers and the answer keys. 

GATE AE Previous Year’s Question Paper

Years	Question Papers	Answer Keys
2022	Download	Download
2021	Download	Download
2020	Download	Download
2019	Download	Download
2018	Download	Download

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