GATE 2026 Feb 15 Shift 2 exam analysis has been made available after the exam concludes. Check detailed paper review, difficulty level, and student reactions. Get complete analysis here.
Table of Contents
IIT Guwahati concluded the GATE 2026 Feb 15 shift 2 exam at 5.30 PM. The GATE 2026 exam with Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA) and Architectural Engineering (AR) papers was conducted in the second shift of the examination day. Based on initial student reactions, the overall difficulty of the DA paper was reported as moderate to slightly tough. The questions asked were purely mathematic calculation based, making it difficult to solve. The AR exam was moderate in difficulty level. Some candidates found the numerical or analytical sections challenging.
The GATE Feb 15, shift 1 exam was of a moderate difficulty level. Many students shared that the General Aptitude and Mathematics sections were simple and helped them score marks easily. However, the main Electronics and Communication subjects require strong basic knowledge and good time management. The questions were asked from the official syllabus and included both theory and numerical problems. Overall, students felt the paper was fair and similar to previous years, so candidates who prepared well were able to attempt it confidently.
The GATE 2026 Day 3, CE and EE examinations have concluded. Overall, the Civil Engineering (CE) paper was rated as moderate, with a few challenging questions. According to initial student feedback, the GATE question papers for both CE and EE were largely moderate in difficulty and focused mainly on conceptual understanding. Some questions were reported to be lengthy, and several candidates estimated around 20+ safe attempts. Strength of materials, engineering hydrology, geotechnical engineering are some of the topics covered in CE-I paper.
GATE 2026 examination was conducted successfully in two shifts, Shift 1 featured CS-1 and ST, while Shift 2 included CS-2, EY, NM, and PE, with the exam concluding at 5:30 PM. Both shifts were moderate to difficult, with emphasis on core subjects like Algorithms, OS, and DBMS and students felt the paper as time-consuming and lengthy. The ST paper was concept-heavy and calculation-oriented, with a moderate difficulty level requiring strong statistical fundamentals. EY and NM papers were rated moderate, with a balanced mix of theoretical and application-based questions.
The GATE 2026 CH, ES, and BT papers were overall rated easy to moderate by candidates. The CH paper included moderately difficult questions with easy-to-moderate Mathematics and General Aptitude sections, though a few students found it lengthy. The ES paper mostly had direct questions with some concept-based and lengthy problems. In the BT paper, the General Aptitude section was similar to XL GA, while core questions focused on topics such as transfer function, Monod growth kinetics, and sterilisation.
The day 1 Shift 1 exam concluded at 12:30 PM. The GATE 2026 XE Shift 1 exam, held on February 7, was considered easy to moderate by most candidates. While the paper was largely manageable, a few questions were lengthy and statement-based, especially in the XE-E section, with some time-consuming Thermodynamics problems. The XE-D paper was rated moderate, and the General Aptitude section was reported to be easy. Many students observed similarities with the Mechanical Engineering GATE previous year questions, leading to expectations of a higher cutoff for GATE XE this year.
The GATE exam is one of the most important national-level exams in India for postgraduate admissions and public sector recruitments (PSUs). Every year, lakhs of engineering graduates appear for this highly competitive test. Since the GATE exam covers a wide range of disciplines, the difficulty level, question patterns, and weightage of topics vary significantly from year to year.
In this article, we will know about the GATE 2026 paper Analysis, overall difficulty level, and comparison with previous years.
GATE 2026 Exam Analysis: Difficulty Level Overview
The exam analysis focuses on the overall paper difficulty, distribution of questions, and balance between numerical and theoretical problems. For GATE 2026, the paper analysis will be released after each session concludes. A breakdown of the subject-wise GATE 2026 overall paper difficulty is as follows:
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Key Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| CE‑1 (Civil Engineering) | Easy to Moderate | Balanced paper with conceptual and numerical questions. |
| EE (Electrical Engineering) | Moderate | Numerical questions had higher weightage. |
| PI (Production & Industrial Engineering) | Moderate | A mix of theory and application-based questions. |
| MA (Mathematics) | Moderate to Difficult | Conceptual questions from core topics. |
| ES (Environmental Science) | Moderate | Straightforward questions from the syllabus. |
| IN (Instrumentation Engineering) | Moderate to Difficult | Conceptual and calculation-heavy questions. |
| XE (Engineering Sciences) | Moderate | Mix of numerical and statement-based questions. |
| CH (Chemical Engineering) | Moderate to Tough | Core questions with some tricky numericals. |
| AE (Aerospace Engineering) | Moderate | Balanced theory and application questions. |
| BT (Biotechnology) | Moderate | Questions focused on core biotech topics. |
| CY (Chemistry) | Moderate to Difficult | Conceptual and application questions. |
| GE (Geomatics Engineering) | Moderate | Core geomatics questions tested. |
| PH (Physics) | Easy to Moderate | Mostly direct formula-based questions. |
| XH (Humanities & Social Sciences) | Moderate | Standard syllabus conceptual questions. |
| CS‑1 (Computer Science & IT Set 1) | Moderate to Difficult | Lengthy questions require strong concepts. |
| CS‑2 (Computer Science & IT Set 2) | Easy to Moderate | Slightly easier and less time-consuming. |
| ST (Statistics) | Moderate | Core probability and inference topics. |
| EY (Engineering Design) | Easy to Moderate | Concept-based application questions. |
| NM (Naval Architecture) | Moderate | Core numericals and application problems. |
| PE (Petroleum Engineering) | Easy to Moderate | Balanced paper with moderate difficulty. |
| ECE (Electronics and Communication Engineering) | Moderate | Time-consuming core subject questions. |
| AR (Architecture and Planning) | Moderate to Difficult | Numerical and Analytical Sections Challenging. |
| DA (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence) | Moderate | Tough calculation-based questions |
Relevant articles related to GATE
GATE 2026 Shift-Wise Paper Analysis
The GATE 2026 is to be conducted on Feb 07-08 and 14-15, 2026. The day-wise, shift-wise GATE exam analysis will be added below:
Feb 07, 2026 - Shift 1 - 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
The GATE 2026 XE Shift 1 examination was conducted in the morning session. As per students’ feedback, the overall difficulty level of the paper was easy to moderate, though a few questions were lengthy.
- The XE-E section had several statement-based and lengthy questions, with some time-consuming problems from Thermodynamics.
- The XE-D section was rated moderate, and many questions for the Mechanical Engineering GATE were from the previous year's questions.
- The General Aptitude section was considered easy, and based on the overall paper level, candidates expect the GATE XE cutoff to be high this year.
Feb 07, 2026 - Shift 2 - 2:30 PM to 05:30 PM
The GATE 2026 CH paper was rated easy to moderate, with most questions at a moderate level; Mathematics and General Aptitude were also easy to moderate with minimal calculations, though a few candidates found the paper lengthy.
- The GATE ES (Environmental Science) paper featured easy to moderate, mostly direct questions, with some lengthy and concept-based problems.'
- In the GATE 2026 BT paper, the General Aptitude section was similar to XL GA, covering topics like dice, paper unfolding, permutation–combination, and English analogy.
- Core BT questions were mainly from topics like transfer function, Monod growth kinetics, and sterilisation, with 2–3 questions asked from these areas.
Feb 08, 2026 - Shift 1 (9.30 AM to 12.30 PM)
The GATE 2026 CS-1 Shift 1 examination was conducted in the forenoon session. According to candidates' and experts' feedback, the overall difficulty level of the paper was moderate to difficult, with several questions being lengthy and time-consuming.
- The technical section had a strong focus on core subjects such as Algorithms, Operating Systems, DBMS, and Computer Networks, with a noticeable number of MSQs and NATs requiring conceptual clarity.
- The General Aptitude section was considered easy to moderate in scoring. Based on the paper’s difficulty, candidates expect the GATE CS cutoff to remain moderate this year.
Feb 08, 2026 - Shift 2 (2:30 PM to 05:30 PM)
The GATE 2026 CS-2 paper was rated moderate, with a balanced mix of straightforward and tricky questions. Some candidates felt the paper was slightly easier than Shift 1, though a few questions were calculation-intensive.
- The EY paper featured concept-based and application-oriented questions, mostly easy to moderate in difficulty.
- The NM paper was reported to be moderate, with numerical problems from core topics.
- The PE exam leaned towards numerical and conceptual questions, with an overall moderate to tough difficulty level.
Feb 14, 2026 - Shift 1 (9.30 AM to 12.30 PM)
For the February 14, 2026, session, the GATE papers received varied reactions from candidates across different disciplines. The question paper maintained a balanced distribution across major subjects, with a steady mix of conceptual and numerical problems.
- The CE-1 paper was considered moderate in difficulty, featuring a balanced combination of conceptual and numerical questions. While most sections were manageable, a few problems were reported to be lengthy and calculation-based.
- The EE paper was rated moderate to tough, with a strong emphasis on numericals and core conceptual understanding. Some candidates found certain questions time-consuming, particularly in calculation-heavy areas.
- The PI paper was described as moderate overall, with a mix of theory-based and application-oriented questions. Numerical problems from key topics formed a noticeable portion of the paper.
Feb 15, 2026 - Shift 1 (9.30 AM to 12.30 PM)
For the February 15, 2026, session, the ECE paper received mostly positive feedback from candidates. The question paper followed a balanced structure, with a proper mix of conceptual and numerical questions across major subjects.
- The ECE paper was considered moderate in difficulty level.
- General Aptitude and Engineering Mathematics were relatively easier and scoring for most students.
- Questions from subjects such as Networks, Signals & Systems, Electronic Devices, Analog and Digital Circuits, Control Systems, and Communication were calculation-based and were time-consuming.
Feb 15, 2026 - Shift 2 (2:30 PM to 5:30 PM)
The DA (Data Science & Artificial Intelligence) and AR (Architectural Engineering) papers were conducted in the afternoon shift. Both papers were concept-focused and moderately challenging.
- The DA paper was considered moderate to slightly tough in difficulty level. General Aptitude was comparatively easier and scoring, while the core sections were heavily mathematics and calculation-based.
- The AR paper was rated moderate in nature. The questions asked were both conceptual and numerical based.
- Some sections were straightforward, and a few were analytical and application-based questions that required deeper understanding and careful time management.
GATE 2026 Subject-Wise Analysis and Key Topics
The weightage and important topics varied slightly across streams. Below is a subject-wise analysis based on common papers like Mechanical, Electrical, Computer Science, and Civil Engineering, as per the previous year’s trends.
1. General Aptitude (GA)
- Key Topics: Reading comprehension, data interpretation, basic arithmetic, logical reasoning, and verbal ability.
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
2. Engineering Mathematics
- Key Topics: Linear algebra, calculus, probability & statistics, differential equations, numerical methods.
- Difficulty: Moderate in Difficult
3. Core Subject (examples from major branches)
- Computer Science (CSE): Data structures, algorithms, operating systems, computer networks, DBMS.
- Mechanical Engineering (ME): Strength of materials, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and manufacturing.
- Electrical Engineering (EE): Power systems, machines, signals & systems, control systems.
- Civil Engineering (CE): Structural analysis, geotechnical engineering, transportation, environmental engineering.
Difficulty level
The Overall GATE exam 2026 difficulty level was as follows:
- Computer Science (CSE): Moderate to Difficult
- Mechanical Engineering (ME): Moderate to Difficult
- Electrical Engineering (EE): Moderate
- Civil Engineering (CE): Moderate
Relevant articles related to GATE
| GATE Exam Day Guidelines 2026 | |
| GATE Exam Dress Code 2026 | GATE Eligibility Criteria |
| GATE Syllabus 2026 | GATE Mock Test |
GATE Exam Analysis 2026 vs Previous Years’ Trends
Comparing GATE 2026 with past years helps in identifying shifts in difficulty and topic focus.
|
Category |
GATE 2024 |
GATE 2025 |
GATE 2026 |
|
Overall Difficulty |
Moderate |
Moderate to Tough |
Moderate to Difficult |
|
General Aptitude |
Easy |
Easy to Moderate |
Easy to Moderate |
|
Engineering Maths |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Moderate to Difficult |
|
Core Subjects |
Moderate, balanced |
Concept-heavy |
Moderate, Numerical Based |
|
Unique Observations |
NATs were simpler |
Increased weightage to Maths |
Mostly Math-Based Questions |
GATE 2026 Good Scores and CutOff (Expected)
Since the GATE exam is competitive and normalization is used across different papers, the expected cutoff varies by discipline and category.
|
Category |
Expected Good Score (out of 100) |
Expected Cutoff Range |
|
General |
70+ |
25 – 30 |
|
OBC-NCL |
65+ |
22 – 27 |
|
SC/ST/PwD |
55+ |
18 – 23 |
The GATE 2026 Exam Analysis helps you to know the ongoing trends of difficulty level and the important topics over the past few years. This analysis provides important insights to finalise your Preparation strategy. By focusing on high-weightage areas and practicing numerical problem-solving, you can improve your chances of securing a good score in GATE. While every GATE paper brings its own new trends, consistent practice and smart strategy, guided by such analysis, remain the most reliable path to success.
POST YOUR COMMENT