GATE Exam Syllabus 2025 – Official Branch‑wise PDF & Exam Pattern

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2025 is a nationally conducted, computer-based exam co‑organized by IISc and IITs, this year led by IIT Roorkee. GATE measures the understanding of undergraduate-level engineering and science subjects and is essential for admission to M.Tech/Ph.D. programs, PSU recruitment, and fellowships. This comprehensive guide provides:

• Detailed overview
• Section-wise syllabus
• Branch-specific topic lists
• Marks distribution
• Official PDF links
• Recommended books
• Preparation strategy
• Career and specialization opportunities

1. GATE 2025 – Exam Overview

Feature	Detail
Conducting Body	IIT Roorkee (on behalf of IISc & 7 IITs)
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Exam Duration	3 hours
Total Marks	100 marks
Number of Questions	65 questions (MCQ, NAT, MSQ)
Sections	General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, Discipline-Specific Core
Score Validity	3 years

2. Exam Structure & Marks Breakdown

Section	Marks	Description
General Aptitude (GA)	15 marks	Common across all papers
Engineering Mathematics	13–15 marks	Core mathematical foundations
Discipline-Specific Core	70–72 marks	Branch-specific topics tailored to the candidate’s stream
Total	100 marks

Why it matters:

Strong performance in all three sections is critical—especially GA and Engineering Maths which are common and carry ~30% of total score.

3. Section-Wise Syllabus Details

3.1 General Aptitude (GA) – 15 Marks

• Verbal Ability: English grammar, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, reading comprehension
• Quantitative Aptitude: Number systems, ratios, percentage, profit–loss, time–speed–distance, data interpretation
• Logical & Analytical Reasoning: Pattern recognition, series, analogies, syllogisms
• Spatial Reasoning: Mirror images, water images, embedded figures, paper-folding

Note: Practice across previous papers reveals a predictable pattern of questions—scoring in GA is relatively straightforward with constant practice.

3.2 Engineering Mathematics – 13 to 15 Marks

Topic	Details
Linear Algebra	Matrices, determinants, systems of equations, Eigenvalues & Eigenvectors
Calculus	Limits, continuity, differential & integral calculus, multivariable calculus, vector functions, differential geometry
Differential Equations	Ordinary differential equations—1st and higher order ODEs, Laplace transforms, PDE basics
Complex Variables	Analytic functions, Cauchy-Riemann equations, Cauchy’s integral theorem, Taylor & Laurent expansions, poles & residues
Probability & Statistics	Permutation & combinations, probability axioms, conditional probability, random variables, distributions (Binomial, Poisson, Normal), mean, variance
Numerical Methods	Root finding methods (bisection, Newton-Raphson), interpolation, numerical integration (Simpson/trapezoidal), numerical solution of ODEs

3.3 Discipline-Specific Core Topics – 70 to 72 Marks

The majority of the paper focuses on discipline-specific core subjects. These are unique to each branch and test in-depth knowledge.

4. Branch-Wise Detailed Syllabus

4.1 Mechanical Engineering (ME)

Major Topic Area	Learning Topics
Applied Mechanics & Design	Statics (forces, equilibrium, friction), Dynamics (kinematics, kinetics), Theory of Machines (cams, gears, linkages), Vibrations (free, forced, damping), Machine Design (failure theories, shafts, gears, bearings).
Mechanics of Materials	Stress–strain, Elasticity, Mohr’s circle, bending moment, shear force, deflections, columns, torsion, strain gauges.
Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences	Hydrostatics, Continuity, Bernoulli’s theorem, Laminar/Turbulent flow, Boundary layers; Thermodynamics basics – Laws, Work/Heat, Pure & Gas cycles; Heat Transfer – Conduction, Convection, Radiation, HTC, heat exchangers.
Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering	Manufacturing Processes – Casting, Welding, Machining; Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CAM/CAD); Metrology – Measurement errors, gauges; Inventory Models, PERT/CPM, Linear Programming.

4.2 Civil Engineering (CE) Syllabus

Subject Area	Topics Covered
Structural Engineering	Analysis & design of reinforced concrete, steel structures, structural stability
Geotechnical Engineering	Soil mechanics, shear strength, consolidation, earth pressure, slope stability
Transportation Engineering	Highway materials, traffic flow theories, pavement design, airport runway design
Environmental Engineering	Water supply, wastewater treatment, air & noise pollution, waste management
Water Resources Engineering	Hydraulics, open-channel flow, pumps, irrigation engineering, watershed management

4.3 Electrical Engineering (EE) Syllabus

Subject Area	Topics Covered
Electric Circuits	DC/AC steady-state, transient analysis, network theorems
Electrical Machines	Transformers, DC machines, induction & synchronous machines
Power Systems	Generation, transmission, load flow, stability, protection
Control Systems	Transfer functions, time/frequency domain analysis, root-locus, Bode/Nyquist plots
Signals & Systems	Time-domain signals, Fourier transform, Laplace, Z-transform
Electromagnetic Fields	Maxwell’s equations, transmission lines, waveguides

4.4 Computer Science & IT (CS) Syllabus

Subject Area	Topics Covered
Discrete Mathematics	Sets, relations, graphs, combinatorics, trees
Data Structures & Algorithms	Arrays, lists, stacks, queues, trees, graph traversals, sorting, hashing, dynamic programming, greedy methods
Theory of Computation	Automata theory, regular languages, context-free grammars, Turing machines, decidability
Operating Systems	Processes/threads, synchronization, memory management, schedulers
Databases	ER modeling, SQL, transactions, concurrency, normalization
Computer Networks	OSI model, TCP/UDP, congestion control, routing algorithms
Compiler Design	Lexical analysis, parsing, symbol table, code generation
Computer Architecture	Pipelining, hazards, cache, memory hierarchy, instruction sets

4.5 Chemical Engineering (CH) Syllabus

Subject Area	Topics Covered
Process Calculations	Material/energy balances in single and multiple units
Chemical Thermodynamics	Phase & chemical equilibrium, ideal/non-ideal systems
Fluid Mechanics	Flow in pipes, boundary layer, dimensional analysis
Heat & Mass Transfer	Modes of heat transfer, distillation, absorption, evaporation, unit operations
Reaction Engineering	Kinetics, batch/continuous reactors, conversion, residence time distribution
Process Control	Dynamics, control loops, PID tuning, Laplace analysis

4.6 Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA) Syllabus

Subject Area	Topics Covered
Probability & Statistics	Random variables, estimation theory, hypothesis testing
Linear Algebra	Vector spaces, SVD, PCA, matrix factorization
Calculus & Optimization	Convex optimization, gradient descent, Lagrange multipliers
Data Structures & Programming	Python fundamentals, recursion, data manipulation, complexity analysis
Machine Learning	Linear/logistic regression, SVM, decision trees, clustering, neural networks, evaluation metrics
Databases & Warehousing	SQL, ETL processes, OLAP, data modeling
AI Search & Logic	Heuristic search, Bayesian networks, knowledge representation

5. Download Official PDF Syllabus

Access official and detailed syllabus PDFs for your branch:

• Mechanical Engineering (ME) PDF
• Civil Engineering (CE) PDF
• Electrical Engineering (EE) PDF
• Computer Science (CS) PDF
• Chemical Engineering (CH) PDF
• Data Science & AI (DA) PDF

6. Recommended Books by Subject

Subject	Key Books
General Aptitude	RS Aggarwal, Word Power Made Easy
Engineering Maths	B.S. Grewal, Erwin Kreyszig
Mechanical Engineering	Beer & Johnston, Shigley, R.K. Bansal, Cengel
Civil Engineering	Punmia, Rangwala, Khambata
Electrical Engineering	Nilsson & Reidel, Ogata, M. Morris Mano
Computer Science	CLRS (Cormen), Tanenbaum, Hopcroft & Ullman
Chemical Engineering	Smith & Van Ness, McCabe, Coulson & Richardson
Data Science & AI	Murphy, Raschka & Mirjalili, Devore

7. Preparation Strategy & Tips

1. Begin early with General Aptitude and Engineering Mathematics (cover entire syllabus in first 2–3 months).
2. Create themed weekly/monthly study plans—allocate time proportionally based on topic weightage.
3. Use NCERTs and standard texts for concept clarity; avoid surface-level reading.
4. Practice at least 1–2 hours daily on problem-solving.
5. Attempt mock tests and previous papers (2010–2024) under timed conditions.
6. Analyze test performance; maintain an error log to revisit weak areas regularly.
7. Make concise revision notes and formula sheets.
8. Group study + discussion in Telegram/WhatsApp communities for doubt-solving.
9. Take short refreshers on GA & Maths every alternate week to stay sharp.
10. In last 2 months, increase mocks to full-length sets and time-bound performance.

8. Post‑GATE Opportunities & Specializations

Pathway	Opportunity
M.Tech / M.E.	IITs, NITs, IISc, IIITs, other top colleges
PSU Recruitment	PSUs like ONGC, BHEL, IOCL, NTPC, GAIL
Research & Fellowships	DRDO, ISRO, CSIR labs, academic fellowships
Overseas Education	Germany, Singapore—some universities accept GATE score
PhD / Academia	UGC-NET, Assistant Prof positions

9. Conclusion

The GATE 2025 syllabus is comprehensive and structured to test both breadth and depth in engineering fundamentals. A clear study roadmap—built on strong fundamentals, constant practice, strategic revision, and time management—can dramatically improve your performance. Use the official PDFs, top-grade books, and mocks to stay ahead. Drop a comment with your branch and preparation timeline, and I’ll provide a personalized 3–month study plan and topic tracker!