GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026, Questions, Marking Scheme
Pratibha Bohra19 May, 2025
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GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026: The GATE Chemical Engineering Exam 2026 will be administered by the IIT Guwahati in February 2026. The aspirants who are going to take the GATE CH Exam 2026 should have a thorough understanding of the GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern. Candidates must continue reading to learn more about the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering Chemical Exam Pattern including the number of questions, marking scheme, paper duration, etc.
In order to prepare effectively for the GATE 2026 Chemical Engineering exam must be well familiar with the exam pattern to gain insights into the scheme of question paper. In this article, you can discover the comprehensive exam pattern for GATE CH Exam 2026.
GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026
The GATE 2026 Chemical Engineering Exam will include 65 questions, collectively carrying a total of 100 marks. The GATE CH Question Paper encompasses various subjects such as general aptitude, engineering mathematics, and chemical engineering. Specifically, the CH paper allocates 15% of the weightage to general aptitude, 13% to engineering mathematics, and the remaining 72% to the core Chemical Engineering Syllabus. Candidates must focus on all the sections to boost your overall score and get success in the examination.
Check: Chemical Engineering Scope
GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026 Overview
The IIT Guwahati will host the GATE CH paper via computer-based mode. According to the GATE Two Paper Combination , applicants can additionally choose Petroleum Engineering (PE) or Engineering Sciences (XE) as their second paper along with Chemical Engineering paper. Check out the GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026 overview from the table below:
| GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026 | |
| Particular | Details |
| Exam Name | GATE CH Exam 2026 |
| GATE CH 2026 Exam Date | February, 2026 (tentative) |
| GATE CH 2026 Exam Mode | Computer-Based Exam (CBT) |
| GATE CH 2026 Exam Language | English |
| Exam Duration | 180 Minutes (3 Hours) |
| GATE CH 2026 Sectional Time Limit | None |
| GATE CH 2026 Total Marks | 100 |
| GATE CH 2026 Total Number of Questions | 65 |
|
GATE CH 2026 Number of Sections |
Three Sections: General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and Chemical Engineering |
| GATE CH 2026 CH Section-Wise Number of Questions |
|
| GATE CH 2026 Sectional Weightage |
|
| GATE CH 2026 Marking Scheme | 1 or 2 Marks |
| GATE CH 2026 Negative Marking Scheme |
|
Also, Read: 8 Best Tips to Prepare for GATE Chemical Engineering
GATE Chemical Engineering 2026 Marking Scheme
In accordance with the GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026, the examination comprises three types of questions: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Numerical Answer Type Questions (NATs), and Multiple Select Questions (MSQs). Each question carries 1 or 2 marks. Aspirants can refer to the table below for a detailed overview of the GATE CH Marking Scheme 2026:
| GATE Chemical Engineering 2026 Marking Scheme | |||
| Sections in CH Paper | Total Questions | Total Marks | |
| 1 mark Questions | 2 marks Questions | ||
| General Aptitude | 5 | 5 | (5 x 1) + (5 x 2) = 15 |
| Engineering Mathematics | 25 | 30 | (25 x 1) + (30 x 2) = 85 |
| Chemical Engineering (CH) | |||
| Total | 30 | 35 | 100 |
Check: GATE Chemical Engineering Syllabus
GATE CH Paper 2026 Negative Marking
For the incorrect answers, the CH paper is going to have a negative marking of 1/3 marks and 1/4 marks as per the GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026. Check out the negative marking details in the table presented below.
| GATE 2026 CH Paper Negative Marking | ||
| Type of Question | 1 Mark Questions | 2 Marks Questions |
| Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | 1/3 mark | 2/3 mark |
| Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) | Negative Marking Not Applicable | |
| Numerical Answer Types (NATs) | Negative Marking Not Applicable | |
Check: GATE Chemical Engineering Subject Wise Weightage
GATE Chemical Engineering Syllabus 2026
The GATE Chemical Engineering (CH) Syllabus 2026 is divided into three sections: General Aptitude with 15 percent weightage, Engineering Mathematics worth 13 marks, and Chemical Engineering section will carry 72 marks. Check out the key topics from the GATE CH Syllabus tabulated below.
| GATE Chemical Engineering Syllabus 2026 | |
| Subject | Topics |
| General Aptitude | Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Analytical Aptitude, and Spatial Aptitude |
| Engineering Mathematics | Linear Algebra, Calculus, Differential Equations, Complex Variables, Probability and Statistics, Numerical Methods |
| Chemical Engineering | Process Calculations and Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics and Mechanical Operations, Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer, Chemical Reaction Engineering, Instrumental and Process Control, Plant Design and Economics, Chemical Technology. |
GATE Chemical Engineering Important Topics With Weightage
While preparing for the GATE CH Paper 2026, understanding the distribution of topics in accordance with their weightage is important. Topics such as transfer operation, thermodynamics, mass transfer operation, and CRE carried a high weightage in 2021, while in 2020, topics like chemical reaction engineering, instrumentation and process control, and mass transfer had a high number of marks.
Check out the GATE Chemical Engineering important topics with marks from the years 2021, 2020, and 2019 in the table below:
| GATE Chemical Engineering Important Topics With Weightage | |||
| Topics | Weightage of Topics | ||
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| General Aptitude | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Engineering Mathematics | 11 | 13 | 13 |
| Chemical Reaction Engineering | 12.4 | 13 | 12 |
| Instrumentation and Process Control | 7.8 | 6 | 8 |
| Mass Transfer | 10.6 | 13 | 9 |
| Heat Transfer | 8.8 | 8 | 9 |
| Fluid Mechanics and Mechanical Operations | 11.8 | 13 | 9 |
| Chemical Technology | 4.4 | 4 | 7 |
| Plant Design and Economics | 3.8 | 1 | 4 |
| Process Calculations and Thermodynamics | 3.6 | 6 | 2 |
Aspirants can download the last five years of GATE Chemical Engineering Previous Years Papers with Answers PDF from the link given below to prepare effectively in the remaining days until the final exam.
| GATE CH Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions PDF | |
| Examination Year | Download Link |
| 2019 | Download PDF |
| 2020 | Download PDF |
| 2021 | Download PDF |
| 2022 | Download PDF |
| 2023 | Download PDF |
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GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026 FAQs
Q. How many questions will be asked for GATE Chemical Engineering Exam 2026?
Q. Where can I find the latest GATE Chemical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026?
Q. Is there any negative marking in GATE CH paper 2026?
Q. For how many marks will the GATE CH Paper 2026 be held?
Q. On which mode the GATE CH Exam 2026 be held?
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