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GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off: Category-Wise Cut Off and Paper Analysis

GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off for General candidates ranges between 29.5 – 32.0 marks. Following a moderate-to-tough exam on February 15, cutoffs for OBC-NCL/EWS are expected around 26.5 – 28.5, while SC/ST/PwD candidates may need 19.5 – 21.0 marks.
authorImageDivya Sharma17 Feb, 2026
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GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off

GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off: IIT Guwahati has organised the GATE 2026 Data Science & Artificial Intelligence exam. Candidates who appeared in the exam found the paper level moderate. GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off marks are decided based on the exam difficulty level and previous year cutoff trends. The expected cutoff marks are provided before the release of the official cutoff. So that candidates can know the expected marks needed to qualify for the GATE DA exam. 

GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off

GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off helps candidates get the competitive insights of the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence exam. The expected cutoff score is around 29.5 to 32 marks, depending on the exam level. 

GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off

Category

Expected Cut Off Marks (Out of 100)

General (UR)

29.5 – 32.0

OBC-NCL / EWS

26.5 – 28.5

SC / ST / PwD

19.5 – 21.0

 

GATE 2026 Data Science & Artificial Intelligence Subject-Wise Analysis

Candidates can check the GATE 2026 DA subject-wise analysis of the exam. It can help them to know the subject-wise paper level and weightage trends in the Data Science & Artificial Intelligence paper. 

GATE 2026 Data Science & Artificial Intelligence Subject-Wise Analysis

Subject

Difficulty Level

Key Points

Weightage & Trends

Python & Data Structures

Easy to Moderate

Questions were mostly conceptual and directly from class notes. Recursion and nested functions featured.

Questions matched exactly what was taught.

Mathematics

Moderate to Tough

Hard-core math questions were present.

Weightage slightly reduced compared to last year (~30+ marks expected). Slightly easier than last year but still tough; crucial for AI.

DBMS

Easy to Moderate

Balanced question distribution; SQL queries on tuples and domain relations appeared.

More questions than last year. Mostly easy questions; some details are uncertain due to limited data.

Algorithms

Moderate (with one tough Q)

Heavy focus on sorting (50% of algorithm questions), including insertion, bubble, and quicksort; one tough DFS-BFS question.

Four algorithm questions total; one very difficult question may decide ranks.

AI & ML

Easy to Moderate

Questions mainly from predicate and first-order logic in discrete math.

Increased weightage compared to last year; no very difficult questions.

Aptitude

Moderate

English was largely easy (grammar, analogies). Quant included easy and time-consuming questions. Reasoning had lengthier, condition-based questions.

Overall moderate level; balanced with math and AI/ML.

 Key Insights of GATE 2026 Data Science & Artificial Intelligence Exam

  • The GATE 2026 Data Science & Artificial Intelligence exam was of a moderate difficulty level. 

  • GATE 2026 DA expected cutoff could be around 29 to 32 marks, depending on the difficulty level. 

  • The mathematics paper was considered the backbone of the DA exam. 

  • Quantitative aptitude ranged from easy to moderate.

  • Reasoning questions were doable but time-consuming.

  • AL & ML emphasise discrete math concepts. 

 

GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off FAQs

What is the GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off for the General category?

GATE 2026 DA Expected Cut Off for the General category is expected to be between 29.5 and 32.0 marks.

When will the official GATE 2026 DA cutoff be released?

GATE 2026 DA cutoff marks will be released with the official release announcement on the official website.

Why is the 2026 DA cutoff expected to be lower than in 2024?

The 2024 paper was the inaugural session and relatively easier. The 2026 exam featured lengthier calculations in Mathematics and more complex Machine Learning questions, which typically pushes the qualifying marks downward.

What is a "safe" score for admission to top IITs in Data Science?

While qualifying requires ~30 marks, securing a seat in top-tier institutes like IIT Bombay or IISc usually requires a raw score of 60+ marks or a GATE score above 750.
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