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

 GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off has been decided based on multiple factors before the official cutoff release on the portal. In 2026, the ECE paper was of a moderate to difficult level. Candidates can expect a low cutoff considering the previous trends. The general category ECE expected cutoff is around 25 to 29 marks. 

authorImageDivya Sharma16 Feb, 2026
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GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off

GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off: IIT Guwahati has organised the GATE ECE exam in 2026. Candidates who took the Electronics & Communication Engineering paper found the level to be moderate to difficult and lengthy. Therefore, GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off depends on the exam difficulty level and category-wise reservations. This time, candidates can expect a low cutoff in the GATE 2026 ECE exam due to the difficulty level of the exam. 

GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off

GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off has been compiled based on the candidates' observations on the exam difficulty level. The ECE General Category expected cutoff is 25-29 marks. EWS is 22 to 23.8, and SC / ST / PwD is 16.3 to 17.5 marks. 

GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off

Category / Rank Range

Expected Marks 

General (Qualifying)

25 – 29

OBC-NCL / EWS

22.0 – 23.8

SC / ST / PwD

16.3 – 17.5

GATE 2026 Electronics & Communication Engineering Subject-Wise Analysis

GATE 2026 ECE was on a moderate to difficult level based on the candidates' feedback. It was one of the toughest papers compared to the GATE ECE previous exam trends. GATE Electronics & Communication Engineering subject-wise analysis has been provided to know the insights of the exam. It can help future aspirants getting better understanding of the priority topics. 

GATE 2026 Electronics & Communication Engineering Subject-Wise Analysis

Subject

Difficulty Level

Key Observations

Weightage (Approx.)

Communication

Moderate to Hard

High weightage; shifted from recent patterns; tricky noise and QPSK questions.

13–14 Marks

Signal & Systems

Moderate to Easy

7 questions; largely PYQ-inspired (Energy, Z-Transform) with value changes.

10–12 Marks

Digital Circuits

Easy

6 questions; straightforward flip-flop and shift register tasks; 1 K-Map MSQ.

~10 Marks

Analog Circuits

Easy to Moderate

7 questions; heavy on Op-Amps; one BJT question was lengthy but solvable via options.

10+ Marks

EDC

Moderate

Balanced and conceptual; covered Early effect, diffusion, and Bandgap.

8–10 Marks

EMFT

Moderate to Hard

7 questions; included advanced "Tangent Loss" and tricky unit conversions (inches to cm).

8–10 Marks

Network Theory

Moderate

4 questions, focused on Two-Ports and AC circuits; tricky Wheatstone bridge trap.

6–8 Marks

Mathematics

Moderate to Hard

Lengthy calculations (Double Integration), series convergence, and no Probability questions.

12–13 Marks

Aptitude

Moderate

More "Engineering" focused; included Mensuration, Logs, and Mirror Images.

15 Marks

COA

Moderate

Memory management MCQ; specific address calculations were rank-deciding.

2–3 Marks

Key Observations Regarding GATE ECE Exam

Candidates who appeared in the GATE ECE exam should carefully review the exam-related observations. It can help them know about the qualifying chances in the exam. Future GATE ECE aspirants should focus on solving questions and accuracy. This time, the paper was on a moderate to difficult side based on the candidate's review. Candidates who appeared in the Electronics & Communication Engineering exam faced time management issues. 

  • GATE ECE exam was at moderate to difficult levels as per the candidates' feedback. 

  • EMFT covered the advanced and lengthy topic-wise questions in the exam. 

  • The Signals & Systems section covered around 7 questions of moderate level.

  • The mathematics section in the GATE ECE exam was a moderate to difficult and lengthy section in the exam. 

  • Time was the major issue for candidates attempting the ECE questions in the exam. 

 

GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off FAQs

What is the GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off?

GATE 2026 ECE Expected Cut Off is estimated at 25.0 – 29.0 for General, 22.0 – 23.8 for OBC-NCL/EWS, and 16.3 – 17.5 for SC/ST/PwD.

Who decides the official cut-off?

IIT Guwahati, the organising institute for 2026, will release the official marks along with the results in mid-March.

Will the GATE ECE 2026 cutoff be lower than last year?

GATE ECE 2026 CutOff may be lower than the previous exam trends. It happened this time as the paper was moderate to difficult and lengthy, as per the candidate's feedback.

Does qualifying ensure an IIT seat?

Qualifying marks only make you eligible; actual admission to IITs or PSUs requires a much higher "Admission Cut-off" (usually 60+ marks).
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