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GATE Mechanical Engineering, Explore GATE ME Details

GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam assess candidate's knowledge in the core subjects. Check out GATE ME syllabus, exam pattern, eligibility, and more on this webpage.
authorImageSiddharth Pandey5 Sept, 2025
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GATE Mechanical Engineering

GATE Mechanical Engineering: The GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam 2026 for the next academic year will be conducted in Feb 2026 to offer admission to ME/M. Tech and Ph.D. programs to the most prestigious institutions in the country. Furthermore, the GATE Score will be utilized for offering jobs in the premier Public Sector Undertakings. Mechanical Engineering is an oldest and evergreen branch of Engineering that deals with studying mechanical components design, production, and their applications.

The GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam 2026 will be conducted to assess the candidate's knowledge in the core subjects as well as general aptitude. The students who are studying in Mechanical Course or completed the BE/B. Tech degree must start their preparation to ace GATE 2026 to explore the best career options. Candidates must read this article carefully for detailed insights into the GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam, subjects, exam pattern, syllabus, preparation books and more.

GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam Overview

The Graduate Aptitude Test In Engineering (GATE 2026) for Mechanical Engineering will be conducted in 2026. The online registration for GATE ME 2026 started. Candidates who completed BE/B. Tech in Mechanical Engineering or current in the third year or final year in their course can register for the test.

The GATE ME Paper tests the conceptual understanding of aspirants in the core subjects as well as general aptitude and mathematics. The GATE Mechanical Engineering Paper includes the 65 questions from different sections having a maximum of 100 marks. Candidates will get the time duration of 180 minutes to attempt the question paper. There is also a negative marking for MCQ and MSQ questions as per the rules.

GATE Mechanical Engineering Subjects

The GATE Mechanical Engineering exam includes various major subjects such as theory of machines, fluid mechanics, machine design, industrial engineering, production engineering, thermodynamics, refrigeration and air conditioning. The subjects studied by aspiring engineers in their undergraduate level will be asked in the GATE.

After passing the GATE Paper, candidates mostly opt M.Tech to enhance their expertise in the field. The M. Tech in Mechanical Engineering is a two year course with four semesters includes numerous subjects according to chosen specialization. The students must check out the GATE Mechanical Engineering Subjects to prepare the preparation strategy accordingly.

GATE Mechanical Engineering Scope In India

The Mechanical Engineering is a vary popular branch for which highest number of students appear for GATE Exam and higher studies. It offers numerous career opportunities in public and private sectors. Through GATE Score, candidates can join the highly reputed Public Sector Enterprises like BHEL, SAIL, NTPC, GAIL, NALCO, DRDO, NPCIL, etc.

There are various career paths available after completing mechanical engineering in government jobs, private jobs and PSUs. The Mechanical Engineering Career Scope offers the numerous job roles such as Design Engineer, Production Engineer, HVAC Engineer, Automotive Engineer and Aerospace Engineer. Candidates can opt mechanical engineering for a great career exposure.

GATE Mechanical Engineering Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who want to pursue Mechanical Engineering must review the GATE Mechanical Engineering Eligibility Criteria to understand what are the requirements to enroll for the course. The students must meet the eligibility criteria specified by the authorities to appear for the GATE Exam. Below, we have discussed the GATE ME Eligibility Criteria in a detailed form:

GATE Mechanical Engineering Eligibility Criteria
Particulars Eligibility Norms
Nationality Candidates of Indian and other nationalities are eligible to take the GATE exam.
Educational Qualification
  • To take the exam, candidates must be a graduate or postgraduates in their respective fields.
  • Candidates in their third year of study can also apply for the GATE exam.
Age Limit There is no age limit criteria to appear for GATE Exam.

GATE Mechanical Exam Pattern

Candidates aspiring to take the GATE 2026 Exam for Mechanical Engineering must have a thorough understanding of the exam pattern to get familiar with the exam format. The GATE ME Exam Pattern comprise the number of questions, marking scheme, and test duration. A comprehensive exam pattern for GATE Mechanical Engineering is explained in this section:

GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam Pattern 2026
Particulars Details
Exam Name GATE Mechanical Exam 2026
Mode of Exam Online CBT mode
Exam Timing 3 hours
Maximum Marks 100
Number of Subjects 30
Total number of Questions 65
Sections General Aptitude (GA) & Mechanical Engineering
GATE Marking Scheme All the questions carries 1 or 2 marks
Marks Distribution ME Papers
  • General Aptitude - 15 Marks
  • Engineering Mathematics - 13 Marks
  • Mechanical Engineering - 72 Marks
Total Number of Questions
  • General Aptitude – 10 Ques.
  • Mechanical Engineering – 55 Ques.
Negative Marking
  • For the 1-mark question, 1/3 will be deducted
  • For the 2-mark question, 2/3 mark will be deducted
  • No negative marking for MSQs and NATs
Type of Questions
  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
  • Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)
  • Numerical Answer Type (NAT)

GATE Mechanical Engineering Syllabus

The syllabus is the most valuable resource to frame the preparation strategy to perform well in the upcoming GATE 2026 ME Exam. The GATE Mechanical Engineering Syllabus involves a total of four sections – Applied Mechanics & Design, Engineering Mathematics, Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Sciences and Materials, and Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering. Candidates must have a proper understanding of GATE ME Syllabus to grasp all the topics to secure highest score. We have listed the major sections in the GATE 2026 Mechanical Engineering syllabus in the below section:

  • General Aptitude
  • Engineering Mathematics
  • Applied Mechanics & Design
  • Material, Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering
  • Fluid Mechanics & Thermal Science

Mechanical Engineering - M. Tech Branches

Master of Technology or M. Tech is postgraduate level technical program in various specializations. Candidates who want to pursue M. Tech course after qualifying GATE can check the list of branches available in Mechanical Engineering below:

  • Heat and Power Engineering
  • Thermal Engineering
  • Computer Integrated Manufacturing
  • Automobile Engineering
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Material Technology
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Product Design and Development
  • Industrial Safety Engineering

Top Colleges for M. Tech In Mechanical Engineering

While going to take admission to M. Tech in Mechanical Engineering, candidates get confused in choosing the best institution. There are number of colleges in the country offers M. Tech in different branches but the IITs are mostly preferred by students to seek a great learning experience. We have mentioned the list of top 10 M. Tech colleges in Mechanical Engineering below for your reference:

Top M. Tech Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Ranking of Institute Name of Institute Annual Fees Structure Average Package
1 IIT Madras INR 2,12,000 INR 11 LPA
2 IIT Delhi INR 60,000 INR 8 LPA-10 LPA
3 IIT Bombay INR 80,000 INR 8 LPA-10 LPA
4 IIT Kanpur INR 70,000 INR 8 LPA-10 LPA
5 IIT Roorkee INR 35,000 INR 7 LPA-8 LPA
6 IIT Kharagpur INR 2,00,000 INR 8 LPA-10 LPA
7 IIT Guwahati INR 2,00,000 INR 12 LPA-14 LPA
8 IIT Hyderabad INR 1,00,000 INR 8 LPA-10 LPA
9 IIT Tiruchirappalli INR 1,05,000 INR 8 LPA-10 LPA
10 IIT Varanasi INR 70,000 INR 8 LPA-10 LPA

Mechanical Engineering Jobs

Mechanical Engineering is one of the highly demandable courses for offering a reputed job in public as well as private sectors on various job roles, Candidates must have a valid GATE Score in the Mechanical Engineering to secure a reputed jobs in the PSUs with a decent salary package. The list of PSUs for Mechanical Engineering through GATE are provided below:

Mechanical Engineering PSU Jobs through GATE
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd.)
EIL (Engineer India Limited) MRPL (Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemical Limited)
BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited) MDSL (Medium-Speed Digital Subscriber Line)
DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) DDA (Delhi Development Authority)
NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation Pvt. Ltd.) ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation)
NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited) BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited)
NFL (National Fertilizers Limited) Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL)
RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Services Private Limited) CEL (Central Electronics Limited)
HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) THDC (Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited)
ECIL (Electronics Corporation of India Limited) NALCO (National Aluminium Company Limited)
NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) BSNL Junior Telecom Officer (JTO)
BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited)

Salary After Mechanical Engineering

The mechanical engineering professionals earn the highly attractive salary package with numerous perks and allowances. The mechanical engineer salary depends on the place of job, experience of professional, demand of mechanical engineers, and skills of the individuals. But the average salary structure offered to Mechanical Engineers in India are mentioned below:

Mechanical Engineer Salary In India
Particulars Salary
Highest Mechanical Engineer Salary in India Rs. 8 LPA
Average Mechanical Engineer Salary in India Rs. 4 LPA
Lowest Mechanical Engineer Salary in India Rs. 2.5 LPA

GATE Mechanical Engineering Previous Year Papers

Aspirants preparing for the GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam 2026 should practice the GATE Mechanical Engineering Question Paper to fully understand the exam before taking it. Below is the link to the GATE Mechanical Engineering Previous Year Question Papers; candidates should download and practice them thoroughly.

The GATE 2026 Mechanical exam is an excellent opportunity for all Mechanical Engineering aspirants aiming for a rewarding career in this sector. We are providing GATE Mechanical question papers with solutions PDF of the years 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 to help GATE Mechanical students practice and analyze their preparation.

Previous year question papers for GATE Mechanical will assist GATE Mechanical applicants in analyzing their preparation, understanding the level of difficulty of the real GATE Mechanical exam, and improving their performance appropriately.

Candidates must answer mock examinations, practice papers and GATE question papers for mechanical engineering regularly in order to achieve better scores in the GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam.

GATE ME Previous Year Question Papers with Solutions
Year of GATE Exam GATE Question Paper PDF GATE Solution PDF
GATE 2025 Mechanical Engineering Exam  GATE ME 2025 Question Paper Download Solution PDF 
GATE 2024 Mechanical Engineering Exam GATE ME 2024 Question Paper  Download Solution PDF
GATE 2023 Mechanical Engineering Exam GATE ME 2023 Question Paper Download Solution PDF
GATE 2022 Mechanical Engineering Exam GATE ME 2022 Question Paper Download Solution PDF
GATE 2021 Mechanical Engineering Exam GATE ME 2021 Question Paper Download Solution PDF
GATE 2020 Mechanical Engineering Exam GATE ME 2020 Question Paper Download Solution PDF
GATE 2019 Mechanical Engineering Exam GATE ME 2019 Question Paper Download Solution PDF

GATE Mechanical Engineering Cut Off

The cut off marks for GATE Mechanical Engineering is determined by the authorities based on various parameters such as difficulty level of the exam, number of test takers, and previous year trends. Candidates need to score the minimum qualifying marks to pass the examination. Here, the GATE Mechanical Engineering Cut Off for the last 10 years are provided for your better understanding to know the trends:

GATE ME Last 10 Years Cut Off Trends
Examination Year Category-Wise Cut Off Marks
General OBC-NCL SC, ST, and PH
GATE 2025 ME Exam 35.8 32.2 23.8
GATE 2024 ME Exam 30.8 27.7 20.5
GATE 2023 ME Exam 28.4 25.5 18.9
GATE 2022 ME Exam 28.1 25.2 18.7
GATE 2021 ME Exam 33 29.7 22
GATE 2020 ME Exam 34 30.6 22.6
GATE 2019 ME Exam 34.1 30.7 22.7
GATE 2018 ME Exam 34.7 31.2 23.1
GATE 2017 ME Exam 32.7 29.4 21.8
GATE 2016 ME Exam 32.73 29.46 21.82
GATE 2015 ME Exam 25 22.5 16.67
GATE 2014 ME Exam 28.86 25.97 19.24
GATE 2013 ME Exam 25 22.5 16.17
GATE 2012 ME Exam 27.14 24.47 18.09

GATE Mechanical Engineering Online Course

Preparing for GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam requires a well structured preparation strategy and pre-planned schedule to cover the entire syllabus in a limited time. So, PW Online GATE Coaching is the best solution to prepare in well structured manner. The PW courses are curated by highly experienced faculties with interactive live classes, and daily practice sessions. We have shared the direct links to explore the PW GATE Mechanical Engineering Online Courses below:

GATE Mechanical Engineering FAQs

Q. Who can take GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam 2026?

Ans. Candidates having BE/B. Tech degree in the Mechanical Engineering or currently studying in third year or final year are eligible to take the GATE 2026 ME Exam.

Q. Is Mechanical Engineering a good choice for reputed jobs?

Ans. Mostly mechanical engineering professionals employed in government services and PSUs accepting GATE Score.

Q. What is the paper code for GATE Mechanical Engineering?

Ans. The paper code for GATE Mechanical Engineering is ME.

Q. Where can I check GATE Mechanical Engineering Syllabus 2026?

Ans. Aspirants preparing for GATE ME Exam 2026 must download the topic-wise syllabus from the direct link available in the article.

Q. How can I prepare for GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam 2026?

Ans. Candidates can prepare for GATE Mechanical Engineering Exam 2026 to enroll in Physics Wallah's Online Course to explore the well structured study material.

Q. What are the important subjects for GATE ME?

Ans. The GATE ME exam comprise a range of subjects including thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, theory of machines, engineering mechanics, production engineering, design of machine elements, etc.
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