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Updated 2026 · IIT Guwahati · Result March 19, 2026

GATE Physics (PH) — Complete Guide 2026
Exam Pattern · Eligibility · Syllabus · PSU Recruitment · Score Validity

Complete updated guide to GATE Physics 2026 — conducted by IIT Guwahati (Feb 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026), results declared March 19, 2026. Scorecard valid 3 years for MTech/PhD; 1 year for most PSU recruitment.

65Questions
100Marks
3 hrsDuration
3 YearsScore Valid
No LimitAge Limit
✅

GATE 2026 — Latest Updates

Conducted by: IIT Guwahati
Exam Dates: Feb 7, 8, 14 & 15, 2026
Result Declared: March 19, 2026
Scorecard Released: March 27, 2026
Free Scorecard Download: Until May 31, 2026
Score Valid For: 3 years (till March 2029)

About GATE

What is GATE Physics (PH)?

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) for Physics (PH) is a national-level examination conducted jointly by IISc Bangalore and the seven IITs on behalf of the National Coordination Board, Ministry of Education, Government of India. A qualifying GATE score is mandatory for MTech, ME, and direct Doctoral programme admissions at IITs, NITs, IISc, and other MoE-supported institutions. It is also widely used for PSU recruitment (ONGC, GAIL, BARC, DRDO, ISRO, etc.) and for foreign university admissions.

🏫

MTech/PhD Admission

Admission to IITs, NITs, IISc — most competitive PG programmes in India.

🏢

PSU Recruitment

BARC, DRDO, ISRO, ONGC, GAIL and 15+ PSUs recruit via GATE scores.

⌛

3-Year Score Validity

Score valid 3 years for admissions (till 2029 for GATE 2026 qualifiers).

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International Recognition

NUS, NTU, and several foreign universities accept GATE scores.

Key Facts

GATE Physics 2026 — At a Glance

All facts updated for GATE 2026 (Organized by IIT Guwahati).

🏫Conducting Body

IIT Guwahati (2026); IITs & IISc on rotation

📅Exam Frequency

Once a year — February

📅GATE 2026 Dates

February 7, 8, 14 & 15, 2026

✅GATE 2026 Result

Declared March 19, 2026

📄Scorecard Released

March 27, 2026 — free till May 31, 2026

⌛Score Validity

3 years MTech/PhD; 1 year most PSUs

💻Mode

Online Computer Based Test (CBT)

⏰Duration

3 hours — 65 questions for 100 marks

👥Age Limit

No age limit

🌍Medium

English only

🔗GATE Portal

gate2026.iitg.ac.in

∞Attempts

Unlimited

Exam Pattern

GATE Physics — Examination Scheme & Marking

65 questions in 3 hours — 10 General Aptitude + 55 Physics Core. Three question types with different marking schemes.

SectionQuestionsMarksNegative MarkingType
Section 1 — General Aptitude1015−1/3 & −2/3MCQ — Language & Analytical Skills
Section 2 — Physics Core5585−1/3 MCQ only; MSQ/NAT = 0MCQ + MSQ + NAT
Total651003 hours — Online CBT

MCQ

1 or 2 marks. Single correct. Negative: −1/3 or −2/3.

MSQ

1 or 2 marks. One or more correct. Zero negative marking.

NAT

1 or 2 marks. Type exact number. Zero negative marking.

💡 Strategy: MSQ and NAT have zero negative marking — always attempt every question in these types. For MCQ, skip only when you have no reasonable estimate. For NAT, round off only at the final step.

Score Validity

GATE 2026 Score Validity — Admissions & PSU

Understanding score validity is critical for planning your next steps after GATE 2026 results.

PurposeValidityDetails
MTech/PhD at IITs & IISc (COAP)3 YearsValid till March 2029 for GATE 2026 qualifiers.
MTech at NITs & IIITs (CCMT)3 YearsCCMT counselling uses GATE scores; valid 3 years.
PSU Recruitment (most PSUs)1 YearMost PSUs accept only current year score. Check individual notifications.
BARC & DRDO1–3 YearsVaries by organisation and cycle. Verify with official notification.
International Universities3 YearsNUS, NTU, and other foreign universities accept GATE scores.
MoE Research Fellowships3 YearsGATE-qualified candidates eligible for MHRD fellowship stipends.
✅ GATE 2026: Result declared March 19, 2026. Scorecard free download at gate2026.iitg.ac.in until May 31, 2026. After that, ₹500 fee applies.

Career Opportunities

PSU Recruitment via GATE Physics

A valid GATE Physics score opens direct recruitment pathways at major Public Sector Undertakings. Most PSUs shortlist candidates based on GATE rank and then conduct interviews or GDs.

ONGC

GAIL

IOCL

HPCL

BPCL

NTPC

BHEL

POWERGRID

AAI

BARC

DRDO

ISRO

ECIL

BEL

MECON

NFL

NALCO

SAIL

💡 Important: Most PSUs accept only the current year’s GATE score. Check each PSU’s official notification for eligibility, discipline, and cutoff requirements before applying.

Eligibility

GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The following categories are eligible to appear for GATE:

Degree/ProgramQualifying DegreeEligible Status
B.Sc. (Research) / B.S.Bachelor’s in Science (4 years after 10+2)3rd year or higher / completed
M.Sc. / M.A. / MCAMaster’s in Arts/Science/Maths/Statistics/CA1st year or higher / completed
B.Sc. / B.A. / B.Com.Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year B.S.-M.S.3rd year or higher / completed
Int. M.Sc. / Int. B.S.-M.S.Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year B.S.-M.S.3rd year or higher / completed
💡 No age limit. Students expected to complete qualifying degree in the exam year are also eligible.

Syllabus Overview

GATE Physics — Section-wise Syllabus

GATE Physics covers 9 core Physics sections plus General Aptitude. Mathematical Physics and Quantum Mechanics are consistently the highest-weight sections.

GA

General Aptitude

Verbal ability + numerical reasoning. 15 marks. Never skip.

1

Mathematical Physics

Eigenvalues, complex analysis, Fourier/Laplace, tensors

2

Classical Mechanics

Lagrangian, Hamiltonian, canonical transforms, STR

3

Electromagnetic Theory

BVPs, Maxwell, EM waves, Poynting, radiation

4

Quantum Mechanics

Perturbation, scattering, angular momentum — highest weight

5

Thermodynamics & Stat. Physics

Partition function, Fermi gas, BEC, phase transitions

6

Atomic & Molecular Physics

Zeeman/Stark, LS/jj coupling, molecular spectra, lasers

7

Solid State Physics

Band theory, BCS, Kramers-Kronig — GATE-weighted heavily

8

Electronics

BJT, op-amps, ADC/DAC, flip-flops — deeper than CSIR NET

9

Nuclear & Particle Physics

Semi-empirical formula, decay, quark model

Question Design

Types of Cognitive Abilities Tested

GATE questions test four distinct cognitive levels — preparation must address all four types.

Recall

Based on facts, principles, formulae, or laws. Answer from memory or one-line computation.

Comprehension

Tests understanding by requiring simple conclusions from fundamental ideas.

Application

Requires computation or logical reasoning using knowledge of the subject.

Analysis & Synthesis

Linked answer or common data questions requiring multi-step reasoning.

Administration

Conducting Body & Administrative Structure

Administering Institutes

GATE is jointly administered by IISc Bangalore and the seven IITs. One institute is designated as Organizing Institute (OI) for each year. IIT Guwahati organized GATE 2026. The GATE Committee is the sole authority for the examination.

IISc BangaloreIIT BombayIIT DelhiIIT Guwahati ★ 2026IIT KanpurIIT KharagpurIIT MadrasIIT Roorkee

COAP — IIT/IISc Admissions

Common Offer Acceptance Portal for IITs and IISc. Counselling May–June 2026.

CCMT — NIT/IIIT Admissions

Centralised Counselling for MTech — NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

GOAPS Portal

Official GATE Online Application System. Login with Enrollment ID for scorecard download.

8 Examination Zones

200+ cities across India. No international centres. 3-hour CBT with virtual calculator.

GATE Physics — Complete Preparation Guide

GATE Physics (PH) is a national-level examination opening admission to MTech and direct PhD programmes at IITs, IISc, NITs, and IIITs, enabling PSU recruitment at BARC, DRDO, ISRO, and ONGC, and valid for international university applications. GATE 2026 was conducted by IIT Guwahati and results were declared March 19, 2026. Scorecards are valid until March 2029 for academic admissions.

GATE Physics and CSIR NET share approximately 85% syllabus overlap — making combined preparation the most efficient strategy. Key GATE-specific additions are deeper Electronics (op-amps, ADC/DAC, sequential digital circuits), Solid State Physics (Kramers-Kronig relation), and the mandatory General Aptitude section (15 marks).

About Pravegaa Education

Pravegaa Education is a physics-only coaching institute at 28B/7, Jia Sarai, Near IIT Delhi, New Delhi founded by Atul Gaurav (JNU alumnus) and Dr. Alok Shukla (IIT Delhi alumnus). Pravegaa’s CSIR NET & GATE Physics course covers the full GATE Physics syllabus. Book a free demo class or call 8920759559.

FAQ

GATE Physics — Frequently Asked Questions

GATE Physics has 65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours. Section 1 (General Aptitude): 10 questions, 15 marks — MCQ, tests verbal and numerical ability, with negative marking. Section 2 (Physics Core): 55 questions, 85 marks — MCQ + MSQ + NAT. MCQs have negative marking (−1/3 for 1-mark, −2/3 for 2-mark). MSQ and NAT carry zero negative marking — always attempt.
The GATE 2026 scorecard (result declared March 19, 2026) is valid for 3 years from result date for MTech/PhD admissions at IITs, IISc, NITs, and IIITs — valid until March 2029. For most PSU recruitments, GATE score validity is 1 year. Some PSUs accept previous years’ scores — always verify with the specific PSU’s notification.
PSUs recruiting Physics/Engineering Physics graduates through GATE include BARC (Scientific Officer), DRDO, ISRO, ONGC, GAIL, IOCL, HPCL, BPCL, NTPC, BHEL, POWERGRID, AAI, ECIL, BEL, and others. Each PSU releases separate notifications with GATE cutoffs and eligibility criteria. Most PSUs prefer or require the current year’s score.
GATE Physics and CSIR NET Physical Sciences share approximately 85% syllabus overlap. Key GATE-specific additions: (1) Electronics — far deeper in GATE (op-amps, ADC/DAC, flip-flops, sequential circuits), (2) Solid State — Kramers-Kronig relation and magnetic anisotropy, (3) General Aptitude — mandatory 15-mark section not in CSIR NET. Pravegaa’s Evening + Weekend batch covers both exams simultaneously.
A competitive GATE score for IIT MTech Physics admission is typically 600+ out of 1000 (normalised GATE score). For top IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur), expect cutoffs of 700+ for general category. For NITs, 400–550 is generally sufficient depending on branch and institute. Cutoffs vary every year with paper difficulty.
Yes — this is the most efficient strategy and exactly what Pravegaa’s CSIR NET & GATE Physics Evening + Weekend batch is designed for. 85% of the syllabus is common. You need to extend Electronics preparation and add the General Aptitude component specifically for GATE. One structured course covers both exams.

Pravegaa Resources

GATE Physics — Free Resources & Courses

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Pravegaa’s CSIR NET & GATE Physics Evening + Weekend batch covers 100% of the GATE Physics syllabus alongside CSIR NET — live faculty, PYQ-driven classes, doubt sessions, and test series. 8,000+ selections.

📞 8920759559 | 8076563184

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