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GATE5 Oct 2026 · 10 min read

GATE's most repeated topics, paper by paper

Based on IAE's count of past papers. What it cannot tell you is at the end.

The topics that had a GATE question in six or seven of seven years, listed for EC, EE, IN, BT and CS, with each paper's questions and marks per topic. Every topic links to its notes, and to its formula sheet where it has one. A count of past papers, not a forecast for 2027.

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Some topics have had a GATE question year after year. This post lists them for five papers (EC, EE, IN, BT and CS) over seven years per paper: a topic is listed when at least one question of that paper was placed under it in six or seven of the seven years. Each topic links to its page in the study library, with its notes and the questions placed under it, and to its formula sheet where it has one. The lists describe past papers only. We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics.

How the count works

The years counted are 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 for EC, EE, IN and CS, and 2019, 2020 and 2022–2026 for BT. CS was held in two sessions in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and a year counts once if either session asked the topic. That makes CS's bar easier to reach: for those three years a topic needed a question in only one of two papers, so CS's 'years with a question' is not the same measure as the other papers', and its question and mark totals cover ten papers rather than seven. Only the subjects the study library has published are counted: a topic from a syllabus section the library has not covered yet cannot appear here, however often it was asked, and each paper's section below names those sections. General Aptitude is left out because it is common to every paper; the post on General Aptitude and Engineering Mathematics marks counts its topics from the General Aptitude questions of the 21 EC, EE and IN papers, and the BT and CS papers' General Aptitude questions are not in the library yet. Topics also differ in breadth — some cover a whole syllabus line, others one idea — and a broader topic reaches six of seven years more easily, so the lists compare IAE's topics, not equal-sized pieces of the syllabus. Within each table, topics are ordered by years, then by marks.

GATE EC: topics with a question in at least 6 of its 7 years

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE EC question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE EC question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted
TopicSubjectYears with a questionQuestionsMarks
Calculus: limits, mean value theorems, integrals, maxima and minima, seriesEngineering Mathematics7 of 71525
Sequential circuits: flip-flops, counters, shift registers, state machines and timingDigital Electronics7 of 71423
Diode circuits: clipping, clamping, rectifiers and regulatorsAnalog Electronics7 of 71119
Linear algebraEngineering Mathematics7 of 71419
Small-signal amplifiers, frequency response, current mirrors and differential amplifiersAnalog Electronics7 of 71219
Fourier transform, frequency response, group and phase delaySignals and Systems7 of 71116
Probability and statisticsEngineering Mathematics7 of 71015
Combinational circuits: arithmetic circuits, multiplexers, decoders, code convertersDigital Electronics7 of 7812
Transmission lines, impedance matching, S-parameters and the Smith chartElectromagnetics6 of 71320
Sinusoidal steady state, AC power and resonanceNetworks (Electric Circuits)6 of 71016
Carrier transport: drift, diffusion, generation and recombinationElectronic Devices6 of 7915
Differential equationsEngineering Mathematics6 of 7912
Energy bands and carrier concentrationElectronic Devices6 of 7912
State-space modelsControl Systems6 of 7612
LTI systems: properties, impulse response, convolution and correlationSignals and Systems6 of 7811
Two-port networksNetworks (Electric Circuits)6 of 7711
Stability and the Routh–Hurwitz criterionControl Systems6 of 7610
Circuit laws, sources, and node and mesh analysisNetworks (Electric Circuits)6 of 778

Source: the official GATE EC papers and answer keys. Papers counted: seven papers (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026); 2019 and 2021 are left out (the copies IAE hosts are image scans without the answer key). We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics. Marks are from the official answer keys. Only the study library's published subjects are counted. Data as of 5 Oct 2026.

Of the 52 library topics that had at least one GATE EC question in the seven years, 18 had one in six or seven of the seven years, and 8 in all seven. Every one of the eight published EC subjects has at least one topic on the list. Engineering Mathematics has the most, four, and three of them (calculus, linear algebra, and probability and statistics) came up in all seven years; the other five topics in all seven are sequential and combinational circuits (Digital Electronics), diode circuits and small-signal amplifiers (Analog Electronics), and the Fourier transform (Signals and Systems). Communications (Section 7 of the EC syllabus) is not in the library yet, so none of its topics can appear. Notes and formula sheets for the 18, in the table's order:

GATE EE: topics with a question in at least 6 of its 7 years

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE EE question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE EE question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted
TopicSubjectYears with a questionQuestionsMarks
Linear algebraEngineering Mathematics7 of 71825
LTI systems: properties, impulse response, convolution and correlationSignals and Systems7 of 71523
Vector calculus: gradient, divergence, curl and the integral theoremsEngineering Mathematics7 of 71222
Three-phase and single-phase induction machinesElectrical Machines7 of 71421
Calculus: limits, mean value theorems, integrals, maxima and minima, seriesEngineering Mathematics7 of 71219
Op-amp circuits: characteristics, applications and compensationAnalog Electronics7 of 71017
Synchronous machinesElectrical Machines7 of 71116
Transients in RL, RC and RLC circuitsNetworks (Electric Circuits)7 of 7915
Circuit laws, sources, and node and mesh analysisNetworks (Electric Circuits)7 of 71114
Electrostatics: fields, potential, Gauss's law and capacitanceElectromagnetics6 of 71119
Transformers: single-phase, three-phase and auto-transformersElectrical Machines6 of 71015
Magnetostatics, magnetic circuits and inductanceElectromagnetics6 of 7814
Time response and steady-state errorControl Systems6 of 7912
Signals: types, operations, energy, power and averagesSignals and Systems6 of 7711

Source: the official GATE EE papers and answer keys. Papers counted: seven papers (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026); 2019 and 2021 are left out (the copies IAE hosts are image scans without the answer key). We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics. Marks are from the official answer keys. Only the study library's published subjects are counted. Data as of 5 Oct 2026.

Of the 52 library topics that had at least one GATE EE question in the seven years, 14 had one in six or seven of the seven years, and 9 in all seven: linear algebra, vector calculus and calculus (Engineering Mathematics); induction machines and synchronous machines (Electrical Machines); transients, and circuit laws with node and mesh analysis (Networks); LTI systems (Signals and Systems); and op-amp circuits (Analog Electronics). Two published EE subjects have no topic on the list: Digital Electronics, which had a question in all seven years, and Electrical and Electronic Measurements, which had one in six — in both, the questions were spread across topics, and no single topic reached six of the seven years. Power Systems and Power Electronics (Sections 6 and 10 of the EE syllabus) are not in the library yet, so none of their topics can appear. Notes and formula sheets for the 14:

GATE IN: topics with a question in at least 6 of its 7 years

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE IN question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE IN question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted
TopicSubjectYears with a questionQuestionsMarks
Op-amp circuits: characteristics, applications and compensationAnalog Electronics7 of 71829
Probability and statisticsEngineering Mathematics7 of 71523
Sinusoidal steady state, AC power and resonanceNetworks (Electric Circuits)7 of 71421
Bridges, potentiometers and the Q-meterElectrical and Electronic Measurements7 of 71219
Linear algebraEngineering Mathematics7 of 71418
Sequential circuits: flip-flops, counters, shift registers, state machines and timingDigital Electronics7 of 71018
Complex analysisEngineering Mathematics7 of 71116
Calculus: limits, mean value theorems, integrals, maxima and minima, seriesEngineering Mathematics6 of 71219
Frequency response: Bode and polar plots, gain and phase marginsControl Systems6 of 71218
Time response and steady-state errorControl Systems6 of 7815
Boolean algebra, logic gates and minimisationDigital Electronics6 of 71014
LTI systems: properties, impulse response, convolution and correlationSignals and Systems6 of 7813
Diode circuits: clipping, clamping, rectifiers and regulatorsAnalog Electronics6 of 7912
Sample-and-hold, ADCs and DACsDigital Electronics6 of 7912
Differential equationsEngineering Mathematics6 of 7610
Signals: types, operations, energy, power and averagesSignals and Systems6 of 7910

Source: the official GATE IN papers and answer keys. Papers counted: seven papers (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026); 2019 and 2021 are left out (the copies IAE hosts are image scans without the answer key). We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics. Marks are from the official answer keys. Only the study library's published subjects are counted. Data as of 5 Oct 2026.

Of the 59 library topics that had at least one GATE IN question in the seven years, 16 had one in six or seven of the seven years, and 7 in all seven: probability and statistics, linear algebra and complex analysis (Engineering Mathematics); op-amp circuits (Analog Electronics); sinusoidal steady state, AC power and resonance (Networks); bridges, potentiometers and the Q-meter (Electrical and Electronic Measurements); and sequential circuits (Digital Electronics). Engineering Mathematics has five topics on the list, more than any other subject. Electromagnetics, which had a question in all seven years, and Electrical Machines, which had one in five, have none: no single topic of theirs reached six of the seven years. Sensors and Industrial Instrumentation, and Communication and Optical Instrumentation (Sections 9 and 10 of the IN syllabus) are not in the library yet, so none of their topics can appear. Notes and formula sheets for the 16:

GATE BT: topics with a question in at least 6 of its 7 years

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE BT question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE BT question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted
TopicSubjectYears with a questionQuestionsMarks
Batch, fed-batch and continuous bioreactors, and scale-upFundamentals of Biological Engineering7 of 72445
Cell growth, substrate utilisation and product formationFundamentals of Biological Engineering7 of 72436
Replication, transcription, translation and regulation of gene expressionGenetics, Cell and Molecular Biology7 of 72133
Cell structure, cell cycle, protein trafficking and cell deathGenetics, Cell and Molecular Biology7 of 71525
Downstream processing: filtration, centrifugation, chromatography, extractionFundamentals of Biological Engineering7 of 7912
Bioinformatics: databases, sequence alignment, phylogeny and structure predictionRecombinant DNA Technology and Tools6 of 71116
Measurement, dynamics and process controlFundamentals of Biological Engineering6 of 7916
Mendelian genetics, gene interaction and linkage mappingGenetics, Cell and Molecular Biology6 of 71016
Genes and chromosomes, mutation and DNA repairGenetics, Cell and Molecular Biology6 of 7914

Source: the official GATE BT papers and answer keys. Papers counted: seven papers (2019 from IIT Madras's own copy, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026); 2018 and 2021 are not included. We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics. Marks are from the official answer keys. Only the study library's published subjects are counted. Data as of 5 Oct 2026.

Of the 22 library topics that had at least one GATE BT question in the seven years, 9 had one in six or seven of the seven years, and 5 in all seven: bioreactor operation and scale-up, cell growth kinetics, and downstream processing (Fundamentals of Biological Engineering); and replication, transcription, translation and gene expression, and cell structure and the cell cycle (Genetics, Cell and Molecular Biology). Three of the six BT syllabus sections — Engineering Mathematics (Section 1), General Biology (Section 2), and Plant, Animal and Microbial Biotechnology (Section 5) — are not in the library yet, so none of their topics can appear. One listed topic, genes and chromosomes, mutation and DNA repair, has no formula sheet. Notes and formula sheets for the 9:

GATE CS: topics with a question in at least 6 of its 7 years

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE CS question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted

Study-library topics that had at least one GATE CS question in 6 or 7 of the 7 years counted
TopicSubjectYears with a questionQuestionsMarks
Graphs: traversals, minimum spanning trees and shortest pathsData Structures and Algorithms7 of 72344
Memory hierarchy, performance and cache mappingComputer Organization and Architecture7 of 72239
Trees, binary search trees and binary heapsData Structures and Algorithms7 of 72334
Instruction pipelining and pipeline hazardsComputer Organization and Architecture7 of 71220
Arrays, stacks, queues and linked listsData Structures and Algorithms7 of 71016
I/O interface: interrupts and DMAComputer Organization and Architecture7 of 788
Asymptotic complexity and recurrencesData Structures and Algorithms6 of 71419
Instruction sets and addressing modesComputer Organization and Architecture6 of 71118
Pointers, arrays and strings in CProgramming in C6 of 71116
Recursion: tracing recursive programsProgramming in C6 of 7916

Source: the official GATE CS papers and answer keys. Papers counted: ten papers over seven years (2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, and both sessions of 2024, 2025 and 2026; a year counts once if either session asked the topic); 2019 and 2021 are left out. We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics. Marks are from the official answer keys. Only the study library's published subjects are counted. Data as of 5 Oct 2026.

Of the 15 library topics that had at least one GATE CS question in the seven years, 10 had one in six or seven of the seven years, and 6 in all seven: graphs, trees and heaps, and arrays, stacks, queues and linked lists (Data Structures and Algorithms); and the memory hierarchy and cache, instruction pipelining, and interrupts and DMA (Computer Organization and Architecture). The library covers Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the CS syllabus so far, through three subjects — Programming in C, Data Structures and Algorithms, and Computer Organization and Architecture. The other seven sections — Engineering Mathematics, Digital Logic, Theory of Computation, Compiler Design, Operating System, Databases and Computer Networks — are not in the library yet, so none of their topics can appear. Notes and formula sheets for the 10:

Each topic page has the topic's notes and the questions placed under it, each with the official answer, and worked solutions where we have them. To see the same questions in the order a paper printed them, the paper pages list every paper question by question with its official key, and the previous-year papers themselves are at GATE EC, GATE EE, GATE IN, GATE BT and GATE CS.

WHAT THIS CANNOT TELL YOU

These lists count past papers only: seven years per paper (EC, EE, IN and CS: 2018, 2020 and 2022–2026, with both sessions of CS 2024–2026; BT: 2019, 2020 and 2022–2026). 2019 and 2021 are left out for EC, EE, IN and CS because the copies IAE hosts are image scans without the answer key; for BT, 2021 is left out because the copy IAE hosts is an image scan, and 2018 is not included. We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics. Only the study library's published subjects are counted, so a topic from a section the library has not covered yet is missing from these lists however often it was asked. This shows what was asked, not what will be asked: a topic that came up in six or seven past years may or may not come up in GATE 2027.

Data as of 5 Oct 2026.

From the Resource Centre

PREVIOUS-YEAR PAPERS
EC

GATE EC previous-year papers 2018–2026

Nine years of GATE Electronics & Communication question papers (2018–2026), as the organising institutes published them. Learn the real pattern, spot the high-yield topics, and build exam-day speed. The 2018, 2020 and 2022 papers include the organising institute’s own answer key.

ANY GATE YEAR
9 papers · 2018–2026View papers
PREVIOUS-YEAR PAPERS
EE

GATE EE previous-year papers 2018–2026, except 2019

GATE Electrical Engineering question papers from 2018 to 2026, except 2019, as the organising institutes published them. Learn the pattern, target the high-weightage subjects, and sharpen your speed. The 2018, 2020 and 2022 papers include the organising institute’s own answer key.

ANY GATE YEAR
8 papers · 2018–2026 (no 2019)View papers
PREVIOUS-YEAR PAPERS
IN

GATE IN previous-year papers 2018–2026

Nine years of GATE Instrumentation Engineering question papers (2018–2026), as the organising institutes published them. Spot the recurring topics, gauge the difficulty, and revise with purpose. The 2018, 2020 and 2022 papers include the organising institute’s own answer key.

ANY GATE YEAR
9 papers · 2018–2026View papers
PREVIOUS-YEAR PAPERS
BT

GATE BT previous-year papers 2018–2026

Nine years of GATE Biotechnology question papers (2018–2026). The 2018, 2019, 2024 and 2026 papers are the organising institutes’ own files, each with its official answer key; the 2020, 2021 and 2022 papers carry the official key at the end.

ANY GATE YEAR
13 papers · 2018–2026View papers
PREVIOUS-YEAR PAPERS
CS

GATE CS previous-year papers 2018–2026

Nine years of GATE Computer Science & IT question papers (2018–2026), as the organising institutes published them — including both slots for recent years. Learn the real pattern and build exam-day speed. The 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023 papers come with the organising institute’s own answer key.

ANY GATE YEAR
13 papers · 2018–2026View papers

Common questions

Which GATE EC topics had a question in all seven years?+
By the study library's count of 2018, 2020 and 2022–2026, eight: calculus, linear algebra, and probability and statistics (Engineering Mathematics); sequential and combinational circuits (Digital Electronics); diode circuits and small-signal amplifiers (Analog Electronics); and the Fourier transform (Signals and Systems).
How is a topic counted as repeated here?+
A topic is listed for a paper when at least one question of that paper was placed under it in six or seven of the seven years. For CS, a year counts once if either of its two sessions asked the topic. We placed each question under a topic ourselves; the exam paper does not label topics.
Why are some subjects missing from the lists?+
Only subjects the study library has published are counted, so syllabus sections it has not covered yet cannot appear, and General Aptitude is left out because it is common to every paper. A published subject can also be missing because its questions were spread across topics and none of its topics had a question in six of the seven years, even though the subject itself was asked.
Will a topic that came up every year come up in GATE 2027?+
The lists cannot say. They count seven past papers per paper code; they are not a forecast for the GATE 2027 paper.

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