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MSQ in GATE: multiple select questions
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MSQ stands for Multiple Select Question. It is a GATE question with four options in which one or more options are correct. You get the marks only if you select every correct option and none of the wrong ones. There is no negative marking for an MSQ and no partial credit.
How an MSQ is scored
| Your answer | Marks |
|---|---|
| Exactly the correct set of options | Full marks (1 or 2) |
| A subset of the correct options | 0 |
| The correct options plus a wrong one | 0 |
| No answer | 0 |
Questions in GATE carry 1 or 2 marks, and MSQs follow that rule. Negative marking in GATE applies only to MCQs, so a wrong MSQ costs you nothing beyond the missed marks.
An example
Which of these are prime numbers? (A) 2 (B) 9 (C) 11 (D) 15.
The correct answer is A and C. If you choose only A, you score 0 even though A is right. If you choose A, B and C, you also score 0. Only the exact set A and C earns the marks.
What this means for strategy
- Attempt every MSQ. With no negative marking, leaving one blank gains you nothing. Even so, a blind guess is weak: four options give 15 possible non-empty combinations, so a random pick is right about one time in 15.
- Judge each option separately. Treat the question as four true-or-false statements, and mark one as correct only when you can defend it.
- Eliminate before choosing. If you are sure about three options, the fourth is the only one you need to decide.
- Do not guess the number of correct answers. A question can have one, two, three or all four.
Because there is no partial credit, MSQs reward concept clarity more than speed. Practise them in full papers, not just topic sets. The GATE exam pattern guide explains how MCQs, MSQs and NAT questions share the 100 marks.
Frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking for MSQ in GATE?
No. Negative marking applies only to MCQs. A wrong MSQ simply scores zero.
Do I get partial marks if I select some of the correct options?
No. GATE gives no partial credit on MSQs.
Official sources
- GATE 2027 website: question paper pattern and the information brochure.
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- NAT questionA NAT question in GATE has no options. You key in a number on a virtual keypad, with no negative marking. See how it is scored and how to attempt it well.
- Virtual calculatorThe GATE virtual calculator is the only calculator allowed in the exam. See what the rules say, what happens if you bring your own and how to practise.
- Two-paper combinationGATE lets you take one paper or two, but the second must be allowed for your first. See the 2027 rules, allowed pairs for CS, EC, EE, ME, CE and DA.
- GATE exam patternGATE 2027 pattern: 65 questions, 100 marks, 3 hours, MCQ, MSQ and NAT, negative marking, marks split by paper, 30 papers and two-paper combinations.
- GATE General AptitudeGATE General Aptitude: 10 questions for 15 marks in every paper, the verbal, quantitative, analytical and spatial topics, worked examples and a daily routine.
More in GATE
- Multi-session paperA multi-session GATE paper is held in more than one session, and you sit only one. See how sessions are assigned, why marks are normalised and the key facts.
- M.Tech stipendGATE qualifiers admitted to M.Tech can get Rs.12,400 a month, generally for 22 months. See the rules, the direct-PhD fellowship and why it is not automatic.
- Normalised marksNormalised marks adjust raw marks so candidates in different sessions of one GATE paper can be compared fairly. See the formula with a worked example.
- Organising instituteEach year one of IISc or seven IITs acts as the GATE organising institute. See who ran 2024 to 2027, what it handles, and what it does not decide.
- GOAPSGOAPS is the GATE Online Application Processing System. See what it is used for, the GATE 2027 dates and fees, DigiLocker and photo rules, and documents.
- GATE scorecardThe GATE scorecard goes only to qualified candidates. See the free window, the Rs.500 fee after it, the 31 December 2027 limit and the three-year validity.
- GATE scoreThe GATE score runs up to 1000 and is worked out from your marks, the qualifying mark and the top scorers' average. See the formula, an example, validity.
- GATE qualifying marksGATE qualifying marks are the minimum marks for a scorecard: max(25, min(40, mean + SD)) for General. See the OBC and SC/ST/PwD rules and 2026 values.