Previous year paper analysis · GATE

GATE 2026 Electrical Engineering (EE) paper analysis

By the PrepMatic team · Updated 9 Oct 2026 · 4 min read

The GATE 2026 Electrical Engineering (EE) paper was held on the forenoon of Saturday 14 February 2026, with 65 questions for 100 marks. We read the official paper and key and tallied every question. Engineering Mathematics was the largest block we counted, at 11 questions and 18 marks, and 47 of the 65 questions were single-answer MCQs, so negative marking applied to 70 of the 100 marks.

Paper facts

EE was a single-session paper in 2026. The EE and CE-1 papers were held in the same forenoon session, and we found they carried the identical ten General Aptitude questions, which we confirmed by comparing the two official papers.

Subject-wise tally

The paper has no subject labels, so this is our own classification, accurate to about one question where topics overlap. We counted pure mathematics questions (matrices, vector calculus, probability, complex integrals) under Engineering Mathematics, and placed frequency conversion with a synchronous motor under Electrical Machines.

Question types

Only 30 marks sat in MSQ and NAT. The official key lists Q58, a 2-mark NAT on economic dispatch between two generators, as MTA, which its footnote defines as Marks To All.

What stood out (our reading)

• Mathematics was the biggest single block. Five of its eleven questions were NATs: a surface integral over the unit sphere, a quadratic form with a skew-symmetric matrix, a contour integral, the value of alpha that minimises an expected square, and an improper integral with the year 2026 in the exponent.
• Machines and Circuits together made 23 marks. Machines covered an autotransformer, a 16.67 Hz motor-generator set, a double-squirrel-cage rotor, a 50 Hz transformer re-rated for use in the USA and a wound-rotor induction motor with external resistance. Circuits asked about Thevenin equivalents, power factor with harmonics, an RC transient and maximum power transfer.
• Power Systems mixed network, phasor and protection topics. Bus-count reasoning, three-phase phasors, CT connections, a reactance relay, line power flow and economic dispatch made up the six questions.
• Signals and Measurements almost disappeared. Signals and Systems had 3 questions and 4 marks, and Measurements one 2-mark question on a Wheatstone bridge.
• Control was all MCQ. Its four questions were a rise-time calculation, a Bode plot, and two on state-space models.
• Difficulty is our reading, not an official rating. The MCQ-heavy format gave this paper a recall-and-reason feel, while the maths NATs and the 2-mark machine and power-system numericals needed longer working. The official General qualifying mark was 27.7.

What it means for GATE 2027 preparation

1. Do not let mathematics slide. It was 18 marks here, and the 2027 pattern sets Engineering Mathematics for EE at 13 marks, so the exact share will differ. Either way it is the cheapest block to master.
2. Study the small subjects as a group. Measurements, Signals, Control and Electromagnetic Fields together were 18 marks from 12 questions in 2026.
3. Practise MCQ elimination. A wrong 1-mark MCQ costs one-third of a mark, and a wrong 2-mark MCQ two-thirds, so practise stopping when a guess is blind.
4. Compare with 2025. The 2025 EE analysis had 19 NATs and 15 mathematics marks, so formats and weights shift between years. GATE 2027 revised all syllabi and lists EE in 10 sections; the EE preparation guide maps them.

For a method to use old papers, read the previous year papers guide, and see engineering mathematics for GATE for the shared maths topics.

Using the tally with PrepMatic

PrepMatic's free assessment (about 15 multiple-choice questions, no timer) shows your readiness percentage and the subjects to work on first. If Electrical Machines or Circuits lead your weak list, the table shows why: they were 23 marks between them. The study plan fits your remaining weeks and daily hours, and a reminder by browser notification or email can keep your daily slot. The real GATE questions are in the official paper linked below, since PrepMatic's practice questions are AI-generated.

Frequently asked questions

Which subject had the most marks in GATE 2026 EE?

By our tally, Engineering Mathematics with 11 questions and 18 marks, followed by Electric Circuits (12 marks) and Electrical Machines (11 marks).

Was there any Marks To All question in GATE 2026 EE?

Yes. The official key lists Q58, a 2-mark NAT, as MTA (Marks To All).

How many questions were MCQs in GATE 2026 EE?

There were 47 MCQs worth 70 marks, 5 MSQs worth 8 marks and 13 NATs worth 22 marks, according to the official answer key.

Official sources

• EE question paper and answer key.
• GATE 2026 examination schedule and cut-off marks.
• GATE 2027 downloads page for all past papers.

Counts above are our own tally from the official paper and key. Confirm any figure you rely on against the official files. For the full exam guide, start from the GATE guide; more analyses are in the paper analysis index.

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