The GATE Civil Engineering exam is a highly competitive exam taken by 1 lakh students per year. The GATE Civil Engineering exam 2026 is expected to take place in February 2026. The registration date for the GATE Civil Engineering 2026 exam is August 2025.
To clear the GATE Civil Engineering exam, appearing students would need to thoroughly study the different topics part of the syllabus. The syllabus for the GATE Civil Engineering exam tackles the design, fields and other important areas of the field. The subject-specific topics for the exam include Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering and Transportation Engineering.
The GATE CE Exam has 65 questions and is for 100 marks. The paper is taken in the online mode. The GATE exam is 3 hours long. The paper can be broken into the General Aptitude and Civil Engineering-based parts. The General Aptitude section is for 10 questions with 15 marks. The remaining 85 marks and 55 questions are allotted to the Civil Engineering sections.
GATE Civil Engineering Syllabus Highlights
Provided below are some of the need-to-know details about the GATE Civil Engineering Examination. The highlights are as follows:
Exam Name
GATE Civil Engineering
Duration
3 hours
Registration Date
August, 2025
Examination Date
February, 2026 (tentative)
Exam Mode
Online
Total Marks
100
Total Questions
65
Negative Marking
Yes
Sections
General Aptitude, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Engineering Mathematics, Transportation Engineering, Water Resource Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Geomatics Engineering
Reference Books
Theory of Structure by Wilbur and Norris, Environmental Engineering by SK Garg, Highway Mechanics by SK Khanna.
The GATE Civil Engineering Exam consists of a total of 100 marks. The exam is 3 hours long. The exam consists of a total of 65 questions. There 10 General Aptitude questions and 55 Civil Engineering-based questions. The exam is taken in the online mode.
It is important for students to know that the exam does have negative marking for wrong answers. Most questions in the exam carry 1 or 2 marks out of which 1/3rd or 2/3rds will be deducted for each incorrect answer.
Provided below is a general overview of the exam pattern for the GATE Civil Engineering exam:
The GATE Civil Engineering exam syllabus includes a number of different topics in the field of Civil Engineering. Candidates should be well-prepared with the topics part of the exam syllabus.
The GATE Civil Engineering exam consists of 8 total sections. Out of the sections 7 are subject specific sections and 1 is the general aptitude section. Provided below is a section-wise overview of the GATE Civil Engineering exam syllabus:
Reference Books help aspiring students prepare well for the GATE CE exam. They provide students with valuable extra information that can be useful for the exam. Provided below is a list of some books students can use when preparing for the GATE Civil Engineering examination. The reference books are as follows:
Book Title
Author(s)
Advanced Engineering Mathematics
Erwin Kreyszig
Theory of Structure
Wilbur and Norris
Discrete Mathematics and Applications
Kenneth Rosen
Highway Engineering
SK Khanna
Soil Mechanics
Gopal Ranjan, ASR Rao
Geotechnical Engineering: Unsaturated and saturated Soils
JL Briaud
Environmental Engineering
SK Garg
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GATE exam tough for Civil Engineering?
Yes, the GATE exam is a highly difficult and competitive exam for students to take.
Can a Civil Engineer give GATE?
Yes, those with a background in Civil Engineering can give the GATE Civil Engineering exam.
What is the duration of the GATE Civil Engineering exam?
The GATE Civil Engineering exam is 3 hours long.
What is the fee for the GATE Civil Engineering exam?
The exam fee for the GATE Civil Engineering exam is between INR 1800 - 2300 per exam.
What are the sections of the GATE Civil Engineering exam?
The sections of the GATE Civil Engineering exam include General Aptitude, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Engineering Mathematics, Transportation Engineering, Water Resource Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Geomatics Engineering.
How many marks is the GATE Civil Engineering exam for?
The GATE Civil Engineering exam is for a total of 100 marks.
What are some reference books for the GATE Civil Engineering exam?
Some reference books for the GATE Civil Engineering exam include Theory of Structure by Wilbur and Norris, Environmental Engineering by SK Garg and Highway Mechanics by SK Khanna.
What is considered a good rank in GATE Civil Engineering?
A rank below 200 is usually considered a good rank for the GATE Civil Engineering exam.
