GATE 2025 Physics Syllabus PDF - Download GATE Physics Syllabus Topic wise

Updated By Prateek Lakhera on 22 Jan, 2025 17:38

IIT Roorkee has released the GATE 2025 syllabus PDF for all 30 papers. There have been no changes in the GATE syllabus 2025. Access the GATE syllabus for CSE, ME, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and other papers here.

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GATE 2025 Syllabus for Physics

The Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, has published the GATE Physics syllabus 2025 on its official website, gate2025.iitr.ac.in. You can find the comprehensive GATE 2025 PH syllabus pdf available for download on this page. The GATE syllabus 2025 for Physics involves a total of 9 sections namely Mathematical Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Solid State Physics, Electronics, and Nuclear and Particle Physics. If you are preparing for the GATE exam 2025, you should make yourself well acquainted with the whole syllabus.

The preparation of the GATE Physics must be done very well as it holds a very heavy weightage. The total marks in the GATE 2025 Physics paper are 100 which will be distributed between the Subject Questions (85) and General Aptitude Questions (15). Candidates should study the GATE PH syllabus 2025 from the recommended books only, such as Introduction To Classical Mechanics by P Puranik, R Takwale, Elementary Solid State Physics: Principal and Applications by M. Ali Omar, etc. In the section below, we will discuss more about the GATE Physics syllabus 2025, weightage, important topics, etc.

Also Check: GATE 2025 Physics: Exam Date (Feb 16), Syllabus, Question Papers, Pattern, Cutoff

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GATE Physics Syllabus 2025 Section-Wise Topics

As discussed above, the GATE 2025 PH syllabus contains a total of 9 sections. There are various topics included in the Physics syllabus of GATE 2025, such as Atomic and Molecular Physics, Solid State Physics, Electronics, and Nuclear and Particle Physics etc. The detailed description for GATE Physics syllabus 2025 is given below:-

Section 1: Mathematical Physics

Vector Calculus:Linear vector space: basis, orthogonality and completeness; matrices; similarity transformations, diagonalization, eigen values and eigen vectors; linear differential equations: second order linear differential equations and solutions involving special functions; complex analysis: Cauchy-Riemann conditions, Cauchy's theorem, singularities, residue theorem and applications; Laplace transform, Fourier analysis; elementary ideas about tensors: covariant and contravariant tensors.

Section 2: Classical Mechanics

Lagrangian Formulation: D'Alembert's principle, Euler-Lagrange equation, Hamilton's principle, calculus of variations; symmetry and conservation laws; central force motion: Kepler problem and Rutherford scattering; small oscillations: coupled oscillations and normal modes; rigid body dynamics: interia tensor, orthogonal transformations, Euler angles, Torque free motion of a symmetric top; Hamiltonian and Hamilton's equations of motion; Liouville's theorem; canonical transformations: action-angle variables, Poisson brackets, Hamilton-Jacobi equation.

Special Theory of Relativity: Lorentz transformations, relativistic kinematics, mass-energy equivalence.

Section 3: Electromagnetic Theory

Solutions of electrostatic and magnetostatic problems including boundary value problems; method of images; separation of variables; dielectrics and conductors; magnetic materials; multipole expansion; Maxwell's equations; scalar and vector potentials; Coulomb and Lorentz gauges; electromagnetic waves in free space, non-conducting and conducting media; reflection and transmission at normal and oblique incidences; polarization of electromagnetic waves; Poynting vector, Poynting theorem, energy and momentum of electromagnetic waves; radiation from a moving charge.

Section 4: Quantum Mechanics

Postulates of quantum mechanics; uncertainty principle; Schrodinger equation; Dirac Bra-Ket notation, linear vectors and operators in Hilbert space; one dimensional potentials: step potential, finite rectangular well, tunneling from a potential barrier, particle in a box, harmonic oscillator; two and three dimensional systems: concept of degeneracy; hydrogen atom; angular momentum and spin; addition of angular momenta; variational method and WKB approximation, time independent perturbation theory; elementary scattering theory, Born approximation; symmetries in quantum mechanical systems.

Section 5: Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

Laws of thermodynamics; macrostates and microstates; phase space; ensembles; partition function, free energy, calculation of thermodynamic quantities; classical and quantum statistics; degenerate Fermi gas; black body radiation and Planck's distribution law; Bose-Einstein condensation; first and second order phase transitions, phase equilibria, critical point.

Section 6: Atomic and Molecular Physics

Spectra of one-and many-electron atoms; spin-orbit interaction: LS and jj couplings; fine and hyperfine structures; Zeeman and Stark effects; electric dipole transitions and selection rules; rotational and vibrational spectra of diatomic molecules; electronic transitions in diatomic molecules, Franck-Condon principle; Raman effect; EPR, NMR, ESR, X-ray spectra; lasers: Einstein coefficients, population inversion, two and three-level systems.

Section 7: Solid State Physics

Elements of crystallography; diffraction methods for structure determination; bonding in solids; lattice vibrations and thermal properties of solids; free electron theory; band theory of solids: nearly free electron and tight binding models; metals, semiconductors and insulators; conductivity, mobility and effective mass; Optical properties of solids; Kramer's-Kronig relation, intra- and inter-band transitions; dielectric properties of solid; dielectric function, polarizability, ferroelectricity; magnetic properties of solids; dia, para, ferro, antiferro and ferri-magnetism, domains and magnetic anisotropy; superconductivity: Type-I and Type II superconductors, Meissner effect, London equation, BCS Theory, flux quantization.

Section 8: Electronics

Semiconductors in Equilibrium: Electron and hole statistics in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors; metal-semiconductor junctions; Ohmic and rectifying contacts; PN diodes, bipolar junction transistors, field effect transistors; negative and positive feedback circuits; oscillators, operational amplifiers, active filters; basics of digital logic circuits, combinational and sequential circuits, flip-flops, timers, counters, registers, A/D and D/A conversion.

Section 9: Nuclear and Particle Physics

Nuclear radii and charge distributions, nuclear binding energy, electric and magnetic moments; semi-empirical mass formula; nuclear models; liquid drop model, nuclear shell model; nuclear force and two nucleon problem; alpha decay, beta-decay, electromagnetic transitions in nuclei; Rutherford scattering, nuclear reactions, conservation laws; fission and fusion; particle accelerators and detectors; elementary particles; photons, baryons, mesons and leptons; quark model; conservation laws, isospin symmetry, charge conjugation, parity and time-reversal invariance.

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GATE Physics Syllabus 2025 for General Aptitude

The section of General Aptitude in Physics contains a huge chunk of the weightage that is required to qualify GATE 2025 examination. As per the official notification, the GATE PH syllabus 2025 General Aptitude topics cover a total of 15% weightage. Thereafter, you are advised to prepare for it very well. The table below explains the detailed version of the GATE 2025 Physics syllabus General Aptitude:-

Name of the Sections

Topics

Spatial Aptitude

Transformation of shapes: translation, rotation, scaling, mirroring, assembling, and grouping Paper folding, cutting, and patterns in 2 and 3 dimensions

Verbal Aptitude

Basic English grammar: tenses, articles, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, verb-noun agreement, and other parts of speech Basic vocabulary: words, idioms, and phrases in context Reading and comprehension Narrative sequencing

Analytical Aptitude

Logic: deduction and induction, Analogy, Numerical relations and reasoning

Quantitative Aptitude

Data interpretation: data graphs (bar graphs, pie charts, and other graphs representing data), 2- and 3-dimensional plots, maps, and tables Numerical computation and estimation: ratios, percentages, powers, exponents and logarithms, permutations and combinations, and series Mensuration and geometry Elementary statistics and probability. 

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GATE 2025 Physics Syllabus PDF

IIT Roorkee has uploaded the GATE Physics 2025 syllabus PDF on its official website. Furthermore, you can also access the GATE PH syllabus 2025 pdf from the link below:-

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GATE Physics Syllabus 2025 Important Topics

You should have a good knowledge of the important topics of the GATE 2025 PH syllabus so that the preparation of the same runs seamlessly. The table below explains the section-wise GATE Physics 2025 syllabus important topics:-

Name of the Section

Important Topics

Mathematical Physics

Eigenvalues and eigenvectors; linear differential equations: second order linear differential equations and solutions involving special functions; complex analysis

Classical Mechanics

Symmetry and conservation laws; central force motion: Kepler problem and Rutherford scattering; small oscillations: Euler angles, Torque free motion of a symmetric top; Poisson brackets, Hamilton-Jacobi equation.

Lorentz transformations, relativistic kinematics, mass-energy equivalence.

Electromagnetic Theory

Scalar and vector potentials; Coulomb and Lorentz gauges; electromagnetic waves in free space, non-conducting and conducting media; reflection and transmission at normal and oblique incidences

Quantum Mechanics

One-dimensional potentials: step potential, finite rectangular well, tunneling from a potential barrier, particle in a box, variational method and WKB approximation, time-independent perturbation theory

Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics

Classical and quantum statistics; degenerate Fermi gas; black body radiation and Planck's distribution law; Bose-Einstein condensation

Atomic and Molecular Physics

Zeeman and Stark effects; electric dipole transitions and selection rules; rotational and vibrational spectra of diatomic molecules; electronic transitions in diatomic molecules, Franck-Condon principle

Solid State Physics

Conductivity, mobility, and effective mass; Optical properties of solids; Kramer's-Kronig relation, intra- and inter-band transitions; dielectric properties of solid; dielectric function, polarizability, ferroelectricity; Type-I and Type II superconductors, Meissner effect, London equation, BCS Theory, flux quantization.

Electronics

Semiconductors in Equilibrium: Electron and hole statistics in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors; metal-semiconductor junctions; Ohmic and rectifying contacts

Nuclear and Particle Physics

Alpha decay, beta-decay, electromagnetic transitions in nuclei; Rutherford scattering, nuclear reactions, conservation laws; fission and fusion; particle accelerators and detectors; elementary particles; conservation laws, isospin symmetry, charge conjugation, parity, and time-reversal invariance.

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GATE Physics Syllabus 2025 Topic-Wise Weightage (Expected)

Physics is one of the highest-weighing sections in the syllabus of GATE 2025. Thereafter, while preparing for the examination you must be well-versed in the syllabus. Knowing about the syllabus will help you allot more time to the high-weighing topics and less time to the low-weighing topics. You can also find the GATE Physics 2025 syllabus weightage below:-

Name of the Section

Weightage

Physics Subject Questions

85%

General Aptitude

15%

How to Prepare for GATE Physics 2025 Syllabus

The preparation for the GATE Physics exam asks for a focused approach to both conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. Furthermore, you can go through the preparation tips for the GATE PH syllabus 2025 below:-

  • Familiarize yourself with the complete syllabus: You should go through the official GATE 2025 Physics syllabus thoroughly and know what topics are covered and their weightage.

  • Prioritize the topics that have higher weightage: You should focus on the topics that have more weightage or are easier to score in.

  • Study from the recommended study material: It is recommended that you study just from the recommended study material that provides a focused approach.

  • Make a daily study schedule: The aspirants are advised to set up a daily schedule that includes the time for studying new topics, revising new ones, etc.

  • Clear all the concepts: You must clear all the doubts that they have in due time. They also should focus on building a strong foundation by thoroughly understanding the basic concepts of each topic.

Best Books for GATE Physics 2025 Syllabus

While preparing for the GATE 2025, you must study from the recommended books only. Preparing from the GATE best books 2025 not only saves you time but also gives you a clear understanding of the topics to cover during the preparation for the exams. Furthermore, if we talk about the list of recommended books for the GATE PH syllabus 2025, then it includes names like Electromagnetic Field Theory by SP Ghosh, Elementary Solid State Physics: Principal and Applications by M.Ali Omar, etc. Further description of the best books for the GATE 2025 Physics syllabus is mentioned in the table below:-

Name of the Book

Name of the Author

Introduction To Classical Mechanics

P Puranik, R Takwale

Elementary Solid State Physics: Principal and Applications

M. Ali Omar

Electromagnetic Field Theory

S P Ghosh

Mathematical Physics

H. K. Dass, B D Gupta

Classical Mechanics

Herbert Goldstein, John Safko, Charles P. Poole

Nuclear and Particle Physics

S L Kakani

Semiconductor Physics and Devices

Donald A. Neamen, Dhrubes Biswas

Atomic and Molecular Physics

Raj Kumar

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FAQs about GATE Syllabus

Where to download the GATE 2025 Physics syllabus?

You can download the GATE 2025 physics syllabus from the official website, gate2025.iitr.ac.in. 

What are important books to study Physics for the GATE exam?

Elementary Solid State Physics: Principal and Applications by M. Ali Omar and Mathematical Physics by H.K. Dass, and B.D Gupta are some of the most recommended books for Physics preparations.

How many sections are there in the GATE 2025 Physics exam?

There are a total of nine sections in the GATE 2025 Physics syllabus including Engineering Mathematics and core Physics subjects.

When is the GATE 2025 Physics exam?

The GATE 2025 Physics exam will be conducted on Sunday, February 16, 2025, in the morning session from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.  
 

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