GATE 2021 Question Paper PDF with Solutions and Answer Key PDF

Updated By Prateek Lakhera on 24 Jan, 2025 17:27

GATE previous year questions papers from 2024 to 2018 are available on this page. Solve the GATE previous year questions to score a good rank in the GATE exam.

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GATE Previous Year Question Paper

GATE Production and Industrial Engineering (PI) Question Paper 2019

GATE Production and Industrial Engineering (PI) Answerkey 2019

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GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) 2019

GATE Petroleum Engineering (PE) Answer key 2019

GATE Mining Engineering (MN) 2019

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GATE Mechanical Engineering (ME1) 2019

GATE Mechanical Engineering (ME02) Question Paper 2019

GATE Mechanical Engineering (ME02) Answer key 2019

GATE Mathematics (MA) Answer key 2019

GATE Mathematics (MA) Answer key 2019

GATE Life Sciences (XL-P, Q, R, S, T, U) Question Paper 2019

GATE Instrumentation Engineering (IN) 2019

GATE Instrumentation Engineering (IN) Answer key 2019

GATE Geology and Geophysics (GG) Question Paper 2019

GATE Engineering Sciences (XE-A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) 2019

GATE Engineering Sciences (XE-A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) Answer keys 2019

GATE Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) 2019

GATE Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) Answer key 2019

Electrical Engineering 2019

Gate Electrical Engg. Answerkey 2019

GATE Ecology and Evolution (EY) 2019

GATE Ecology and Evolution (EY) Answer key 2019

GATE Computer Science and Information Technology (CS) 2019

GATE Computer Science and Information Technology (CS) Answer key 2019

GATE Civil Engineering (CE1) 2019

GATE Civil Engineering (CE1) Answer key 2019

GATE Civil Engineering (CE2) 2019

GATE Chemistry (CY) 2019

GATE Chemistry (CY) Answer key 2019

GATE Chemical Engineering (CH) 2019

GATE Chemical Engineering (CH) Answer key 2019

GATE Biotechnology (BT) 2019

GATE Biotechnology (BT) Answerkey 2019

GATE Architecture and Planning (AR)2019

GATE Architecture and Planning (AR) Answer key 2019

GATE Agricultural Engineering (AG) 2019

GATE Agricultural Engineering (AG) Answer key 2018

GATE Agricultural Engineering (AG) Answer key 2019

GATE Aerospace Engineering (AE) 2019

GATE Aerospace Engineering (AE) Answer key 2019

GATE 2017 AE Question Paper

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GATE IN 2017 Question Paper

GATE 2021 Question Paper

The GATE 2021 exam was conducted on 6th, 7th, 13th, and 14th February 2021 for admission to postgraduate courses in top engineering colleges. GATE 2021 question papers were commenced by IIT Bombay as a Computer Based Test (CBT). A total of 27 papers were included in the GATE 2021 roster, including two new papers- Environmental Science and Engineering (ES) and Ecology and Evolution (EY). Nearly 8.5 lakh students appeared in the GATE 2021 exam. The GATE 2021 result was announced on 19th March 2021. Similar to the GATE 2025 exam format, the question paper of GATE 2021 included Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions. Being a postgraduate level examination, the overall difficulty level of the GATE 2021 exam was considered moderate to tough. 

As the dates for the GATE 2025 exam are nearing, you should now start revising and practicing from the GATE previous year question papers. You can find the GATE question paper pdf files available online to download and practice for the upcoming exam. Read further to know the detailed analysis and GATE 2021 question paper with solutions PDF download here!

We have listed the subject-wise GATE 2021 question paper PDF here. Going through the GATE 2021 question paper will help you understand the type & weightage of questions asked in the exam and prepare for the upcoming sessions. 

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GATE 2021 Question Paper Pattern

The GATE 2021 question paper included a total of 65 questions generally from three sections. The format for the GATE question paper has remained the same since then. In the following table, we have explained the complete overview of the GATE 2021 question paper pattern: 

Particulars

Details

Duration to Solve GATE 2021 Question Paper

3 Hours

GATE question paper 2021 Mode

CBT (Computer Based Test)

Total number of GATE 2021 Papers

27

Total Marks for Each Paper

100

Sections

Three:

  • General Aptitude (Common for All Papers)

  • Engineering Mathematics (Except XH & XL papers)

  • Core Subject

Total number of questions

65

Marking Scheme

1 and 2 Marks

Question Types

  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)

  • Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)

  • Numerical Ability Type (NAT) Questions

Negative Marking

  • For a 1-mark MCQ, a 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.

  • For a 2-mark MCQ, a 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.

  • There is no negative marking for wrong answer(s) to MSQ or NAT questions.

  • There is no partial marking in MSQ.

Also Check:GATE 2025 Exam Pattern

GATE 2021 Question Papers PDF Download

If you are preparing for the GATE 2025 exam, you should download the GATE 2021 question paper and solution. You can easily access the GATE 2021 question papers from the table provided below. The GATE question paper will help you to get an idea about the questions asked in the exam. With the help of the GATE answer key or solutions, you can get an estimate of their final score. 

Subjects

Question Paper

Solution 

Aerospace Engineering

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Agricultural Engineering

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Architecture and Planning

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Biomedical Engineering

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Biotechnology

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Civil Engineering 1

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Civil Engineering 2

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Chemical Engineering

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Computer Science and Information Technology 1

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Computer Science and Information Technology 2

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Chemistry

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Electronics and Communication Engineering

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Electrical Engineering

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Environmental Science and Engineering

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Ecology and Evolution

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Geology

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Geophysics

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Instrumentation Engineering

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Mathematics

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Mechanical Engineering 1

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Mechanical Engineering 2 

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Mining Engineering

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Metallurgical Engineering 

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Petroleum Engineering

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Physics 

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Production and Industrial Engineering

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Statistics

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Textile Engineering and Fibre Science 

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Engineering Mathematics

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Fluid Mechanics

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Materials Science

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Solid Mechanics 

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Thermodynamics

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Polymer Science and Engineering

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Food Technology

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Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 

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Humanities and Social Sciences - Economics 

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Humanities and Social Sciences - English

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Humanities and Social Sciences - Linguistics 

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Humanities and Social Sciences - Philosophy

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Humanities and Social Sciences - Psychology 

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Humanities and Social Sciences - Sociology 

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Chemistry

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Biochemistry

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Botany 

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Microbiology 

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Zoology

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Food Technology 

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GATE 2021 Question Paper Analysis

In this section, we have tabled the paper wise GATE 2021 question paper analysis based on the feedback of the exam experts and reactions of the GATE 2021 participants. The overall difficulty level of the GATE 2021 was rated as moderate. However, the difficulty level varied across the different subjects. We have included in the table below the shift-wise difficulty level for GATE 2021 exam:

SubjectDifficulty LevelComments
Computer Science & Information Technology (CSE)Easy to Moderate

Mainly concept-based questions, more NATs in the second shift.

Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE)Moderately Difficult

With a mix of easy and difficult questions, the paper was slightly longer than usual.

Electrical Engineering (EE)Easy to Moderate

The technical part was slightly difficult, more numerical-type questions were asked.

Civil Engineering (CE)Moderate

A balanced mix of easy and moderate questions across sections.

Mechanical Engineering (ME)Moderate

More application-based questions, some direct concept-based questions.

Chemical Engineering (CH)Moderate

Similar difficulty level across all sections, focus on fundamental concepts.

Instrumentation Engineering (IN)Moderate

A balanced mix of easy and moderate questions, numerical emphasis.

Mathematics & Computing (MA)Moderate

Emphasis on applied mathematics and numerical analysis.

Ecology & Evolution (EY)Moderate

Mostly theoretical questions, a good understanding of core concepts was needed.

Life Sciences (XL)Moderate

A balanced mix of theoretical and application-based questions.

Petroleum Engineering (PE)Moderate

Focus on reservoir engineering and fluid flow, some tricky questions.

Production & Industrial Engineering (PI)Moderate

Emphasis on operations research and industrial management.

Textile Engineering & Fibre Science (TF)Moderate

A balanced mix of easy and moderate questions across sections.

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GATE 2021 Question PaperSectional Weightage

GATE 2021 question papers were overall well-balanced and covered all the important topics from the GATE syllabus. However, there were some topics which had more weightage than others. The sectional weightage of the GATE 2021 question paper will help you guess the weightage of the GATE 2025 syllabus. You can check the GATE 2021 question paper weightage described in the table below:

SubjectsGeneral Aptitude (GA)Engineering MathematicsSubject Specific
AE (Agricultural Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
AG (Geology & Geophysics)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
BT (Biotechnology)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
CE (Civil Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
CH (Chemical Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
CS (Computer Science)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
EC (Electronics & Communication Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
EE (Electrical Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
IN (Instrumentation Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
ME (Mechanical Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
MN (Mathematics)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
MT (Metallurgical Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
PE (Petroleum Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
PI (Production & Industrial Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
TF (Textile Engineering & Fibre Science)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
XE (Environmental Science & Engineering)15% (15 marks)15% (15 marks)70% (70 marks)
AR (Architecture)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)
CY (Chemistry)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)
EY (Electronics & Instrumentation Engineering)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)
GG (Geology & Geophysics)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)
MA (Mathematics)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)
PH (Physics)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)
XH (Chemical Science & Technology)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)
XL (Leather Technology)15% (15 marks)0% (0 marks)85% (85 marks)

How to Download GATE 2021 Question Paper PDF?

All GATE question paper 2021 PDFs have been provided on this page and you can easily download them along with the solutions. The conducting body also releases the question paper and solutions of GATE on its official website every year after the exam is over. You can follow the steps mentioned below to download the GATE 2021 question papers from the official website.

Step 1: Visit the GATE website - gate2025.iitr.ac.in.

Step 2: Click on "Downloads" in the tab given at the top of the home page.

Step 3: You will get the option of downloading previous year question papers of GATE.

Step 4: You can download all previous GATE question papers from 2007 to 2024 or they can choose the year-wise question paper from 2019.

Step 5: Download the PDF file and take a print out if needed.

Benefits of Solving GATE Question Paper 2021

The previous year question paper such as the GATE 2021 question papers are some of the best free GATE study materials. You can not only practice for the upcoming exam with the GATE question paper pdf 2021, but also find important exam insights such as the difficulty level, syllabus distribution, exam pattern, and marking scheme to name a few. In the following points, we have explained how solving GATE 2021 question paper with solutions can benefit you in your GATE 2025 exam preparations:

1. Explains the Exam Pattern: The GATE 2021 question paper not only provides you with competitive questions to practice for the exam, but also explains the complete GATE exam pattern such as the marks distributions, sections, and question types. 

2. Helps complete the syllabus: Practicing with GATE 2021 question paper will help you complete your GATE syllabus and study for the upcoming syllabus. You will also be able to identify the important chapters from the syllabus easily. 

3. Helps understand the marking scheme: BY attempting the GATE PYQs, you will be able to understand the marking scheme for the paper.

4. Improves time management: Attempting the GATE 2021 question paper pdf will help you improve your time management as you will have better clarity on how to divide time among different sections of the paper.  

5. Enhances confidence: Continued practice will help you improve your confidence for the upcoming GATE exam. 

GATE Previous Year Question Papers

Along with the GATE 2021 question paper, you should also be solving various other GATE PYQs to improve your GATE score. The GATE previous year question paper and solutions are available online and can be downloaded for free from CollegeDekhoโ€™s website. Most past yearsโ€™ toppers suggest preparing from the previous year question papers for GATE exam to build your confidence and gain clarity about the exam pattern.

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FAQs about GATE Question Papers

Was the GATE 2021 question paper tough?

The overall difficulty level of the GATE 2021 question paper was moderate to tough.

Where to download the GATE 2021 question paper with solutions?

You can download the GATE 2021 question paper with solutions from this page. Additionally, the exam organizing institute also provides the GATE 2021 question papers, you can download papers from the GATE 2025 website, gate2025.iitr.ac.in.

How many students participated in the GATE 2021 exam?

Nearly 8.5 lakh students appeared in the GATE 2021 exam.

Who organized GATE 2021?

The GATE 2021 exam was conducted by IIT Bombay.

How many questions does the GATE question paper have?

The GATE question paper includes a total of 65 questions with 100 marks.
 

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