GATE examination comprises of a single paper of three hours duration in which there are 65 questions that carry a maximum of 100 marks. It consists of multiple choice questions. From the year 2010, the pattern of GATE question paper has been changed from the previous pattern where 55 Technical questions and 10 questions of General Aptitude will be included  that will carry 100 marks. These questions should be attempted in three hours timing. There is the complete question paper pattern of GATE 2010.

1.From Q.1 to Q.25: It will carry one mark each where subtotal will be 25 marks. If you have given wrong answer, 1/3 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer.

2.From Q.26 to Q.55: It will carry two marks each where subtotal will be 60 marks. For every wrong answer, 2/3 marks will be deducted.

• From Q.48 to Q.51: These questions will be common data questions. Each question will be two marks 2/3 and for each wrong answer, 2/3 marks will be deducted.
• The Question pairs Q.52, Q.53 and Q.54, Q.55 will be linked answer questions where answer to the second question of the last two pairs may depend on the answer to the first question of the pair. If you give wrong answer of the first question in the linked pair or not attempt the question, the second question will not be evaluated. It will carry two marks each.
• For Q.52 and Q.54, 2/3 marks will be deducted for wrong answer and  there is no negative marking for Q.53 and Q.55.

3. From Q.56 to Q.60: General aptitude questions will carry one mark each. So there will be sub-total of 5 marks and for each wrong answer, 1/3 marks will be deducted.

4.From Q.61 to Q.65: It will carry two marks each where the sub-total will be 10 marks. For every wrong answer, there will be deduction of 2/3 marks.

All the papers with AE, AG, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, IN, ME, MN, MT, PI and TF will contain few questions on Engineering Mathematics that carry 15 marks.