Friday, December 14, 2007

GATE QUESTION PAPER STRUCTURE

Main Papers (Non-XE/XL Papers)
The question paper will be fully objective type for a total of 150 marks divided into three groups:
Group I: Question Numbers 1 to 20 (20 questions) will carry one mark each.
Group II: Question numbers 21 to 75 (55 questions) will carry two marks each. Out of this, Q.71 to Q.75 may be common data based questions.
Group III: Question Numbers 76 to 85 (10 questions) will carry two marks each. These questions are called linked answer questions. These 10 questions comprise five pairs of questions (76 & 77, 78 & 79, etc.). The solution to the second question of each pair (e.g. Q.77) will be linked to the correct answer to the first one (e.g. Q.76) in the pair.
Each question will have four choices for the answer. Only one choice is correct.

Wrong answers carry 25% negative marks. In Q.1 to Q.20, 0.25 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer and in Q.21 to Q.76, Q.78, Q.80, Q.82 and Q.84, 0.5 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. However, there is no negative marking in Q.77, Q.79, Q.81, Q.83 and Q.85.

Papers bearing the code AG, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, IN, IT, ME, MN, MT, PI, TF will contain questions on Engineering Mathematics to the extent of 20 to 25 marks.

The multiple choice objective test questions can be of the following type:
Each choice containing a single stand-alone statement/phrase/data.
Example:
Q. The symmetry of stress tensor at a point in the body under equilibrium is obtained from




conservation of mass
force equilibrium equations
moment of equilibrium equations
conservation of energy


Each choice containing a combination of option codes. The question may be accompanied by four options P, Q, R, S and the choices may be a combination of these options. The candidate has to choose the right combination as the correct answer.

Example:

Q. The infra-red stretching frequency νco of
(P) Mn(CO)6+ (Q) CO (R) H3B←CO (S) [V(CO)6]- follows the order


P>R>S>Q
S>P>R>Q
Q>S>P>R
R>Q>P>S


Assertion[a]/Reason[r] type with the choices stating if [a]/[r] are True/False and/or stating if [r] is correct/incorrect reasoning of [a] Example:
Q. Determine the correctness or otherwise of the following Assertion [a] and the Reason [r]

Assertion: For a fully developed laminar flow in a circular pipe the average velocity is one half of the maximum velocity.

Reason: The velocity for a fully developed laminar flow in a circular pipe varies linearly in the radial direction.



Both [a] and [r] are true and [r] is the correct reason for [a]
Both [a] and [r] are true but [r] is not the correct reason for [a]
Both [a] and [r] are false
[a] is true but [r] is false


Match items: Match all items in Column 1 with correct options from those given in Column 2 and choose the correct set of combinations from the choices A, B, C and D. Example:
Q. Group I contains some properties of bitumen. Group II gives a list of laboratory tests conducted on bitumen to determine the properties. Match the property with the corresponding test.


Group I Group II
P. Resistance to flow 1. Ductility test
Q. Ability to deform under load 2. Penetration test
R. Safety 3. Flash and fire point test




(A) (B) (C) (D)
P - 2 P - 2 P - 1 P - 3
Q - 1 Q - 3 Q - 2 Q - 1
R - 3 R - 1 R - 3 R - 2




Common data based questions: Multiple questions may be linked to a common problem data, passage and the like. Two or three questions can be formed from the given common problem data. Each question is independent and its solution obtainable from the above problem data/passage directly. (Answer of the previous question is not required to solve the next question). Each question under this group will carry two marks. Example:
Common data for Q. 74 & 75: A glass-reinforced polymer composite comprises of 35 vol % glass fibres and 65 vol % of polymer resin. The elastic moduli of glass and polymer resin are respectively 70 GPa and 3 GPa.

Q.74. The elastic modulus (in GPa) of the composite under iso-strain state is

(A) 4.51 (B) 25.45 (C) 26.45 (D) 27.45

Q.75. The elastic modulus (in GPa) of the composite under iso-stress state is

(A) 3.51 (B) 4.51 (C) 6.51 (D) 26.45


Linked answers question: These questions are of problem solving type. A problem statement is followed by two questions based on the problem statement. The two questions are to be designed such that the solution to the second question depends upon the answer to the first one. In other words, the first answer is an intermediate step in working out the second answer. Each question in such ‘linked answer questions’ will carry two marks. Example:
Statement for linked answer Q. 76 & 77: : A four-hour unit of a hydrograph of a catchment is triangular in shape with a base of 80 hours. The area of the catchment is 720 km2. The base flow and f-index are 30 m3/s and 1 mm/h, respectively. A storm of 4 cm occurs uniformly in 4 hours over the catchment.

Q.76 The peak discharge of four-hour unit hydrograph is

(A) 40 m3/s (B) 50 m3/s (C) 60 m3/s (D) 70 m3/s

Q.77 The peak flood discharge due to the storm is

(A) 210 m3/s (B) 230 m3/s (C) 260 m3/s (D) 720 m3/s

In the above simplistic example, the calculation of peak flood discharge due to the storm in Q.77 requires the value of peak discharge of four-hour unit hydrograph calculated in Q.76 as the first step.

XE/XL Papers



XE and XL papers contain a number of sections. Each Section is of 50 marks. Each Section will be fully objective type and the questions are divided into three groups.


Group I: Question Numbers 1 to 6 (6 questions) will carry one mark each (subtotal 6 marks).
Group II: Question numbers 7 to 24 (18 questions) will carry two marks each (subtotal 36 marks). Out of this, Q.23 and Q.24 may be common data based questions.
Group III: Question Numbers 25 to 28 (4 questions) will carry two marks each. These questions are called linked answer questions. These 4 questions comprise two pairs of questions (25 & 26 and 27 & 28). The solution to the second question of each pair (e.g. Q.26) will be linked to the correct answer to the first one (e.g. Q.25) in the pair (subtotal 8 marks).
All questions have four choices with only one being correct.
Wrong answers carry 25% negative marks. In Q.1 to Q.6 of each section, 0.25 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer and in Q.7 to Q.25 and Q.27, 0.5 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. However, there is no negative marking in Q.26 and Q.28.


The pattern of multiple-choice questions is the same as in the Main papers as described in Main Papers(e).

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