GATE 2026 ECE & DA Exam Analysis: Paper Review, Answer Keys, Cut-off Insights
2 minute read
• Updated on 15 Feb, 2026, 12:27 PM, by Souvik Podder
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2026 saw the Electronics & Communication (ECE) paper and Data Science & AI (DA) paper on 15 February 2026, conducted by IIT Guwahati. Candidates can now access memory-based question paper reviews and answer key solutions to estimate their performance. Preliminary difficulty level trends and expected cut-off ranges for key categories are also available.
The GATE 2026 exam for Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE) was held in the morning session on 15 February 2026 (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM), followed by the Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA) and Architecture & Planning (AR) papers in the afternoon shift (2:30 PM – 5:30 PM). The computer-based tests were conducted smoothly as per the scheduled timelines.
ECE Paper Overview, Difficulty and Memory-based Review
Once the ECE shift concluded at 12:30 PM, coaching institutes and experts began publishing memory-based question papers, unofficial answer keys and solutions to help candidates gauge their performance.
• The ECE paper followed the standard GATE format of 100 marks and 65 questions, comprising a 15-mark General Aptitude section and 85 marks of subject-specific questions.• Questions carried either 1 or 2 marks; negative marking was applied only to MCQs.• Memory-based answer key solutions were updated shortly after the exam concluded so candidates could estimate their tentative scores.
Expected Cut-off Ranges and Score Targets
Early analysis suggests tentative cut-off ranges for ECE based on previous trends and expert projections:
For aspirants targeting MTech admissions at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) through the ECE paper, experts estimate that raw marks in the higher range (above 65–70+) will be competitive for top-tier IITs.
DA and AR Paper Insights
The Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA) and Architecture & Planning (AR) papers were held in the afternoon session. Memory-based answer key solutions for the DA paper were also released by coaching institutes shortly after the exam.
Students who took these papers can compare their attempted responses with the unofficial answer keys to calculate an approximate score before the official answer key release later.
Marking Scheme and Exam Pattern
Across all papers on 15 February 2026, the GATE pattern remained consistent:• General Aptitude section – 15 marks• Subject-specific questions – 85 marks• 1-mark and 2-mark questions• Negative marking for MCQs only• No negative marking for MSQs and NATs
What Candidates Should Know?
Candidates are advised to:• Use the memory-based answer keys to get a preliminary estimation of scores.• Await the official response sheet and answer key, which is typically released about 1–2 weeks after the last exam day.• Refer to the marking scheme while calculating tentative marks.
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