GAT General Paper Pattern 2026
Graduate Assessment Test (General) is a paper of 100 MCQs to be attempted in 120 minutes, set by National Testing Service, with no negative marking. It covers 3 subjects: English, Mathematics and Analytical and Logical Reasoning.
100
MCQs
on the paper
120
Minutes
total time
72
Seconds per MCQ
if paced evenly
No
Negative marking
guessing is free
GAT General subject weightage 2026
How many MCQs each subject contributes to the GAT General paper. This is the order to revise in. English is worth 40 MCQs against Mathematics's 30, so an hour spent fixing a weak chapter in English is worth more marks than the same hour anywhere else on the paper.
- GAT General English40 MCQs · 40%
- GAT General Mathematics30 MCQs · 30%
- GAT General Analytical and Logical Reasoning30 MCQs · 30%
| Subject | MCQs | Share | Free MCQs here |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAT General English MCQs | 40 | 40% | 10,318 |
| GAT General Mathematics MCQs | 30 | 30% | 1,551 |
| GAT General Analytical and Logical Reasoning MCQs | 30 | 30% | 2,435 |
| Total | 100 | 100% | 14,304 |
GAT General marking scheme 2026
Every GAT General MCQ carries one mark, for a total of 100 marks, one per question. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question and a wrong answer score exactly the same: zero. That makes leaving anything blank a pure loss. Attempt all 100 MCQs, and in the last few minutes fill in every remaining bubble even if you are guessing outright.
GAT General time per subject
120 minutes across 100 MCQs is about 72 seconds a question. Split by weightage, that is the time each subject is worth. Going over on one subject is borrowed from another, not from spare time, because there is none.
| Subject | MCQs | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| English | 40 | 48 |
| Mathematics | 30 | 36 |
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 30 | 36 |
How to prepare for the GAT General 2026 pattern
The pattern tells you where the marks are, not where you are losing them. Start with English, because it carries 40 percent of the paper and a weak chapter there is the most expensive weak chapter you can have. Inside each subject, work chapter by chapter and stay on a chapter until you are consistently above 80 percent before moving on.
Then practise at the real pace. Untimed revision hides the problem that actually costs marks in the hall, which is spending three minutes on a question worth 72 seconds and running out of paper before you run out of time. Sit full papers under the clock, and mark them honestly.
GAT General paper pattern: common questions
What is the GAT General paper pattern 2026?
Graduate Assessment Test (General) is a 100 MCQ paper of 120 minutes set by National Testing Service, with no negative marking. It is split across 3 subjects: English 40, Mathematics 30, Analytical and Logical Reasoning 30.
How many MCQs are there in GAT General?
100 MCQs in total, to be attempted in 120 minutes. The heaviest subject is English at 40 MCQs, which is 40 percent of the paper.
Is there negative marking in GAT General?
No. GAT General has no negative marking, so a wrong answer costs you nothing more than an unanswered one. Never leave a question blank: attempt every one of the 100 MCQs, even the ones you are guessing on.
How much time do you get per MCQ in GAT General?
120 minutes for 100 MCQs works out at about 72 seconds per question. That is the pace to practise at, and it is why timed practice matters more than untimed revision in the last month.
Which subject has the most weightage in GAT General?
English, at 40 of the 100 MCQs, which is 40 percent of the paper. A weak topic in the heaviest subject costs you more marks than a weak topic anywhere else, so the weightage order on this page is the order worth revising in.