The official GATE CE 2021 question paper is on this page as a PDF from IIT Bombay, with the original source linked beside it. The GATE CE exam covers General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and CE core. Download it below, then sit the paper under exam timing with the attempt plan and error-log routine on this page.
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Download the paper
Download the official GATE CE 2021 question paper and answer key (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
GATE CE 2021 at a glance
GATE CE 2021 was set by IIT Bombay. The question paper and answer key is hosted below.
| Organising institute | IIT Bombay |
| Paper | Civil Engineering (CE) |
| GATE 2021 exam window | 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 February 2021 |
| Sets hosted here | 1 |
| Questions | 65: 10 General Aptitude (15 marks) + 55 Civil Engineering (85 marks) |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
The pattern line is the same for every GATE paper from 2016 to 2026.
Paper analysis
Snapshot of GATE CE 2021
The 2021 PDF is a scan, so question-type counts are not listed here. The pattern is the same as every other year: 65 questions, 100 marks, 3 hours.
GATE 2021 was organised by IIT Bombay; the original files were published on gate.iitkgp.ac.in (GATE 2022 site archive of past papers). The 2021 PDF is a scan, with the answer key table on its last page. GATE CE 2021 was conducted in two sets, CE1 and CE2. Only CE1 is hosted here, because the archived copy of the official CE2 file is cut off partway.
What this paper stresses
- CE NATs reward unit discipline: kN against N, metres against millimetres, and the rounding range printed in the key. Log a correct setup with a wrong unit as a silly miss.
- MSQ items where one wrong extra option zeros the mark.
- General Aptitude: 10 questions and 15 marks that are easy to rush.
- Both CE sets carry the same weight in the cut-off, so a hard set does not change the way you should attempt it.
What to extract before you move on
- NAT vs MSQ vs MCQ miss counts (three different repair drills).
- GA topics you guessed versus knew.
- A personal subject-weight table for Civil Engineering from this sitting: Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Water Resources Engineering and the rest.
- Every question where your answer was right but your time on it was not.
Analyst note: Mark by the numbering in the paper you downloaded.
Looking for another paper code or session? Check the official archive.
How to sit GATE CE 2021
- Download the paper and its answer key from this page. Do not open the key yet.
- Sit the full paper in three hours, one sitting: 10 GA questions and 55 Civil Engineering questions. Re-key NAT answers before you stop.
- Mark it with the official key: MCQ and MSQ by option, NAT by the range in the key. Apply negative marks on MCQs only.
- Fill the error log the same day: section, subject, and miss type (concept, silly, time or misread).
- Next session, repair only the logged items, then pick another year from the list below.
Other years on this hub
- GATE CE 2026
- GATE CE 2025
- GATE CE 2024
- GATE CE 2023
- GATE CE 2022
- GATE CE 2020
- GATE CE 2019
- GATE CE 2018
- GATE CE 2017
- GATE CE 2016
FAQ
Where can I download the official GATE CE 2021 question paper?
On this page: the official IIT Bombay question paper and answer key, with a link to each original source.
How many questions were in GATE CE 2021?
65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours: 10 General Aptitude questions worth 15 marks and 55 Civil Engineering questions worth 85 marks.
When was GATE CE 2021 held?
GATE CE 2021 was part of the GATE 2021 exam window, organised by IIT Bombay, which ran on 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14 February 2021.
Are memory-based GATE CE 2021 papers reliable?
There is no need for them where the official paper is public. Use the files from IIT Bombay, not coaching reconstructions.
Where is the GATE CE syllabus and pattern?
See the GATE CE syllabus and pattern page on this hub, and check the current official brochure before your exam.