The 2 official GATE CE 2023 question papers and 2 answer keys are on this page as PDFs from IIT Kanpur, with the original source linked beside each file. The GATE CE exam covers General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and CE core. Download them 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 2023 question papers and answer key (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
GATE CE 2023 at a glance
GATE CE 2023 was set by IIT Kanpur in two sets. The question papers and answer keys are hosted below.
| Organising institute | IIT Kanpur |
| Paper | Civil Engineering (CE) |
| GATE 2023 exam window | 4, 5, 11 and 12 February 2023 |
| Sets hosted here | 2 (CE1, CE2) |
| Question types | CE1: 34 MCQ, 10 MSQ, 21 NAT; CE2: 35 MCQ, 11 MSQ, 19 NAT |
| Questions | 65: 10 General Aptitude (15 marks) + 55 Civil Engineering (85 marks) |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
All counts come from the official answer keys for GATE CE 2023.
Paper analysis
Snapshot of GATE CE 2023
GATE CE 2023 gave two full papers. CE1 had 34 MCQ, 10 MSQ, 21 NAT, while CE2 had 35 MCQ, 11 MSQ, 19 NAT. That is 32% and 29% typed-answer questions, which carry no negative marking.
Multiple-select questions (MSQ): 10 in CE1, 11 in CE2. An MSQ scores only if every correct option, and no wrong one, is chosen, so each one needs its own option audit.
Against GATE CE 2022 (set 1), MCQs moved by +1, MSQs by +3 and NATs by -4.
The official key marks 2 questions in CE1 as marks to all or MTA: every candidate is credited, so score them as correct.
GATE 2023 was organised by IIT Kanpur; the original files were published on gate.iitk.ac.in (GATE 2023 site).
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 2023
- 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 2022
- GATE CE 2021
- GATE CE 2020
- GATE CE 2019
- GATE CE 2018
- GATE CE 2017
- GATE CE 2016
FAQ
Where can I download the official GATE CE 2023 question paper?
On this page: the official IIT Kanpur question papers for all 2 sets and answer key, with a link to each original source.
How many questions were in GATE CE 2023?
65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours in every set: 10 General Aptitude questions for 15 marks and 55 Civil Engineering questions for 85 marks. CE1 had 34 MCQ, 10 MSQ, 21 NAT. CE2 had 35 MCQ, 11 MSQ, 19 NAT.
When was GATE CE 2023 held?
GATE CE 2023 was part of the GATE 2023 exam window, organised by IIT Kanpur, which ran on 4, 5, 11 and 12 February 2023.
Why does GATE CE 2023 have more than one paper?
GATE CE was conducted in two sets in 2023, each with different questions on the same syllabus and the same marking. All sets are hosted on this page.
Did the GATE CE 2023 answer key award marks to all?
Yes. CE1 lists 2 questions as marks to all (MTA). Give yourself those marks when you score a practice attempt.
Are memory-based GATE CE 2023 papers reliable?
There is no need for them where the official paper is public. Use the files from IIT Kanpur, 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.