The 3 official GATE EC 2016 question papers and 3 answer keys are on this page as PDFs from IISc Bangalore, with the original source linked beside each file. The GATE EC exam covers General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and EC 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 EC 2016 question papers and answer key (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
GATE EC 2016 at a glance
GATE EC 2016 was set by IISc Bangalore in three sets. The question papers and answer keys are hosted below.
| Organising institute | IISc Bangalore |
| Paper | Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) |
| GATE 2016 exam window | 30 and 31 January and 6, 7, 13 and 14 February 2016 |
| Sets hosted here | 3 (EC1, EC2, EC3) |
| Question types | EC1: 40 MCQ, 25 NAT; EC2: 31 MCQ, 34 NAT; EC3: 41 MCQ, 24 NAT |
| Questions | 65: 10 General Aptitude (15 marks) + 55 Electronics and Communication (85 marks) |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
All counts come from the official answer keys for GATE EC 2016.
Paper analysis
Snapshot of GATE EC 2016
GATE EC 2016 gave two full papers. EC1 had 40 MCQ, 25 NAT, while EC2 had 31 MCQ, 34 NAT, while EC3 had 41 MCQ, 24 NAT. That is 38% and 52% and 37% typed-answer questions, which carry no negative marking.
There are no multiple-select questions in these papers.
The official key marks 3 questions in EC1 as marks to all or MTA: every candidate is credited, so score them as correct.
GATE 2016 was organised by IISc Bangalore; the original files were published on gate.iisc.ernet.in (GATE 2016 site). In 2016 each set was released with its own General Aptitude set number, and the core questions are numbered again from 1 after the ten GA questions in the key.
What this paper stresses
- EC NATs mix units fast: GHz against MHz, dB against ratios, and radians against degrees. Write the unit next to every intermediate value on rough paper.
- General Aptitude: 10 questions and 15 marks that are easy to rush.
- EC papers lean on short numerical questions, so NAT accuracy and time per question matter more than long derivations.
What to extract before you move on
- NAT vs MCQ miss counts. MSQ arrived only in 2021, so this paper has single-answer MCQs and NATs.
- GA topics you guessed versus knew.
- A personal subject-weight table for Electronics and Communication from this sitting: Networks, Signals and Systems, Electronic Devices, Analog Circuits 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 EC 2016
- 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 Electronics and Communication questions. Re-key NAT answers before you stop.
- Mark it with the official key: MCQ 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 EC 2026
- GATE EC 2025
- GATE EC 2024
- GATE EC 2023
- GATE EC 2022
- GATE EC 2021
- GATE EC 2020
- GATE EC 2019
- GATE EC 2018
- GATE EC 2017
FAQ
Where can I download the official GATE EC 2016 question paper?
On this page: the official IISc Bangalore question papers for all 3 sets and answer key, with a link to each original source.
How many questions were in GATE EC 2016?
65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours in every set: 10 General Aptitude questions for 15 marks and 55 Electronics and Communication questions for 85 marks. EC1 had 40 MCQ, 25 NAT. EC2 had 31 MCQ, 34 NAT. EC3 had 41 MCQ, 24 NAT.
When was GATE EC 2016 held?
GATE EC 2016 was part of the GATE 2016 exam window, organised by IISc Bangalore, which ran on 30 and 31 January and 6, 7, 13 and 14 February 2016.
Why does GATE EC 2016 have more than one paper?
GATE EC was conducted in three sets in 2016, each with different questions on the same syllabus and the same marking. All sets are hosted on this page.
Did the GATE EC 2016 answer key award marks to all?
Yes. EC1 lists 3 questions as marks to all (MTA). Give yourself those marks when you score a practice attempt.
Are memory-based GATE EC 2016 papers reliable?
There is no need for them where the official paper is public. Use the files from IISc Bangalore, not coaching reconstructions.
Where is the GATE EC syllabus and pattern?
See the GATE EC syllabus and pattern page on this hub, and check the current official brochure before your exam.