The official GATE EC 2021 question paper is on this page as a PDF from IIT Bombay, with the original source linked beside it. The GATE EC exam covers General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics and EC 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 EC 2021 question paper and answer key (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
GATE EC 2021 at a glance
GATE EC 2021 was set by IIT Bombay. The question paper and answer key is hosted below.
| Organising institute | IIT Bombay |
| Paper | Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) |
| 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 Electronics and Communication (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 EC 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.
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.
- MSQ items where one wrong extra option zeros the mark.
- 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 MSQ vs MCQ miss counts (three different repair drills).
- 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 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 Electronics and Communication 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 EC 2026
- GATE EC 2025
- GATE EC 2024
- GATE EC 2023
- GATE EC 2022
- GATE EC 2020
- GATE EC 2019
- GATE EC 2018
- GATE EC 2017
- GATE EC 2016
FAQ
Where can I download the official GATE EC 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 EC 2021?
65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours: 10 General Aptitude questions worth 15 marks and 55 Electronics and Communication questions worth 85 marks.
When was GATE EC 2021 held?
GATE EC 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 EC 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 EC syllabus and pattern?
See the GATE EC syllabus and pattern page on this hub, and check the current official brochure before your exam.