The official GATE EC 2026 question paper and answer key are on this page as PDFs from IIT Guwahati, 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.
Explore: GATE EC hub · Syllabus & pattern · GATE EC 2025 · GATE 2026 (all papers) · How to use PYQs
Download the paper
Download the official GATE EC 2026 question paper and answer key (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
GATE EC 2026 at a glance
GATE EC 2026 was set by IIT Guwahati. The question paper and answer key is hosted below.
| Organising institute | IIT Guwahati |
| Paper | Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) |
| GATE 2026 exam window | 7, 8, 14 and 15 February 2026 |
| Sets hosted here | 1 |
| Question types | 42 MCQ, 10 MSQ, 13 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 key for GATE EC 2026.
Paper analysis
Snapshot of GATE EC 2026
GATE EC 2026 was an MCQ-heavy paper: 42 MCQ, 10 MSQ, 13 NAT. 13 of 65 questions (20%) were typed-answer NATs, and only MCQs lose marks for a wrong answer.
Multiple-select questions (MSQ): 10. An MSQ scores only if every correct option, and no wrong one, is chosen, so each one needs its own option audit.
Against GATE EC 2025, MCQs moved by +3, MSQs by -4 and NATs by +1.
GATE 2026 was organised by IIT Guwahati; the original files were published on gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The 2026 keys were open to candidate challenges from 25 to 28 February 2026.
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 2026
- 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 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
- GATE EC 2016
FAQ
Where can I download the official GATE EC 2026 question paper?
On this page: the official IIT Guwahati question paper and answer key, with a link to each original source.
How many questions were in GATE EC 2026?
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. EC had 42 MCQ, 10 MSQ, 13 NAT.
When was GATE EC 2026 held?
GATE EC 2026 was part of the GATE 2026 exam window, organised by IIT Guwahati, which ran on 7, 8, 14 and 15 February 2026.
Are memory-based GATE EC 2026 papers reliable?
There is no need for them where the official paper is public. Use the files from IIT Guwahati, 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.