IIT Kanpur did not publish the GATE PH 2023 question paper, but its official answer key is hosted on this page as a PDF. The GATE PH exam covers General Aptitude and Physics core.
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Download the paper
Download the official GATE PH 2023 answer key (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
GATE PH 2023 at a glance
GATE PH 2023 was set by IIT Kanpur. The files are hosted below: the answer key.
| Organising institute | IIT Kanpur |
| Paper | Physics (PH) |
| GATE 2023 exam window | 4, 5, 11 and 12 February 2023 |
| Files hosted here | Answer key only |
| Question types | 46 MCQ, 9 MSQ, 10 NAT |
| Questions | 65: 10 General Aptitude (15 marks) + 55 core (85 marks) |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
All counts come from the official answer key for GATE PH 2023.
Paper analysis
Snapshot of GATE PH 2023
GATE PH 2023 gave one full paper. The official key lists 46 MCQ, 9 MSQ, 10 NAT, so 15% of the paper is typed-answer (NAT) questions, which carry no negative marking.
Of the 55 Physics questions, 25 are worth 1 mark and 30 worth 2 marks; 7 of the 2-mark questions are NAT.
Against GATE PH 2019, MCQs moved by +3 and NATs by -12.
9 questions are multi-select (MSQ): they score only when the full correct set is chosen and nothing wrong, with no negative marking.
The official key marks 4 questions 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 the organising site and are linked below through the Internet Archive.
What this paper stresses
- PH is heavy on short conceptual questions that test a result you must already know, so a one-page list of standard results per topic is worth building from your misses.
- Mathematical physics and quantum mechanics questions feed each other: practise the mathematics inside physical setups, not in isolation.
- General Aptitude is 10 questions and 15 marks, easy to rush.
What to extract before you move on
- NAT vs MCQ miss counts. MSQ misses separately, since one wrong option loses the whole question.
- GA topics you guessed versus knew.
- A personal subject-weight table for Physics from this sitting: Mathematical Physics, Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory 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.
How to sit GATE PH 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 Physics questions. Re-key NAT answers before you stop.
- Mark it with the official key: MCQ by option, NAT by the range in the key. Give an MSQ mark only when the whole option set matches. 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
FAQ
Where can I download the official GATE PH 2023 question paper?
This page has the official IIT Kanpur answer key, with a link to its original source. The matching question paper was not available from an official source, so it is not hosted.
How many questions were in GATE PH 2023?
65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours: 10 General Aptitude questions for 15 marks and 55 Physics questions for 85 marks. The key lists 46 MCQ, 9 MSQ, 10 NAT.
When was GATE PH 2023 held?
GATE PH 2023 was part of the GATE 2023 exam window, organised by IIT Kanpur, which ran on 4, 5, 11 and 12 February 2023.
Did the GATE PH 2023 answer key award marks to all?
Yes. The key lists 4 questions as marks to all (MTA). Give yourself those marks when you score a practice attempt.
How were MSQs marked in GATE PH 2023?
9 questions were multi-select (MSQ). A multi-select answer scores only when every correct option, and no wrong one, is chosen; there is no negative marking for MSQ or NAT.
Are memory-based GATE PH 2023 papers reliable?
There is no need for them where the official paper is public. Use the files from IIT Kanpur’s GATE site, not coaching reconstructions.
Where is the GATE PH syllabus and pattern?
See the GATE PH syllabus and pattern page on this hub, and check the current official brochure before your exam.