IIT Kanpur did not publish the GATE XE 2023 question paper, but its official answer key is hosted on this page as a PDF. The GATE XE exam covers General Aptitude, XE-A Engineering Mathematics and two optional sections.
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Download the paper
Download the official GATE XE 2023 answer key (PDF), hosted on this site with the official source linked.
GATE XE 2023 at a glance
GATE XE 2023 was set by IIT Kanpur. The files are hosted below: the answer key.
| Organising institute | IIT Kanpur |
| Paper | Engineering Sciences (XE) |
| GATE 2023 exam window | 4, 5, 11 and 12 February 2023 |
| Files hosted here | Answer key only |
| Question types | Per section, from the official key |
| Questions | 65 per candidate: 10 General Aptitude + 11 XE-A + 22 + 22 from two optional sections |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
Check the numbering in the file you download before you mark.
Paper analysis
Snapshot of GATE XE 2023
The official key for GATE XE 2023 covers every section. XE-A 11, XE-B 22, XE-C 22, XE-D 22, XE-E 12, XE-GA 10 questions are listed; a candidate attempts GA, XE-A and two optional sections, 65 questions in all.
Question types by section: XE-A: 7 MCQ, 4 NAT; XE-B: 12 MCQ, 2 MSQ, 8 NAT; XE-C: 9 MCQ, 4 MSQ, 9 NAT; XE-D: 10 MCQ, 2 MSQ, 10 NAT; XE-E: 9 MCQ, 3 NAT; XE-GA: 10 MCQ, 0 NAT.
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
- XE is a choose-your-sections paper: GA, the compulsory XE-A mathematics section, and two optional sections. Choose your pair before you start practising, then tally only those sections.
- Each optional section is 22 questions, so a weak section cannot be hidden behind a strong one; the pair must both be solid.
- The key lists every section, so mark only the sections you picked.
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 Engineering Sciences from this sitting: XE-A Engineering Mathematics, XE-B Fluid Mechanics, XE-C Materials Science 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 XE 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, the 11 XE-A questions and the 22 questions of each of your two chosen sections. 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
- GATE XE 2026
- GATE XE 2025
- GATE XE 2024
- GATE XE 2022
- GATE XE 2019
- GATE XE 2018
- GATE XE 2017
- GATE XE 2016
FAQ
Where can I download the official GATE XE 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 XE 2023?
65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours: 10 General Aptitude questions for 15 marks, the 11 compulsory XE-A (Engineering Mathematics) questions, and 22 questions from each of the two optional sections you choose.
When was GATE XE 2023 held?
GATE XE 2023 was part of the GATE 2023 exam window, organised by IIT Kanpur, which ran on 4, 5, 11 and 12 February 2023.
Are memory-based GATE XE 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 XE syllabus and pattern?
See the GATE XE syllabus and pattern page on this hub, and check the current official brochure before your exam.