Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering Life Sciences
GATE Life Sciences is a recruitment exam conducted by Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, relevant to engineering graduates targeting technical government and PSU roles.
GATE Life Sciences Study Material
GATE Life Sciences is the XL paper of the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, a national computer-based test for graduates in science and allied fields. The 2027 cycle is organised by IIT Madras on behalf of the National Coordination Board, Ministry of Education. The XL paper tests General Aptitude, compulsory Chemistry and any two of five life science subjects: Biochemistry, Botany, Microbiology, Zoology and Food Technology.
This page gives you the cycle at a glance: dates, eligibility, fees, the exam pattern, the revised syllabus, the 2026 qualifying marks and a preparation approach. Every figure below was checked against the official GATE 2027 website. Where a date can still change, we say so.
Table of Contents
GATE Life Sciences at a glance
Particular | Details |
|---|---|
Exam | Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027, paper XL (Life Sciences) |
Organising institute | IIT Madras, on behalf of the National Coordination Board, Ministry of Education |
Mode and language | Computer-based test, English only |
Duration | 3 hours |
Questions and marks | 65 questions, 100 marks (10 General Aptitude and 55 subject questions) |
XL structure | General Aptitude (15 marks), XL0 Chemistry (25 marks) and any two optional sections of 30 marks each |
Scorecard validity | 3 years from the date of result announcement |
Age limit | None |
Official website |
Important dates for GATE 2027
Event | Date |
|---|---|
GOAPS application portal opened | 2 September 2026 |
Regular registration closed (without late fee) | 5 October 2026 |
Extended registration closed (with late fee) | 12 October 2026 |
Special registration window (with late fee) | 15 October 2026, 10:30 AM to 16 October 2026, 10:29 AM |
Application rectification for scrutiny defects | 14 October 2026 to 31 October 2026 |
Data correction window (with fee) | To be announced |
Exam city allotment notification | 4 January 2027 |
Admit card download | To be announced |
Exam days | 6 and 7, 13 and 14, 20 and 21 February 2027 (Saturdays and Sundays) |
Result announcement | 19 March 2027 |
All dates are tentative. The official website states that dates are liable to change, and its pages show earlier dates that were revised. The application fee page also mentions 21 October 2026 for rectification, so confirm the last date on the GOAPS portal. Track the official important dates page and your registered DigiLocker account for updates.
The exam is held on six days across three weekends, with a forenoon and an afternoon session each day. The official site had not yet released admit card details when this page was prepared, so check it for your own date and session once they are out, and do not rely on third-party schedules.
Who can apply
You can appear for GATE 2027 if you are in the 3rd year or higher of an undergraduate degree, or have completed a government-approved degree in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts or humanities. For the XL paper, the degrees most students hold are B.Sc., B.Sc. (Research), B.S., M.Sc., integrated M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry).
Application fee
Category | Regular period | Extended period |
|---|---|---|
Female, SC, ST and PwD candidates | Rs. 1,000 for one paper; Rs. 2,000 for two papers | Rs. 1,500 for one paper; Rs. 2,500 for two papers |
All other candidates, including foreign nationals | Rs. 2,000 for one paper; Rs. 4,000 for two papers | Rs. 2,500 for one paper; Rs. 4,500 for two papers |
Fees are taken from the official application fees page. Changes to an application, such as a different paper or exam city, carry a separate per-paper charge listed on the same page. Registration needs a verified DigiLocker account, so do not delete it after you apply, because later communication goes to it.
Exam pattern in brief
The XL paper carries 100 marks. General Aptitude has 10 questions for 15 marks. The remaining 85 marks come from 55 subject questions across XL0 Chemistry and your two chosen optional sections. Questions carry 1 or 2 marks and appear as multiple choice (MCQ), multiple select (MSQ) and numerical answer type (NAT) questions.
Negative marking: a wrong MCQ answer costs one-third of the marks for a 1-mark question and two-thirds for a 2-mark question.
No penalty elsewhere: wrong MSQ and NAT answers carry no negative marking, and MSQ has no partial marking.
Section choice: XL0 Chemistry is compulsory. You pick any two of XL1 Biochemistry, XL2 Botany, XL3 Microbiology, XL4 Zoology and XL5 Food Technology during the exam.
Syllabus in brief
Section | Subject | Marks | Focus areas |
|---|---|---|---|
GA | General Aptitude | 15 | Verbal, quantitative, analytical and spatial aptitude |
XL0 | Chemistry (compulsory) | 25 | Structure and bonding, equilibria, kinetics, thermodynamics, organic mechanisms, biomolecules |
XL1 | Biochemistry (optional) | 30 | Biomolecules, enzymes, metabolism, analytical techniques, cell function, gene expression |
XL2 | Botany (optional) | 30 | Plant systematics, anatomy, physiology, genetics, breeding, pathology, ecology |
XL3 | Microbiology (optional) | 30 | Methods, taxonomy, growth, metabolism, host-pathogen interaction, genetics, ecology |
XL4 | Zoology (optional) | 30 | Animal diversity, evolution, genetics, physiology, development, ecology, behaviour |
XL5 | Food Technology (optional) | 30 | Food chemistry, microbiology, product technology, food engineering |
What changed for the 2027 cycle
Section codes: the XL sections are now XL0 to XL5. They were P to U in GATE 2026, so older notes and websites may still use the old letters.
Revised syllabi: the organisers state that the syllabi were revised for the test papers, the first revision in five years. Compare your notes with the 2027 syllabus PDFs.
New paper elsewhere: Robotics and Automation (RA) is a new paper in GATE 2027. It does not change the XL paper, but it changes the two-paper list for some other papers.
Two-paper rule: XL can be paired only with BT, CY or EY.
How to prepare for the XL paper
Chemistry is compulsory and carries 25 marks, so treat it as your anchor subject rather than a side topic. Choose your two optional sections early, using your degree background, and avoid switching late. Strong overlap exists between Biochemistry, Microbiology and the molecular parts of Botany and Zoology, so a pair with shared concepts reduces the load.
First phase: build concepts in XL0 Chemistry and your two optional subjects from the official syllabus, and make short notes as you go.
Second phase: add topic-wise questions and General Aptitude practice. The 15 aptitude marks are the most reliable marks to protect.
Final phase: take full-length timed tests, analyse each one on the same day and revise from an error log.
For timed practice in the current pattern, you can attempt GATE Life Sciences online tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to plan your revision.
Qualifying marks reference
For GATE 2026, the official qualifying marks for the XL paper were 36.3 for General, 32.6 for OBC-NCL and EWS, and 24.1 for SC, ST and PwD candidates, out of 100. These are qualifying marks, not admission cut-offs. Institutions set their own selection criteria. Treat last year's figures as a benchmark only, since they change every cycle with difficulty and the number of candidates.