GATE Marking Scheme: MCQ, MSQ, NAT and Negative Marking
GATE has three question types and only one of them carries a penalty. Knowing exactly which one changes how you should treat a question you're unsure about. Everything below is from the GATE 2027 question paper pattern published by IIT Madras.
The paper at a glance
| Item | GATE 2027 |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer-based test, in English |
| Duration | 3 hours (one hour of compensatory time for eligible PwD candidates) |
| Questions | 65: 10 General Aptitude plus 55 subject questions |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Marks per question | 1 or 2 |
| Calculator | Only the on-screen virtual calculator |
The three question types
| Type | What it is | Wrong answer |
|---|---|---|
| MCQ | Multiple choice: exactly one of four options is correct | 1/3 mark deducted on a 1-mark question, 2/3 on a 2-mark question |
| MSQ | Multiple select: one or more of four options are correct | No negative marking, and no partial marks |
| NAT | Numerical answer: you type a number on a virtual keypad | No negative marking |
No partial marks in MSQ
An MSQ is marked as all or nothing: you get the marks only by selecting every correct option and no wrong one. Missing one correct option scores zero, exactly like picking a wrong one. There is no penalty either way, so a partly known MSQ is still worth answering with your best selection.
Worked example: scoring an attempt
This is an invented illustration of the arithmetic, not a description of a real paper. The official pattern says questions carry 1 or 2 marks; it doesn't say how many of each question type appear at each value, and this example makes no claim about that. Suppose a candidate's answered questions happened to include the following.
- Suppose 13 answered MCQs were worth 1 mark each: 10 right and 3 wrong. 10 × 1 = 10, minus 3 × 1/3 = 1, so 9
- Suppose 12 answered MCQs were worth 2 marks each: 8 right and 4 wrong. 8 × 2 = 16, minus 4 × 2/3 ≈ 2.67, so about 13.33
- Suppose 5 answered MSQs were worth 2 marks each: 3 fully right and 2 with one option wrong or missing. 3 × 2 = 6, and the other 2 score 0
- Suppose 6 answered NATs were worth 1 mark each: 4 right and 2 wrong. 4 × 1 = 4, and the wrong ones cost nothing
- Total: 9 + 13.33 + 6 + 4 = 32.33 marks, against 36 earned before penalties, so the 7 wrong MCQs cost 3.67 marks. The MSQ and NAT mistakes cost nothing
When guessing an MCQ pays
On a 1-mark MCQ, a blind guess is right with probability 1/4 and wrong with probability 3/4, so its expected value is 1/4 × 1 − 3/4 × 1/3 = 0. On a 2-mark MCQ it is 1/4 × 2 − 3/4 × 2/3 = 0 as well. A blind guess gains nothing on average. Rule out one option and guess among three, and a 1-mark MCQ is worth 1/3 − 2/3 × 1/3 = 1/9 of a mark on average; rule out two and it's 1/2 − 1/2 × 1/3 = 1/3. So guess an MCQ only when you can eliminate at least one option, and always answer MSQs and NATs, which carry no penalty.
Where the marks are
General Aptitude is 15 marks on every paper. For most papers, including CS, EC, EE, ME and BT, Engineering Mathematics is another 13 and the subject carries 72. AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, RA, ST, XH and XL split their 100 marks as General Aptitude 15 plus subject 85.
Common mistakes
- Leaving NAT or MSQ questions blank. A wrong answer costs nothing there
- Guessing blind on MCQs and expecting it to help. On average it doesn't
- Ticking only the options you're sure of in an MSQ and expecting part marks. There are none
- Practising with a physical calculator. In the exam you get only the virtual one
Plan with Studyloaf
Sources and last verified date
Every GATE 2027 fact in this post was checked against the official GATE 2027 website and information brochure from IIT Madras on 7 October 2026. Official dates and rules can change, so confirm anything you plan around on the official site.