GATE 2026 Geology & Geophysics (GG) Paper Analysis: Difficulty & Cutoffs
Detailed Subject-wise Review for Geology (B1) and Geophysics (B2), Expected Marks vs Rank, and IIT Admission Trends.
Updated: just now
Categories: GATE 2026, Earth Sciences, Paper Analysis.
GATE 2026 Geology & Geophysics (GG) Detailed Analysis
1. Overall Paper Difficulty
The GATE 2026 GG paper was rated Moderate. Part A (Common) was relatively easy, focusing on general Earth Science concepts. However, the specialized Part B sections—both Geology (B1) and Geophysics (B2)—featured a high density of NATs that required precise numerical values, particularly in Seismic and Structural segments.
Part A (Common): 25 Marks
Part B (Specialized): 60 Marks
Aptitude: 15 Marks
2. High-Weightage Topics (2026)
| Section | High-Priority Topics | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Part A (Common) | Isostasy, Plate Tectonics, Remote Sensing Basics, Weathering. | Easy |
| Part B1 (Geology) | Mineralogy (Silicates), Igneous Petrology (Binary Phase), Structural Geology. | Moderate |
| Part B2 (Geophysics) | Seismology (P/S waves), Magnetic Methods, Gravity Corrections, Well Logging. | Tough |
3. Expected Qualifying Cutoff 2026
The cutoffs for GG are generally higher than many engineering branches due to a smaller, more focused candidate pool (approx. 6,000–8,000 test-takers).
| Category | Geology (Exp.) | Geophysics (Exp.) | 2025 Actual (GG1/GG2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (GEN) | 39.5 - 41.5 | 42.0 - 45.0 | 38.4 / 40.0 |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | 35.5 - 37.0 | 37.5 - 40.5 | 34.5 / 36.0 |
| SC / ST / PwD | 26.0 - 27.5 | 28.0 - 30.0 | 25.5 / 26.6 |
4. IIT & PSU Admission Targets
For the top rankers, PSUs like ONGC and GSI (Geological Survey of India) are the primary goals, followed by M.Tech in Earth Sciences at Tier-1 IITs.
- PSU Recruitment (ONGC): Marks 78+ | AIR Under 80
- IIT Bombay / IIT Roorkee: Score 680+ | AIR Under 200
- IIT ISM Dhanbad / IIT Kharagpur: Score 600+ | AIR Under 400
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