GATE 2026 Petroleum Engineering (PE) Paper Analysis: Difficulty & Cutoffs
Detailed Subject-wise Weightage, Reservoir & Production Trends, and IIT Admission Score Analysis.
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Categories: GATE 2026, Paper Analysis, Petroleum Engineering.
GATE 2026 Petroleum Engineering (PE) Analysis
Overall Difficulty Level
The GATE 2026 PE paper was rated Moderate. Unlike previous years where drilling was the toughest section, 2026 saw more complex, multi-step NAT questions in Reservoir Engineering. General Aptitude was straightforward and scoring for most candidates.
Core PE: 72 Marks
Engineering Math: 13 Marks
General Aptitude: 15 Marks
Topic-wise Weightage Analysis
| Subject Domain | Approx. Marks | High-Yield Topics (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Reservoir Engineering | 15-18 Marks | Phase Behavior, Drive Mechanics, Material Balance. |
| Drilling Technology | 12-14 Marks | Casing Design, Drilling Fluids, Directional Drilling. |
| Production Operations | 10-12 Marks | Artificial Lift (ESP/GL), Nodal Analysis, Stimulation. |
| Formation Evaluation | 8-10 Marks | SP Log, Resistivity, Radioactive Logs (CBL/VDL). |
| Well Testing | 6-8 Marks | Diffusivity Equation, Build-up/Drawdown Analysis. |
Expected Qualifying Cutoff 2026
Due to a slight increase in conceptual complexity, the qualifying marks are projected to be slightly higher than the record-low 2025 levels but lower than 2024.
| Category | 2026 (Exp.) | 2025 (Actual) | 2024 (Actual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (GEN) | 32.0 - 34.5 | 31.1 | 40.3 |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | 28.8 - 31.0 | 27.9 | 36.2 |
| SC / ST / PwD | 21.0 - 23.0 | 20.7 | 26.8 |
Safe Scores for PSUs & IITs
For Petroleum Engineering, recruitment by ONGC, OIL, and BPCL is the primary goal. Safe targets for 2026 are:
ONGC / PSU Recruitment
Marks: 75+ | Score: 850+
IIT Madras / IIT Bombay
Marks: 62+ | Score: 720+
IIT ISM Dhanbad
Marks: 55+ | Score: 650+
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