GATE Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) Exam 2023

5. GATE Electronics & Communications Engineering Exam Sections

GATE EC 2023 Exam paper is divided into three sections, namely

• General Aptitude,
• Engineering Mathematics, and
• Electronics & Communications Engineering Questions.

The questions & mark weightage for the 3 sections are as follows:

8. Nature of GATE 2023 EC Exam Questions

The GATE EC Exam comprises questions of different nature. Listed below are the different types of GATE EC questions.

Recall: These questions are based on facts, formulas, principles, laws, etc. The candidates are expected to answer these questions from their memory or arrive at solutions from simple, one-line calculations.

Electronics & Communications Engineering Concepts: These questions test a candidate's knowledge of core ECE concepts. Candidates are expected to derive solutions from fundamental Electronics & Communications Engineering concepts.

Application-Based Questions: These questions test the candidate's computational and logical reasoning skills.

Common Data Questions: The candidates are presented with some data using which they have to solve a set of problems. These types of questions carry 2 marks each.

Linked Answer Questions: This section comprises a problem statement using which candidates have to solve 2 questions. The questions are linked to each other, meaning the second question relies on the first question's answer.

9. GATE 2023 EC Exam Syllabus

GATE aspirants must check the GATE 2023 EC syllabus before starting their exam preparation. Identify the topics you should cover and develop a study plan accordingly. Also, please remember that all candidates are required to prepare for the General Aptitude section as it is a mandatory section irrespective of the exam discipline.

12. GATE EC Previous Year Question Papers

The organizer of GATE 2023 Exam, i.e., IIT Kanpur will release the GATE 2023 question paper soon after the exam. However, candidates can download the previous years' question papers and familiarize themselves with the format and prepare efficiently for the exam.

13. Previous Year GATE Question Paper Analysis

It is crucial that the candidates look into the previous years' question papers during GATE 2023 EC preparation phase. Reviewing the previous years' questions will help candidates judge the difficulty level of the GATE 2023 EC Exam and prepare accordingly.

The highlights of previous GATE EC papers are listed below.

• GATE EC 2022:
  • Difficulty Moderate: Difficult
  • Question Types:
  • The GATE EC 2022 paper included 33 MCQs, 18 NATs, and 14 MSQs.
  • Highest Mark Weightage:The Communications section carried the highest mark weightage in GATE EC 2022. (13 Marks)
  • The General Aptitude section was easy to moderate.
  • The Engineering Mathematics section was difficult.


• GATE ECE 2021:
  • Difficulty Level:Moderate
  • Question Types:
  • The GATE EC 2021 paper included 35 MCQs and 30 NATs.
  • Highest Mark Weightage: The Communications section carried the highest mark weightage in GATE EC 2021. (13 Marks)
  • The General Aptitude section was easy.
  • The Engineering Mathematics section was easy to moderate.


• GATE EC 2020:
  • Difficulty Level: Moderate
  • Question Types:
  • The GATE EC 2020 paper included 42 MCQs and 23 NATs.
  • Highest Mark Weightage: The Analog Circuits section carried the highest mark weightage in GATE EC 2020. (13 Marks)
  • The General Aptitude section was moderate.
  • The Engineering Mathematics section was moderate.

15. How to Apply for GATE EC 2023 Exam?

GATE 2023 EC Exam Application Form will be released during the first week of September 2022. Candidates can apply for the exam only through online mode. Follow the steps below to have a hassle-free registration process.

Step 1: Register as a 'New User' on GATE Online Application Processing Systems (GOAPS) by filling in the essential details such as name, phone number, email ID.

Step 2: After registering, candidates will get an enrollment ID. Create a password for the respective ID to proceed further.

Step 3: Log in to the GOAPS portal using the enrollment ID and password and fill out the application form. Applicants need to fill in their personal details such as name, DOB, phone number, email ID, address, parent's details, etc. and enter their educational qualification details such as the university name, registration number, etc.

Step 4: Students need to decide on how many papers they are undertaking. A maximum of two papers are allowed for each candidate.

Step 5: Select preferred exam centers. Candidates can select up to three locations as their favored examination centers.

Step 6: Applicants need to upload the scanned documents of their signature, photo, ID proof, and community certificate (applicable for SC/ST).

Step 7: Finally, candidates should pay the exam application fees (Payment can be done only through online modes).

16. GATE EC Admit Card Overview

Wondering how to download the GATE EC 2023 Admit Card? The Admit Card will be available to download from the 1st week of January 2023 (tentative). Candidates can only download the GATE Admit Card from the official GOAPS website. Follow the steps below to download the GATE 2023 EC Admit Card.

• Step 1: Visit the official GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) website.
• Step 2: Login using the essential credentials.
• Step 3: Click on the “Download GATE Admit Card” option.
• Step 4: GATE Admit Card will be downloaded in PDF format.
• Step 5: Save the Admit Card and take printout to carry to the GATE Examination Hall.

The GATE Admit Card will contain the following details:

• Candidate's Registration Number
• Name of the Candidate
• GATE Exam Paper Code
• GATE Exam Date
• Exam Centre Code
• Exam Duration
• Candidate's Photo
• Candidate's Signature
• Examination Instructions

Take a look at the sample Admit Card below to have a better idea of how the GATE Admit Card would look like:

17. GATE 2023 EC Results

IIT Kanpur will release the GATE EC 2023 results in March 2023. Candidates can check their results by logging into the GOAPS website. Once the results are out, qualified candidates can download their GATE 2023 score card from March 2023 to May 2023. If candidates need a soft copy of the GATE score card after May 2023, they are required to pay an additional fee of ?500.

The GATE score card is valid for 3 years. Candidates can use the GATE score to get admission in Post Graduate programs or employment opportunities in PSUs.

Listed below are the important details mentioned in the GATE score card:

• Registration Number of the Candidate
• Name of the Candidate
• GATE Paper Attempted by the Candidate
• GATE Score (out of 1000)
• Total Marks (out of 100)
• All India Rank Obtained
• Qualifying Marks for General, OBS, SC/ST/PwD
• Number of candidates appeared in the exam.

Take a look at the sample score card below to have a better idea of how the GATE score card would look like:

18. What is the Scope After GATE 2023 EC?

The number of candidates appearing for the GATE EC Exam is increasing every year. The increase in the number of candidates can be associated with the need for a good GATE Exam score to pursue a Master's degree in top institutes and PSUs recruiting through GATE Exam score.

Some people want to pursue an M.Tech in institutes like NITs/NITs in various ECE-related disciplines. Other candidates try for employment opportunities in PSU.

Here are some exciting opportunities after cracking the GATE 2023 EC Exam.

18.1 Career Opportunities in PSU

Some of the leading PSUs in India, such as IOCL, ONGC, HPCL, RITES, EIL, NHAI, etc., consider GATE Exam scores for recruitment. A public sector job ensures long-term employability with a high salary package and other exciting benefits. A PSU job also presents interesting challenges that keep you in touch with all the latest developments in the field of Electronics & Communications Engineering.

18.2. Higher Studies in Premier Institutes

If you have cracked the GATE Exam with a high score, you can apply for M.Tech or ME in some of India's leading institutes like IITs, NITs, or IISc. Based on your GATE rank/score you can choose your preferred institutes. Usually, first-class engineering institutes accept ranks up to 1500, other private and government institutes accept ranks up to 2500. After completing their post-graduate degree, students will get high-paying job opportunities in top companies.

18.3. Research Programs

If you are passionate about your engineering discipline and exploring new horizons, research programs are the way to go. People often overlook research in our country as they assume it is time-consuming and strenuous endeavor. That is the reason most people opt to do research in foreign countries. But why struggle in foreign juggling between research and part-time jobs to meet expenses? With a good GATE Exam score, you can join Junior Research Fellowship programs and do path-breaking research while earning a good sum as a stipend each month.

18.4. Post-Graduation Degree in Foreign Universities

A high GATE Exam score will help you realize your dream of doing Masters in foreign universities. Some highly rated universities like Nanyang Technological University (NTU, Singapore), National University of Singapore (NUS), and Technical University of Munich (Germany) accept GATE score for admission.

19. GATE EC Exam FAQs

Have some doubts regarding GATE 2023 EC application process, exam pattern, syllabus, etc.? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about the GATE EC Exam.