Where can I check the GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026?

You can check the GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026 in this article.

How can I download the GATE Life Science Syllabus PDF?

You can download the GATE Life Science Syllabus PDF through the direct link available in the article.

How many questions will contain in the GATE 2026 Exam?

A total of 65 questions will be asked in the GATE 2026 Exam.

GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026, Subject-Wise Detailed Topics

Table of Contents

The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) will conduct the GATE exam in February 2026. Every year, many students take the GATE exam to get admission into postgraduate courses and selection for public sector companies. To do well in the GATE 2026 exam, especially for the Life Science branch, candidates need to be familiar with the latest syllabus. The GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026 provides a clear outline of all the topics that will be covered in the exam. We have provided the complete syllabus here to help students prepare more effectively. Make sure to go through it carefully and bookmark this page for future updates on GATE and other important exams.

GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026

The GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026 provides a clear outline of the subjects and topics that will be covered in the exam. To make it easier for candidates, we have shared the complete and detailed syllabus here. Go through the full GATE 2026 Life Science Syllabus below and stay connected with this website for the latest updates on the GATE exam.

GATE LS Syllabus 2026-Overview

Candidates going to appear for the GATE 2026 Exam must look at the detailed overview of the GATE LS syllabus 2026 mentioned in the section below:

GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026
GATE Full Form	Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering (GATE)
GATE Conducting Authority	Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
GATE 2026 Total No. of Papers	30 (Data Science & Artificial Intelligence added)
GATE 2026 Starting Date of Application	28 August 2025
GATE 2026 Last Date of Application(without late fees)	28 September 2025
Mode of Exam	Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Number of Questions Asked	65
GATE 2026 Marks Distribution	15 Marks (General Aptitude) + 85 Marks (Subject Questions)= 100 Marks (Total)
GATE Exam Language	English
GATE 2026 Marking Scheme	One Mark and Two Marks
GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026	Available Now
Negative Marking	Yes (for MCQ & MSQ)
GATE Official Website	www.iitg.ac.in

GATE Life Science Exam Pattern 2026

The GATE 2026 Exam consists of three sections, namely general aptitude, engineering mathematics, and subject-specific papers. All the questions in the GATE Life Science Paper will be of three types, viz. MCQ & MSQ. The aspirants must be well-versed in the GATE Exam Pattern 2026 Life Science to understand the complete blueprint of the question paper.

You must check the GATE 2026 Life Science Exam Pattern tabulated here in a brief manner to get familiar with the scheme of the paper. Check the detailed GATE Exam Pattern 2026 Life Science mentioned in the section below:

GATE Life Science Exam Pattern 2026
GATE 2026 Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test (Online)
GATE 2026 Exam Duration	3 Hours
No. of Subjects	30 Subjects
GATE 2026 Total Marks	100 Marks
GATE Exam 2026 Number of Questions Asked	10 (GA) + 55 (subject) = 65 Questions
GATE Exam 2026 Type of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Multiple Select Questions (MSQs)

GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026 In Detail

The key points related to the GATE Life Science Syllabus 2026 are given below for the proper understanding of the candidates:

General Aptitude Syllabus

Verbal Ability: The rules of grammar in English, Completion of sentences, Analogies in words, Word groups, Critical Reasoning, and Verbal deduction, including instructions
Numerical Ability: Topics in this section primarily include Numerical Computation, Numerical Reasoning, Numerical Estimation, and Data Interpretation.

Chemistry Syllabus

Topics	Detailed Sub Topics
Atomic Structure and Periodicity	Planck’s quantum theory, wave-particle duality, uncertainty principle, electronic configuration, Hund’s rule, periodic properties
Structure and Bonding	Ionic and covalent bonding, MO and VB approaches, VSEPR theory, hybridization, resonance, dipole moment, hydrogen bonding
s, p, and d Block Elements	Oxides, halides, hydrides, general characteristics of 3d elements, coordination complexes, color, geometry, magnetic properties
Chemical Equilibria	Osmotic pressure, boiling point, freezing point, ionic equilibria, solubility product, hydrolysis of salts, pH, buffer
Electrochemistry	Conductance, cell potentials, EMF, Nernst equation, thermodynamic aspects, applications
Reaction Kinetics	Rate constant, order of reaction, activation energy, zero, first, and second order kinetics, catalysis, enzyme reactions
Thermodynamics	First law, reversible and irreversible processes, internal energy, enthalpy, Kirchhoff equation, second law, entropy, free energy
Structure-Reactivity Correlations	Acids and bases, stereochemistry, tautomerism, conformers, aromaticity, SN1, SN2, E1, E2 reactions, hydroboration reactions
Chemistry of Biomolecules	Amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, nucleotides, carbohydrates, lipids, biomolecule purification, and identification methods

Biochemistry Syllabus

Topics

Organization of life: Importance of water
Structure and function of biomolecules: Amino acids, Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and nucleic acids
Protein structure, folding, and function: Myoglobin, Hemoglobin, Lysozyme, Ribonuclease A, Carboxypeptidase, and chymotrypsin
Enzyme kinetics, including regulation and inhibition, vitamins, and coenzymes
Metabolism and bioenergetics: ATP generation and utilization, Glycolysis, TCA cycle, Pentose phosphate pathway, Oxidative phosphorylation, Gluconeogenesis, Glycogen and fatty acid metabolism, Nitrogen metabolism
Photosynthesis: Calvin cycle
Biochemical separation techniques: Ion exchange chromatography, Size exclusion chromatography, Affinity chromatography, Electrophoresis, UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, Mass spectrometry
Cell structure and organelles: Biological membranes, Action potential, Membrane transport, Protein targeting, Signal transduction
DNA replication, transcription, and translation; Biochemical regulation of gene expression
Recombinant DNA technology and applications: PCR, Site-directed mutagenesis, DNA microarray, Next-generation sequencing, Gene silencing, and editing
Immune system: Innate and adaptive immunity, Immune cells, Antibody structure, function, and diversity, B cell and T cell receptors, B cell and T cell activation, Major histocompatibility complex (MHC), Immunological techniques, Monoclonal antibodies and their applications

Botany Syllabus

Topics	Detailed Sub Topics
Plant Systematics	Botanical nomenclature, Plant classification, Molecular taxonomy, and Herbaria
Plant Anatomy	Root, stem, leaf anatomy, Floral organs, Embryo, Primary and secondary meristems
Plant Development and Morphogenesis	Angiosperm life cycle, Gametophyte development, Cell fate determination, Tissue patterning, Shoot and root apical meristems, Flowering transition
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry	Water relations, Nutrient uptake, Stomatal movements, Nitrogen metabolism, Photosynthesis, and Respiration
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry	Abiotic stresses, Biomolecules, and Secondary metabolites
Genetics and Genomics	Cell cycle, Mendelian inheritance, Genetic mapping, Epigenetics, Gene silencing, and Genome structure
Genetics and Genomics	Gene expression, Mutation, Chromosomal aberrations, Transposons, and Functional genomics
Plant Breeding and Genetic Modification	Selection, Hybridization, Molecular markers, Tissue culture, Gene transfer methods, and Genome editing
Economic and Applied Botany	Economically important plants, Cash crops, Industrial impact, Genetically modified crops
Plant Pathology	Plant diseases, Pathogen control, Pathogenesis, Resistance, and Plant-microbe interactions
Plant Pathology	Signaling pathways, Host-parasitic plant interaction
Ecology and Environment	Ecosystems, Biogeochemical cycles, Succession, Food webs, Vegetation types, and Climate
Ecology and Environment	Pollution, Biodiversity, Conservation, and Plant interactions with other organisms

Microbiology Syllabus

Topics	Detailed Sub Topics
Historical Perspective	Discovery of microbial world, Landmark discoveries in microbiology, Controversy over spontaneous generation, Role of microorganisms in organic matter transformation and disease causation
Methods in Microbiology	Pure culture techniques, Microbial nutrition principles, Enrichment culture techniques, Antigen and antibody detection methods, Microscopy techniques, PCR and real-time PCR, and Next-generation sequencing technologies
Microbial Taxonomy and Diversity	Bacteria and Archaea classification, Eukaryotic microbes: Yeasts, molds, and protozoa, Virus classification, Molecular approaches to microbial taxonomy and phylogeny
Prokaryotic Cells: Structure and Function	Cell walls and membranes, Solute transport mechanisms, Flagella and Pili, Capsules, Cell inclusions like endospores and gas vesicles, Bacterial locomotion, and chemotaxis
Microbial Growth	Definition of growth, Growth curve, Measurement of growth, Synchronous growth, Continuous culture, Environmental factors affecting growth, Bacterial biofilm and biofouling
Control of Microorganisms	Disinfection and sterilization principles, Methods, and assessment of efficacy
Microbial Metabolism	Energetics, Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation, Overview of metabolism, Glycolysis, Pentose-phosphate pathway, Entner-Doudoroff pathway, Glyoxylate pathway, Citric acid cycle, Fermentation, Respiration, Chemolithotrophy, Photosynthesis, Biosynthetic pathways, and Regulatory mechanisms
Microbial Diseases and Host-Pathogen Interaction	Microbiota, Classification of infectious diseases, Reservoirs of infection, Nosocomial infections, Opportunistic infections, Emerging infectious diseases, Pathogenicity mechanisms, Host defense mechanisms, Antigens and antibodies, Immune responses, Vaccines, Human diseases caused by microorganisms
Chemotherapy/Antibiotics	Antimicrobial drug characteristics, Antibiotics classification, Mechanisms of action and resistance, Antifungal and antiviral drugs
Microbial Genetics	Types of mutation, Mutagens, Selection of mutants, Bacterial genetic systems, DNA repair, Gene expression regulation, Operon model, Bacterial genome, Phage λ life cycle, RNA, Virus genomes, Microbial genomics concepts
Microbial Ecology	Microbial interactions, Carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen cycles, Soil microorganisms, Bioremediation, Uncultivable microorganisms, Metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics

Zoology Syllabus

Topics	Detailed Sub Topics
Animal Diversity	Distribution, systematics, and classification of animals; Phylogenetic relationships using classical and molecular phylogenetic tools
Evolution	Origin and history of life on earth, theories of evolution, natural selection, adaptation, and speciation
Genetics	Molecular basis of heredity, Basic Principles of inheritance, sex determination and sex-linked characteristics, cytoplasmic inheritance, linkage, genetic disorders, recombination, and mapping of genes in eukaryotes, population genetics, and roles of model organisms in understanding genetic principles
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates; roles of vitamins and minerals; replication, transcription, and translation; Krebs cycle; glycolysis; enzyme catalysis; hormones and their actions
Cell Biology	Basic principles of cellular microscopy: structure of cells, chromosomes, cytoskeletal organization, cellular organelles and their structure and function, cell cycle, cell division, and chromatin structure
Gene expression in Eukaryotes	Transposable elements, Eukaryotic genome organization and regulation of gene expression
Animal Anatomy and Physiology	Comparative physiology: the respiratory system, the muscular system, the circulatory system, the digestive system, the nervous system, the excretory system, the endocrine system, and the skeletal system
Parasitology and Immunology	The nature of parasites, host-parasite relations, protozoan and helminthic parasites, the immune response, and the cellular and humoral immune response
Development Biology	Gametogenesis, organogenesis, Embryonic development, cellular differentiation, Model organisms used in developmental biology, metamorphosis, the genetic and molecular basis of development, and stem cells
Ecology	Food chain, population dynamics, species diversity, zoogeography, biogeochemical cycles, conservation biology, and ecotoxicology
Animal Behaviour	Animal behavior types, courtship, mating, and territoriality, instinct, learning, and memory, social behavior among animal species, communication, pheromones, and animal behavior evolution

Food Technology Syllabus

Topics	Detailed Sub Topics
Food Chemistry and Nutrition	Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, Pigments, Food flavors, Enzymes, Nutrition and Chemical and biochemical changes
Food Microbiology	Characteristics of Microorganisms, Microbial Growth, Food Spoilage, Toxins from Microbes, and Fermented Foods and Beverages
Food Products Technology	Processing Principles, Food Packaging and Storage, Cereal Processing and Products, Oil Processing, Fruits and Vegetables Processing, Plantation Crops Processing and Products, Milk and Milk Products Processing, Processing of Animal Products, Waste Utilization, Food Standards, and Quality Maintenance
Food Engineering	Mass and energy balance, Momentum transfer, Heat transfer, Mass transfer, Mechanical operations, Thermal operations, and Mass transfer operations

GATE Life Science Syllabus PDF

The candidates can download the GATE Syllabus PDF for Life Science through the direct link provided below. The GATE Life Science Syllabus PDF contains the topic-wise syllabus of all the sections briefly for the ease of candidates. By knowing the GATE Life Science Syllabus, aspirants can plan and strategize their preparation journey to score the desired marks and rank in the GATE Examination 2026.

Name of Subjects	Syllabus Download Link
General Aptitude (GA)	Click Here
Chemistry (XL-P)	Click Here
Biochemistry (XL-Q)	Click Here
Botany (XL-R)	Click Here
Microbiology (XL-S)	Click Here
Zoology (XL-T)	Click Here
Food Technology (XL-U)	Click Here