Previous-year papers show how GATE Mechanical Engineering mixes mechanics, thermal science, manufacturing and mathematics in one sitting. Below: the current ME pattern, where official papers and keys are published, how to use them by section, and 12 original practice questions with full solutions. For structured practice across all four ME section groups, see the Myndaq GATE ME course.
The GATE ME paper pattern
As published by IIT Madras (pattern page and brochure), read on 16 September 2026:
- 65 questions, 100 marks, 3 hours - computer-based, in a forenoon (9:30 AM to 12:30 PM) or afternoon (2:30 PM to 5:30 PM) session
- General Aptitude - 10 questions for 15 marks
- Subject component - 55 questions for 85 marks; in the ME paper, Engineering Mathematics carries 13 of those 85 marks
- Question types - 1- or 2-mark MCQ (four options, one correct), MSQ (four options, one or more correct) and NAT (a signed real number typed on the on-screen numeric keypad)
- Marking - a wrong 1-mark MCQ loses 1/3 mark and a wrong 2-mark MCQ loses 2/3; MSQ and NAT carry no negative marks, and an MSQ earns nothing for a partly correct choice
- Calculator - only the on-screen virtual calculator
The attempt-or-skip arithmetic is in the GATE exam pattern and marking scheme guide, and keypad habits are in NAT and virtual calculator strategy.
Where the official ME papers and answer keys are published
- Official GATE Downloads page - year-wise Mechanical Engineering question papers with ME answer keys for 2021 to 2026, plus a bulk download of GATE question papers from 2007 to 2026.
- GATE 2026 page at IIT Guwahati - lists Mechanical Engineering as a single paper with its master question paper and key; the key follows the master paper's question order, not the on-screen order.
This page reproduces no official question. Two cautions:
- Check old questions against the current syllabus. IIT Madras has published revised syllabi; the current ME syllabus PDF lists, for example, PID controllers under Vibrations and a separate Additive Manufacturing topic. The GATE ME syllabus guide walks through the official PDF.
- Treat the official key as the reference over any unofficial solution.
How to use ME previous-year questions, section by section
Work in two passes: untimed by section until your method is reliable, then full three-hour papers, logging every lost mark by section, question type and cause.
- Engineering Mathematics - worth 13 marks; drill eigenvalues, distributions and numerical integration to under two minutes each.
- Applied Mechanics and Design - draw the free-body diagram or Mohr's circle before any formula, and fix one sign convention.
- Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences - sketch the cycle or temperature profile first to avoid a wrong state point.
- Materials, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering - keep definition cards and redo the numericals (tool life, inventory, fits) on paper.
The GATE score calculator and how marks become a GATE score help you read your results.
Original practice questions in the GATE ME style
The 12 questions below are original practice questions written by Myndaq in the official GATE style, not official past-paper questions.
Q1 - Engineering Mathematics, NAT, 1 mark
A is the 2 × 2 matrix with rows (2, 1) and (1, 2). The sum of the eigenvalues of A³ is ____.
Answer: 28. A has eigenvalues 1 and 3 (trace 4, determinant 3), so A³ has eigenvalues 1 and 27, summing to 28.
Q2 - Engineering Mathematics, MCQ, 2 marks
Surface defects per sheet follow a Poisson distribution with mean 2. The probability that a sheet has at most one defect is closest to:
- (A) 0.135
- (B) 0.271
- (C) 0.406
- (D) 0.594
Answer: (C). P(0) + P(1) = e⁻² + 2e⁻² = 3e⁻² = 3 × 0.1353 = 0.406.
Q3 - Applied Mechanics and Design, NAT, 1 mark
A solid circular shaft of diameter 40 mm carries a torque of 1 kN·m. The maximum shear stress in the shaft, in MPa, rounded off to two decimal places, is ____.
Answer: 79.58. τ = 16T/(πd³) = 16 × 10⁶ N·mm/(π × 40³ mm³) = 16 × 10⁶/201,062 = 79.58 MPa.
Q4 - Applied Mechanics and Design, MSQ, 2 marks
At a point in plane stress, σx = 80 MPa, σy = 20 MPa and τxy = 40 MPa. Which are correct?
- (A) The major principal stress is 100 MPa
- (B) The minor principal stress is zero
- (C) The maximum in-plane shear stress is 40 MPa
- (D) The normal stress on the planes of maximum in-plane shear stress is 50 MPa
Answer: (A), (B) and (D). Mohr's circle has centre (80 + 20)/2 = 50 MPa and radius √(30² + 40²) = 50 MPa. The principal stresses are 50 ± 50, that is 100 MPa and 0. The maximum in-plane shear stress is the radius, 50 MPa, so (C) is false; the normal stress on those planes is the centre, 50 MPa.
Q5 - Applied Mechanics and Design, NAT, 2 marks
A single-degree-of-freedom system has mass 10 kg, spring stiffness 4000 N/m and viscous damping coefficient 40 N·s/m. The logarithmic decrement, rounded off to two decimal places, is ____.
Answer: 0.63. The critical damping coefficient is 2√(km) = 2√40,000 = 400 N·s/m, so ζ = 40/400 = 0.1. The logarithmic decrement is 2πζ/√(1 − ζ²) = 0.6283/0.99499 = 0.6315, or 0.63.
Q6 - Applied Mechanics and Design, MCQ, 1 mark
In a compound train of external spur gears, gear A (20 teeth) drives gear B (60 teeth). Gear C (25 teeth) is fixed on the same shaft as B and drives gear D (75 teeth). If A turns at 900 rpm, gear D turns at:
- (A) 100 rpm in the same direction as A
- (B) 100 rpm in the opposite direction to A
- (C) 300 rpm in the same direction as A
- (D) 8100 rpm in the opposite direction to A
Answer: (A). D turns at 900 × (20/60) × (25/75) = 100 rpm. Each of the two external meshes reverses direction, so D turns the same way as A.
Q7 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, NAT, 2 marks
Water (density 1000 kg/m³) flows through a horizontal pipe that narrows from 200 mm to 100 mm diameter. The velocity in the wider section is 1.5 m/s. Ignoring losses, the pressure drop between the two sections, in kPa, rounded off to one decimal place, is ____.
Answer: 16.9. By continuity, V₂ = 1.5 × (200/100)² = 6 m/s. By Bernoulli's equation, p₁ − p₂ = (ρ/2)(V₂² − V₁²) = 500 × (36 − 2.25) = 16,875 Pa, or 16.9 kPa.
Q8 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, MSQ, 2 marks
A composite wall of area 10 m² has layer 1 (thickness 0.2 m, k = 0.8 W/m·K) and layer 2 (thickness 0.05 m, k = 0.2 W/m·K) in series. The outer face of layer 1 is at 80 °C and the outer face of layer 2 is at 30 °C. In steady one-dimensional conduction, which are correct?
- (A) The heat flow is 1000 W
- (B) The total thermal resistance is 0.05 K/W
- (C) The interface temperature is 55 °C
- (D) The temperature drop across layer 2 is larger than across layer 1
Answer: (A), (B) and (C). R₁ = 0.2/(0.8 × 10) = 0.025 K/W and R₂ = 0.05/(0.2 × 10) = 0.025 K/W, so the total is 0.05 K/W and Q = 50/0.05 = 1000 W. The drop across layer 1 is 1000 × 0.025 = 25 K, giving 55 °C at the interface. Both drops are 25 K, so (D) is false.
Q9 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences, MCQ, 2 marks
An air-standard Otto cycle has a compression ratio of 8. Taking γ = 1.4, its thermal efficiency is closest to:
- (A) 43.5%
- (B) 52.3%
- (C) 56.5%
- (D) 60.2%
Answer: (C). η = 1 − 1/r^(γ − 1) = 1 − 1/8^0.4 = 1 − 1/2.2974 = 0.5647, or 56.5%.
Q10 - Materials, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering, NAT, 2 marks
A tool follows Taylor's tool life equation VTⁿ = C with n = 0.25 and C = 200 (V in m/min, T in min). When the cutting speed rises from 100 m/min to 125 m/min, the percentage reduction in tool life, rounded off to one decimal place, is ____.
Answer: 59.0. T = (C/V)^(1/n) = (C/V)⁴. At 100 m/min, T = 2⁴ = 16 min; at 125 m/min, T = 1.6⁴ = 6.5536 min. The reduction is (16 − 6.5536)/16 = 0.5904, or 59.0%.
Q11 - Materials, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering, MSQ, 2 marks
An item has annual demand 10,000 units, ordering cost ₹200 per order and holding cost ₹16 per unit per year. Under the basic EOQ model, which are correct?
- (A) The economic order quantity is 500 units
- (B) 20 orders are placed per year
- (C) The annual holding cost at EOQ is ₹8,000
- (D) At EOQ, the annual ordering cost equals the annual holding cost
Answer: (A), (B) and (D). EOQ = √(2 × 10,000 × 200/16) = √250,000 = 500 units, so there are 10,000/500 = 20 orders. Ordering cost is 20 × 200 = ₹4,000 and holding cost is (500/2) × 16 = ₹4,000. (C) doubles the true holding cost.
Q12 - Materials, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering, MCQ, 1 mark
A hole is specified as 25.000 mm to 25.021 mm and its mating shaft as 24.980 mm to 24.993 mm. The assembly is:
- (A) a clearance fit with maximum clearance 0.041 mm
- (B) a clearance fit with maximum clearance 0.028 mm
- (C) a transition fit
- (D) an interference fit with maximum interference 0.007 mm
Answer: (A). The smallest hole (25.000) exceeds the largest shaft (24.993), so every pair has clearance. Maximum clearance is 25.021 − 24.980 = 0.041 mm; minimum is 0.007 mm.
Quick answers
Where can I download GATE ME previous year papers officially?
From the official GATE Downloads page: year-wise ME papers and keys for 2021 to 2026, and a bulk download covering 2007 to 2026.
How many marks does Engineering Mathematics carry in GATE ME?
13 of the 85 subject marks, according to the official pattern page and brochure. General Aptitude carries another 15.
Is there negative marking on MSQ and NAT questions?
No. Only wrong MCQ answers lose marks: 1/3 for a 1-mark MCQ and 2/3 for a 2-mark MCQ. An MSQ gives no partial marks.
