GATE Syllabus for General Aptitude
GATE General Aptitude Syllabus 2020: For GATE 2020 General Aptitude Syllabus, candidates can check out this page. The syllabus for General Aptitude section is similar in all the subjects. The section is divided into Verbal Ability and Numerical Ability. There are general topics under both parts. A total of 10 questions will be asked in this section. Candidates can further check all the details regarding the exam pattern, marking scheme and syllabus of GA. Candidates must go through this article carefully.
GATE General Aptitude Syllabus
The syllabus for General Aptitude is common in all the subject papers of GATE 2020. The number of questions asked in this section is 10. The rest of the 55 questions are based on the subject in question. This section is divided into two – Verbal Ability and Numerical Ability. The syllabus for both the parts is given below.
Verbal Ability: English grammar, sentence completion, verbal analogies, word groups, instructions, critical reasoning and verbal deduction.
Numerical Ability: Numerical computation, numerical estimation, numerical reasoning and data interpretation.
GATE 2020 General Aptitude Exam Pattern
Candidates must go through the exam pattern and marking scheme of the GATE 2020. This will help the students in preparing accordingly for the exam. It will give you a fair idea about the pattern of the exam, the marks distribution and what type of questions will be asked in the exam. Candidates can have a look at the exam pattern and marking scheme below.
| Section | Distribution of Marks | Total Marks | Types of questions |
| GA | 5 questions of 1 mark each 5 questions of 2 marks each | 15 marks | MCQs |
- Exam mode – GATE 2020 is a Computer Based Test (CBT) which will be conducted online.
- Duration – 3 hours
- Types of Question – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Numerical Type Answer (NTA)
- Total Questions – 65 questions
- Total Marks – 100 marks
- Negative Marking – For MCQs only
- Name/No of Section – 3 sections/ General Aptitude, Mathematics and Subject-based
Marking scheme
| Type of question | Negative marking for wrong answer | Marking for correct answer |
| MCQs | ⅓ for 1 mark questions ⅔ for 2 marks questions | 1 or 2 marks |
How To Prepare For the GATE 2020 General Aptitude Section
The General Aptitude section can be very scoring if you prepare smartly. The section is divided into Verbal & Numerical Ability.
It carries a total of 15 marks and is the same in all the papers. The section will include 5 questions of 1 mark each and 5 questions of 2 marks each.
This section tests your aptitude which cannot be gained overnight. You will have to practice for this section sincerely.
Most students underestimate the General Aptitude section that causes them to lose easy and crucial 15 marks. It’s better to be prepared than being sorry. Candidates can read below for the tips that must be followed during your preparation for this section.
- Numerical Ability is just basic maths. If your hold on maths is good then you can score easily. Even if you are not good at maths, you can still ace it through a lot of practice. Verbal Ability tests your hold on the English language. You can ace VA with good grammar practice and reading habit.
- The section challenges your aptitude which cannot be gained overnight. This is why it is necessary for you to practice for this section daily. If you practice daily for a couple of months, then you will solve questions in no time.
- Practice at least 10 questions of different topics and different difficulty levels every day.
- The trick behind this section is to focus more on understanding the topic instead of just mugging up. If your basics are clear then you will be able to answer even the most twisted questions. All you need is a focused mind and concept clarity.
- While solving a question, visualize the problem. It will help you reach the solution faster. Sometimes the answer is pretty obvious but we are too engrossed in calculating that we tend to oversee it.
- Speed is really important in the exam. So it would be really beneficial for you if you do quick calculations. You can practice it by taking up random numbers and doing a variety of calculations in your mind. It will sharpen your mind and increase your speed noticeably.
- At the end, just practice as much as you can. Practice is the only mantra to crack any competitive exam.
Books for the General Aptitude Section
| Title of the book | Name of the Author/ Publication | Link to buy |
| GATE 2020 – Guide – General Aptitude | GKP | LINK |
| GATE General Aptitude and Engineering Mathematics | Pearson | LINK |
| Objective English | Hari Mohan Prasad | LINK |
| A Modern Approach to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning | R.S. Aggarwal | LINK |
GATE General Aptitude Syllabus FAQs
Q1. Is it possible to score full marks in General Aptitude of the GATE examination if I prepare for 10 days with average knowledge of the English language?
Ans. If you have enough idea about the general aptitude then you can score full marks. You just have to focus more on improving your English. For that, you can solve questions related to Verbal ability from the past years’ question papers.
Q2. What are the best books for preparing the General Aptitude section?
Ans. You can check the books we have mentioned above. Note that you should focus on studying only 1-2 books. Don’t study from a lot of material, or you will get confused.
Q3. Are the topics in the syllabus enough to prepare from?
Ans. Yes. You don’t have to study any topic out of the syllabus. Questions will come from these topics only.