Do you want to study M.A. English Literature in top IITs? Then, you should consider preparing for the GATE English Exam in advance. After qualifying the GATE exam, you can pursue your post-graduation in almost 30 subjects including, English Literature. In this blog, you can understand the nuances of taking GATE exam and the GATE paper pattern for English Literature to score excellent marks.
About GATE Exam
GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is a national examination on the comprehensive understanding of students in various undergraduate courses in Engineering, Technology, Architecture and post-graduate subjects in Arts, Commerce, and Science. Read on to know more about the GATE exam in English Literature. The GATE exam happens in online mode.
GATE Exam Syllabus and Paper Pattern
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) has become one of the most sought-after exams for postgraduate admissions and government jobs in India. While it is commonly associated with engineering disciplines, GATE also offers a specialized paper in English Literature (C2), attracting literary enthusiasts and scholars. Understanding the GATE English syllabus is crucial for effective preparation. GATE 2025 will be conducted for 30 test papers. A candidate is allowed to appear either in one or up to two test papers as per the guidelines issued.
GATE Exam Paper Pattern
The test papers will be in English. Each GATE 2025 paper is for a total of 100 marks, General Aptitude (GA) is common for all papers (15 marks), and the rest of the paper covers the respective test paper syllabus (85 marks).
GATE English exam comprises reasoning and comprehension which is of 25 marks and English Literature (optional paper) carries 60 marks.
The GATE English exam is designed to test candidates on a range of topics within English literature, including literary theory, criticism, and historical periods. The GATE English exam evaluates not only your knowledge of literature but also your analytical skills and understanding of various literary forms and theories.
Marking Scheme for GATE exam
All the questions in the GATE English Exam will carry 1 or 2 marks. There are two types of MCQs: In the TYPE 1 MCQ, you will be awarded 1 mark each for correct answer while 1/3rd mark will be deducted for every wrong answer. In TYPE 2 MCQs, you will be awarded 2 marks for every right answer and 2/3rd marks will be deducted for every incorrect answer.
GATE General Aptitude Syllabus 2025
The GATE GA Syllabus is common for all 30 papers and holds 15% weightage in the GATE question paper. You can check the chapters and topics of the GATE GA Syllabus 2025 in the given table.
The GATE GA Syllabus covers chapters like, verbal aptitude, quantitative aptitude, analytical aptitude, and spatial aptitude.
In the verbal aptitude, questions related to topics like Basic English grammar: tenses, articles, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, verb-noun agreement, and other parts of speech, basic vocabulary, reading and comprehension, and narrative sequencing are covered.
In the Quantitative Aptitude, you will get questions related to data interpretation. In the analytical aptitude, the GATE English Exam will cover questions pertaining to logical reasoning.
You will get questions related to transformation of shapes in the spatial aptitude.
GATE English Exam Syllabus 2025
The GATE English exam syllabus 2025 consists of five units including, multi-genre literature in English, Comparative Literature, Literary Criticism and Theory, History of English Literature, and research approaches and methodologies.
In the multi-genre literatures in English, you need to cover topics like poetry, novel, other forms of fiction including short story, drama, creative non-fiction, and non-fiction prose. Here, you must focus majorly on 19th and 20th centuries. Moreover, you should concentrate on comparative contextual understanding of Literature, anglophone and in English Translation, literatures from India and, extending to some degree, the larger Indian subcontinent.
Under literary criticism and theory, you should focus on critical and cultural intellectual traditions and approaches widely referred to and used in the discipline of English. In the research approaches and methodologies, just focus on interpretive techniques responsive to literary forms, genres, devices, etc.
The GATE exam syllabus is quite vast and if you want to crack this exam, you need to prepare effectively and manage your studies accordingly. You can also join the best coaching institutes for GATE exam preparations to stay ahead of your peers. Some of the best coaching institutes for GATE exam like Sahitya Classes also provide specialized notes for the GATE exam. At Sahitya Classes, you can also opt for online Google Drive Course for qualifying the GATE exam. You can also attempt mock tests prepared by the best coaching institutes for the GATE exam like Sahitya Classes to understand the GATE pattern.
So, what are you waiting for? Start your GATE exam preparations now with Sahitya Classes. Stay tuned for more such information!
