GATE 2026 Physics (PH) Paper Analysis: Difficulty, Weightage & Cutoffs

Comprehensive Review of PH 2026, Subject-wise Marks Distribution, and Expected IIT/NIT Admission Scores.

Updated: 4 months ago

Categories: GATE 2026, Paper Analysis, Physics.

Tags: GATE 2026 Physics Analysis, PH Paper Review, GATE Physics Expected Cutoff

GATE 2026 Physics (PH) Detailed Paper Analysis

Exam Date: February 7, 2026 | Conducting Body: IIT Guwahati

Overall Difficulty & Pattern

The GATE 2026 PH paper was rated Moderate to Difficult. The paper followed the standard 65-question format. Students observed that the MSQ section in Solid State Physics and Electronics was conceptually demanding, while the NAT section in Thermodynamics involved multi-step calculations.

Technical: 72 Marks

Aptitude: 15 Marks

Maths: 13 Marks

Subject-Wise Marks Weightage

Subject Domain	Approx. Marks	High-Yield Topics (2026)
Mathematical Physics	10-12 Marks	Complex Analysis, Matrices, Differential Equations.
Quantum Mechanics	12-14 Marks	1D Box, Harmonic Oscillator, Perturbation Theory.
Electromagnetic Theory	10-12 Marks	Maxwell’s Equations, Waveguides, Boundary Conditions.
Classical Mechanics	8-10 Marks	Lagrangian & Hamiltonian, Central Forces.
Thermodynamics & Statistical	8-10 Marks	Partition Function, Phase Transitions, Carnot Cycle.
Solid State & Electronics	12-15 Marks	Crystal Structures, Op-Amps, Logic Gates.

Expected Qualifying Cutoff 2026

The qualifying marks are expected to remain within the typical range for Physics, which usually sees a slightly higher cutoff compared to engineering branches.