Checked 28 September 2026. Papers and keys are official (GATE download pages). The section classification, question-type counts and recurring-topic list are ours; each question’s classification is recorded in our working file.
The GATE site gives you the papers and keys but no map of what they test. We went through all 156 Philosophy questions of the 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 papers (39 a year, 60 marks), filed each under one of the four sections of the 2027 syllabus, and checked every answer against the final key. Three results stand out. Classical and Modern Western (24.5 marks a paper) and Classical Indian (19.5) together carry about 44 of the 60 marks. The 2026 paper swung hard towards Indian philosophy, with 27 marks on Section 1 alone. And there has been no numerical-answer (NAT) question in any year: the section is multiple choice (MCQ) and multiple select (MSQ) only.
Our classification of the official XH-C4 papers and final keys, 2023–2026.
Where other pages get this wrong
The Philosophy section has 39 questions (18 one-mark, 21 two-mark) worth 60 marks, arranged in four official sections. The 2026 paper had no question on Spinoza and was the most Indian-heavy of the four years.
Commonly published instead: An earlier ProSyllabus complete guide says the section has “40 technical questions” and splits it into four “pillars” that are not the official sections. An earlier paper analysis names Spinoza’s substance and Wittgenstein’s language games as the high-weightage topics of 2026.
GATE 2027 Information Brochure (paper structure); official GATE 2026 XH-C4 paper and final key. Our count: 2026 had 27 marks of Classical Indian Philosophy and no question on Spinoza or Wittgenstein.
Marks per section, 2023–2026
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Mean marks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Classical Indian | 11 / 17 | 12 / 17 | 12 / 17 | 17 / 27 | 19.5 |
| 2 Contemporary Indian | 5 / 6 | 5 / 9 | 5 / 7 | 3 / 5 | 6.75 |
| 3 Classical and Modern Western | 15 / 23 | 16 / 26 | 17 / 27 | 15 / 22 | 24.5 |
| 4 Contemporary Western | 8 / 14 | 6 / 8 | 5 / 9 | 4 / 6 | 9.25 |
Darker = more marks. Each cell is questions / marks out of the 60-mark Philosophy section.
Our classification of the official papers and final keys, against the 2027 section headings.
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Section (2027) | Mean marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 / 17 | 12 / 17 | 12 / 17 | 17 / 27 | 1 Classical Indian | 19.5 |
| 5 / 6 | 5 / 9 | 5 / 7 | 3 / 5 | 2 Contemporary Indian | 6.75 |
| 15 / 23 | 16 / 26 | 17 / 27 | 15 / 22 | 3 Classical and Modern Western | 24.5 |
| 8 / 14 | 6 / 8 | 5 / 9 | 4 / 6 | 4 Contemporary Western | 9.25 |
Questions / marks per section, our classification. Questions on Rawls, Nozick and Nussbaum are counted under Section 3, where the 2027 syllabus now places them; the one Beauvoir question (2024 Q43, 1 mark, on the Ethics of Ambiguity) stays under Section 4.
Read the table as ranges. Section 3 never fell below 22 marks and Section 1 never below 17. The two contemporary sections are smaller and less steady: Contemporary Western fell from 14 marks in 2023 to 6 in 2026, and Contemporary Indian has stayed between 5 and 9. With Section 2 rewritten for 2027, its past questions are the weakest guide of the four. A plan that gives Sections 1 and 3 about three-quarters of your Philosophy time is what four papers support.
Inside Section 3
Section 3 is five subjects in one heading, and they are not equal. Epistemology is the heaviest: Descartes, Locke, Hume and Kant on knowledge came up in every paper, and 2024 and 2025 each gave it 10 marks. Social and Political Philosophy is the one rising, from 2 marks in 2023 to 12 in 2026, and the 2027 syllabus makes it bigger still.
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Part of Section 3 | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 10 | 10 | 4 | Epistemology | 7.25 |
| 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | Social and Political | 5.5 |
| 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | Ethics | 4.0 |
| 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | Metaphysics | 4.0 |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | Logic | 3.75 |
Marks out of 60, our classification of the official papers.
From the table above. 2026 asked Marx, the aim of the state, Mill’s harm principle, Nussbaum, Rawls, Plato’s city–soul analogy and Nozick.
Question types: MCQ and MSQ only
Marks out of 60, from the official final keys. No NAT question appeared in the Philosophy section in any of the four years.
| Year | MCQ 1-mark / 2-mark | MSQ 1-mark / 2-mark | MCQ marks | MSQ marks | NAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 12 / 7 | 6 / 14 | 26 | 34 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 / 7 | 5 / 14 | 27 | 33 | 0 |
| 2025 | 15 / 7 | 3 / 14 | 29 | 31 | 0 |
| 2026 | 12 / 13 | 6 / 8 | 38 | 22 | 0 |
Counts of questions by type and mark value, from the official final keys.
Two practical points follow. First, 2026 moved marks from MSQ to MCQ: 13 two-mark MCQs against 7 in each earlier year. Only MCQs carry negative marks (−1/3 on a one-mark and −2/3 on a two-mark question), so more of the 2026 paper could cost you for a wrong guess. Second, an MSQ can have only one correct option. The keys prove it: 2023 Q52 and Q58 and 2024 Q42, Q44 and Q57 each had a single correct answer. If you tick two options on an MSQ because you assume “multiple” means “at least two”, you lose the marks.
| Question | Type | Correct options in the key | Topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Q52 | MSQ, 2 marks | 1 | Descartes: the evil genius |
| 2023 Q58 | MSQ, 2 marks | 1 | Harding: standpoint epistemology |
| 2024 Q42 | MSQ, 1 mark | 1 | Wittgenstein: picture theory |
| 2024 Q44 | MSQ, 1 mark | 1 | Square of opposition: sub-contraries |
| 2024 Q57 | MSQ, 2 marks | 1 | Aurobindo: the power of Saccidānanda |
Official final keys. Our reading: an MSQ is marked correct only if you choose exactly the keyed options.
Topics that keep coming back
These are the topics asked in at least three of the four papers, with question numbers so you can go straight to them in the official PDFs.
| Topic | Section | Where asked |
|---|---|---|
| Descartes (method of doubt, innate ideas, scepticism) | 3 | 2023 Q52; 2024 Q62; 2025 Q60; 2026 Q36 |
| Hume (impressions and ideas, induction, causation) | 3 | 2023 Q44; 2024 Q63; 2025 Q62; 2026 Q34 |
| Kant (synthetic a priori, analytic/synthetic, good will, existence not a predicate) | 3 | 2023 Q53, Q64; 2024 Q64; 2025 Q63; 2026 Q28, Q37 |
| Plato (participation, Republic, knowledge) | 3 | 2023 Q38, Q51; 2024 Q37; 2025 Q59; 2026 Q57 |
| Aristotle (causes, substance, categories, virtue) | 3 | 2023 Q43, Q54; 2024 Q35, Q50; 2025 Q36 |
| Locke (qualities, real essences) | 3 | 2024 Q48; 2025 Q61; 2026 Q53 |
| Marx (fetishism, dialectic, alienation) | 3 | 2023 Q34; 2025 Q53; 2026 Q27 |
| Nyāya (hetvābhāsa, anumāna, prameyas) | 1 | 2023 Q48; 2024 Q31; 2025 Q33; 2026 Q38, Q41, Q61 |
| Sānkhya (evolutes, guṇas, proofs of puruṣa) | 1 | 2023 Q27; 2024 Q56; 2025 Q34; 2026 Q51, Q59 |
| Buddhism (schools, two truths, apoha) | 1 | 2023 Q55; 2024 Q54; 2025 Q57; 2026 Q46, Q48 |
| Jainism (astikāyas, pudgala, vows, anekāntavāda) | 1 | 2023 Q46; 2024 Q30; 2025 Q32; 2026 Q29 |
| Advaita (jīva and Brahman, Īśvara, six pramāṇas) | 1 | 2023 Q56; 2024 Q29; 2025 Q30; 2026 Q33 |
| Ambedkar | 2 | 2023 Q40; 2024 Q58; 2025 Q51; 2026 Q62 |
| Wittgenstein (family resemblance, picture theory, private language) | 4 | 2023 Q63; 2024 Q42; 2025 Q58 |
| Sartre (bad faith, freedom, existence precedes essence) | 4 | 2023 Q65; 2025 Q37; 2026 Q35 |
Question numbers as printed in the official papers; the Philosophy block is Q27–Q65 every year. Our classification.
Notice where the repeats are. In Section 3 they are the classic modern epistemologists and the Greeks, the core of any undergraduate course. In Section 1 they are the big systems, Nyāya, Sānkhya, Buddhism, Jainism and Advaita, each asked every year. Ambedkar was asked every year too, but two of those four questions (2024 Q58 on the Dhamma and 2026 Q62 on Annihilation of Caste) are on topics the 2027 syllabus drops, and a third (2025 Q51, his critique of Gandhism) is named in neither syllabus. Our Indian philosophy guide takes Sections 1 and 2 school by school.
The official papers and keys
For 2023 the whole XH paper (General Aptitude, Reasoning and all six optional sections) is in one PDF, so search it for “XH-C4” and keep only those pages; the Philosophy block is numbered Q27–Q65. For 2024–2026 there is a separate Philosophy file. The 2024 and 2025 files are served from IIT Guwahati’s GATE 2026 site.
| Year | Question paper | Final key | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | XH-C4.pdf | XHC4_Keys.pdf | The most MCQ-heavy paper (38 of 60 marks) |
| 2025 | XH-C4-2025.pdf | XHC4_Keys.pdf | 18 of 22 MCQs keyed A in the posted paper (10 of 20 in 2024, 10 of 19 in 2023) |
| 2024 | XHC424S3.pdf | XH-C4FinalAnswerKey.pdf | Three single-answer MSQs (Q42, Q44, Q57) |
| 2023 | xh_2023.pdf (all XH sections) | XH_ANS_GATE2023.pdf | Philosophy from Q27 |
| 2022 | xh_2022.pdf (all XH sections) | xh_2022.pdf (keys folder) | Not in our weightage count |
Official GATE download pages. The links are in the sources below.
Use the papers in order of difficulty for you, but write 2026 last, closest to the exam, because it best shows the current setters. When you mark a paper, also mark each question against the 2027 syllabus: our syllabus-changes guide lists the ten questions whose topics are now dropped. A wrong answer there is worth understanding but not worth a day of revision.
Five official Philosophy papers: your practice tracker
Tick a paper once you have written it in three hours with a timer (all 65 questions, including General Aptitude and Reasoning) and marked it against the final key.
0 of 9 done
Ticks are saved only in this browser on this device.
Practise it, don't just read it
Descartes, Hume, Kant and Aristotle are in almost every paper. Our library’s Descartes and Rationalism, Kant’s Categorical Imperative and Aristotle’s Four Causes quizzes cover three of the four.
The ProSyllabus GATE Philosophy library has ten topic quizzes today: Aristotle’s Four Causes Fundamentals, Nyaya Means of Knowledge Fundamentals, Classical Indian Schools: Samkhya and Vedanta, Descartes and Rationalism, Kant’s Categorical Imperative, Rawls’ Original Position Advanced Challenge, and practice quizzes on Ethics, Logic, Social and Political Philosophy and Contemporary Western Philosophy. There is no Contemporary Indian quiz yet; for that section work from the official papers.
Which section has the most weightage in GATE Philosophy?
Classical and Modern Western Philosophy, with an average of 24.5 of the 60 section marks in 2023–2026 by our count, followed by Classical Indian Philosophy (19.5), Contemporary Western (9.25) and Contemporary Indian (6.75).
Is there NAT in GATE Philosophy?
Not so far. From 2023 to 2026 every Philosophy question was an MCQ or an MSQ. NAT is allowed by the brochure, so it cannot be ruled out for 2027.
Is there negative marking in GATE Philosophy?
Only on MCQs: −1/3 on a one-mark and −2/3 on a two-mark question. MSQs carry no negative marks. MCQs carried 26 to 38 of the 60 marks a year.
Can an MSQ in GATE Philosophy have only one correct answer?
Yes. The final keys show single-answer MSQs in 2023 (Q52, Q58) and 2024 (Q42, Q44, Q57). You must choose exactly the correct options.
Where can I download GATE XH-C4 previous year papers?
From the GATE 2027 download page (IIT Madras) and the GATE 2026 site (IIT Guwahati). 2024–2026 have separate Philosophy files; 2022 and 2023 have all XH sections in one PDF.
Which topics repeat in GATE Philosophy?
Descartes, Hume, Kant, Nyāya, Sānkhya, Buddhism, Jainism, Advaita and Ambedkar were asked every year from 2023 to 2026. Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Marx, Wittgenstein and Sartre each appeared in three of the four papers.
More in this series
- GATE Philosophy 2027 syllabus: what changed in XH4
- GATE Philosophy marks vs score vs rank + calculator
- IIT Madras M.A. and IIT PhD routes with GATE Philosophy
- GATE Philosophy vs UGC-NET Philosophy
- GATE Philosophy: Indian philosophy school by school
- GATE XH0 Reasoning and Comprehension: the compulsory 25 marks
- GATE Philosophy notice board — official updates
- GATE Philosophy: the complete guide
- GATE Philosophy paper analysis
- GATE Philosophy cut-off, rank and universities
Sources
- official — GATE 2027 — Downloads (previous papers and keys)
- official — GATE 2026 XH-C4 question paper (PDF)
- official — GATE 2026 XH-C4 final answer key (PDF)
- official — GATE 2025 XH-C4 question paper (PDF, IIT Guwahati mirror)
- official — GATE 2025 XH-C4 final answer key (PDF, IIT Guwahati mirror)
- official — GATE 2024 XH-C4 question paper (PDF, IIT Guwahati mirror)
- official — GATE 2024 XH-C4 final answer key (PDF, IIT Guwahati mirror)
- official — GATE 2023 XH question paper, all sections in one file (PDF)
- official — GATE 2023 XH final answer key, all sections (PDF)
- official — GATE 2022 XH question paper, all sections in one file (PDF)
- official — GATE 2022 XH answer key, all sections (PDF)
- official — GATE 2027 XH4 Philosophy syllabus (PDF)
- official — GATE 2027 Information Brochure, IIT Madras (revised 27 Sep 2026)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
