The GATE score calculation is done using the actual or raw marks for papers that are conducted in a single session. However, for papers that are conducted in multiple sessions, the calculation of the score is done by following the normalization process.

For a candidate appearing for the GATE exam, it is crucial to understand the difference between actual or raw marks and the normalized marks and between GATE marks, GATE score and GATE rank.

GATE Score Calculation 2024: Marks, Score & Rank

The GATE exam is conducted to regulate the admission of students to different courses in engineering. There exists a difference between the marks, score and rank in the GATE exam.

The aspirants who are seeking admission into the colleges for pursuing M.Tech or participating in the recruitment process of the leading PSUs through the GATE result must learn the difference between GATE rank, GATE score, and GATE marks.

GATE Score

The GATE score of a candidate is calculated on the basis of the normalization process. The evaluation of the score also depends on the level of difficulty of the question paper. When the difficulty level of the papers in the GATE exam is at different levels, the normalization process is applied to derive the score of a particular candidate.

The calculation of the score is done considering the total marks as 1000. Applying the normalization formula, the final score for the papers is derived.

GATE Marks

The evaluation of the GATE marks is done by calculating the total marks obtained by the candidate by adding the individual marks scored in each question in a paper. The marks in a particular paper is evaluated out of 100.

GATE Rank

The GATE rank is obtained on the basis of the marks obtained by the candidate in the exam. The AIR or the All India Rank is awarded to a candidate based on the position of the candidate taking into consideration the total marks obtained by him/her in the exam.

Also Read: GATE Score Card 2024

GATE Normalization Formula 2024

When there are a large number of candidates opting for a particular domain, that paper is conducted in different sessions. For such papers, for example civil engineering and mechanical engineering, the GATE score of a candidate is computed through the process of normalization. The normalization of GATE score is done by the use of a formula:

M¯_ij = {( M¯_tg  - M_gq ) / ( M¯_ti  - M_iq )}( M_ij  -  M_iq )  +  M_gq

Where,

• M_ij is the marks scored by the jth candidate in the ith session. 

• M¯_tg  is the marks obtained by the top 0.1% of candidates taking into account all the sessions.

• M_qg is the summation of the standard deviation marks and the mean in the paper taking into account all the sessions.

• M¯_ti  is the marks obtained by the top 0.1% marks in the ith session.

• M_iq is the summation of the standard deviation and the mean in the ith session.

Also Read: GATE Marks vs Rank 2024: Score Calculation, Marking Scheme

GATE Score Calculation 2024

The score of the papers that are conducted in one session only are calculated by summing up the marks in the individual questions. Whereas, for the papers that are conducted in multiple sessions, the GATE score calculation is done using the normalized score and the raw or actual score.

GATE score is calculated using the below mentioned formula:

GATE Score = S_q  +  (S_t  - S_q){(M  -  M_q) / (M_t  -  M_q)}                                           

Where,

• M is the marks scored in GATE (normalized marks for multiple-session papers and actual or raw marks for single session papers).

• M_t is the mean of marks of the top 10 or top 0.1% (whichever is bigger).

• M_q  is the qualifying marks for the general category in the GATE paper of the candidates who took the GATE exam (for multiple session papers all sessions must be included).

• S_t is the score given to M_t.

• S_q is the score given to M_q.

Also Read: How To Calculate GATE Percentile 2024

GATE Percentile Calculation 2024

Percentile in the GATE exam shows the rank or the position of a candidate in the exam. GATE percentile is a metric that is derived by taking into consideration the position of the candidate with respect to the percentage of total candidates who have scored below him/her.

For example, if a candidate has scored 88 percentile, it indicates that the candidate has scored better than 88% of the total candidates who took the examination.

Here’s the formulas for GATE percentile calculation:

Percentile = { (1 - Rank) / N } * 100                          

Also Read: GATE Rank Predictor 2024: Score Calculator, Marking Scheme

GATE Score Calculation for Different Categories

The qualifying marks in the GATE exam differs across categories. This is to say that qualifying marks in a particular paper is different for the general category from the scheduled caste or scheduled tribe category or other backward classes and physically handicapped category.

• The qualifying marks in the GATE exam for a general category candidate is derived by 25 or  (mean of the marks secured by all the candidates taking the exam + standard deviation of the marks secured by all the candidates taking the exam), whichever is bigger.
• The qualifying marks in the GATE exam for an OBC candidate is 90% of the qualifying marks of the general category.
• The qualifying marks in the GATE exam for an OBC candidate is 66.67% of the qualifying marks of the general category.

Also Read: GATE 2024 Normalization Process: How Scores are Calculated?

GATE Score Calculation: Marks Distribution, Actual Marks

The GATE exam is conducted in multiple sessions for papers that are hugely opted, like, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering papers. The difficulty level of a certain paper also varies with the sessions. The process of normalization is applied to papers that have multiple sessions.

GATE Marks Distribution

The marks distribution for each paper in the GATE exam can be found in the table below:

Also Read: GATE Virtual Calculator 2024: How to Use it?

Actual Marks

There is a negative marking scheme for the wrong attempts. The marking scheme can be found below:

• For each right attempt for 1-mark questions, +1 mark is awarded to the candidate.
• For each wrong attempt for 1-mark questions, 1/3rd marks is deducted.
• For each right attempt for 2-mark questions, +2 mark is awarded to the candidate.
• For each wrong attempt for 2-mark questions, 2/3rd marks is deducted.
• For wrong attempts in Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) and Numerical Answer Type Questions (NAT), no negative marking applies.

Also Read: GATE Score Validity 2024 for IITs, NITs Admission, and PSU