This article will focus on the GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis for EC, AR, DA – Check Topic Wise Detailed Analysis. Since the last day of the GATE 2026 exam has already passed, this page provides a thorough analysis of the February 15 paper. For several engineering and science streams, including EC, AR, DA, and general aptitude, the GATE 2026 exam will be held in two sessions: the forenoon (9:30 AM TO 12:30 PM) and the afternoon (2:30 PM TO 5:30 PM). The exam analysis, which includes the exam’s difficulty level and trend, may be found in this article. Important subjects and memory-based questions are also included here. For both students who took the exam this year and those who intend to take it next year, it will be beneficial.
Also learn: GATE CSE Score vs Marks vs Rank 2026
GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis for EC, AR, DA – Check Topic Wise Detailed Analysis
Finally, the last day of the GATE 2026 exam has also concluded today, 15th Feb 2026. The exam was conducted in 2 shifts covering 3 branch subjects. The overall analysis was at a moderate to difficult level. Our team at vistamind has spoken to students from both shifts and has concluded the analysis in this page. Let’s read the article to understand better.
GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis – Overview
GATE 2026 exam for the subjects EC (Electronics and Communication Engineering), AR (Architecture and Planning), and DA (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence) has been scheduled for 15 February 2026. Exams for EC were held in the morning session, while AR and DA were in the afternoon session. All subjects had 100 questions. The General Aptitude (15 marks) section was present for all subjects. The exam was conducted in the same format as all the previous GATE exams. The GATE 2026 exam was conducted in different exam centres for slot 1 and slot 2. For the GATE 2026 AR exam, the General Aptitude section had the same number and pattern of questions as all other previous exams. All the questions were in MCQ, MSQ and NAT format. The previous years’ EC exam questions were of the same level and pattern. This is how good and well-prepared candidates are able to solve all questions in the given time and are able to do the exam easily.
| Shift | Time | Paper | Sections | Total Marks | Question Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot 1 | 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM | EC | GA + Engineering Mathematics + Core | 100 | MCQ, MSQ, NAT |
| Slot 2 | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM | AR | GA + Core | 100 | MCQ, MSQ, NAT |
| Slot 2 | 2:30 PM – 5:30 PM | DA | GA + Mathematics + Core | 100 | MCQ, MSQ, NAT |
GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis – Overall Difficulty level
There are students who are saying the questions in the exams were of a difficult level while some experts are saying the questions were of a not of an easy level but were of a moderate level. The level of difficulty is determined by the core subjects of the exam. The level of difficulty of the General Aptitude section is not as difficult as the core subjects and this is true for all three subjects. For the EC exam, the core subjects were a bit difficult and this is true for all subjects in the GATE exams. However, for the AR exam, the questions and the core subjects were of the same difficulty level. For the DA exam, the core subjects and the core subjects were difficult and this was due to the fact that the students were not able to easily solve the questions that were not difficult. Students were challenged to computation and analytical and this is true for programming and probability. The level of difficulty is determined by how well students are able to manage their time. Time management was one of the keys in the level of difficulty in the exam.
| Paper | Overall Difficulty | General Aptitude | Core Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| EC | Moderate to Moderately Difficult | Easy–Moderate | Moderate–Challenging |
| AR | Moderate | Easy | Moderate |
| DA | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis – Subject Wise Difficulty level
In the above section, we have seen the overall difficulty level, and now let’s focus on the subject wise difficulty level, it will help in better understanding of which subject with what percentage of weightages comes with what difficulty. This will help the students in future to plan accordingly.
GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis – Electronics & Communication (EC)
After the examination is over, the vistamind team has spoken to the students belonging to Electronics & Communication branch, and based on the feedback, the general aptitude section was easy to moderated, however, the main core section was very challenging, as the Networks Theory which holds 10 to 12% weightage was at moderate level, the Communication Systems, which holds 12 to 14% of weightage, it was at difficult level, for all topics, check the table below.
| Topic | Approx Weightage | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | 15% | Easy–Moderate |
| Engineering Mathematics | 13% | Moderate |
| Networks Theory | 10–12% | Moderate |
| Analog Electronics | 8–10% | Moderate |
| Digital Electronics | 8–10% | Moderate |
| Signals & Systems | 7–10% | Moderate |
| Communication Systems | 12–14% | Moderate–Difficult |
| Control Systems | 5–7% | Moderate |
| EM Theory | 8–10% | Moderate–Difficult |
| Electronic Devices | 6–8% | Moderate |
GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis – Architecture & Planning (AR)
After the examination is over, the vistamind team has spoken to the students belonging to Architecture & Planning branch, and based on the feedback, the general aptitude section was easy, however, the main core section was at moderate level, as the Planning topic which holds 20 to 25% weightage was at moderate level, the Building Construction, which holds 15 to 20% of weightage, it was at moderate to difficult level, for all topics, check the table below.
| Section | Weightage | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | 15% | Easy |
| Planning | 20–25% | Moderate |
| Building Construction | 15–20% | Moderate |
| Structures | 15–20% | Moderate–Difficult |
| Architectural Theory | 5–10% | Moderate |
| History of Architecture | 5–10% | Easy–Moderate |
| Environmental Planning | 10–15% | Moderate |
| Graphics & Visualization | 10–15% | Moderate |
GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis – Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA)
After the examination is over, the vistamind team has spoken to the students belonging to Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, and based on the feedback, the general aptitude section was easy, however, the main core section was at moderate level, as the Probability & Statistics topic which holds 15 to 18% weightage was at moderate to difficult level, the Programming & DSA, which holds 18 to 22% of weightage, it was at moderate to difficult level, for all topics, check the table below.
| Topic | Weightage | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | 15 | Moderate |
| Probability & Statistics | 15–18 | Moderate–Difficult |
| Linear Algebra | 10 | Moderate |
| Programming & DSA | 18–22 | Moderate |
| Machine Learning | 10–12 | Moderate |
| AI Fundamentals | 8–10 | Moderate |
| Calculus & Optimization | 6–8 | Moderate |
| DBMS | 6–8 | Easy–Moderate |
FAQs on the GATE 2026 Feb 15 Slot 1, 2 Analysis for EC, AR, DA
Which papers are scheduled for the February 15 Forenoon Session (Shift 1)?
The forenoon session (9:30 AM to 12:30 PM) is when the Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) paper is scheduled.
Which papers are scheduled for the Second Shift Afternoon Session?
The afternoon session (2:30 PM to 5:30 PM) is when the Architecture and Planning (AR) and Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) papers are scheduled to be presented.
Where can I locate the GATE 2026 paper analysis?
After every shift, a thorough paper analysis with weighting and difficulty level will be posted on the Vistamind article site.
