Official syllabus · 2027
GATE Physics Syllabus 2027 & Exam Pattern
GATE Physics (PH) is used for MSc/PhD admissions at IITs, IISc and research institutes, and for PSU recruitment. GATE 2027 is organised by IIT Madras.
Official GATE 2027 Physics (PH) syllabus (PDF)
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GATE Physics exam pattern & marking scheme
Conducted by IIT Madras (Organizing Institute, GATE 2027)
Mode
Computer Based Test (CBT)
Duration
3 hours
Questions
65
Total marks
100
| Section | Questions | Marks | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude (GA) | 10 | 15 marks (1 & 2 mark questions) | MCQ only: −1/3 (1-mark), −2/3 (2-mark) |
| Physics (PH) subject questions | 55 | 85 marks (1 & 2 mark questions) | MCQ only: −1/3 (1-mark), −2/3 (2-mark) |
- Question types: MCQ (one correct), MSQ (one or more correct) and NAT (numerical answer).
- No negative marking for MSQ and NAT; no partial marking in MSQ.
- Virtual scientific calculator is provided on screen.
GATE Physics detailed syllabus — topic wise
Syllabus from the official GATE 2027 Physics (PH) syllabus released by IIT Madras.
Section 1: Measurements and Error Analysis
- Units and dimensions, dimensional analysis
- least count, significant figures
- Methods of measurement and error analysis for physical quantities associated with various measurements
- 2-probe and 4-probe methods for resistance measurement
- Grounding for electrical circuits, Ground loops
- Design of DC power supply, Signal processing through lock-in amplifiers
Section 2: Mathematical Physics
- Linear vector spaces: basis, orthogonality and completeness
- matrices: similarity transformations, diagonalization, eigenvalues and eigen vectors
- linear differential equations: simple applications of first and second order linear differential equations and solutions
- complex analysis: Cauchy-Riemann conditions, Cauchy's theorem, singularities, residue theorem and applications
- Fourier analysis
- tensors: tensor transformations, covariant and contravariant tensors
Section 3: Classical Mechanics
- D'Alembert's principle, Euler-Lagrange equation, Hamilton's principle, calculus of variations
- symmetry and conservation laws
- central force motion: Kepler problem
- small oscillations: coupled oscillations and normal modes
- rigid body dynamics: inertia tensor, orthogonal transformations, Euler angles, torque free motion of a symmetric top
- Hamiltonian and Hamilton's equations of motion
- canonical transformations: Poisson bracket
- Special theory of relativity: Lorentz transformations, relativistic kinematics, mass-energy equivalence
Section 4: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
- Laws of thermodynamics
- macrostates and microstates
- phase space
- ensembles
- partition function, free energy, calculation of thermodynamic quantities
- classical and quantum statistics
- degenerate Fermi gas
- black body radiation and Planck's distribution law
- Bose-Einstein condensation
- first and second order phase transitions, phase equilibria, critical phenomena
Section 5: Electromagnetic Theory
- Solutions of electrostatic and magnetostatic problems including boundary value problems
- method of images
- separation of variables
- dielectrics and conductors
- magnetic materials
- multipole expansion
- Maxwell's equations
- scalar and vector potentials
- Coulomb and Lorentz gauges
- electromagnetic waves in free space, non-conducting and conducting media
- reflection and transmission at normal and oblique incidences
- polarization of electromagnetic waves
- Poynting vector, Poynting theorem, energy and momentum of electromagnetic waves
Section 6: Optical Physics
- Wave equation: plane and spherical waves, superposition of waves, standing waves, phase and group velocities
- Interference: spatial and temporal coherence, dielectric films, Newton’s ring, multiple-beam interference, Michelson interferometer, Fabry-Perot interferometer and etalon
- diffraction: Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction, rectangular and circular aperture, Rayleigh criterion of resolution, diffraction from double slit and many slits
- dispersion by a grating
- polarization: Jones vectors and matrices for linear, circular and elliptical polarization, birefringence, ray-transfer matrix for mirrors and lenses
- lasers: Einstein coefficients, population inversion, two and three level laser systems
Section 7: Quantum Mechanics
- Basic ideas of quantum mechanics
- uncertainty principle
- linear vectors and operators in Hilbert space
- time independent Schrodinger equation
- one dimensional potentials: step potential, finite rectangular well, tunnelling from a potential barrier, particle in 1,2,3-dimensional box, particle in single and double delta function potentials
- 1,2,3 dimensional harmonic oscillator: concept of degeneracy
- central potentials
- hydrogen-like atoms
- orbital and spin angular momenta
- addition of angular momenta
- variational method, time independent perturbation theory
- elementary scattering theory, Born approximation
Section 8: Atomic and Molecular Physics
- Spectra of one-and many-electron atoms
- spin-orbit interaction: L-S and j-j coupling schemes
- fine and hyperfine structures
- Zeeman, Paschen-Back and Stark effects
- electric dipole transitions and selection rules
- rotational and vibrational spectra of diatomic molecules
- electronic transitions in diatomic molecules, Franck-Condon principle
- Raman effect and basics of Raman spectroscopy
- NMR, ESR, X-ray and Mossbauer spectroscopies
Section 9: Solid State Physics
- Elements of crystallography
- diffraction methods for structure determination
- bonding in solids
- lattice vibrations and thermal properties of solids
- free electron theory
- band theory of solids: nearly free electron model
- metals, semiconductors and insulators
- conductivity, electron and hole statistics in intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, mobility and effective mass
- metal-semiconductor junctions
- ohmic and rectifying contacts
- dielectric properties of solids
- polarizability, ferroelectricity
- magnetic properties of solids
- dia, para, ferro, antiferro and ferri magnetism, ferromagnetic domains
- superconductivity: type-I and type II superconductors, Meissner effect, London equation, BCS theory, flux quantization
Section 10: Nuclear and Particle Physics
- Nuclear binding energy, electric and magnetic moments
- semi-empirical mass formula
- nuclear models
- liquid drop model, nuclear shell model
- nuclear force and two nucleon problem
- alpha decay, beta-decay, electromagnetic transitions in nuclei
- Rutherford scattering, nuclear reactions, conservation laws
- fission and fusion
- particle accelerators and detectors
- elementary particles
- photons, baryons, mesons and leptons
- quark model
- conservation laws, isospin symmetry, charge conjugation, parity and time-reversal invariance
Section 11: Electronics
- p-n diodes, bipolar junction transistors, field effect transistors
- negative and positive feedback circuits
- oscillators, operational amplifiers and their applications, active filters
- wave form generators: sine wave, square wave and triangular wave
- basics of digital logic circuits, combinational and sequential circuits, flip-flops, timers, counters, registers, A/D and D/A conversion