100+ Free GATE MN Practice Questions
Pass your Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering — Mining Engineering exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.
A 100-tonne payload rear-dump truck travelling at 30 km/h has a cycle of load (5 min), haul (10 min), dump (1 min), and return (8 min). What is its theoretical productivity in tonnes/hour (one truck, no losses)?
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Key Facts: GATE MN Exam
65 questions / 100 marks
GATE MN 2026 paper structure
GATE 2026 Information Brochure (IIT Guwahati)
3 hours
Total exam time, single CBT session
gate2026.iitg.ac.in
INR 1000 / 500
GATE 2026 application fee (regular: General-OBC / SC-ST-PwD-Women)
GATE 2026 Information Brochure
MCQ +1/3 negative, MSQ no negative, NAT no negative
GATE 2026 marking scheme
GATE 2026 Information Brochure
100
Free practice questions here
OpenExamPrep
GATE MN is a 3-hour, 65-question, 100-mark computer-based exam with General Aptitude (15 marks), Engineering Mathematics (~13 marks), and Mining Engineering subject (~72 marks). Mix of MCQ (1/3 negative), MSQ (no negative, no partial credit), and NAT (no negative). Conducted by IIT Guwahati for GATE 2026.
Sample GATE MN Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your GATE MN exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A train leaves Station A at 10:00 AM travelling at 60 km/h and another leaves Station B at 11:00 AM travelling at 90 km/h toward A. If A and B are 330 km apart, at what time do they meet?
2Select the word that is closest in meaning to ‘meticulous’.
3If 2x + 3y = 12 and 3x + 2y = 13, then the value of x + y is:
4A bar chart shows 30, 45, 60, and 65 units sold in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 respectively. What is the percentage growth from Q1 to Q4?
5Choose the option that best completes the sentence: ‘Despite the inclement weather, the open-pit operations ______ on schedule.’
6Two persons P and Q start a job together. P alone can finish in 12 days, Q alone in 18 days. How many days will it take them working together?
7The next term in the sequence 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, __ is:
8All engineers are problem solvers. Some problem solvers are creative. Which conclusion necessarily follows?
9A coin is tossed 4 times. What is the probability of getting exactly two heads?
10In a code, MINE is written as NJOF. How is COAL written?
About the GATE MN Exam
GATE Mining Engineering (MN) is one of the engineering papers in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, jointly conducted by IISc Bangalore and seven IITs. For GATE 2026 the organising institute is IIT Guwahati. The MN paper tests Mining Engineering knowledge across mine development and surveying, geomechanics, mining methods and machinery, ventilation and hazards, and mineral economics/planning, plus engineering mathematics and general aptitude common to all papers. The score is used for admission to M.Tech/MS/PhD programmes at IITs, IISc, NITs, and other institutes, and for recruitment by major mining-sector PSUs such as Coal India, NMDC, NLC India, SCCL, HCL, and others.
Questions
100 scored questions
Time Limit
180 minutes (3 hours)
Passing Score
No fixed pass; IITs/IISc and PSUs set their own marks/score cut-offs
Exam Fee
INR 1000 (General/OBC); INR 500 (SC/ST/PwD/Women) (IIT Guwahati (GATE 2026 organising institute) on behalf of IIT/IISc consortium and MoE)
GATE MN Exam Content Outline
General Aptitude (GA)
Verbal aptitude (grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension), quantitative aptitude (numerical computation, data interpretation), analytical aptitude (logical reasoning), and spatial aptitude. Common to all GATE papers.
Engineering Mathematics
Linear algebra (matrices, determinants, eigenvalues), calculus (limits, continuity, differentiation, integration), vector calculus, differential equations, probability and statistics, numerical methods (root finding, integration), transform methods (Laplace).
Mine Development and Surveying
Mineral exploration (geophysical, geochemical, drilling), sampling methods, reserve estimation (polygons, sections, geostatistics, UNFC), shaft sinking (conventional, freezing, pilot-and-widen), drifting and tunnelling (drill-and-blast, opening cuts), surface and underground surveying, traversing, EDM, gyro-theodolite, shaft correlation.
Geomechanics and Ground Control
Rock mechanics (UCS, tensile, shear strength, Mohr-Coulomb, Hoek-Brown), in-situ stress (Sheorey's equation, hydrofracturing), rock-mass classification (RMR, Q, GSI), pillar design (tributary area, Bieniawski formulae), subsidence (angle of draw, influence functions), support design (rock bolts, shotcrete, steel sets, yielding supports).
Mining Methods and Machinery
Surface mining (open-cast coal, shovel-dumper, dragline, surface miner, stripping ratio, bench design, cast blasting), underground mining (bord-and-pillar, longwall, LTCC, cut-and-fill, sublevel stoping, block caving), transportation (belt conveyors, rail, ropeways, trackless), loading, hauling, dumping (LHD, SDL, match factor).
Surface Environment, Mine Ventilation, and Underground Hazards
Mine atmosphere and gases (methane, CO, H2S, Coward's diagram), natural and mechanical ventilation (Atkinson's law, series/parallel resistance, fans), auxiliary ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration in deep/hot mines, dust (respirable, sampling, stonedust barriers), fires and explosions (spontaneous heating, permitted explosives), inundation, gas drainage.
Mineral Economics, Mine Planning, Systems Engineering
Mine planning and design (long/medium/short-term, Lerchs-Grossmann ultimate pit, Lane's cut-off grade), mineral economics (NPV, IRR, payback, depreciation under Indian Income Tax Act), project management (CPM, PERT, crashing), systems engineering (queuing M/M/1, reliability of series/parallel systems, MTBF, simulation).
How to Pass the GATE MN Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No fixed pass; IITs/IISc and PSUs set their own marks/score cut-offs
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: 180 minutes (3 hours)
- Exam fee: INR 1000 (General/OBC); INR 500 (SC/ST/PwD/Women)
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
GATE MN Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the GATE MN 2026 exam pattern?
GATE MN 2026 is a 3-hour computer-based test with 65 questions worth 100 marks. The paper contains General Aptitude (15 marks), Engineering Mathematics (~13 marks), and Mining Engineering subject topics (~72 marks). Questions are a mix of MCQ (with 1/3 negative marking), MSQ (multiple-select, no negative and no partial credit), and NAT (numerical answer type, no negative).
Who organises GATE 2026 and where can I apply?
GATE 2026 is jointly organised by IISc Bangalore and seven IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Roorkee). For GATE 2026, IIT Guwahati is the organising institute. Application is online at gate2026.iitg.ac.in (or the GOAPS portal linked from there). The exam is conducted in late January/early February 2026.
What is the application fee for GATE 2026?
The regular application fee for GATE 2026 is INR 1000 for General/OBC/EWS candidates and INR 500 for SC/ST/PwD and women candidates. A late fee (typically INR 500 extra) applies during the extended window. International applicants pay USD-based fees as specified in the brochure on the official GATE 2026 site.
Which PSUs recruit through GATE MN?
Major mining-sector PSUs that recruit through GATE MN scores include Coal India Limited (CIL) and its subsidiaries (NCL, MCL, CCL, ECL, BCCL, SECL, WCL), NMDC, NLC India, Singareni Collieries (SCCL), Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), MOIL, IRCON, ONGC (for surveyor/mining engineer roles), and SAIL. Each PSU publishes its own cut-off and selection process based on the GATE score.
What is the GATE MN syllabus and which topics carry the most weight?
The MN syllabus covers (1) Mine Development and Surveying, (2) Geomechanics and Ground Control, (3) Mining Methods and Machinery, (4) Surface Environment, Mine Ventilation, and Underground Hazards, and (5) Mineral Economics, Mine Planning, and Systems Engineering, along with Engineering Mathematics and General Aptitude. Mining Methods, Mine Development/Surveying, Geomechanics, and Ventilation typically carry the highest subject marks.
How is the GATE score used for IIT/IISc admissions?
A valid GATE score (typically 3 years validity) is used for admission to M.Tech, MS, and direct PhD programmes at IITs, IISc, NITs, and many other Indian institutions. Each institute publishes its own cut-off; for top IIT M.Tech in Mining/Earth Sciences, qualifying scores typically need to be in the top decile and are followed by an interview or written test for final selection.