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100+ Free GATE XH Practice Questions

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Select the word that is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to 'ephemeral'.

A
B
C
D
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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: GATE XH Exam

180 minutes

Total exam time (3 hours; +1 hour for PwD)

gate2026.iitg.ac.in

100 marks

Total marks (15 GA + 25 XH-B1 + 60 one optional)

GATE 2026 Information Brochure

INR 1800

Application fee for General/OBC/EWS (INR 900 for SC/ST/PwD/Women)

GATE 2026 Notification

3 years

Validity of GATE XH score

GATE Committee

100

Free practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

GATE XH is a 180-minute, 65-question, 100-mark CBT covering 15 marks GA + 25 marks compulsory XH-B1 Reasoning & Comprehension + 60 marks from one optional (Economics, English, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology, or Sociology). MCQ has negative marking; MSQ/NAT do not. Fee INR 1800/900; valid 3 years.

Sample GATE XH Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your GATE XH exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1If 5 men can paint a wall in 12 days, how many days will 8 men take to paint the same wall, working at the same rate?
A.7.5 days
B.8 days
C.10 days
D.19.2 days
Explanation: This is an inverse proportion: men × days = constant. 5 × 12 = 60 man-days. With 8 men, days = 60/8 = 7.5. More workers means less time when they all work at the same rate.
2Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'The committee was divided ___ the proposal, with half supporting it and half opposing.'
A.over
B.between
C.among
D.with
Explanation: 'Divided over' is the idiomatic English collocation when a group disagrees about an issue or proposal. The preposition 'over' signals that the matter is the subject of disagreement.
3A train 200 m long travelling at 72 km/h crosses a platform in 25 seconds. What is the length of the platform?
A.300 m
B.250 m
C.400 m
D.500 m
Explanation: Speed = 72 km/h = 72 × 5/18 = 20 m/s. Distance covered in 25 s = 20 × 25 = 500 m. This equals train length + platform length, so platform = 500 − 200 = 300 m.
4Select the word that is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to 'ephemeral'.
A.permanent
B.transient
C.fleeting
D.momentary
Explanation: Ephemeral means short-lived or lasting only a brief time. Its antonym is 'permanent' — lasting or intended to last indefinitely. The other three options are synonyms of ephemeral.
5In a class of 60 students, 35 study Hindi, 25 study French, and 10 study both. How many students study neither Hindi nor French?
A.10
B.15
C.20
D.25
Explanation: Using inclusion-exclusion: students studying at least one language = 35 + 25 − 10 = 50. Students studying neither = 60 − 50 = 10. This applies the principle n(A∪B) = n(A) + n(B) − n(A∩B).
6What is the next number in the series: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ___?
A.42
B.40
C.36
D.44
Explanation: Differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, so the next difference is 12. 30 + 12 = 42. Equivalently, the nth term is n(n+1): 1×2, 2×3, 3×4, 4×5, 5×6, 6×7 = 42.
7If 25 percent of a number is 75, what is 60 percent of the same number?
A.180
B.150
C.200
D.120
Explanation: If 25% of x = 75, then x = 75 × 4 = 300. So 60% of 300 = 0.60 × 300 = 180. Always solve for the whole first when a percent of an unknown is given.
8Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.
A.The professor, who is from Delhi, will speak tomorrow.
B.The professor who is from Delhi, will speak tomorrow.
C.The professor, who is from Delhi will speak tomorrow.
D.The professor who, is from Delhi, will speak tomorrow.
Explanation: When a relative clause is non-restrictive (adding extra information), it must be set off by commas on BOTH sides. 'Who is from Delhi' is parenthetical, so commas are required before and after.
9A shopkeeper marks an item 40 percent above cost and offers a 25 percent discount on the marked price. What is his percentage profit?
A.5%
B.10%
C.15%
D.No profit, no loss
Explanation: Let cost = 100. Marked price = 140. Selling price after 25% discount = 140 × 0.75 = 105. Profit = 105 − 100 = 5, so profit% = 5%. Always compute selling price first, then compare to cost.
10All roses are flowers. Some flowers fade quickly. Therefore:
A.It cannot be concluded that some roses fade quickly.
B.All roses fade quickly.
C.No roses fade quickly.
D.Some roses do not fade quickly.
Explanation: From 'All roses are flowers' and 'Some flowers fade quickly,' we cannot deduce that the fading flowers include any roses. The 'some' could refer to flowers that are not roses. This is the classic undistributed-middle fallacy.

About the GATE XH Exam

GATE XH (Humanities and Social Sciences) is one of the 30 papers in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, introduced in 2021 to expand GATE beyond engineering and science to humanities disciplines. The paper is jointly administered by the IITs and IISc; GATE 2026 is organized by IIT Guwahati. The 3-hour computer-based test carries 100 marks and contains 65 questions split across three components: 15 marks of General Aptitude, the compulsory 25-mark XH-B1 Reasoning and Comprehension section, and 60 marks from ONE chosen optional section among Economics (C1), English (C2), Linguistics (C3), Philosophy (C4), Psychology (C5), or Sociology (C6). Question types include MCQ (with negative marking), MSQ, and NAT (no negative marking). A GATE XH score is valid for 3 years and is used for admission to MA/MSc/PhD programmes at IITs, IISc, and various central universities, as well as for some research fellowships.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

180 minutes (3 hours)

Passing Score

Qualifying cutoff set yearly by GATE Committee (typically 25/100 or mean+SD, whichever higher)

Exam Fee

INR 1800 (General/OBC/EWS); INR 900 (SC/ST/PwD/Women) (IIT Guwahati (organizing institute for GATE 2026) on behalf of the GATE Committee)

GATE XH Exam Content Outline

15%

General Aptitude (GA)

Common 15-mark section across all GATE papers. Verbal aptitude (grammar, vocabulary, comprehension), quantitative aptitude (numerical, ratios, percentages, geometry), data interpretation, and analytical/spatial reasoning.

25%

XH-B1: Reasoning and Comprehension (Compulsory)

Verbal reasoning (analogies, sentence completion, paragraph rearrangement, antonyms/synonyms), reading comprehension, analytical reasoning (puzzles, seating, blood relations, syllogisms), and quantitative reasoning.

60%

XH-C1: Economics (Optional)

Microeconomics (consumer theory, producer theory, market structures), macroeconomics (national income, monetary and fiscal policy), statistics for economics (probability, sampling, hypothesis testing), international economics (trade theory, BOP, exchange rates), Indian economy (policy, growth, planning).

60%

XH-C4: Philosophy (Optional)

Classical Indian philosophy (Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Charvaka), Western philosophy (Greek to contemporary), ethics (deontology, utilitarianism, virtue), logic (categorical, propositional, inductive), and epistemology.

60%

XH-C5: Psychology (Optional)

General psychology (perception, learning, motivation, personality), cognitive psychology (memory, language, problem solving), social psychology (attitudes, conformity, group dynamics), developmental psychology (Piaget, Erikson, attachment), abnormal psychology (DSM, common disorders), and statistics & research methods.

60%

XH-C6: Sociology (Optional)

Sociological concepts (stratification, modernity, culture), classical theory (Marx, Weber, Durkheim), methodology (sampling, qualitative/quantitative methods), family and kinship, religion and secularization, political sociology, Indian society (caste, tribe, village, rural-urban).

How to Pass the GATE XH Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Qualifying cutoff set yearly by GATE Committee (typically 25/100 or mean+SD, whichever higher)
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: 180 minutes (3 hours)
  • Exam fee: INR 1800 (General/OBC/EWS); INR 900 (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 XH Study Tips from Top Performers

1Choose your optional section (C1-C6) by August — you'll need ~150 hours of focused study on that one section alone to score competitively
2Practice the compulsory XH-B1 Reasoning and Comprehension section daily — short logical-reasoning and RC drills (15-20 minutes per day) for 4-6 months
3For General Aptitude (15 marks), use any standard GATE GA book — the same GA appears across all 30 GATE papers and is high-yield
4Take at least 8-10 full-length mock tests in the final 6-8 weeks; the GATE virtual calculator and on-screen interface have a learning curve
5Practice numerical answer type (NAT) questions — they carry NO negative marking, so attempt all of them even with partial confidence
6For Philosophy (C4) and Psychology (C5), build a one-page summary sheet per major theorist (Plato, Kant, Freud, Piaget) — recall under time pressure is critical

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GATE XH exam pattern for 2026?

GATE XH 2026 is a 3-hour computer-based test with 65 questions for 100 marks. The paper has three components: 15 marks of General Aptitude (common to all GATE papers), the compulsory 25-mark XH-B1 Reasoning and Comprehension section, and 60 marks from ONE chosen optional section among C1 Economics, C2 English, C3 Linguistics, C4 Philosophy, C5 Psychology, or C6 Sociology.

How is GATE XH 2026 scored and what is the negative marking?

MCQs carry negative marking — 1/3 mark deducted for a 1-mark wrong answer, 2/3 for a 2-mark wrong answer. MSQ (multiple select questions) and NAT (numerical answer type) carry NO negative marking. Candidates must select the optional section before the exam begins.

Which IIT is conducting GATE 2026?

IIT Guwahati is the organizing institute for GATE 2026 on behalf of the GATE Committee (jointly administered by the IITs and IISc). The official portal is gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Exam dates are typically in early February; the application window opens in late August.

What is the eligibility for GATE XH?

GATE XH is open to candidates with a Bachelor's degree (3-year minimum, any discipline) or those in their final year. Students from any background — humanities, sciences, engineering — can appear. The score is widely used for MA/MSc/PhD admissions at IITs, IISc, and central universities.

What is the application fee for GATE 2026?

The standard application fee is INR 1800 per paper for General, OBC, and EWS candidates. SC, ST, PwD, and women candidates pay INR 900. Late application incurs an additional INR 500. Payment is online via the GOAPS portal.

How long is a GATE XH score valid?

A GATE score is valid for 3 years from the date of declaration of results. Candidates can use their XH score for MA/MSc/PhD admissions at participating institutes and for research fellowships during this validity period.

Which institutes accept GATE XH scores?

GATE XH scores are accepted for postgraduate admission at IITs, IISc, several IISERs, central universities including Hyderabad, JNU, and Delhi (for selected programmes), and for research positions. The specific list of accepting programmes is updated annually on the GATE portal.