GATE AR 2021 — Paper analysis

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Overall Paper Structure

Section	Questions	Marks	Type
General Aptitude (GA)	Q1–Q10	15	5 × 1m + 5 × 2m
AR – 1 mark MCQ	Q1–Q25	25	25 × 1m
AR – 2 mark MCQ	Q26–Q36	22	11 × 2m
AR – 2 mark MSQ	Q37–Q43	14	7 × 2m
AR – 2 mark NAT	Q44–Q55	24	12 × 2m
Total	65	100

Note: The 2021 paper did NOT have a Part B1/B2 split. All 55 AR questions were in a single common section. This is different from the 2024–2026 format which separated Architecture and Planning into distinct optional sections.

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Question Type Distribution

Type	Count	1-mark	2-mark	Percentage
MCQ	46	30	16	70.8%
MSQ	7	0	7	10.8%
NAT	12	0	12	18.5%

The 2021 paper is heavily MCQ-dominated (70.8%), with a relatively low MSQ count (only 7). The MSQ questions are all concentrated in the 2-mark section (Q37–Q43). Notably, 4 questions were declared MTA (Marks to All) by the official answer key — AR Q3, Q18, Q54, and Q55 — indicating ambiguity or errors in those questions.

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Difficulty Assessment

Section-wise Difficulty

Section	Difficulty Level	Key Observation
GA (Q1–Q10)	Easy to Moderate	Q4 (custom operators) and Q10 (equilateral triangle) were the trickiest; Q1, Q7, Q8 were straightforward
AR 1-mark MCQ (Q1–Q25)	Easy to Moderate	Mostly direct factual recall; Q8 (invert level) and Q9 (bid rent) required application
AR 2-mark MCQ (Q26–Q36)	Moderate	All match-the-following questions; required extensive factual knowledge across multiple domains
AR 2-mark MSQ (Q37–Q43)	Moderate to Difficult	Q41 (paint properties) and Q43 (activated sludge) had subtle traps
AR 2-mark NAT (Q44–Q55)	Moderate to Difficult	Q46 (sinking fund) and Q48 (floodlight efficacy) had lengthy calculations; Q47 (dumpy level) and Q50 (bending stress) were more straightforward

Overall Difficulty: Moderate

The 2021 paper was notable for its high proportion of direct factual questions and match-the-following (11 out of 55 AR questions). The absence of Part B1/B2 meant that all candidates attempted the same 55 AR questions. The 4 MTA questions suggest some ambiguity in the paper-setting process, which is uncommon in more recent years.

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Topic-wise Distribution

Architecture & Building Science Topics

Topic	Questions	Marks
Building Materials & Construction	Q5, Q22, Q23, Q53	7
Building Services (HVAC, Acoustics, Lighting)	Q1, Q20, Q44, Q45, Q48, Q55	12
Structural Systems & Analysis	Q24, Q36, Q50, Q51	8
History of Architecture (World)	Q27, Q28, Q34	6
History of Architecture (Indian)	Q29, Q32	4
Contemporary Architecture	Q27, Q29, Q36	6
Vernacular & Landscape Architecture	Q30	2
Colour Theory & Visual Design	Q19, Q35	4

Planning & Urban Design Topics

Topic	Questions	Marks
Urban Planning Theory & History	Q7, Q9, Q10, Q16, Q17, Q33	11
Urban Governance & Finance	Q18, Q25	3
Transportation Planning	Q11, Q12, Q13, Q14, Q21, Q37, Q40	13
Environmental Planning & Climate	Q26, Q31, Q39, Q43	8
Water Supply & Sanitation	Q8, Q31, Q43	5
GIS & Remote Sensing	Q3, Q4	3
Solid Waste Management	Q42	2
Construction Management	Q25, Q52	4
Building Energy & Sustainability	Q2, Q6, Q49, Q54	7
Housing & Valuation	Q46, Q54	4
Surveying	Q47	2

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Cross-year comparison (2021–2026)

See also the full comparison on previous year papers.

Full six-year stats (difficulty, MSQ/NAT mix, focus areas) render on the live page — see PYQ hub.

Key Trends

1. Match-the-following dominance in 2021: With 11 full match questions (Q26–Q36, all 2-mark MCQ), the 2021 paper demanded the highest factual recall of any recent GATE AR paper. This format was significantly reduced in subsequent years.

2. No B1/B2 split: Unlike 2023 onwards, the 2021 paper had a single common section for all AR candidates. This meant planning-focused students had to answer architecture questions and vice versa, increasing the challenge for specialists.

3. High MTA count: Four MTA questions (AR Q3, Q18, Q54, Q55) is unusual for a GATE paper. Q3 (CARTOSAT) likely had an error in the options or was considered ambiguous. Q18 (Floor Area Incentive Tax) may have had a debatable answer. Q54 and Q55 were NAT questions with calculation discrepancies.

4. Transportation emphasis: With 7 questions (Q11–Q14, Q21, Q37, Q40) and 13 marks, transportation was the single most tested domain in 2021. This includes traffic assignment, trip generation, cycle track design, and shortest path algorithms.

5. Building services focus: Six questions and 12 marks related to building services (elevators, HVAC, acoustics, lighting, thermal comfort), making it the second most tested domain.

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Scoring Strategy

Easy Marks (Recommended to Attempt First)

• GA Q1, Q3, Q7, Q8 — straightforward aptitude
• AR Q4 (Pixel), Q5 (brick firing), Q6 (IFC), Q15 (hypocycloid), Q16 (Primate City) — direct factual recall
• Q22 (rebound hammer), Q51 (slenderness ratio) — simple NAT

Medium Difficulty (Core Scoring Zone)

• Q26–Q36 (Match questions) — high reward if factual knowledge is strong
• Q37, Q38, Q40 (MSQ) — manageable with clear guidelines knowledge
• Q44, Q47, Q49, Q50 (NAT) — clear calculation paths

Difficult / Time-Consuming (Attempt Last)

• GA Q10 (equilateral triangle with LCM) — requires careful number theory
• Q9 (Bid Rent Theory graphs) — requires understanding of graph shapes
• Q48 (floodlight efficacy) — multi-step with potential calculation errors
• Q53 (ceramic tiles + skirting) — requires careful counting with door opening

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Notable Observations

1. Q3 MTA: CARTOSAT is the well-known answer for high-resolution urban mapping, but the official key declared MTA. This may have been due to ambiguity in the term “very high resolution” — CARTOSAT-2S provides 0.65m resolution (high), while CARTOSAT-3 provides 0.25m (very high). Some may argue RESOURCESAT also has mapping capability.

2. Q18 MTA: The concept of charging for additional FAR is known by different names in different contexts — “Floor Area Incentive Tax,” “FAR Incentive,” “Transferable Development Rights,” and “Impact Fee” all have overlapping definitions. The MTA suggests no single option was unambiguously correct.

3. Q48 dual answer range: The official key accepts both 117–119 and 1483–1496, suggesting two valid interpretations of the problem (possibly regarding how the distance from tower to center is calculated, or whether all 4 towers contribute simultaneously).

4. Q54 and Q55 MTA: Both are NAT questions declared MTA, which is rare. Q54 (LIG tower floor area) likely had ambiguity in FAR interpretation, while Q55 (U-value calculation) may have had issues with how the wall layers and cavity were to be treated.

5. Unique 2021 feature: The paper included questions on the Blue Banana (Q17), Payload factor (Q21), and classical column nomenclature (Q34) — topics that have not appeared in subsequent years, making 2021 a distinctive paper.