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GATE AR 2021 — Paper analysis
Topic weightage, difficulty trends, and preparation takeaways for the Architecture & Planning paper conducted on 13 February 2021 by IIT Bombay. Pair with the GATE AR 2021 mock quiz and full solutions.
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.
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.
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.
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 |
Cross-year comparison (2021–2026)
| Aspect | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall difficulty | Moderate | Moderate to difficult | Difficult | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| MCQ count | 46 | 42 | 52 | 40 | 44 | 36 |
| MSQ count | 7 | 16 | 22 | 18 | 11 | 21 |
| NAT count | 12 | 27 | 10 | 14 | 20 | 24 |
| Match-the-following sets | 11 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 8 |
| MTA questions | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| B1/B2 optional split | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Top focus areas | Transportation, building services | Heritage, structural systems | Housing, GIS, planning frameworks | Transport, software, building services | GIS, governance, NBC standards | Planning frameworks, housing standards |
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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
Notable Observations
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.