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GATE AR 2022 — Paper analysis
Topic weightage, difficulty trends, and preparation takeaways for the Architecture & Planning paper conducted on 6 February 2022 by IIT Kharagpur. Pair with the GATE AR 2022 mock quiz and full solutions.
Exam Overview
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Exam | GATE 2022 |
| Paper Code | AR (Architecture and Planning) |
| Organising Institute | IIT Kharagpur |
| Session | 7 |
| Total Questions | 81 |
| Maximum Marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| MTA Questions | Q10 (Marks To All) |
Section-wise Distribution
| Section | Question Range | 1-Mark | 2-Mark | Total Questions | Max Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | Q1–Q10 | Q1–Q5 | Q6–Q10 | 10 | 15 |
| Part A (Common) | Q11–Q49 | Q11–Q28 | Q29–Q49 | 39 | 55 |
| Part B1 (Architecture) | Q50–Q65 | Q50–Q56 | Q57–Q65 | 16 | 23 |
| Part B2 (Planning) | Q66–Q81 | Q66–Q72 | Q73–Q81 | 16 | 23 |
Note: Candidates attempt either Part B1 or Part B2, not both. Total attempted = 65 questions for 100 marks (GA 15 + Part A 55 + Part B 30).
Question Type Distribution
| Type | Count | Description |
|---|---|---|
| MCQ | 38 | Single correct answer; negative marking for wrong answer (−1/3 for 1-mark, −2/3 for 2-mark) |
| MSQ | 16 | Multiple correct answers; no negative marking |
| NAT | 27 | Numerical answer; no negative marking |
Topic-wise Analysis — Part A (Common)
| Topic | Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Design & Planning History | Q29, Q34, Q35 | Moderate |
| Heritage & Conservation | Q33, Q38 | Moderate |
| Housing & Building Standards | Q14, Q23, Q24, Q27, Q30, Q47, Q48 | Mixed |
| Environmental Planning | Q19, Q22, Q41, Q44 | Moderate |
| Building Services (HVAC, Acoustics) | Q24, Q42, Q46 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Vernacular Architecture | Q31, Q39, Q43 | Easy to Moderate |
| Project Management | Q29, Q46 | Moderate |
| Transportation | Q15, Q26 | Easy |
| Geospatial & Surveying | Q25 | Easy |
| Urban Economics | Q49 | Moderate |
| Universal Design & Accessibility | Q21, Q40 | Easy |
| Waste Management | Q28 | Easy |
| Structural Systems | Q14 | Moderate |
| Climatology & Solar Design | Q11, Q20 | Moderate |
| Visual Composition & Design | Q16, Q17, Q18 | Easy |
| Software & Technology | Q13 | Easy |
| Planning Frameworks & Guidelines | Q12, Q36, Q37 | Moderate |
Topic-wise Analysis — Part B1 (Architecture)
| Topic | Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| History of Architecture (Greek, Egyptian) | Q51, Q53 | Moderate |
| Indian Temple Architecture | Q61 | Moderate |
| Structural Joining Systems | Q57, Q59 | Moderate |
| Architects & Projects | Q58 | Easy to Moderate |
| Building Materials & Testing | Q50, Q52, Q54 | Moderate |
| Building Physics (Heat, Light, Sound) | Q55, Q62, Q64, Q65 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Structural Analysis | Q56, Q63 | Difficult |
Topic-wise Analysis — Part B2 (Planning)
| Topic | Questions | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Economics & Governance | Q67, Q69, Q72, Q74, Q75, Q80, Q81 | Moderate |
| Transportation Planning | Q66, Q68, Q71, Q73, Q78, Q79 | Moderate |
| Urban Development & Patterns | Q76, Q77 | Moderate |
| PPP Models & Value Capture | Q69, Q70 | Easy to Moderate |
Key Observations
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Balance of Theory and Numerical: The paper maintained a good balance with 38 MCQs testing recall/understanding, 16 MSQs testing multi-concept knowledge, and 27 NATs testing calculation skills.
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Codes and Standards Focus: Multiple questions tested knowledge of NBC 2016, URDPFI 2015, CPHEEO guidelines, SDGs, and CoA professional documents — a recurring trend in GATE AR papers.
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Matching Questions Dominant: A significant number of 2-mark questions (Q30–Q38, Q57–Q60, Q73–Q75) used the matching format, testing breadth of knowledge across topics.
-
No Negative Marking for MSQ/NAT: MSQ and NAT questions do not carry negative marking, making them relatively safer to attempt.
-
MTA Question: Q10 (clock problem) was declared MTA (Marks To All), meaning all candidates received 2 marks regardless of answer — likely due to ambiguity in the question.
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Visual and Image-based Questions: Questions like Q5 (3D block view), Q16 (visual composition), Q35 (urban space elements), Q37 (plan forms), and Q48 (reflected ceiling plan) required spatial reasoning.
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Interdisciplinary Coverage: The paper tested topics spanning architecture, planning, structures, building services, environmental science, and economics — consistent with the GATE AR syllabus.
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Moderate Difficulty Overall: Compared to GATE AR 2023 and 2024, the 2022 paper is considered moderately difficult, with tricky numerical problems in Q23 (masonry eccentricity), Q48 (concrete volume), and Q65 (Tropical Summer Index).
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.