GATE AR syllabus and paper pattern (2027 revised)
GATE Architecture and Planning (AR) tests General Aptitude plus graduate-level technical knowledge across design, environment, planning, housing, building science, geospatial tools, transport, and professional practice. IIT Madras revised the AR syllabus for GATE 2027 — Part A is now four common sections and the optional Architecture (B1) and Planning (B2) streams each expand to six sections. The only authoritative source is the official PDF; this page summarises the structure, links the current PDF, and maps each section to the free APJ GATE AR course.
Official GATE AR syllabus PDF
Download the syllabus from the organizing institute each cycle. Do not rely on third-party PDFs alone — section titles and scope can shift between years.
| Cycle | Organizing institute | Official syllabus |
|---|---|---|
| GATE 2027 (current) | IIT Madras | AR syllabus PDF (2027) · Portal — revised syllabus |
| GATE 2026 (reference) | IIT Guwahati | AR syllabus PDF (2026) · Portal |
After downloading, tick every bullet once and note which topics you have never studied — those become your first-pass priority in the course curriculum below.
GATE AR paper pattern (2027)
The 2027 syllabus content was revised, but the mark split is unchanged: General Aptitude 15 + Part A (common) 60 + one optional stream 25 = 100. Always confirm numbers in the current brochure before exam day.
| Section | Questions | Marks | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude (GA) | Q1–Q10 | 15 | Verbal, numerical, analytical — not discipline-specific |
| Part A — Common AR technical | Q11–Q49 | 60 | All candidates; MCQ, MSQ, NAT mix (2027: sections A.1–A.4) |
| Optional AR-B1 (Architecture) | Q50–Q65 | 25 | Pick B1 or B2 — history, climatology, construction, services, digital, practice |
| Optional AR-B2 (Planning) | Q66–Q81 | 25 | Planning theory, policy, infrastructure, transport, data/GIS, finance |
| Total attempted | 65 | 100 | 180 minutes · calculator allowed per brochure |
Question types: MCQ (single correct, negative marking), MSQ (one or more correct), NAT (numerical answer, no options). Match-the-following sets appear regularly in the common section — practise under timed conditions using GATE AR previous year papers.
GATE 2027 sections → APJ course map
Each official 2027 section below maps to the free course. “Expanding” marks sections where the 2027 revision added topics we are actively writing into the course — check the linked lessons and the PYQ hub for current depth.
| GATE 2027 section | Part | APJ course chapter(s) | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.1 Design and Graphics | Common | Ch 1 — Architecture & Design (9) | Full |
| A.2 Environmental Planning & Landscape | Common | Ch 3 (6) + Ch 4.5 landscape | Updated — LCA / circular / UHI depth in L3.1–L3.6 |
| A.3 Urban Design & Conservation | Common | Ch 4 — Urban design & conservation (5) | Updated — form-based code in L4.1 |
| A.4 Town Planning, Housing & Real Estate | Common | Ch 5 (8) + L5.9 RE feasibility | Updated — L5.9 live |
| B1.1 History & Theory of Architecture | B1 | Ch 7 — History (8) | Full |
| B1.2 Climatology & Env.-Responsive Design | B1 | Ch 9 + Ch 3.4–3.6 | Full |
| B1.3 Construction, Materials & Structures | B1 | Ch 2 (8) + Ch 8 (5) | Full |
| B1.4 Building Services | B1 | Ch 9 (6) + Ch 6 services | Full |
| B1.5 Computer Applications in Architecture | B1 | Ch 1.9 CAD/BIM + L1.10 advanced digital | Updated — L1.10 live |
| B1.6 Project Management & Professional Practice | B1 | Ch 2.4–2.7 | Updated — B1.6 extras in L2.7 |
| B2.1 Planning History, Theory & Techniques | B2 | Ch 10.1 + Ch 11 (4) + Ch 5.1–5.3 | Full |
| B2.2 Planning Policy & Practice | B2 | Ch 10 — Theory & legislation (3) | Full |
| B2.3 Infrastructure, Services & Utilities | B2 | Ch 6 + Ch 12.8 | Expanding — power & sewer networks |
| B2.4 Urban Land Use & Transportation | B2 | Ch 12.5–12.7 + Ch 6.5–6.6 | Full |
| B2.5 Data Analysis, RS & Geo-informatics | B2 | Ch 12.1–12.4 | Updated — stats/Python/ML in L12.4 |
| B2.6 Project Implementation & Financing | B2 | Ch 5.8 + L12.9 municipal finance | Updated — L12.9 live |
| General Aptitude (GA) | All | Ch 13 — GA from PYQs (7) | Full |
| Exam strategy & PYQ workflow | All | Ch 14 — Exam strategy (6) | How to use PYQs |
High-traffic lessons (syllabus starters)
Jump directly to the most searched topics on APJ — each lesson includes an “At a glance” summary and links back to PYQ analysis.
| Lesson | Syllabus area | Open |
|---|---|---|
| L1.4 Anthropometrics & ergonomics | Ch 1 — architecture & design fundamentals | Study lesson → |
| L1.8 Room standards | Ch 1 — NBC space standards, housing rooms | Study lesson → |
| L2.3 Formwork & scaffolding | Ch 2 — construction & temporary works | Study lesson → |
| L2.4 PERT & CPM | Ch 2 — project management | Study lesson → |
| L2.6 Estimation | Ch 2 — quantity surveying & specifications | Study lesson → |
Return to the GATE AR exam guide or open the previous year papers hub after one syllabus pass.
General Aptitude vs technical AR
| Part | Focus | Prep on APJ |
|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | Verbal ability, quantitative aptitude, analytical reasoning | GA PYQ quiz + course Ch 13 |
| Technical — common (Q11–Q49) | Full AR syllabus breadth — planning, housing, environment, services, history | Ch 1–12 lessons + year-wise analysis pages |
| AR-B1 optional | Structural systems, building services calculations, construction detail | Ch 8–9 + B1-weighted PYQ review |
| AR-B2 optional | Planning theory, transport, GIS, regional plans, governance | Ch 5, 10–12 + B2-weighted PYQ review |
New in GATE 2027 — priority topics
The revision added or made explicit the topics below. If you prepared from a pre-2027 syllabus, treat these as first-pass gaps.
Part A (common)
- Graphics depth: engineering curves, surface development, orthographic/isometric, one- and two-point perspective, light–shade–shadow
- Environment: urban ecosystem approach, ecological footprint, carrying capacity, Life Cycle Analysis, circular economy, carbon footprint/credits, Urban Heat Islands, contour & slope analysis, social forestry
- Urban design: placemaking, form-based code
- Housing & real estate: need/demand/supply/shortage, incremental housing, feasibility studies, market analysis, locational decisions, project & construction phasing
Part B1 — Architecture
- Dedicated climatology block: solar architecture, passive design, energy audit, embodied vs operational energy, rating systems, kinetic architecture
- Construction detail: masonry bonds, fenestrations, arches, scaffolding, lightweight construction, damp prevention, space frames, suspension/catenary, shell, wind & seismic in high-rise
- Services: illumination & special lighting, building acoustics, building automation systems, services for hospitals / indoor stadiums / high-rises
- Digital: computational methods, BIM, rendering, VR/AR, parametric & generative design, shape grammar, UI/UX, CNC & 3D printing, AI for architecture
- Practice: tendering, arbitration, role of Council of Architecture, architectural journalism, industrial architecture, building economics, interior design
Part B2 — Planning
- Theory: pre/post-industrial cities, Garden City / City Beautiful / Broadacre / Radial / Linear, Ekistics, urban growth models, industrial location theories, Global North–South, sampling, population projection, scenario analysis
- Policy: international charters, constitutional/legal provisions, eminent domain, land pooling & readjustment, urban reforms, MIS / LIS / cadastral systems
- Infrastructure: sewer design & appurtenances, storm drains, flood protection, solid-waste processing, power transmission & distribution (transformers, feeders, substations)
- Transport: land value capture, brownfield redevelopment, aggregate/disaggregate demand models, accessibility, NMT, ITS
- Data/GIS: descriptive & inferential statistics, ANOVA, AHP/MCA, photogrammetry, 2D/3D/4D spatial analysis, DBMS/SQL, machine learning in planning, smart-city IoT, Python basics, urban analytics, SDI
- Finance: municipal finance reforms, tax administration, budgeting, fiscal indicators, municipal bonds, credit rating, cost–benefit analysis, O&M, capacity building
How to study the syllabus efficiently
- Download the official syllabus PDF and highlight every bullet once.
- Enrol in the GATE AR course and complete lessons in chapter order — each maps to the table above.
- After one syllabus pass, read recent paper analysis then attempt a timed mock from the PYQ hub.
- Log weak topics and re-read only those lessons plus linked solution questions.
- Confirm eligibility and registration dates on the GATE portal each year.
FAQ
Where is the official GATE AR syllabus PDF?
On the GATE organizing institute website each cycle — the current one is the GATE 2027 AR PDF (IIT Madras). APJ links but does not host the PDF.
What changed in the GATE 2027 AR syllabus?
IIT Madras revised the syllabus after five years. The mark split is unchanged (GA 15 + Part A 60 + one optional stream 25). Part A was reorganised into four sections (A.1–A.4); Architecture (B1) and Planning (B2) each expanded to six sections. New/explicit topics include LCA and circular economy, form-based code, real-estate feasibility, BIM/AI/VR-AR and generative design, building automation, municipal finance, and statistics/Python/ML in planning. See the “New in GATE 2027” checklist above.
How many questions are in GATE AR?
Candidates answer 65 questions (10 GA + 49 common + 16 from either B1 or B2 optional block) for 100 marks in 180 minutes — confirm in the current brochure.
Should I choose AR-B1 or AR-B2?
Choose based on strength: B1 suits candidates strong in structures and building services; B2 suits planning, GIS, and governance. See GATE AR vs other exams and course Ch 14.
Does APJ cover the full GATE AR syllabus?
The free course has 89+ lessons across 14 chapters (plus Module 0 orientation and new 2027 append-only lessons 1.10, 5.9, 12.9) aligned to the AR syllabus, plus GA and exam-strategy modules. Phase 1 P0 gaps for the 2027 revision (advanced digital, RE feasibility, municipal finance, stats/ML, LCA/circular) are now in the course — continue with PYQs and Phase 2 depth topics as you revise.