GATE & BARC

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national examination conducted jointly by Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee on behalf of National Coordination Board (NCB)-GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India. GATE examination is a Computer Based Test (CBT).

GATE 2025 Information Brochure 

Qualifying in GATE is a mandatory requirement for seeking admission and/or financial assistance to Postgraduate Programs (Master's and Doctoral) with Ministry of Education (MoE) and other Government Scholarships / Assistantships, subject to the admission criteria of the admitting institute.

The GATE score is also used by some Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) for their recruitment and by several other universities in India and abroad for admissions.

GATE score will remain valid for THREE YEARS from the date of announcement of results.

All About GATE:

The GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) Chemistry exam is part of a national-level assessment conducted in India to evaluate the knowledge and understanding of candidates in various engineering and science subjects. Specifically for Chemistry, it tests concepts across various areas such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, and analytical chemistry.

Purpose:

1. Postgraduate Admissions: GATE scores are primarily used for admissions to master's programs (M.Sc, M.Tech, etc.) in prestigious institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

2. Public Sector Jobs: Many public sector companies (like ONGC, IOCL, and BPCL) use GATE scores for recruitment.

3. Research Opportunities: A good score can also open doors for research positions and fellowships.

Structure:

The exam typically consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), numerical answer type questions, and sometimes, multiple select questions. The syllabus covers fundamental and advanced topics in Chemistry.

If you're considering taking the exam, it’s important to prepare well and understand the syllabus thoroughly!

The GATE stipend is a financial support provided to students who are pursuing postgraduate programs, like M.Tech or M.Sc., in institutions such as IITs, IISc, and NITs. Here are some key points about the stipend:

Amount:

• The stipend usually ranges from ₹12,400 to ₹25,000 per month, depending on the institution and program.

Eligibility:

• Typically, to be eligible for the stipend, students must secure admission to a program based on their GATE scores.

• They are usually required to maintain satisfactory academic performance during their studies.

Duration:

• The stipend is generally available for the duration of the course, which is typically 2 years for M.Tech and 2 years for M.Sc. programs.

Additional Benefits:

• Many institutions may also offer other forms of financial assistance, such as fellowships or project-based stipends, which can supplement the GATE stipend.

This financial support can significantly ease the financial burden for students during their postgraduate studies!

To be eligible for the GATE Chemistry (CY) exam, candidates typically need to meet the following criteria:

Educational Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s Degree: Candidates should have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or a related field (such as B.Sc. in Chemistry).

2. Postgraduate Degree: Candidates with a Master’s degree in Chemistry or related areas are also eligible.

3. Final Year Students: Students in their final year of undergraduate or postgraduate programs can also apply.

Age Limit:

• There is generally no age limit for GATE candidates.

Nationality:

• Indian nationals and international students can both apply for the exam.

Important Notes:

• It’s advisable to check the specific eligibility criteria mentioned in the official GATE information brochure for the year you intend to apply, as there can be variations based on institutions or changes in regulations.

If you're planning to take the exam, ensure you meet these requirements well ahead of time!

GATE - CHEMISTRY (CY)  Question Papers with Answer Key and Detailed Solutions

GATE - 2025 Chemistry (CY) - New Syllabus 

Section 1: Physical Chemistry 

Structure: Postulates of quantum mechanics. Operators. Time dependent and time independent Schrödinger equations. Born interpretation. Dirac bra-ket notation. Particle in a box: infinite and finite square wells; concept of tunnelling; particle in 1D, 2D and 3D-box; applications. Harmonic oscillator: harmonic and anharmonic potentials; Hermite polynomials. Rotational motion: Angular momentum operators, Rigid rotor. Hydrogen and hydrogen-like atoms: atomic orbitals; radial distribution function. Multi-electron atoms: orbital approximation; electron spin; Pauli exclusion principle; slater determinants. Approximation Methods: Variation method and secular determinants; first order perturbation techniques. Atomic units. Molecular structure and Chemical bonding: Born-Oppenheimer approximation; Valence bond theory and linear combination of atomic orbitals – molecular orbital (LCAO-MO) theory. Hybrid orbitals. Applications of LCAOMO theory to H2 + , H2; orbital theory (MOT) of homo- and heteronuclear diatomic molecules. Hückel approximation and its application to annular π – electron systems. 

Group theory: Symmetry elements and operations; Point groups and character tables; Internal coordinates and vibrational modes; symmetry adapted linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO-MO); construction of hybrid orbitals using symmetry aspects. 

Spectroscopy: Atomic spectroscopy; Russell-Saunders coupling; Term symbols and spectral details; origin of selection rules. Rotational, vibrational, electronic and Raman spectroscopy of diatomic and polyatomic molecules. Line broadening. Einstein’s coefficients. Relationship of transition moment integral with molar extinction coefficient and oscillator strength. Basic principles of nuclear magnetic resonance: gyromagnetic ratio; chemical shift, nuclear coupling. 

Equilibrium: Laws of thermodynamics. Standard states. Thermochemistry. Thermodynamic functions and their relationships: Gibbs-Helmholtz and Maxwell relations, Gibbs-Duhem equation, van’t Hoff equation. Criteria of spontaneity and equilibrium. Absolute entropy. Partial molar quantities. Thermodynamics of mixing. Chemical potential. Fugacity, activity and activity coefficients. Ideal and Non-ideal solutions, Raoult’s Law and Henry’s Law, Chemical equilibria. Dependence of equilibrium constant on temperature and pressure. Ionic mobility and conductivity. Debye-Hückel limiting law. Debye-Hückel-Onsager equation. Standard electrode potentials and electrochemical cells. Nernst Equation and its application, relationship between Electrode potential and thermodynamic quantities, Potentiometric and conduct metric titrations. Phase rule. Clausius- Clapeyron equation. Phase diagram of one component systems: CO2, H2O, S; two component systems: liquid- vapour, liquid-liquid and solid-liquid systems. Fractional distillation. Azeotropes and eutectics. Statistical thermodynamics: micro canonical, canonical and grand canonical ensembles, Boltzmann distribution, partition functions and thermodynamic properties 

Kinetics: Elementary, parallel, opposing and consecutive reactions. Steady state approximation. Mechanisms of complex reactions. Unimolecular reactions. Potential energy surfaces and classical trajectories, Concept of Saddle points, Transition state theory: Eyring equation, thermodynamic aspects. Kinetics of polymerization. Catalysis concepts and enzyme catalysis. Kinetic isotope effects. Fast reaction kinetics: relaxation and flow methods. Diffusion controlled reactions. Kinetics of photochemical and photo physical processes. 

Surfaces and Interfaces: Physisorption and chemisorption. Langmuir, Freundlich and Brunauer– Emmett–Teller (BET) isotherms. Surface catalysis: Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Surface tension, viscosity. Self-assembly. Physical chemistry of colloids, micelles and macromolecules. 

Section 2: Inorganic Chemistry 

Main Group Elements: Hydrides, halides, oxides, oxoacids, nitrides, sulfides – shapes and reactivity. Structure and bonding of boranes, carboranes, silicones, silicates, boron nitride, borazines and phosphazenes. Allotropes of carbon, phosphorous and sulphur. Industrial synthesis of compounds of main group elements. Chemistry of noble gases, pseudohalogens, and interhalogen compounds. Acid-base concepts and principles (Lewis, Brønsted, HSAB and acidbase catalysis). 

Transition Elements: Coordination chemistry – structure and isomerism, theories of bonding (VBT, CFT, and MOT). Energy level diagrams in various crystal fields, CFSE, applications of CFT, Jahn-Teller distortion. Electronic spectra of transition metal complexes: spectroscopic term symbols, selection rules, Orgel and Tanabe-Sugano diagrams, nephelauxetic effect and Racah parameter, charge-transfer spectra. Magnetic properties of transition metal complexes. Ray-Dutt and Bailar twists, Reaction mechanisms: kinetic and thermodynamic stability, substitution and redox reactions. Metal-metal multiple bond. 

Lanthanides and Actinides: Recovery. Periodic properties, spectra and magnetic properties. 

Organometallics: 18-Electron rule; metal-alkyl, metal-carbonyl, metal-olefin and metal- carbene complexes and metallocenes. Fluxionality in organometallic complexes. Types of organometallic reactions. Homogeneous catalysis - Hydrogenation, hydroformylation, acetic acid synthesis, metathesis and olefin oxidation. Heterogeneous catalysis - Fischer- Tropsch reaction, ZieglerNatta polymerization. 

Radioactivity: Detection of radioactivity, Decay processes, half-life of radioactive elements, fission and fusion processes. 

Bioinorganic Chemistry: Ion (Na+ and K + ) transport, oxygen binding, transport and utilization, electron transfer reactions, nitrogen fixation, metalloenzymes containing magnesium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper and zinc.

Solids: Crystal systems and lattices, Miller planes, crystal packing, crystal defects, Bragg’s law, ionic crystals, structures of AX, AX2, ABX3 type compounds, spinels, band theory, metals and semiconductors.  

Instrumental Methods of Analysis: UV-visible, fluorescence and FTIR spectrophotometry, NMR and ESR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy (Fe and Sn) and X-ray crystallography. Chromatography including GC and HPLC. Electroanalytical methods- polarography, cyclic voltammetry, ion-selective electrodes. Thermoanalytical methods 

Section 3: Organic Chemistry  Organic Chemistry Advanced Basics 

Stereochemistry: Chirality and symmetry of organic molecules with or without chiral centres and determination of their absolute configurations. Relative stereochemistry in compounds having more than one stereogenic centre. Homotopic, enantiotopic and diastereotopic atoms, groups and faces. Stereoselective and stereospecific synthesis. Conformational analysis of acyclic and cyclic compounds. Geometrical isomerism and optical isomerism. Configurational and conformational effects, atropisomerism, and neighbouring group participation on reactivity and selectivity/specificity. 

Reaction Mechanisms: Basic mechanistic concepts – kinetic versus thermodynamic control, Hammond’s postulate and Curtin-Hammett principle. Methods of determining reaction mechanisms through kinetics, identification of products, intermediates and isotopic labelling. Linear free-energy relationship – Hammett and Taft equations. Nucleophilic and electrophilic substitution reactions (both aromatic and aliphatic). Addition reactions to carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom (N and O) multiple bonds. Elimination reactions. Reactive intermediates — carbocations, carbanions, carbenes, nitrenes, arynes and free radicals. Molecular rearrangements. 

Organic Synthesis: Synthesis, reactions, mechanisms and selectivity involving the following classes of compounds – alkenes, alkynes, arenes, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, nitriles, halides, nitro compounds, amines and amides. Uses of Mg, Li, Cu, B, Zn, P, S, Sn and Si based reagents in organic synthesis. Carbon-carbon bond formation through coupling reactions - Heck, Suzuki, Stille, Sonogoshira, Negishi, Kumada, Hiyama, Tsuji-Trost, olefin metathesis and McMurry. Concepts of multistep synthesis - retrosynthetic analysis, strategic disconnections, synthons and synthetic equivalents. Atom economy and Green Chemistry, Umpolung reactivity – formyl and acyl anion equivalents. Selectivity in organic synthesis – chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity. Protection and deprotection of functional groups. Concepts of asymmetric synthesis – resolution (including enzymatic), desymmetrization and use of chiral auxiliaries, organocatalysis. Carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond forming reactions through enolates (including boron enolates), enamines and silyl enol ethers. Stereoselective addition to C=O groups (Cram, Prelog and Felkin-Anh models). 

Pericyclic Reactions and Photochemistry: Electrocyclic, cycloaddition and sigmatropic reactions. Orbital correlations - FMO and PMO treatments, Woodward-Hoffmann rule. Photochemistry of alkenes, arenes and carbonyl compounds. Photooxidation and photoreduction. Di-π-methane rearrangement, Barton-McCombie reaction, Norrish type-I and II cleavage reaction. 

Heterocyclic Compounds: Structure, preparation, properties and reactions of furan, pyrrole, thiophene, pyridine, indole, quinoline and isoquinoline. 

Biomolecules: Structure, properties and reactions of mono- and di-saccharides, physicochemical properties of amino acids, chemical synthesis of peptides, chemical structure determination of peptides and proteins, structural features of proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, steroids, terpenoids, carotenoids, and alkaloids. 

Experimental Techniques in Organic Chemistry: Optical rotation (polarimetry). Applications of various chromatographic techniques such as thin-layer, column, HPLC and GC. Applications of UV-visible, IR, NMR and Mass spectrometry in the structural determination of organic molecules. 

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Online Examination will be conducted in March-April, 2021 in each of the Nine Engineering disciplines and Five Science disciplines. This is an ultimate opportunity for Engineering and Science graduates which provides excellent career opportunities in Nuclear Science and Engineering & Technology. 

To get into BARC, you will need to qualify the BARC Online Exam with excellent score along with GATE score.

The online examination will have MCQs. The selection process includes two stages and the first one is Online exam/GATE score and the second one is Personal Interview. It is a national level examination conducted in online mode (computer-based test). 

Eligibility For Chemistry Discipline (code CY): 

i. M.Sc. in Chemistry with Physics up to B.Sc. or at subsidiary and / or ancillary level in case of 5-year integrated M.Sc. and Mathematics at Std. XII or at B.Sc. or at subsidiary and / or ancillary level in case of 5-year integrated M.Sc., with a minimum of 60%* aggregate marks in M.Sc. 

ii. All candidates (other than those applying with a 5-year integrated M.Sc. degree) must additionally have a minimum of 60%* aggregate marks in B.Sc. 

iii. Applicants opting to be considered on the basis of a GATE Score should have a valid GATE-2019 or GATE-2020 Score in ―Chemistry‟.

Eligible Disciplines

Table-1b : Eligible Science Disciplines and their Codes

† The candidates belonging to Physics discipline selected for the BARC Training School at Mumbai will be allotted either Physics or Radiological Safety & Environmental Science as their Training Scheme and those selected for the BARC Training School at IGCAR will be allotted Reactor Physics as their Training Scheme.

‡ The candidates belonging to Chemistry discipline selected for the BARC Training School at Mumbai will be allotted either Chemistry or Radiological Safety & Environmental Science as their Training Scheme and those selected for the Training school at IGCAR will pursue Nuclear Fuel Cycle Chemistry in the Training School.

# Radiological Safety & Environmental Science (RSES) is not a separate discipline but an additional Training Scheme option for candidates in Nuclear Engineering, Physics and Chemistry.

BARC Syllabus:  The syllabus for the Online Exam is specific to the Science discipline which a candidate has selected. The questions are intended to assess the basic understanding of subjects in the area of the Science discipline selected by the candidate. Emphasis would be on the knowledge and problem solving ability rather than on the memory of the candidate. General English, General Knowledge, Aptitude etc are not assessed.