GATE MN previous year question papers
Mining Engineering · 2007–2026
Free year-wise GATE MN question papers with official answer keys. Solve them under a 3-hour timer to simulate the real exam, then review every wrong answer against the GATE MN syllabus.
Free PDF downloads
We link to established, free sources rather than re-hosting copies. Papers open in a new tab; always cross-check against the official GATE organising institute's site for the current cycle.
How to use these papers
- Finish a subject first, then solve that subject's questions across all years.
- Once the syllabus is covered, switch to full papers under a strict 3-hour timer.
- Log every mistake by cause: concept gap, silly error, or time pressure.
- Re-solve the papers you scored worst on after two weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How is the GATE MN paper split between the six core sections and Engineering Mathematics?
General Aptitude is a fixed 15 marks, Engineering Mathematics usually contributes 10–13 marks, and the remaining roughly 72 marks are spread across the five mining-specific sections, with Mining Methods and Machinery and Geomechanics and Ground Control together forming close to a third of the paper.
Does GATE MN expect field or practical mining experience, or is it purely textbook-based?
The exam itself is textbook and numerically driven: it tests concepts like stope design, support calculations, blast geometry, ventilation network analysis and ore reserve estimation through problems, not on-site experience: though candidates who have done a mine visit or vacation training often find it easier to visualise questions on layout and development.
Which GATE MN sections should get priority if preparation time is limited?
Mining Methods and Machinery and Geomechanics and Ground Control carry the largest combined share and also feed into Mine Ventilation and parts of Mine Planning, so securing these two first, alongside a steady parallel track of Engineering Mathematics, gives the best return before spreading time across Surveying, Mine Development and Mineral Economics.
Is GATE MN more useful for PSU recruitment or for M.Tech admission?
It serves both: a GATE MN score is used directly for recruitment into PSUs such as Coal India, NMDC, Hindustan Zinc and SCCL that hire mining engineers off the exam, and separately for admission to M.Tech programmes in mining engineering and rock excavation engineering at IITs and NITs, so the same score does double duty depending on how a candidate chooses to use it.