Syllabus overview
GATE BT syllabus 2027 with the official PDF, 100-mark exam pattern and complete section-wise topic tables for Biotechnology.
Highlights
BT is the official GATE code for Biotechnology.
The official syllabus contains 6 sections: Engineering Mathematics; General Biology; Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Biology; Fundamentals of Biological Engineering; Plant, Animal and Microbial Biotechnology; Recombinant DNA technology and Other Tools in Biotechnology.
The paper is a 3-hour Computer-Based Test for 100 marks, including 15 marks of General Aptitude.
Allowed second-paper codes when BT is primary: BM, XL.
The official IIT Madras PDF is available in the download section.
Quick facts
- Exam
- GATE
- Paper / stage
- BT · Biotechnology
- Current cycle
- 2027
- Page type
- Syllabus
- Conducting body
- GATE
- Language
- English
Detailed syllabus
GATE BT Syllabus 2027 Overview
The official GATE BT syllabus 2027 for Biotechnology is organized into 6 sections, covering Engineering Mathematics, General Biology, Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Fundamentals of Biological Engineering and the remaining paper-specific areas listed below. This page follows the IIT Madras syllabus order, provides the correct 100-mark exam pattern, and links the official PDF so aspirants can prepare from a complete, verified checklist.
How to Prepare from the GATE BT Syllabus
- Create one checklist for every official section and retain the same sequence used in the PDF.
- Start with a diagnostic test, then allocate more study time to weak high-coverage sections instead of dividing time equally.
- Solve previous-year GATE questions immediately after completing each topic and record errors by concept, calculation and time pressure.
- Revise formulas, definitions and frequently confused conditions in short weekly cycles, followed by mixed-section tests.
- Use the official PDF as the final scope document; coaching notes should expand a listed topic, not introduce an unrelated syllabus.
GATE BT Official Source and Internal Links
The syllabus tables were checked against the IIT Madras GATE 2027 BT PDF. Use the download section for the database-hosted copy, the GATE syllabus hub to switch papers, and the notification page for registration dates and policy updates.
Exam pattern
GATE BT Exam Pattern 2027
| Section | Marks | How it applies |
|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | 15 | Common to all GATE papers |
| Engineering Mathematics | 13 | Paper-specific engineering mathematics |
| Core subject questions | 72 | Selected test-paper syllabus |
| Total | 100 | 3-hour CBT |
Section: General Aptitude
- Marks
- 15
- How it applies
- Common to all GATE papers
Section: Engineering Mathematics
- Marks
- 13
- How it applies
- Paper-specific engineering mathematics
Section: Core subject questions
- Marks
- 72
- How it applies
- Selected test-paper syllabus
Section: Total
- Marks
- 100
- How it applies
- 3-hour CBT
GATE BT Question and Marking Rules
| Question type | Possible marks | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|
| MCQ | 1 or 2 | Yes: 1/3 for a wrong 1-mark MCQ; 2/3 for a wrong 2-mark MCQ |
| MSQ | 1 or 2 | No negative marking and no partial marking |
| NAT | 1 or 2 | No negative marking |
Question type: MCQ
- Possible marks
- 1 or 2
- Negative marking
- Yes: 1/3 for a wrong 1-mark MCQ; 2/3 for a wrong 2-mark MCQ
Question type: MSQ
- Possible marks
- 1 or 2
- Negative marking
- No negative marking and no partial marking
Question type: NAT
- Possible marks
- 1 or 2
- Negative marking
- No negative marking
Subject-wise syllabus
GATE BT Syllabus 2027 - Official Section-wise Topics
The tables below preserve the section order and complete topic coverage published by IIT Madras for the GATE 2027 BT paper. Use each table as a study and revision checklist, and verify any later corrigendum against the official PDF.
Section 1: Engineering Mathematics
| Topic area | Official syllabus coverage |
|---|---|
| Linear Algebra | Matrices and determinants; Systems of linear equations; Eigen values and Eigen vectors. |
| Calculus | Multivariable calculus (limits, continuity, and differentiability); Partial derivatives, maxima and minima; Sequences and series; Test for convergence. Multivariable calculus: Gradient, divergence, and curl (for applications in fluid mechanics, transport processes, etc.). |
| Differential Equations | Linear and nonlinear first order ODEs, higher order ODEs with constant coefficients; Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations; Laplace transforms. |
| Probability and Statistics | Mean, median, mode and standard deviation; Random variables; Poisson, normal and binomial distributions; Correlation and regression analysis; Bayesian Statistics. |
| Numerical Methods | Solution of linear and nonlinear algebraic equations; Integration by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule; Single step method for differential equations. |
Topic area: Linear Algebra
- Official syllabus coverage
- Matrices and determinants; Systems of linear equations; Eigen values and Eigen vectors.
Topic area: Calculus
- Official syllabus coverage
- Multivariable calculus (limits, continuity, and differentiability); Partial derivatives, maxima and minima; Sequences and series; Test for convergence. Multivariable calculus: Gradient, divergence, and curl (for applications in fluid mechanics, transport processes, etc.).
Topic area: Differential Equations
- Official syllabus coverage
- Linear and nonlinear first order ODEs, higher order ODEs with constant coefficients; Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations; Laplace transforms.
Topic area: Probability and Statistics
- Official syllabus coverage
- Mean, median, mode and standard deviation; Random variables; Poisson, normal and binomial distributions; Correlation and regression analysis; Bayesian Statistics.
Topic area: Numerical Methods
- Official syllabus coverage
- Solution of linear and nonlinear algebraic equations; Integration by trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule; Single step method for differential equations.
Section 2: General Biology
| Topic area | Official syllabus coverage |
|---|---|
| Biochemistry | Biomolecules - structure and function; Biological membranes - structure, membrane channels and pumps, molecular motors, action potential and transport processes; Basic concepts and regulation of metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleic acids; Metabolism: Regulation of metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleic acids ; Detailed pathways like glycolysis, citric acid cycle, and fatty acid oxidation; Photosynthesis, respiration and electron transport chain ; Enzymes - Classification, catalytic and regulatory strategies; Enzyme kinetics - Michaelis-Menten equation; Enzyme inhibition - competitive, non-competitive and uncompetitive inhibition. |
| Microbiology | History of Microbiology, Bacterial classification and diversity; Bacterial cell wall composition, Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Archea, Methods in microbiology; Microbial growth and nutrition; Operon-Lac, Trp and Ara operon, Nitrogen fixation; Microbial diseases and host-pathogen interactions; Antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance, Two-component system ( TCS), bacterial communication, Viruses - structure and classification. |
| Immunology | Primary and Secondary lymphoid organs; Innate immunity and Inflammation; Cytokines and Chemokines; Complement system; Effector responses: Cellular and Humoral Immunity; Molecular basis of Antibody diversity and function; Polyclonal and Monoclonal antibodie s; T -cell and B -cell development; Memory responses; Major Histocompatibility complex (MHC); Antigen processing and presentation; Regulation of immune responses; Immune tolerance; Hypersensitivity; Autoimmunity and Immunodeficiency; Graft vs Host disease; Immunization and vaccines. |
Topic area: Biochemistry
- Official syllabus coverage
- Biomolecules - structure and function; Biological membranes - structure, membrane channels and pumps, molecular motors, action potential and transport processes; Basic concepts and regulation of metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleic acids; Metabolism: Regulation of metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleic acids ; Detailed pathways like glycolysis, citric acid cycle, and fatty acid oxidation; Photosynthesis, respiration and electron transport chain ; Enzymes - Classification, catalytic and regulatory strategies; Enzyme kinetics - Michaelis-Menten equation; Enzyme inhibition - competitive, non-competitive and uncompetitive inhibition.
Topic area: Microbiology
- Official syllabus coverage
- History of Microbiology, Bacterial classification and diversity; Bacterial cell wall composition, Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Archea, Methods in microbiology; Microbial growth and nutrition; Operon-Lac, Trp and Ara operon, Nitrogen fixation; Microbial diseases and host-pathogen interactions; Antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance, Two-component system ( TCS), bacterial communication, Viruses - structure and classification.
Topic area: Immunology
- Official syllabus coverage
- Primary and Secondary lymphoid organs; Innate immunity and Inflammation; Cytokines and Chemokines; Complement system; Effector responses: Cellular and Humoral Immunity; Molecular basis of Antibody diversity and function; Polyclonal and Monoclonal antibodie s; T -cell and B -cell development; Memory responses; Major Histocompatibility complex (MHC); Antigen processing and presentation; Regulation of immune responses; Immune tolerance; Hypersensitivity; Autoimmunity and Immunodeficiency; Graft vs Host disease; Immunization and vaccines.
Section 3: Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Biology
| Topic area | Official syllabus coverage |
|---|---|
| Genetics and Evolutionary Biology | Mendelian inheritance; Gene interaction; Complementation; Linkage, recombination and chromosome mapping; Extra chromosomal inheritance; Microbial genetics - transformation, transduction and conjugation; Bacterial gene mapping; Horizontal gene transfer and transposable elements; Chromosomal variation; Sex Determination; Genetic disorders; Population genetics; Epigenetics; Selection and inheritance; Adaptive and neutral evolution; Genetic drift; Species and speciation. |
| Cell Biology | Eukaryotic cell structure; Cell cycle and cell growth control; Cell -cell communication; Cell signalling and signal transduction; Non-cell autonomous cell signalling; Post-translational modifications; Protein trafficking; Cell death and autophagy; Extra-cellular matrix. |
| Molecular Biology | Molecular structure of genes and chromosomes; Mutations and mutagenesis; Regulation of gene expression; Nucleic acid - replication, transcription, splicing, translation and their regulatory mechanisms; |
| Official coverage | Non-coding and micro RNA; RNA interference; DNA damage and repair |
Topic area: Genetics and Evolutionary Biology
- Official syllabus coverage
- Mendelian inheritance; Gene interaction; Complementation; Linkage, recombination and chromosome mapping; Extra chromosomal inheritance; Microbial genetics - transformation, transduction and conjugation; Bacterial gene mapping; Horizontal gene transfer and transposable elements; Chromosomal variation; Sex Determination; Genetic disorders; Population genetics; Epigenetics; Selection and inheritance; Adaptive and neutral evolution; Genetic drift; Species and speciation.
Topic area: Cell Biology
- Official syllabus coverage
- Eukaryotic cell structure; Cell cycle and cell growth control; Cell -cell communication; Cell signalling and signal transduction; Non-cell autonomous cell signalling; Post-translational modifications; Protein trafficking; Cell death and autophagy; Extra-cellular matrix.
Topic area: Molecular Biology
- Official syllabus coverage
- Molecular structure of genes and chromosomes; Mutations and mutagenesis; Regulation of gene expression; Nucleic acid - replication, transcription, splicing, translation and their regulatory mechanisms;
Topic area: Official coverage
- Official syllabus coverage
- Non-coding and micro RNA; RNA interference; DNA damage and repair
Section 4: Fundamentals of Biological Engineering
| Topic area | Official syllabus coverage |
|---|---|
| Bioreaction Engineering | Rate law, zero and first order kinetics; (More advanced kinetic models, including Michaelis-Menten kinetics for enzyme reactions . Inhibition kinetics: Competitive, non -competitive, and uncompetitive inhibition in enzyme catalysis) ; Ideal reactors - batch, mixed flow and plug flow; Enzyme immobilization, diffusion effects - Thiele modulus, effectiveness factor, Damkoehler number; Kinetics of cell growth, substrate utilization and product formation; Structured and unstructured models; Batch, fed -batch and continuous processes; Microbial and enzyme reactors; Optimization and scale up ( Design and operation of microbial reactors (e.g., fermentation reactors) and enzyme reactors (e.g., immobilized enzyme systems) ; Case studies on the use of microbial reactors in large-scale production (e.g., antibiotics, biofuels). |
| Upstream and Downstream Processing | Media formulation and optimization; Sterilization of air and media; Filtration - membrane filtration, ultra filtration; Centrifugation - high speed and ultra; Cell disruption; Principles of chromatography - ion exchange, gel filtration, hydrophobic interaction, affinity, GC, HPLC and FPLC; Extraction, adsorption and drying; Measurement devices; Valves; First order and second order systems; Feedback and feed forward control; Types of controllers – proportional, derivative and integral control; Tuning of controllers. |
Topic area: Bioreaction Engineering
- Official syllabus coverage
- Rate law, zero and first order kinetics; (More advanced kinetic models, including Michaelis-Menten kinetics for enzyme reactions . Inhibition kinetics: Competitive, non -competitive, and uncompetitive inhibition in enzyme catalysis) ; Ideal reactors - batch, mixed flow and plug flow; Enzyme immobilization, diffusion effects - Thiele modulus, effectiveness factor, Damkoehler number; Kinetics of cell growth, substrate utilization and product formation; Structured and unstructured models; Batch, fed -batch and continuous processes; Microbial and enzyme reactors; Optimization and scale up ( Design and operation of microbial reactors (e.g., fermentation reactors) and enzyme reactors (e.g., immobilized enzyme systems) ; Case studies on the use of microbial reactors in large-scale production (e.g., antibiotics, biofuels).
Topic area: Upstream and Downstream Processing
- Official syllabus coverage
- Media formulation and optimization; Sterilization of air and media; Filtration - membrane filtration, ultra filtration; Centrifugation - high speed and ultra; Cell disruption; Principles of chromatography - ion exchange, gel filtration, hydrophobic interaction, affinity, GC, HPLC and FPLC; Extraction, adsorption and drying; Measurement devices; Valves; First order and second order systems; Feedback and feed forward control; Types of controllers – proportional, derivative and integral control; Tuning of controllers.
Section 5: Plant, Animal and Microbial Biotechnology
| Topic area | Official syllabus coverage |
|---|---|
| Plants | Totipotency; Cell fate transition, direct and indirect organogenesis, regeneration of plants; Plant growth regulators and elicitors; Tissue culture and cell suspension culture system - methodology, kinetics of growth and nutrient optimization; Production of secondary metabolites; Hairy root culture; Plant products of industrial importance; Artificial seeds; Somaclonal variation; Protoplast, protoplast fusion - somatic hybrid and cybrid; Transgenic plants - direct and indirect methods of gene transfer techniques; Selection marker and reporter gene; Plastid transformation. |
| Animals | Culture media composition and growth conditions; Animal cell and tissue preservation; Anchorage and non-anchorage dependent cell culture; Kinetics of cell growth; Micro & macro - carrier culture; Hybridoma technology; Stem cell technology; Animal cloning; Transgenic animals; Knock-out and knock-in animals. |
| Microbes | Production of biomass and primary/secondary metabolites - Biofuels, bioplastics, industrial enzymes, antibiotics; Large scale production and purification of recombinant proteins and metabolites; Clinical-, food-and industrial-microbiology; Screening strategies for new products. |
Topic area: Plants
- Official syllabus coverage
- Totipotency; Cell fate transition, direct and indirect organogenesis, regeneration of plants; Plant growth regulators and elicitors; Tissue culture and cell suspension culture system - methodology, kinetics of growth and nutrient optimization; Production of secondary metabolites; Hairy root culture; Plant products of industrial importance; Artificial seeds; Somaclonal variation; Protoplast, protoplast fusion - somatic hybrid and cybrid; Transgenic plants - direct and indirect methods of gene transfer techniques; Selection marker and reporter gene; Plastid transformation.
Topic area: Animals
- Official syllabus coverage
- Culture media composition and growth conditions; Animal cell and tissue preservation; Anchorage and non-anchorage dependent cell culture; Kinetics of cell growth; Micro & macro - carrier culture; Hybridoma technology; Stem cell technology; Animal cloning; Transgenic animals; Knock-out and knock-in animals.
Topic area: Microbes
- Official syllabus coverage
- Production of biomass and primary/secondary metabolites - Biofuels, bioplastics, industrial enzymes, antibiotics; Large scale production and purification of recombinant proteins and metabolites; Clinical-, food-and industrial-microbiology; Screening strategies for new products.
Section 6: Recombinant DNA technology and Other Tools in Biotechnology
| Topic area | Official syllabus coverage |
|---|---|
| Recombinant DNA technology | Restriction and modification enzymes; Vectors - plasmids, bacteriophage and other viral vectors, cosmids, Ti plasmid, bacterial and yeast artificial chromosomes; Expression vectors; cDNA and genomic DNA library Gene isolation and cloning, strategies for production of recombinant proteins; Transposons and gene targeting, Recombination-based gene cloning. |
| Molecular tools | Polymerase chain reaction; DNA/RNA labelling and Sangers and next generation sequencing; Southern and northern blotting; In-situ hybridization; DNA fingerprinting, RAPD, RFLP; Site-directed mutagenesis; CRISPR -Cas; Biosensing and biosensors; DNA-protein and protein -protein interaction tools; Genomics and proteomics-based approaches. |
| Analytical tools | Principles of microscopy - light, electron, fluorescence and confocal; Principles of spectroscopy-UV, visible, fluorescence, CD, IR, FT -IR, MS, NMR; Electrophoresis; Micro - arrays; Enzymatic assays; Immunoassays - ELISA, RIA, immunohistochemistry; Immunoblotting; Flow cytometry; Whole genome and ChIP sequencing. |
| Computational tools | Bioinformatics resources and search tools; Sequence and structure databases; Sequence analysis - sequence file formats, scoring matrices, alignment, phylogeny; Genomics, proteomics, metabolomics; Gene prediction; Functional annotation; Secondary structure and 3D structure prediction; Knowledge discovery in biochemical databases; Metagenomics; Metabolic engineering and systems biology. |
Topic area: Recombinant DNA technology
- Official syllabus coverage
- Restriction and modification enzymes; Vectors - plasmids, bacteriophage and other viral vectors, cosmids, Ti plasmid, bacterial and yeast artificial chromosomes; Expression vectors; cDNA and genomic DNA library Gene isolation and cloning, strategies for production of recombinant proteins; Transposons and gene targeting, Recombination-based gene cloning.
Topic area: Molecular tools
- Official syllabus coverage
- Polymerase chain reaction; DNA/RNA labelling and Sangers and next generation sequencing; Southern and northern blotting; In-situ hybridization; DNA fingerprinting, RAPD, RFLP; Site-directed mutagenesis; CRISPR -Cas; Biosensing and biosensors; DNA-protein and protein -protein interaction tools; Genomics and proteomics-based approaches.
Topic area: Analytical tools
- Official syllabus coverage
- Principles of microscopy - light, electron, fluorescence and confocal; Principles of spectroscopy-UV, visible, fluorescence, CD, IR, FT -IR, MS, NMR; Electrophoresis; Micro - arrays; Enzymatic assays; Immunoassays - ELISA, RIA, immunohistochemistry; Immunoblotting; Flow cytometry; Whole genome and ChIP sequencing.
Topic area: Computational tools
- Official syllabus coverage
- Bioinformatics resources and search tools; Sequence and structure databases; Sequence analysis - sequence file formats, scoring matrices, alignment, phylogeny; Genomics, proteomics, metabolomics; Gene prediction; Functional annotation; Secondary structure and 3D structure prediction; Knowledge discovery in biochemical databases; Metagenomics; Metabolic engineering and systems biology.
GATE BT Syllabus 2027: exam pattern and key details
| Detail | Current information |
|---|---|
| Exam | GATE |
| Paper / stage | BT · Biotechnology |
| Current cycle | 2027 |
| Page type | Syllabus |
| Conducting body | GATE |
| Language | English |
Detail: Exam
- Current information
- GATE
Detail: Paper / stage
- Current information
- BT · Biotechnology
Detail: Current cycle
- Current information
- 2027
Detail: Page type
- Current information
- Syllabus
Detail: Conducting body
- Current information
- GATE
Detail: Language
- Current information
- English
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not prepare from an old syllabus without comparing it with the latest official notice and the requirements for your exact exam stage.
Candidates also ask
The official BT syllabus contains 6 sections: Engineering Mathematics; General Biology; Genetics, Cellular and Molecular Biology; Fundamentals of Biological Engineering; Plant, Animal and Microbial Biotechnology; Recombinant DNA technology and Other Tools in Biotechnology. The complete topic coverage is arranged in section-wise tables on this page.
GATE BT is a 100-mark, 3-hour Computer-Based Test. General Aptitude carries 15 marks and the remaining marks follow the paper-specific distribution shown above.
The initial GATE 2027 combination table permits these secondary codes when BT is primary: BM, XL. Check the official portal for later changes.
Frequently asked questions
Use the featured PDF button on this page. It opens the database-hosted copy of the official IIT Madras BT syllabus.
Yes. General Aptitude is compulsory in every GATE 2027 test paper and carries 15 marks.
The paper uses Multiple Choice Questions, Multiple Select Questions and Numerical Answer Type questions carrying one or two marks.
Negative marking applies only to incorrect MCQs. MSQ and NAT questions have no negative marking, and MSQs have no partial marking.
Follow the official section order, complete topic-level concepts and examples, solve previous-year questions after each unit, and use full-length mock tests only after completing the major sections.
Downloads
Official GATE BT Syllabus 2027 PDF
- Download GATE BT Biotechnology Syllabus 2027 PDFNEWFEATUREDDownload
Official resources
GATE 2027 Syllabus HubOpen the referenced exam resource.
View resource GATE 2027 NotificationOpen the referenced exam resource.
View resource Official GATE BT Syllabus PDFOpen the referenced exam resource.
View resource GATE 2027 Information Brochure PDFOpen the referenced exam resource.
View resource IIT Madras Test Papers and SyllabusOpen the referenced exam resource.
View resource GATE BM SyllabusOpen the referenced exam resource.
View resource GATE official websiteVisit the conducting body’s official website.
View resource GATE Organising Institute official websiteVerify the latest rules and notices at the official source.
View resource
Topics covered
- GATE BT syllabus 2027
- Biotechnology
- GATE 2027 PDF
- IIT Madras
Research methodology and editorial review
Research methodology
GovtJobsNet editors compare the latest official GATE notice, conducting-body resources and published amendments before updating this page. Where an official 2027 document is pending, the page is marked and reviewed again after release.
- Last updated
- 4 August 2026
- Content cycle
- GATE 2027
Candidate questions and discussion
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