GATE 2026 Syllabus for Psychology (XH - C4) - Important Chapters, Best Books, Sample Questions

You can download the official GATE 2026 Psychology syllabus PDF from IIT Guwahati's website. Key topics will include Research Methods and Statistics, Psychometrics, and Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Behaviour for your exam preparation.

Table of Contents

GATE 2026 Psychology Syllabus PDF
GATE 2026 Psychology Chapter-Wise Syllabus
GATE 2026 General Aptitude Syllabus for Psychology
GATE 2026 Psychology Syllabus Important Chapters
Sample Question Papers for GATE 2026 Psychology Paper
GATE 2026 Psychology Exam Pattern
Best Books for GATE 2026 Psychology Exam
Faqs

GATE 2026 Syllabus for Psychology (XH-C4): IIT Guwahati will release the official GATE 2026 Psychology syllabus on its website. The updated syllabus will cover key areas such as Research Methods, Cognitive and Language Processes, Memory and Forgetting, Personality and Motivation, and Human Development across the lifespan. You will be able to download the complete syllabus directly from the official portal once it is available. If you plan to appear for the GATE 2026 Psychology paper, it will be essential for you to understand the syllabus and exam pattern thoroughly. The question paper will follow IIT Guwahati’s revised format to assess conceptual understanding and analytical skills. This guide will help you explore the detailed syllabus, major topics, recommended study materials, and top GATE 2026 participating institutes . Stay updated through verified academic sources to prepare effectively for the upcoming exam.

GATE 2026 Psychology Syllabus PDF

As discussed above, IIT Guwahati has released the GATE Psychology syllabus PDF on its website. The link for the GATE Psychology syllabus PDF download can be found below:-

GATE 2026 Psychology Syllabus PDF

GATE 2026 Psychology Chapter-Wise Syllabus

As the GATE 2026 exam taker, you must make sure to have all the details about the GATE exam Psychology syllabus. The table below holds the details about the GATE Psychology syllabus:-

Section	Topic	Subtopics
C5.1 Research Methods and Statistics	C5.1.1 Approaches to Research	Philosophical worldviews & criteria involved in approach, Quantitative & qualitative research, Mixed methods
	C5.1.2 Designing Research	Research problems, purpose statement, variables and operational definitions, hypothesis, sampling
	C5.1.3 Nature of Quantitative & Qualitative Research	Structured, semi-structured interviewing, self-completion questionnaires, observation, experimental designs, quasi-experimental, field studies, focus groups, narratives, case studies, ethnography
	C5.1.4 Ethics in Conducting and Reporting Research	Ethical considerations in research methodology
	C5.1.5 Statistics in Psychology	Measures of central tendency, dispersion, normal probability curve, parametric and non-parametric tests, effect size, and power analysis
	C5.1.6 Correlational Analysis	Correlation (product-moment, rank-order), partial correlation, multiple correlation, regression, factor analysis
	C5.1.7 Experimental Designs	ANOVA, randomised block designs, repeated measures, cohort studies, MANOVA, ANCOVA, single-subject designs
C5.2 Psychometrics	Foundations of Psychological Measurement	Scales and items construction, analysis of test items, test standardisation, reliability, validity, norms
C5.2 Psychometrics	Applications of Psychological Testing	Applications in education, counselling, clinical, organisational, and developmental settings
C5.3 Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Behaviour	Heredity and Behaviour	Evolution, natural selection, nervous system, structure of the brain, neurotransmitters, endocrine system, biological basis of motivation
	Physiological Psychology Methods	Invasive and non-invasive methods (EEG, microelectrode studies, scanning methods)
	Genetics and Behaviour	Chromosomal anomalies, nature-nurture controversy, twin and adoption studies
C5.4 Perception, Learning, Memory and Forgetting	Sensation and Perception	Sensory thresholds, sensory adaptations, gestalt principles, depth perception, illusions
	Theories of Learning	Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, social learning, and cognitive learning
	Memory and Forgetting	Encoding, storage, retrieval, interference theory, decay theory, and physical aspects of memory
C5.5 Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence and Language	Basic Elements of Thought	Concepts, propositions, imagery, problem-solving methods, and metacognitive processing
	Theories of Intelligence	Spearman, Thurstone, Jensen, Cattell, Gardner, Sternberg, emotional intelligence
	Language and Cognition	Measuring intelligence, differences between intelligence, aptitude, and creativity
C5.6 Personality	Theories of Personality	Psychoanalytic, behaviourist, social cognitive, humanistic, trait and type theories
C5.6 Personality	Biology of Personality	Assessment methods, biological influences
C5.7 Motivation, Emotion and Stress and Coping	Motivation Theories	Instinct, drive-reduction, arousal, incentive, humanistic theories, intrinsic motivation
C5.7 Motivation, Emotion and Stress and Coping	Emotions and Stress	Theories of emotion (James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter-Singer, Lazarus), stressors, general adaptation syndrome, and coping strategies
C5.8 Social Psychology	Social Perception and Influence	Attribution, impression formation, conformity, compliance, obedience, attitude formation
C5.8 Social Psychology	Prejudice and Discrimination	Cognitive dissonance, aggression, power, prosocial behaviour, group dynamics, leadership theories
C5.9 Development Across the Life Span	Human Development	Nature vs nurture, prenatal development, cognitive and psychosocial development in infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood
C5.9 Development Across the Life Span	Moral and Ageing Development	Theories of ageing, moral development
C5.10 Applications of Psychology	Psychological Disorders	Assessment and diagnosis, PTSD, psychotherapies (psychodynamic, behavioural, cognitive, biological)
C5.10 Applications of Psychology	Applications in School and Organization	Motivation and learning theories in education, counseling, leadership in organizations, territoriality issues

GATE 2026 General Aptitude Syllabus for Psychology

The section on General Aptitude in the GATE Psychology syllabus plays a major role in contributing to your success in the exam. Therefore, you must make sure to know the details about the general aptitude syllabus of GATE Psychology. Find the details about the GATE 2026 syllabus for Psychology in the table below:-

Name of the Chapter	Name of the Topic
Verbal Aptitude	Basic English grammar: tenses, articles, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, verb-noun agreement, and other parts of speech Basic vocabulary: words, idioms, and phrases in context, reading and comprehension, Narrative sequencing.
Quantitative Aptitude	Data interpretation: data graphs (bar graphs, pie charts, and other graphs representing data), 2- and 3-dimensional plots, maps, and tables Numerical computation and estimation: ratios, percentages, powers, exponents and logarithms, permutations and combinations, and series. Mensuration and geometry, Elementary statistics and probability.
Analytical Aptitude	Logic: deduction and induction, Analogy, Numerical relations and reasoning
Spatial Aptitude	Transformation of shapes: translation, rotation, scaling, mirroring, assembling, and grouping paper folding, cutting, and patterns in 2 and 3 dimensions.

GATE 2026 Psychology Syllabus Important Chapters

In GATE 2026 Psychology, certain chapters consistently carry more weight due to their relevance in the field and frequency in past Psychology GATE exams. Topics such as Research Methods and Statistics (focusing on quantitative and qualitative research designs, and statistical methods), Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Behavior (including brain structures, neurotransmitters, and genetic influences), Perception, Learning, Memory, and Forgetting (covering theories of learning, memory processes, and perception), etc. are quite important as questions have been asked before from these sections. Provided below are the important chapters for the GATE Exam Psychology syllabus:-

Sections	Topics	Important Topics
Research Methods and Statistics	Quantitative and Qualitative Research Design, Hypothesis Testing	Research methodologies, statistics in psychology, and experimental designs
Biological and Evolutionary Basis of Behaviour	Nervous System, Neurotransmitters, Brain Functions	Genetic and neurophysiological basis of behaviour
Perception, Learning, Memory, and Forgetting	Sensation, Theories of Learning, Memory Processes	Sensory processes, classical and operant conditioning, and memory retrieval
Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language	Intelligence Theories, Problem Solving	Cognitive processes, intelligence testing, and decision-making
Personality and Social Psychology	Personality Theories, Social Influence, Group Dynamics	Personality assessment, attitudes, and the influence of social environments on behaviour

Sample Question Papers for GATE 2026 Psychology Paper

The best way to assess the preparation levels before appearing for the GATE Exam Psychology syllabus is to solve the previous year's question papers, mock test papers, and sample test papers. The best way to measure the preparations is to attempt the GATE 2026 Psychology sample test papers available on the official website of the IIT Guwahati. You can download the previous year's Psychology question papers as sample papers. For example, we have provided the 2022 question paper below:

GATE 2022 Psychology Sample Question Papers - Download Here!

You will also be able to find the answer key to the sample question paper at the end of the PDF.

GATE 2026 Psychology Sample Questions

1. The theory of psychoanalysis is founded on which of the following?
(A) Psychoanalysis is based on experimental research and laboratory studies.
(B) Psychoanalysis is based on detailed case studies of people.
(C) Psychoanalysis is based on the analysis of dreams and unconscious thoughts.
(D) Psychoanalysis is based on statistical surveys and population studies.
2. If "RAMAN" is encoded as 52 and "MAP" as 33, what is the encoding for "CLICK"?
(A) "CLICK" encodes as 47, applying principles of letter substitution and addition.
(B) "CLICK" encodes as 43, applying principles of letter substitution and addition.
(C) "CLICK" encodes as 39, based on the sum of the positions of the letters in the alphabet.
(D) "CLICK" encodes as 55, following a pattern of assigning numbers to letters and adding them.
3. The theory of psychoanalysis is founded on which of the following?
(A) Psychoanalysis is based on experimental research with animals.
(B) Psychoanalysis is based on statistical analysis of large groups of people.
(C) Psychoanalysis is based on detailed case studies of people.
(D) Psychoanalysis is based on surveys and questionnaires.
4. In the Darwinian sense, what term refers to the ability to survive and produce fertile offspring?
(A) Adaptation refers to the process by which organisms evolve traits that improve survival.
(B) Evolution refers to the gradual change of species over generations.
(C) Fitness refers to the survival and reproductive success of organisms.
(D) Natural selection refers to the mechanism by which individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.
5. When Monkey-A sees Monkey-B, what is this called?" with the correct answer included:
(A) Cognitive imitation involves learning by observing others' actions and objectives.
(B) Social learning is the process by which individuals learn from the behaviour and actions of others in a social group.
(C) Observational learning is the acquisition of skills or knowledge by watching others perform tasks.
(D) Behavioural conditioning occurs when an individual learns through reinforcement and punishment from others' actions.

GATE 2026 Psychology Exam Pattern

The GATE 2026 Psychology exam syllabus will be structured based on the specified GATE Psychology paper pattern. You can find the details about the GATE 2026 Psychology exam pattern below:

Specifications	Details
Mode of the exam	Online (Computer-Based)
Exam Duration	3 hours
Exam section	General Aptitude (GA) Reasoning and Comprehension (XH-B1) Psychology (XH-C5)
Questions type	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions
Total number of marks	100 marks
Marking scheme	1 or 2 marks per question
Negative Marking	MCQs - 1 mark per correct answer; 1/3 mark to be deducted for every wrong answer. MCQs - 2 marks to be deducted for each correct answer; 2/3 marks to be deducted for every incorrect response. No negative marking for MSQ & NAT. No partial marking for MSQ-type questions.

Best Books for GATE 2026 Psychology Exam

If you desire to succeed in the GATE 2026 Psychology exam with a good score, then you must ensure that you have your hands on the best books to prepare from. After doing a bit of research on what supposedly could be the best books for the PG-level GATE exam for Psychology, we have come up with a list of the following books that should help you achieve your goals:-

MCQs in Psychology - Objectives for JRF/UGC NET and Other Competitive Examinations
Question Bank Psychology - SLET/UGC NET/SPSC/UPSC/Other Higher Grade Examinations
NTA UGC NET Psychology Paper-II (recent edition)
Objective Psychology (Popular Master Guide) Paperback

For more information and updates on the GATE 2026 Psychology Exam, stay tuned with CollegeDekho!

FAQs

Which major topics and units are covered in the GATE psychology (xh – c4) syllabus 2026?

You cover ten broad units in GATE Psychology (XH – C4) 2026, similar to recent years. These are: Research methods and statistics, psychometrics, biological and evolutionary bases of behaviour, perception and learning, memory and forgetting, cognition and intelligence, personality, motivation and emotion, social psychology, development across lifespan and applications like psychological disorders, therapies and organisational or educational psychology.

Is there any change in the GATE 2026 psychology (xh – c4) syllabus compared to previous years?

There is no major change in the GATE 2026 Psychology (XH – C4 / XH – C5) syllabus compared to recent years. The core units remain the same, such as Research Methods and Statistics, Biological Basis of Behaviour, Cognition, Personality, Social Psychology, Development, and Applications of Psychology. Minor wording tweaks or subtopics may appear, so you should still download and read the latest official PDF once IIT Guwahati updates it.

What is the weightage of each section in the GATE 2026 Psychology (xh – c4) paper?

In GATE 2026 Psychology (XH – C5 under XH paper), you get three parts with fixed weightage:

General Aptitude: 15 marks (common to all papers).
Reasoning and Comprehension (XH‑B1): 25 marks (compulsory XH section).
Psychology (optional XH‑C5 section): 60 marks.

How many questions are asked from each unit of the GATE Psychology (xh – c4) syllabus?

You do not get a fixed number of questions from each psychology unit in GATE XH; only the overall breakup is fixed. Typically, there are 40 psychology questions carrying 60 marks, spread across all units like research methods, bio‑psychology, perception, learning, social, development and applications, in variable proportions every year. So you should treat all units as important and focus on conceptual depth instead of exact unit-wise question counts.

Does the GATE 2026 psychology syllabus (xh – c4) include research methods and statistics?

Yes, the GATE 2026 Psychology syllabus clearly includes Research Methods and Statistics as a full unit. You will study topics like approaches to research, research design, hypothesis, sampling, ethical issues, and both quantitative and qualitative methods. The syllabus also covers statistics in psychology, including measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal curve, parametric and non-parametric tests, correlation, regression, and factor analysis.