Table of Contents
Introduction
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) for Instrumentation Engineering is a highly regarded examination that evaluates the knowledge and skills of candidates aspiring to pursue higher studies or career opportunities in the field of instrumentation and control engineering. GATE is jointly conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and it serves as a benchmark for assessing candidates’ understanding of core concepts, problem-solving abilities, and proficiency in instrumentation-related subjects. The examination provides a gateway for candidates to secure admission to postgraduate programs such as M.Tech and Ph.D. in prestigious institutes across India or pursue exciting job opportunities in public and private sectors.
The GATE Instrumentation Engineering exam covers a wide range of topics, including measurement techniques, control systems, sensors, signal processing, industrial instrumentation, and communication systems. Candidates are evaluated on their knowledge of electronics, electrical circuits, digital systems, and microprocessors, along with their application in instrumentation. Additionally, the exam may include questions on advanced topics like process control, robotics, biomedical instrumentation, and automation, ensuring that candidates are tested on both foundational and cutting-edge aspects of the field.
Instrumentation Engineering Subject Code: IN
Topic wise detailed syllabus for GATE 2023: Instrumentation Engineering
Engineering Mathematics
Linear Algebra
Matrix algebra, systems of linear equations, consistency and rank, Eigenvalue and Eigenvectors.
Calculus
Mean value theorems, theorems of integral calculus, partial derivatives, maxima and minima, multiple integrals, Fourier series, vector identities, line, surface and volume integrals, Stokes, Gauss and Green’s theorems.
Differential Equations
First order equation (linear and nonlinear), second order linear differential equations with constant coefficients, method of variation of parameters, Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations, initial and boundary value problems, solution of partial differential equations: variable separable method.
Analysis of Complex Variables
Analytic functions, Cauchy’s integral theorem and integral formula, Taylor’s and Laurent’s series, residue theorem, solution of integrals.
Probability and Statistics
Sampling theorems, conditional probability, mean, median, mode, standard deviation and variance; random variables: discrete and continuous distributions: normal, Poisson and binomial distributions.
Numerical Methods
Matrix inversion, solutions of non-linear algebraic equations, iterative methods for solving differential equations, numerical integration, regression and correlation analysis.
Electricity and Magnetism
Coulomb’s Law, Electric Field Intensity, Electric Flux Density, Gauss’s Law, Divergence, Electric field and potential due to point, line, plane and spherical charge distributions, Effect of dielectric medium, Capacitance of simple configurations, Biot‐Savart’s law, Ampere’s law, Curl, Faraday’s law, Lorentz force, Inductance, Magnetomotive force, Reluctance, Magnetic circuits, Self and Mutual inductance of simple configurations.
Electrical Circuits and Machines
Voltage and current sources
independent, dependent, ideal and practical; v-i relationships of resistor, inductor, mutual inductance and capacitor; transient analysis of RLC circuits with dc excitation. Kirchoff’s laws, mesh and nodal analysis, superposition, Thevenin, Norton, maximum power transfer and reciprocity theorems. Peak-, average- and rms values of ac quantities; apparent-, active- and reactive powers; phasor analysis, impedance and admittance; series and parallel resonance, locus diagrams, realization of basic filters with R, L and C elements. transient analysis of RLC circuits with ac excitation. One-port and two-port networks, driving point impedance and admittance, open-, and short circuit parameters.
Single phase transformer
equivalent circuit, phasor diagram, open circuit and short circuit tests, regulation and efficiency; Three phase induction motors: principle of operation, types, performance, torque-speed characteristics, no-load and blocked rotor tests, equivalent circuit, starting and speed control; Types of losses and efficiency calculations of electric machines
Signals and Systems
Periodic, aperiodic and impulse signals; Laplace, Fourier and z-transforms; transfer function, frequency response of first and second order linear time invariant systems, impulse response of systems; convolution, correlation. Discrete time system: impulse response, frequency response, pulse transfer function; DFT and FFT; basics of IIR and FIR filters.
Control Systems
Feedback principles, signal flow graphs, transient response, steady-state-errors, Bode plot, phase and gain margins, Routh and Nyquist criteria, root loci, design of lead, lag and lead-lag compensators, state-space representation of systems; time-delay systems; mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic system components, synchro pair, servo and stepper motors, servo valves; on-off, P, PI, PID, cascade, feedforward, and ratio controllers, tuning of PID controllers and sizing of control valves.
Analog Electronics
Characteristics and applications of diode, Zener diode, BJT and MOSFET; small signal analysis of transistor circuits, feedback amplifiers. Characteristics of ideal and practical operational amplifiers; applications of opamps: adder, subtractor, integrator, differentiator, difference amplifier, instrumentation amplifier, precision rectifier, active filters, oscillators, signal generators, voltage controlled oscillators and phase locked loop, sources and effects of noise and interference in electronic circuits.
Digital Electronics
Combinational logic circuits, minimization of Boolean functions. IC families: TTL and CMOS. Arithmetic circuits, comparators, Schmitt trigger, multi-vibrators, sequential circuits, flipflops, shift registers, timers and counters; sample-and-hold circuit, multiplexer, analog-to-digital (successive approximation, integrating, flash and sigma-delta) and digital-to-analog converters (weighted R, R2R ladder and current steering logic). Characteristics of ADC and DAC (resolution, quantization, significant bits, conversion/settling time); basics of number systems, Embedded Systems: Microprocessor and microcontroller applications, memory and input-output interfacing; basics of data acquisition systems, basics of distributed control systems (DCS) and programmable logic
controllers.
Measurements
SI units, standards (R,L,C, voltage, current and frequency), systematic and random errors in measurement, expression of uncertainty – accuracy and precision, propagation of errors, linear and weighted regression. Bridges: Wheatstone, Kelvin, Megohm, Maxwell, Anderson, Schering and Wien for measurement of R, L, C and frequency, Q-meter. Measurement of voltage, current and power in single and three phase circuits; ac and dc current probes; true rms meters, voltage and current scaling, instrument transformers, timer/counter, time, phase and frequency measurements, digital voltmeter, digital multimeter; oscilloscope, shielding and grounding.
Sensors and Industrial Instrumentation
Resistive-, capacitive-, inductive-, piezoelectric-, Hall effect sensors and associated signal conditioning circuits; transducers for industrial instrumentation: displacement (linear and angular), velocity, acceleration, force, torque, vibration, shock, pressure (including low pressure), flow (variable head, variable area, electromagnetic, ultrasonic, turbine and open channel flow meters) temperature (thermocouple, bolometer, RTD (3/4 wire), thermistor, pyrometer and semiconductor); liquid level, pH, conductivity and viscosity measurement. 4-20 mA two-wire transmitter.
Communication and Optical Instrumentation
Amplitude- and frequency modulation and demodulation; Shannon’s sampling theorem, pulse code modulation; frequency and time division multiplexing, amplitude-, phase-, frequency-, quadrature amplitude, pulse shift keying for digital modulation; optical sources and detectors: LED, laser, photo-diode, light dependent resistor, square law detectors and their characteristics; interferometer: applications in metrology; basics of fiber optic sensing. UV-VIS Spectrophotometers, Mass spectrometer.
GATE Instrumentation Engineering Result analysis
GATE Instrumentation Engineering topper score by year
Year | Papers | Marks | Score |
2022 | GATE Instrumentation Engineering | _ | 1000 |
2021 | GATE Instrumentation Engineering | 79.00 | 1000 |
2020 | GATE Instrumentation Engineering | 82.33 | 1000 |
2019 | GATE Instrumentation Engineering | _ | 1000 |
2018 | GATE Instrumentation Engineering | 92.67 | 1000 |
2017 | GATE Instrumentation Engineering | _ | 1000 |
GATE Instrumentation Engineering cut-off by year
Years | General | OBC | SC/ST/PH |
2020 | 34.6 | 31.1 | 23.0 |
2019 | 31.9 | 28.7 | 21.3 |
2018 | 37.1 | 33.3 | 24.7 |
2017 | 34.60 | 31.10 | 23.00 |
2016 | 31.6 | 28.4 | 21 |
2015 | 25.45 | 22.9 | 16.96 |
2014 | 25 | 22.5 | 16.67 |
2013 | 25 | 22.5 | 16.67 |
Number of students appearing for GATE Instrumentation Engineering Exam
Year | Registered Candidates | Candidates appeared | Total number of qualified candidates |
2022 | 16447 | 11406 | 2619 |
2021 | _ | 16770 | 3595 |
2020 | 9541 | 7322 | _ |
2019 | 12289 | 9999 | _ |
2018 | 140796 | 121383 | – |
2017 | 18045 | 2,566 | _ |
Previous Year Question Papers
Download previous year question papers from the official GATE website click here.
Video Links For Instrumentation Engineering
1.Industrial Instrumentation
2. Preparation video on Instrumentation Engineering
3. Sensor & Industrial Instrumentation Gate