GUJCET Exam Pattern 2026: Section-Wise Pattern, Marking Scheme

If you’ve been worried that the Gujarat Board (GSEB) might change the exam at the last minute, you can finally relax. The official pattern for GUJCET 2026 is out, and everything is staying exactly the same.

For anyone appearing this year, "no change" is great news. It means you don't have to learn a new system or change how you study. Your current plan—sticking to your NCERT and GSEB textbooks—is still the best way to prepare. With the GUJCET exam approaching on March 29, 2026, you need to understand the basic GUJCET exam pattern, which can help you get a good score in the GUJCET exam. 

The GUJCET exam is conducted by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Education Board (GSHSEB). Understanding the GUJCET exam pattern and its section-wise marking scheme will help you clearly grasp the overall paper structure, marking distribution, and the types of questions asked in the main examination. In this article, we'll be discussing the exam pattern, section-wise design, marking scheme, etc.

GUJCET Exam Pattern 2026

Before appearing for the GUJCET 2026 exam, it is essential to thoroughly understand the detailed exam pattern, including the number of sections, total questions, marking scheme, and duration. 

A clear understanding of the structure will help you plan your strategy effectively, manage time efficiently, and attempt the objective-type questions with better accuracy and confidence. Below is a comprehensive overview of the GUJCET 2026 exam pattern:

Feature	Detail
Mode of Exam	Offline pen-and-paper (OMR-based)
Total Time	3 hours (180 minutes)
Medium of Exam	English, Hindi, Gujarati
Question Type	Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)
Total Questions	120 questions
Total Marks	120 marks
Subjects/Sections	Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Biology

Why Knowing the GUJCET Exam Pattern Matters?

Understanding the GUJCET exam pattern is essential for effective preparation and performance. GUJCET is conducted in offline (pen-and-paper) mode for science students seeking admission to undergraduate engineering and pharmacy programs. 

The exam is time-bound and consists of objective-type questions, which require a strong balance of accuracy, speed, and smart section-wise time management. Since Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics/Biology carry equal weightage, knowing the pattern helps candidates allocate preparation time strategically and approach each section with confidence.

Section-Wise GUJCET Exam Pattern and Important Topics

Most of the candidates consider the GUJCET exam as just a 120-question paper that needs to be solved in three hours, but the real struggle is the distribution of those 120 questions in three parts. Understanding the section-wise breakdown will help you to solve the GUJCET exam without any stress. The section-wise, subject-wise breakdown of the GUJCET question paper is as follows:

Section	No. of Questions	Marks	Key Focus Areas	Expert Insight
Physics	40	40	Mechanics, Electricity, Thermodynamics, Optics, Modern Physics	Tests conceptual clarity and application skills. Requires strong analytical reasoning rather than rote memorization.
Chemistry	40	40	Physical Chemistry (e.g., Thermodynamics), Inorganic (Periodicity), Organic Reactions	Balanced coverage across sub-disciplines. Students must distribute preparation time evenly instead of over-focusing on one branch.
Mathematics (for Engineering)	40	40	Calculus, Algebra, Vectors, Probability	Demands speed, accuracy, and strong problem-solving ability. Time management is critical.
Biology (for Pharmacy)	40	40	Genetics, Ecology, Biotechnology	Concept-driven and theory-intensive. Precision and conceptual clarity help avoid negative marking penalties.

As per our analysis, Physics and Mathematics require strong problem-solving abilities, making them high-scoring subjects, but time-consuming ones. In contrast, Chemistry is relatively easy to grasp and solve, often offering a scoring opportunity for many candidates. Understanding this dynamic can help you allocate time effectively and strategise your approach to maximise your GUJCET score.

Is the GUJCET 2026 pattern based on NCERT or GSEB textbooks?

Yes, the good sit exam pattern and syllabus are mainly based on the NCERT Class 12 Science syllabus. The base of the question paper is mainly from the NCRT books because the Gujarat board schools nowadays follow the NCRT textbook for class 11th and 12th subjects.

However, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board prescribes the syllabus from its own textbooks, so you're advised to study both GSEB board material and NCERT books to cover all topics for GUJCET 2026.

What is the GUJCET Marking Scheme 2026

To understand the GUJCET scores, first understand the marking scheme. It's simple: +1 for every correct answer, 0 for unattempted, and -1 for an incorrect answer.

Response Type	Marks Awarded	Impact on Total Score
Correct Answer	+1	Increases total score by 1 mark
Incorrect Answer	-0.25	Deducts 0.25 marks (negative marking applies)
Unanswered Question	0	No impact on total score

Time Allocation & Strategy to Solve GUJCET Exam.

As discussed earlier, many candidates mistakenly take GUJCET as a single 120-question paper to be solved in three hours. whereas the real struggle lies in dividing those 180 minutes into the three sections. 

But understanding the time allocation and preparing a strategy of how to divide those 180 minutes to solve all three sections is very important for a good score.

Some basic tips to learn time allocation and prepare a good strategy to solve the GUJCET exam are:

• Don't just divide 180 minutes by 120 questions. Divide your time thoughtfully by deciding the difficulty level of each and every section. For example, Physics and Mathematics are more time-consuming because of the numerical-based questions, whereas Chemistry is mostly theoretical-based and can be solved in less time.
• Try using the two-round attempt strategy, in which, during round one, attempt only the questions that you are 100% confident about. After finishing round one, start with round two and return to the moderate to difficult questions – the ones with calculations. This will help you to not drain your energy and time during the early stage of attempting the GUJCET exam.
• Avoid picking tough Physics numericals on the first go. Most Physics questions involve intensive calculations. If a question requires multiple calculations or attempts, skip it and return to it only if time permits.

In conclusion, knowing the GUJCET exam pattern and marking scheme helps you prepare better and manage your time properly during the exam. It gives you clarity about the paper structure and marking system, so you can attempt questions with more confidence. With proper planning and practice, you can improve your accuracy and score well in the exam.