GATE 2025 Syllabus for Environmental Science & Engineering

ES Environmental Science and Engineering

Section 1: Mathematics Foundation

Linear Algebra: Determinants and matrices, Systems of linear equations, Eigenvalues and
eigenvectors.

Calculus: Functions, Limit, Continuity, Differentiability, Local maxima and minima, Taylor
series, Tests for convergence, Definite and indefinite integrals, Application of definite integral to
obtain area and volume, Partial and total derivatives.

Differential Equations: Linear and non-linear first order ordinary differential equations (ODE),
Higher order linear ODEs with constant coefficients, Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations, Laplace
transform and its application in solving linear ODEs.

Probability and Statistics: Descriptive statistics, Measurement of central tendency, Dispersion,
Skewness and kurtosis, Probability concepts, Conditional probability, Bayes theorem, Risk and
reliability, Probability distributions, Correlation, Single and multiple regression models,
Hypothesis testing (t-test, F-test, chi-square test).

Section 2: Environmental Chemistry

Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry: Covalent and ionic bonding; Chemical equations,
concentration and activity; Structure and chemistry of organic molecules; Radioactivity of
elements; Chemical equilibria; Thermodynamics and kinetics of chemical reactions.

Principles of Water Chemistry: Water quality parameters and their measurement; Acid-base
equilibria; Buffer solution; Carbonate system; Solubility of gases in water; Complexation,
precipitation, and redox reactions; Inorganic and organic contaminants in water and their
speciation.

Soil Chemistry: Organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, cation exchange capacity, base
saturation, and sodium absorption ratio.

Atmospheric Chemistry: Composition of the atmosphere; Reactivity of trace substances in the
atmosphere; Urban atmosphere—smog and particulate pollution; Chemistry of ozone formation;
Chemistry of stratosphere.

Section 3: Environmental Microbiology

Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Microorganisms: Characteristics of diverse groups of microorganisms;
Classification of microorganisms; Microbial diversity; Plant-microbe and soil-microbe

interactions; Role of microorganisms in wastewater treatment, bioremediation and biogeochemical
cycling.

Cell Chemistry and Cell Biology: Structure of proteins, nucleic acid (DNA & RNA), lipids and
polysaccharides; Bonds in biomolecules; Stereoisomerism in biomolecules; Structure of cell;
Structure and function of cytoplasmic membrane, cell wall, outer membrane, glycocalyx,
chromosomes, endospores, storage products, mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Microbial Metabolism: Anabolism and catabolism; Phosphorylation; Glycolysis; TCA cycle;
Electron transport chain; Fermentation; Anaerobic respiration; Energy balances; Enzymes and
Enzyme kinetics.

Growth and Control of Microorganisms: Bacterial nutrition and growth; Specific growth rate and
doubling time; Monod’s model; Types of culture media; Batch and continuous culture; Effects of
environmental factors on growth; Control of microbes using physical and chemical methods.

Microbiology and Health: Pathogens and modes of transmission; Indicator organisms;
Quantification of coliforms using MPN and membrane filtration techniques.

Section 4: Water Resources and Environmental Hydraulics

Global Water Resources: Structure, properties and distribution of water; Water quality; Threats to
water resources; Water conservation.

Surface Water Resources: Hydrological cycle and water balance - precipitation, infiltration,
evapotranspiration, runoff; Flow hydrographs; Unit hydrographs; Stage-discharge relationship;
Reservoir capacity; Reservoir and channel routing; Surface run-off models; Surface water
management; Rain water harvesting and storage.

Groundwater Resources: Geologic formations as aquifers; Vadose and saturated zones; Confined
and unconfined aquifers and their parameters - porosity, permeability, transmissivity and storage
coefficient; Darcy’s law and applications; Steady state well hydraulics.

Environmental Hydraulics: Concepts of mechanics; Properties of fluids; Pressure measurement;
Hydrostatic force on surfaces; Buoyancy and flotation; Laminar and turbulent flow; Flow through
pipes; Pipe networks; Boundary layer theory; Forces on immersed bodies; Flow measurement in
channels and pipes; Kinematics of flow; Continuity, momentum and energy equations; Channel
hydraulics - specific energy, critical flow, hydraulic jump, rapid and gradually varied flow; Design
of lined and unlined channels.

Section 5: Water & Wastewater Treatment and Management

Water and wastewater quality parameters; Eutrophication and thermal stratification in lakes; River
pollution - Oxygen sag curve.

Water treatment methods — screening, sedimentation with and without coagulation, filtration,
desalination, disinfection; Water distribution and storage

Point and non-point sources of wastewater; Population forecasting methods; Design of sewer and
storm water sewers; Sewer appurtenances; Preliminary, primary, secondary and tertiary sewage
treatment; Sludge generation, processing and disposal methods; Sewage farming.

Sources and characteristics of industrial effluents; Concept of Common Effluent Treatment Plants
(CETP); Wastewater recycling and zero liquid discharge.

Kinetics and reactor design: Mass and energy balance, Order and rate of reactions, Batch reactors,
Completely mixed flow reactors, Plug flow reactors.

Section 6: Air and Noise Pollution

Structure of the atmosphere; Natural and anthropogenic sources of pollution; Atmospheric sources,
sinks, transport; Indoor air pollution; Effects on health and environment; Air pollution: gases and
particulate matter; Air quality standards; Primary and secondary pollutants; Criteria pollutants,
ambient and source standards, air quality indices, visibility.

Particulate Pollutants: Measurement and control methods; Control of particulate air pollutants
using gravitational settling chambers, cyclone separators, wet collectors, fabric filters (Bag-house
filter), electrostatic precipitators (ESP).

Gaseous Pollutants: Measurement and control methods; Control of gaseous contaminants:
absorption, adsorption, condensation and combustion; Control of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides,
carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons; Vapour-liquid and vapour-solid equilibria; Diffusion, Fick’s
law and interfacial mass transfer. Automotive emission controls, fuel quality, diesel particulate
filters, catalytic convertors.

Air Quality Management: Point, line and area sources; Inventory; Influence of meteorology - wind
rose diagrams, stability, mixing height, topography, dispersion modelling, monitoring.

Noise Pollution: Sources; Health effects; Standards; Measurement and control methods.

Section 7: Solid and Hazardous Waste Management

Integrated solid waste management; Waste hierarchy; Rules and regulations for solid waste
management in India.

Municipal solid waste management: Sources, generation, characteristics, collection and
transportation, waste processing and disposal (including reuse options, biological methods, energy
recovery processes and landfilling).

Hazardous waste management: Characteristics, generation, fate of materials in the environment,
treatment and disposal. Soil contamination and leaching of contaminants into groundwater.

Management of biomedical waste, plastic waste and E-waste: Sources, generation and
characteristics; Waste management practices including storage, collection and transfer.

Section 8: Global and Regional Environmental Issues

Global effects of air pollution: Greenhouse gases, global warming, climate change, urban heat
islands, acid rain, ozone hole.

Ecology and various ecosystems; Biodiversity; Factors influencing increase in population, energy
consumption, and environmental degradation.

Section 9: Environmental Management and Sustainable Development

Environmental Management Systems; ISO14000 series; Environmental Auditing: Environmental
Impact Assessment; Life cycle assessment; Human health risk assessment.

Environmental Law and Policy: Objectives; Polluter pays principle, Precautionary principle; The
Water and Air Acts with amendments; The Environment (Protection) Act (EPA) 1986; National
Green Tribunal Act, 2010; National Environment Policy; Principles of International Law and
International treaties.

Energy and Environment: Energy Sources: Overview of resources and reserves; Renewable and
non-renewable energy sources; Energy-Environment nexus.

Sustainable Development: Definition and concepts of sustainable development; Sustainable
development goals; Hurdles to sustainability; Environment and economics.