GATE 2026 Syllabus for ES

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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;

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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

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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

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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.