After a GATE Economics mock, write down three section scores before the total: GA out of 15, reasoning out of 25 and Economics out of 60. This makes it much easier to see why the score improved or fell.
A mock with only Economics questions cannot tell you whether you can manage the full examination. Include the compulsory sections in your timed practice.
On this page
Include all three sections in your mock
Use a 65-question, 100-mark paper with a three-hour limit. Keep the key and your notes closed. If you use the combined XH PDFs from 2022 or 2023, select GA, XH-B1 and Economics XH-C1 only. The paper archive explains the file formats.
Take some subject-level tests before full mocks if large parts of Economics are still new.
Which section should you attempt first?
Try starting with Economics in one mock and GA/reasoning in another. Note how long each section takes and whether you have time to attempt the others.
If a difficult Economics question holds you up, leave it for later. If reading passages takes most of your time, try attempting GA or Economics first in the next mock and compare how much you finish.
Reserve time near the end to check numerical entries and return to marked questions. Practise this in mocks rather than choosing a fixed last-minute strategy on exam day.
What to check in each section
| Section | Record after each mock | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| GA, out of 15 | Marks, time and avoidable calculation errors | Wrong percentage bases, units, missed conditions and slow familiar calculations |
| Reasoning, out of 25 | Marks, time and passage/argument errors | Unsupported inferences, extreme options, reversed relationships and repeated rereading |
| Economics, out of 60 | Marks by subject and question type | Missing concepts, incorrect model assumptions, algebra errors and incomplete MSQ selections |
For a past paper, apply the official final key, including any marks-to-all entries. MCQs have negative marking; MSQs and NATs do not. An MSQ requires the complete correct selection and gives no partial marks. GATE paper pattern
What should you study after the mock?
Choose a few specific problems to fix before the next full test.
- Regression: If you used the wrong standard error, identify the assumption behind the formula. Solve another problem where that assumption holds and one where it does not.
- Game theory: If you named an equilibrium too quickly, write each player's best response or solve the game backwards where appropriate.
- Macroeconomics: If a policy answer was wrong, check the exchange-rate regime, price assumption and capital mobility before redoing the algebra.
- Reading: Find the line that supports the accepted answer. Identify the extra claim in the option you chose.
- Numerical answers: Recalculate without rounding too early. Check whether the answer asks for a ratio, percentage or level.
How often should you take mocks?
During the main study phase, use short topic and subject sets. As coverage improves, move to a full paper every one or two weeks. In the final weeks, one or two full papers per week can be enough if you review them properly.
Keep three hours for the mock and another session to check your answers. Revise the topics you struggled with before taking the next test.
Comparing mock scores
Keep a note of whether a paper was new, partly familiar or repeated. Compare scores on unfamiliar full papers first. A repeated question solved quickly is useful revision, but it does not show how long a new question would take.
The same applies to a topic you have just revised: strong performance immediately afterwards is encouraging, but mixed practice a few days later is a better check that you can recognise and use the method yourself.