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GATE: Exam Dates, Eligibility Criteria, Application Fees & More

GATE: Exam Dates, Eligibility Criteria, Application Fees & More

Updated on Apr 15, 2026 | 2.39K+ views

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What is GATE Exam
GATE 2026: Important Dates
GATE 2026: Eligibility Criteria
GATE 2026 Papers
GATE 2026 Application Form
Application Fee
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme
Distribution of Marks
Negative Markings
GATE 2026 Result

GATE's full form is the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, an entrance exam for engineering and science graduate students. Jointly organized by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), GATE is an entry route to postgraduate courses spanning a range of subjects and government jobs. It is one of the most competitive exams in India, with over 9 lakh candidates appearing for it each year.

What is GATE Exam

Feature	Details
Full Form	Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
Level	National Level
Conducting Authority	IITs and IISc
Colleges Accepting GATE	Over 1,200
Frequency	Annually
Mode	Online (Computer-Based Test)
Language	English
Duration	3 hours

Source: Official Website

GATE 2026: Important Dates

Activity	Date
Closing date of GATE 2026 registration (for late fee)	20th October 2026
Closing date of online registration/application process (without late fee)	12th October 2026
GATE online application processing system (GOAPS)	31st August 2026
Closing date of extended online registration/application process (with late fee)	20th October 2026
New two-paper combinations available	11th to 17th November 2026
Modifications in the GATE 2026 application	18th to 24th November 2026
Availability of GATE exam admit cards	3rd January 2027
GATE examinations	03, 04 and 10, 11 February 2027
Candidate's response available in the application portal	16th February 2027
Answer keys available on the application portal	21st February 2027
Submission of challenges by candidates on answer keys	22nd to 25th February 2027

Source: Official Website (*Dates are liable to change)

GATE 2026: Eligibility Criteria

Before applying for the GATE 2026 examination, candidates must review and ensure they meet the eligibility criteria. The GATE exam eligibility is as follows:

Category	Eligibility Criteria
Candidates Currently Studying	Completion of at least three years of an undergraduate degree program. Candidates fulfilling the requirements of a government-approved degree program in engineering, technology, science, architecture, or humanities.

Professional Societies/Institutions	Candidates with certificates from professional groups or institutes administering tests in various engineering disciplines. Examinations cleared must be equivalent to BE/BTech/BArch/B Planning, etc., with approval from the Ministry of Education (MoE), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the University Grants Commission (UGC), or the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Candidates from Countries Other than India	Currently in the 3rd year or higher or have completed a bachelor’s degree (of at least three years) in Engineering/Technology/Science/Architecture/Humanities.

Apart from this, aspirants pursuing any higher degree or possessing a degree higher than that mentioned in the table below. They can appear for GATE 2026.

Qualifying Degree/Examination and Eligibility

The eligibility criteria differ based on the chosen course. The following table lays down the eligibility criteria for different degrees:

Degree/Program	Qualifying Degree/Examination	Eligibility Criteria
BE/BTech/BPharm	Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology	Pursuing 3rd year or higher, or already completed.
BArch	Bachelor’s degree in Architecture	Pursuing 3rd year or higher, or already completed.
BSc (Research)/BS	Bachelor’s degree in Science (Post-Diploma/4 years after 10+2)	Pursuing 3rd year or higher, or already completed.
Pharm D (after 10+2)	6 years degree program with internship/residency training	Pursuing 3rd/4th/5th/6th year or already completed.
MBBS/BDS/BVSc	Degree holders in MBBS/BDS/BVSc	In the 5th/6th/7th semester or higher semester or already completed.
MSc/MA/MCA or equivalent	Master’s degree in Arts/Science/Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Applications or equivalent	Currently in the first year or higher or already completed.
Int. ME/MTech (Post-BSc)	Post-BSc Integrated Master’s degree programs in Engineering/Technology (4-year program)	Currently in the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th year or already completed.
Int. ME/MTech/MPharm or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2)	Integrated Master’s degree program or Dual Degree program in Engineering/Technology (5-year program)	Currently in the 3rd/4th/5th year or already completed.
BSc/BA/BCom	Bachelor's degree in any branch of Science/Arts/Commerce (3-year program)	Currently in the 3rd year or already completed.
Int MSc/Int BaS/MS	Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year integrated BS-MS program	Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed.
BSc (Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry)	4-years program	Currently in the 3rd/4th year or already completed.

Note: For candidates with BSc/BA/BCom degrees in a 3-year program seeking admission to master’s programs in IITs and IISc, JAM 2026 is recommended.

GATE 2026 Papers

The GATE 2026 examination has 100 points for each subject, with 15 marks allocated to General Aptitude (GA) across all papers. The remaining 85 marks are dedicated to covering the material for the corresponding test paper.

XE Paper Sections	Code	XH Paper Sections	Code	XL Paper Sections	Code
Engineering Mathematics Compulsory	A	Reasoning and Comprehension Compulsory	B1	Chemistry Compulsory	P
Fluid Mechanics	B	Economics	C1	Biochemistry	Q
Materials Science	C	English	C2	Botany	R
Solid Mechanics	D	Linguistics	C3	Microbiology	S
Thermodynamics	E	Philosophy	C4	Zoology	T
Polymer Science and Engineering	F	Psychology	C5	Food Technology	U
Food Technology	G	Sociology	C6
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences	H

For XE Paper: Candidates need to select any two optional sections.
For XH Paper: Candidates need to select any one optional section.
For XL Paper: Candidates need to select any two optional sections.

GATE 2026 Application Form

Aspiring candidates can complete the GATE 2026 application form online. The application fee varies based on the category and gender of the applicant. The following documents are required for filling out the online application form:

Personal info (name, date of birth, personal mobile number, parents’ name & mobile number, etc.)
Address (including PIN code).
Eligibility degree details.
GATE paper(s) and their respective codes in which the candidate wants to appear.
GATE examination cities choices (three choices from the same zone).
Payment details for fee payment.

Application Fee

Category	Regular Period (30th Aug to 12th Oct 2026)	Extended Period (13th Oct to 20th Oct 2026)
Female/SC/ST/PwD* candidates (per test paper)	₹900	₹1,400
All other candidates, including foreign nationals (per test paper)	₹1,800	₹2,300

Source: Official Website

GATE 2026 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

The following table shows the various details about the GATE 2026 examination, including mode, duration and types of questions.

Particulars	Details
Examination Mode	Computer Based Test (CBT), English language, conducted at select centers in select cities
Duration	3 Hours
Number of Subjects (Papers)	30
Sections	General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate's Selected Subjects
Type of Questions	Candidate’s Selected Subject(s) (a) Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) (b) Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) (c) Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions



Questions for testing abilities	(a) Recall (b) Comprehension (c) Application (d) Analysis & Synthesis

Distribution of Marks

In all Papers EXCEPT AR, CY, DA, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, XL, the expected marking scheme is:

a)General Aptitude: 15 marks

b)Engineering Mathematics: 13 marks (XE includes Engineering Mathematics section XE-A of 15 marks)

Subject Questions: 72 marks
Total: 100 marks
Questions carry 1 mark or 2 marks

Negative Markings

For wrong answer in MCQ:

a)1/3 mark deduction for 1-mark MCQ

b)2/3 mark deduction for 2-mark MCQ

No negative marking for wrong answer(s) to MSQ or NAT questions
No partial marking in MSQ.

GATE 2026 Result

GATE exam results will be available on the official website. The scorecard remains valid for three years, and candidates can download it during the specified period.

Activity	Day	Date
Announcement of Results for GATE 2026	Saturday	16th March 2026
Availability of Score Card for download by candidates	Saturday	23rd March 2026

GATE is not just an exam but key to many doors in the engineering and technology world. In order to succeed, prospective candidates must follow every step of this process closely in addition to staying informed about any updates related to this procedure.

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FAQs

Is there any age limit for appearing in the GATE exam?

No, there is no age limit to take the GATE exam.

Can a candidate apply for multiple papers in GATE 2026?

Yes, a candidate can apply for up to two papers.

Are there any changes in the GATE exam pattern for 2026?

As of now, there are no significant changes in the exam pattern for GATE 2026. Candidates should refer to the official website for updates.

How can I prepare for the GATE exam effectively?

To prepare effectively, candidates should start early, understand the exam pattern, focus on weak areas, and practice with previous year's question papers.

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