Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE)
Built from official exam bulletins, conducting body notifications, and institution pages.
What this exam is
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national-level examination administered jointly by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and seven IITs — Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, and Roorkee — on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. One institution serves as the organising body each year; IIT Guwahati organises GATE 2026, and IIT Roorkee organised GATE 2025.
GATE tests candidates on their comprehensive understanding of undergraduate-level subjects across Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts, and Humanities. The exam is offered in 30 subject papers (called test papers), each corresponding to a discipline such as Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and several others. Candidates may appear for one or two papers (from approved combinations).
GATE scores serve two primary purposes. First, they are the standard admission criterion for MTech, ME, and PhD programmes at institutions supported by the Ministry of Education — including all IITs, IISc, NITs, IIITs, and other Government-funded technical institutions (GFTIs). Students admitted to MoE-funded programmes with a valid GATE score may also be eligible for a monthly scholarship (currently ₹12,400 per month). Second, dozens of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) — including ONGC, NTPC, IOCL, GAIL, BHEL, SAIL, NHPC, PGCIL, and AAI — use GATE scores directly for recruitment to executive trainee and officer-level engineering posts.
A GATE score remains valid for three years from the date of announcement of results, allowing candidates to use the same score across multiple admission cycles and, in many cases, PSU recruitment rounds (though individual PSUs may require the current year’s score).
Approximately 10 lakh (one million) candidates appear for GATE each year across all 30 papers, making it among the largest graduate-level examinations in India. The exam is conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) at authorised centres across India and a small number of international centres.
Who should take this exam
Engineering graduates seeking postgraduate admission. Any student completing or having completed a BTech, BE, or equivalent degree who wants to pursue an MTech or ME at an IIT, NIT, IIIT, IISc, or other funded institution must have a valid GATE score. Admission to PhD programmes in engineering and technology at these institutions also requires GATE.
Science graduates targeting research or interdisciplinary programmes. MSc holders in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics, or related disciplines who wish to pursue PhD or MTech (Research) at IITs or IISc need a valid GATE score in the relevant paper. IISc accepts GATE scores from papers including BT, BM, CY, EY, MA, PH, and XL for admission to its MSc (Research) and PhD programmes.
Candidates targeting PSU jobs. Engineers seeking employment with central PSUs such as ONGC, NTPC, IOCL, GAIL, BHEL, NHPC, SAIL, AAI, and PGCIL can use a competitive GATE score to apply for executive trainee and engineer posts. PSU selection typically involves GATE score shortlisting followed by a group discussion and/or personal interview. ONGC and NTPC, for instance, require candidates to hold a graduate degree in engineering with typically 60–65% marks and a competitive GATE score (often 750–950+ out of 1000 on the GATE score scale) for the General category.
Students who completed three-year BSc or BA degrees. Since 2022, candidates from three-year degree programmes in qualifying disciplines (such as BSc or BA holders appearing for the XH — Humanities and Social Sciences — paper) are also eligible to appear for GATE, making it accessible to a wider pool.
International candidates. Foreign nationals from certain countries are eligible to appear for GATE at centres in India. The exam is conducted only in India.
Exam pattern and structure
GATE is a three-hour, 100-mark, Computer-Based Test with 65 questions per paper. Every paper includes two broad components: General Aptitude (GA) and the candidate’s Core Subject.
Sections and marks distribution
| Component | Questions | Marks | All Papers? |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude (GA) | 10 | 15 | Yes — all 30 papers |
| Engineering Mathematics | ~7–9 | 13 | Engineering/Technology papers only (not AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, XL) |
| Core Subject | 45–55 | 72–85 | Yes |
| Total | 65 | 100 |
For papers in the humanities/science group (AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, XL), the 85-mark subject section has no separate Engineering Mathematics component.
Certain papers (GG, AR, GE, XE, XH, XL) include optional sections that candidates may choose at the time of the exam or at the application stage.
Question types
Three types of questions appear in every GATE paper:
- Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ): Four options, exactly one correct. Negative marking applies.
- Multiple Select Questions (MSQ): Four options, one or more may be correct. No negative marking; no partial credit.
- Numerical Answer Type (NAT): Candidate types a number (integer or decimal) using a virtual keypad. No options are shown. No negative marking.
Marking scheme
Questions carry either 1 mark or 2 marks.
| Question type | Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|---|
| MCQ (1 mark) | +1 | −1/3 |
| MCQ (2 marks) | +2 | −2/3 |
| MSQ (1 or 2 marks) | +1 or +2 | 0 (no penalty) |
| NAT (1 or 2 marks) | +1 or +2 | 0 (no penalty) |
| Not attempted | 0 | 0 |
There is no partial marking for any question type. The net total marks can technically be negative if a candidate attempts many MCQs incorrectly.
GATE score calculation
Raw marks out of 100 are converted into a GATE score on a scale of 0–1000 using a normalisation formula that accounts for mean and standard deviation of marks across all candidates in that paper. This score (not raw marks) is what appears on the scorecard and is used by institutes and PSUs for shortlisting.
Exam schedule
GATE is held on four days (typically across two weekends in February). Different papers are scheduled on different days and shifts. Because of the large number of papers and candidates, some high-demand papers (like CS and ME) may be conducted across multiple sessions with score normalisation applied.
Syllabus overview
GATE offers 30 subject papers. The most commonly attempted papers and their paper codes are:
| Paper | Code | Paper | Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | AE | Life Sciences | XL |
| Agricultural Engineering | AG | Mathematics | MA |
| Architecture and Planning | AR | Mechanical Engineering | ME |
| Biotechnology | BT | Mining Engineering | MN |
| Biomedical Engineering | BM | Metallurgical Engineering | MT |
| Civil Engineering | CE | Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering | NM |
| Chemical Engineering | CH | Petroleum Engineering | PE |
| Computer Science & IT | CS | Physics | PH |
| Chemistry | CY | Production and Industrial Engineering | PI |
| Data Science & AI | DA | Statistics | ST |
| Electronics & Communication Engineering | EC | Textile Engineering & Fibre Science | TF |
| Electrical Engineering | EE | Engineering Sciences | XE |
| Environmental Science and Engineering | ES | Humanities and Social Sciences | XH |
| Ecology and Evolution | EY | Geomatics Engineering | GE |
| Geology and Geophysics | GG | Instrumentation Engineering | IN |
The General Aptitude (GA) section is common to all papers. It covers verbal ability (English grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary) and quantitative ability (basic arithmetic, number theory, data interpretation, reasoning). GA accounts for 15 marks in every paper.
Engineering Mathematics appears in most engineering papers (including CS, CE, ME, EE, EC, CH, BT, and others) and typically covers linear algebra, calculus, differential equations, probability and statistics, and numerical methods.
The core subject syllabus for each paper covers undergraduate-level topics in that discipline. For CS, for example, this includes algorithms, data structures, operating systems, computer networks, databases, digital logic, and software engineering. For ME, it includes thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, manufacturing, and machine design. The full subject-wise syllabus is published in the official GATE Information Brochure every year.
Two interdisciplinary papers deserve attention:
- XE (Engineering Sciences): A compulsory section on Engineering Mathematics plus any two optional sections from Fluid Mechanics, Materials Science, Solid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Polymer Science, Food Technology, and Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.
- XH (Humanities and Social Sciences): A compulsory section on Reasoning and Comprehension plus one optional section from Economics, English, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology, or Sociology.
Students with backgrounds in BTech AI and Data Science who wish to pursue postgraduate study in AI, machine learning, or data science should consider the DA (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence) paper, which was introduced in 2024. The DA paper syllabus includes probability, statistics, linear algebra, calculus, machine learning, AI, and programming fundamentals.
Eligibility and registration
Who can appear
There is no age limit and no restriction on the number of attempts for GATE. The eligibility criteria are based on educational qualification:
| Qualifying Degree | Status Required |
|---|---|
| BE / BTech / BPharm (4-year) | Currently in 3rd year or higher, or completed |
| BArch (5-year) / BPlan (4-year) / Naval Architecture (4-year) | Currently in 3rd year or higher, or completed |
| BSc (Research) / BS (4-year) | Currently in 3rd year or higher, or completed |
| Integrated ME / MTech or Dual Degree (after 10+2) | Currently in 4th or 5th year, or completed |
| MSc / MA / MCA or equivalent in any relevant subject | Currently in 1st year or higher, or completed |
| MBBS / BDS (5–6 year degree) | Currently in 5th semester or higher, or completed |
| Professional Society Examinations equivalent to BE/BTech (e.g., AMIE) | Section A completed; enrollment up to May 31, 2013 only |
There is no minimum percentage requirement to appear for GATE. However, most IITs require at least a second-class degree (60% or 6.0 CGPA), and PSUs typically require 60–65% marks in the qualifying degree for General/OBC candidates.
Registration process
Candidates apply through GOAPS (GATE Online Application Processing System), the official portal hosted by the organising IIT each year. For GATE 2026, the portal was at gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Registration typically opens in late August and closes in late September, with an extended deadline available for a higher fee.
Registration fee (GATE 2026)
| Category | Regular period | With late fee |
|---|---|---|
| Female / SC / ST / PwD (per paper) | ₹1,000 | ₹1,500 |
| All other candidates, including foreign nationals (per paper) | ₹2,000 | ₹2,500 |
Candidates applying for two papers must pay the fee for each paper separately.
Cutoffs and score interpretation
Qualifying cutoff (to receive a scorecard)
The GATE qualifying cutoff is the minimum raw score a candidate must achieve to receive a GATE scorecard. Candidates who do not meet even this threshold receive only a performance report, not a scorecard.
The qualifying cutoff is calculated using a formula: max(25, min(40, mean + standard deviation)) for the General category. OBC-NCL/EWS cutoff is 90% of the General cutoff, and SC/ST/PwD cutoff is two-thirds of the General cutoff.
GATE 2025 qualifying cutoffs (selected papers)
| Paper | General | OBC-NCL/EWS | SC/ST/PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science and IT (CS) | 29.2 | 26.2 | 19.4 |
| Data Science and AI (DA) | 29.0 | 26.1 | 19.3 |
| Electronics and Communication (EC) | 25.0 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Electrical Engineering (EE) | 25.0 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Mechanical Engineering (ME) | 35.8 | 32.2 | 23.8 |
| Civil Engineering (CE) | 29.2 | 26.2 | 19.4 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (XH) | 40.0 | 36.0 | 26.6 |
| Architecture and Planning (AR) | 40.0 | 36.0 | 26.6 |
GATE score scale
The GATE score is normalised and reported on a 0–1000 scale. A raw mark of around 50/100 typically corresponds to a GATE score of approximately 500–600. For top IITs, competitive cutoffs for MTech admission are typically in the 700–800+ range. For PSU recruitment at ONGC, NTPC, or IOCL, shortlisting in engineering branches typically requires scores in the 800–950+ range for General category.
Admission cutoffs vs qualifying cutoffs
The qualifying cutoff (published officially each year) is merely the minimum to obtain a scorecard. Actual admission cutoffs at IITs, NITs, and IIITs — set through COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal) for IITs and CCMT (Centralised Counselling for MTech) for NITs — are significantly higher and vary by institute, programme, and category.
As a broad reference:
- IITs (top programmes): GATE score 750–850+ (General), raw marks ~55–70
- NITs (top programmes): GATE score 600–750 (General)
- NITs (other programmes): GATE score 450–600
Colleges and programmes that accept this exam
GATE is the single standard test for postgraduate engineering and science admissions at all Ministry of Education-supported institutions in India.
IITs and IISc form the most competitive tier. Institutions like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Madras are among the most sought-after for MTech admissions. IISc Bangalore uses GATE scores (valid GATE 2024/2025/2026 at time of application for AY 2026-27) for admission to MTech programmes in Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Computational and Data Sciences, Materials Engineering, Electronic Systems Engineering, and several others. For some programmes (Aerospace Engineering, CS, Civil Engineering, Sustainable Technologies), selection is based entirely on the GATE score; others incorporate a 30% interview component.
NITs — including NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, NIT Surathkal, NIT Calicut, and over 30 others — conduct MTech admissions through CCMT (Centralised Counselling for MTech). Candidates must apply to CCMT using their valid GATE scorecard.
IIITs and GFTIs also participate in CCMT or conduct their own GATE-based admissions. Many state universities and private institutions additionally accept GATE scores for their own postgraduate programmes, though the MoE scholarship is only available at government institutions.
PSU recruitment through GATE is a parallel pathway. Major PSUs that regularly recruit through GATE include:
- Energy sector: ONGC, NTPC, IOCL, GAIL, BPCL, HPCL, PGCIL, NHPC
- Manufacturing and steel: BHEL, SAIL, RINL
- Infrastructure and transport: AAI (Airports Authority of India), RVNL, DMRC
- Research and defense: BARC, DRDO (select roles), ISRO (select roles)
- Telecom and electronics: BSNL, CEL (Central Electronics Limited)
PSU selection processes typically involve GATE score-based shortlisting followed by group discussion and personal interview. The GATE score used by PSUs is typically on the 1000-point scale, and most PSUs require candidates to meet a minimum percentage in their qualifying degree (usually 60–65% for General category).
How to prepare
Understand the paper and plan backwards
Choose the paper corresponding to your qualifying degree first. Download the official syllabus from the organising IIT’s website. Map every topic to your existing knowledge. Most papers have three to four high-weightage areas — for CS, these are algorithms, digital logic, and operating systems; for ME, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics; for CE, structural analysis and fluid mechanics. Prioritise accordingly.
Cover Engineering Mathematics and GA early
Engineering Mathematics (13 marks) and General Aptitude (15 marks) together account for 28 marks — nearly a third of the paper for most candidates. Both are syllabus-bound and learnable. GA in particular can be brought to near-perfect scores with systematic practice. Start here before moving into the technical core.
Use standard textbooks alongside GATE-specific material
GATE questions test fundamental understanding, not memorisation. For each topic, work from the standard undergraduate textbook first (e.g., CLRS for algorithms, Resnick and Halliday for physics, Kreyszig for engineering maths). GATE-specific study material and previous year question banks are useful for practice, but cannot replace conceptual clarity.
Solve previous years’ papers
The single most useful preparation activity is solving GATE question papers from the previous eight to ten years in timed, exam-like conditions. GATE questions have a consistent style — especially the two-mark problems, which test application rather than recall. Reviewing wrong answers from previous year papers also reveals recurring topics and examiner preferences.
Target NAT questions specifically
NAT questions have no negative marking, making them opportunity questions. Candidates who are unsure can attempt NAT questions without penalty. Practice calculation accuracy and speed specifically for NAT-type problems in your subject.
Timeline
A typical GATE preparation timeline for an engineering final-year student:
- June–September: Complete all technical subject topics once through, covering engineering mathematics in parallel
- October–November: Targeted revision of weak areas; attempt subject-wise mock tests
- December–January: Full-length GATE mock tests (timed, complete papers); analyse and fix errors
- February: Exam
For working professionals or those appearing a second time, the timeline can be compressed to four to six months with focussed daily study.
The GATE score validity advantage
Because GATE scores remain valid for three years, candidates who do not achieve their target score in one attempt can continue applying to institutions (or PSUs, in many cases) while retaking the exam.
Key dates and timeline
The following dates are for GATE 2026 (organised by IIT Guwahati) and are indicative for the annual cycle:
| Activity | GATE 2026 Date |
|---|---|
| Online registration opens | August 25, 2025 |
| Registration closes (without late fee) | September 25, 2025 |
| Registration closes (with late fee) | October 6, 2025 |
| Admit card release | January 2026 (tentative) |
| Examination dates | February 2026 (4 days across 2 weekends) |
| Announcement of results | March 19, 2026 |
| Score cards available | ~3–4 weeks after results |
COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal) for IIT admissions typically opens in April and runs through June. CCMT for NIT admissions runs parallel. PSU recruitment notifications are released separately by each PSU throughout the year.
Related exams
- JEE Advanced — undergraduate admission to IITs; a precursor degree from JEE Advanced/IIT is not required for GATE eligibility
- IIT JAM — postgraduate science admissions at IITs; analogous to GATE for pure science students
- GRE — used for postgraduate admissions abroad; some Indian students compare GATE vs GRE for their higher education plans
Sources Used
The information on this page is compiled from official sources and institutional programme pages. It may not reflect the most recent changes. Always verify directly with the institution before making any admission or financial decision.