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The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a well-known national-level exam that evaluates students' knowledge of many undergraduate disciplines in engineering, technology, science, architecture, and humanities.
The Indian Institute of Science(IISc) and all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) organise the Graduate on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India. The GATE 2026 exam will be conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati.
What’s new about the GATE 2026 exam being conducted by IIT Guwahati?
The GATE exam, which is administered by the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science, allows candidates to apply for admission to Master's programs, Direct Doctoral programs, and Doctoral programs in engineering, science and technology, architecture, and humanities at institutions supported by the Ministry of Education and other government agencies.
Some colleges and institutes use GATE exam results to accept candidates to postgraduate programs who do not earn MoE funding. Several Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have used GATE scores to hire bright candidates.
Below are some of the features of theGATE 2026 examthat will be featured for the candidates seeking admission to postgraduate programs offered by the prestigious institutions:-
| The GATE 2026 paper will consist of 30 papers, which will include complete and sectional papers. |
| The GATE 2026 paper will have a new segment on Energy Science(XE-I), which is being included in the Engineering Science (XE) document. |
| Candidates preparing to appear in the GATE 2026 exam will be allowed to sit in one or two test papers. |
| Those candidates who will be appearing in two papers are allowed to use only the selected two-paper combinations. |
| The GATE 2026 scores obtained by the candidate will be valid only for three years from the date of the results announcement. |
Important Dates of the GATE 2026 exam:-
Below are theimportant dates of the GATE 2026 exam for those candidates who will be preparing to appear in the exam to seek admission to the postgraduate programs offered by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs):-
| Events | Dates | New Dates |
| Online Registration Open at GOAPS | August 25, 2025 | August 28, 2025 |
| Closing Date for online registration | September 25, 2025 | September 28, 2025 |
| Closing Date of EXTENDED online registration | October 06, 2025 | October 9, 2025 |
| GATE 2026 Examinations | February 07, 2026 | Same |
| February 08, 2026 | ||
| February 14, 2026 | ||
| February 15, 2026 | ||
| Result Date | March 19, 2026 | — |
(These dates are liable to change)
Also, check:-
List of Participating Institutes in the GATE 2026 and Its Eligibility Criteria
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 will open doors to some of India’s most prestigious institutions for postgraduate programs and research opportunities. A large number of IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other centrally funded technical institutions, as well as several state and private universities, will participate in the admission process.
Each institution may have its own specific eligibility requirements in addition to the basic GATE criteria, such as minimum academic qualifications in addition to the GATE eligibility criteria. Knowing the complete list of participating institutes and the eligibility criteria as provided will help the candidates plan their application strategically and increase their chances of securing admission to their preferred programs.
Below is the list of participating institutions in the GATE 2026 offering admission to their various postgraduate programs:-
Eligibility Criteria for GATE 2026:-
To appear for GATE 2026, candidates must have completed or be in the final year of a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, or any other relevant science discipline. There is no age limit for applying, and students from both India and abroad can participate. However, each program or institute may have additional academic requirements that candidates need to meet.
Below is the eligibility criteria as prescribed by the conducting authority of the GATE 2026 exam for the candidates who wish to appear in this exam:-
| Those candidates who are currently in their third or higher year of an undergraduate degree program or who have completed any government-approved degree program in either technology, engineering, architecture, science, commerce, arts, or humanities are eligible to take GATE 2026. |
| Those candidates who hold certification from any of these professional societies must ensure that their exams are authorised by the MoE or AICTE or UGC, or UPSC as equal to B.E., B.Tech., B.Arch., B.Planning, etc. |
| Those candidates who have received or are pursuing their qualifying degree from countries other than India are eligible to sit in the GATE 2026. Candidates must be in their third or higher year of study or have obtained a Bachelor's degree (of at least three years duration) in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts, or Humanities. |
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