GATE 2026: Exam Date Out, Check Notification, Eligibility, Syllabus
GATE is a national engineering examination that is held each year by the IITs and IISc Bangalore on a rotational basis. The GATE 2026 exam is being conducted by IIT Guwahati in February. The application process for GATE 2026 is set to begin from 25th August onwards. Candidates can apply without late fee up to 25th September 2025.
GATE 2026 Exam
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering or GATE 2026 exam schedule has been released by the exam organising body which is IIT Guwahati. The official website for the GATE exam is gate2026.iitg.ac.in. All the information and notifications related to GATE exam shall is available on this portal. Read this post to know all the details on the GATE 2026 exam such as exam date, syllabus, eligibility and more.
GATE 2026 Exam Highlights
GATE exam is held once a year for admissions into M. Tech/Ph.D courses or to get a job in a PSU. This year, IIT Guwahati is organising the GATE exam in February 2026. The exam shall be held on four days, i.e. 7, 8, 14 and 15 February 2026 as per the subject chosen by the candidate. The number of GATE exam papers is 30 papers. The major highlights of GATE 2026 exam are as follows.
| GATE 2026 Exam Particulars | Details |
| Examination Name | Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) |
| GATE 2026 Organising Institute | Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati |
| GATE 2026 exam date | February 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026 |
| Purpose of the GATE exam | Qualifying Examination for M.E./ M.Tech/ Ph.D admissions and PSU Recruitment |
| Mode of Application | Online |
| Mode of Exam | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Exam Duration | 180 Minutes (3 Hours) |
| Frequency of Exam | Annual |
| Number of GATE Papers | 30 |
| Validity of GATE Scorecard | 3 years from the date of release of the result |
GATE 2026 Exam Date
IIT Guwahati is conducting the GATE exam this year. The online registration is set to begin from 25th August 2025. The last date to apply online without late fee is 25th September 2025. Those who register succesfully will be eligible to take the exam that is scheduled for four days during weekends in February 2026. Check the table below to know more about the important dates related to GATE exam.
| GATE 2026 Exam Date Schedule | |
| Particulars | Exam Dates |
| GATE 2026 Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) Activation | August 25, 2025 |
| GATE 2026 Last Date to Register Online (Without Late Fee) | September 25, 2025 |
| GATE 2026 Last Date to Register Online (With Late Fee) | October 6, 2025 |
| GATE 2026 Application Modification Window | November 2025, Expected |
| GATE 2026 Admit Card Release Date | January 2026, Expected |
| GATE 2026 Exam Date | February 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026 |
| Availability of GATE 2026 Response Sheet | February 2026, Expected |
| GATE 2026 Answer Key Release Date | February 2026, Expected |
| GATE 2026 Answer Key Challenge Window Activation | February 2026, Expected |
| GATE Result 2026 Announcement | March 2026, Expected |
| GATE Scorecard 2026 Availability | March 2026, Expected |
GATE 2026 Information Brochure
Candidates interested in applying for GATE 2026 should thoroughly review this brochure to be fully informed about the test. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 will be administered by IIT Guwahati on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB)-GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India.
The GATE exam assesses the in-depth knowledge of candidates in their core field of study, facilitating opportunities for prestigious PSU jobs and admissions to top institutions for postgraduate programs. For the academic year 2026, the GATE exam is scheduled to be conducted nationwide on February 1, 2, 15, and 16. The official GATE 2026 Information Brochure PDF can be accessed via the direct link provided below.
| GATE 2025 Brochure | Download PDF |
GATE Full Form and Details
GATE full form is the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering. GATE is an annual exam that is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) of Kharagpur, Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Chennai, and Roorkee & by the Indian Institute of Science at Bengaluru on a rotational basis. By qualifying GATE exam, one is eligible to get admission into the M.Tech/ PhD programs or apply for a job at any Indian PSU. The GATE exam is held for 30 engineering papers.
Administrative Institutes of GATE 2026 Exam
The GATE exam is held by the eight zones that have been shared in the table below.
| Zone | Administering Institute | Zonal Websites |
| Zone-1 | Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru | https://gate.iisc.ac.in |
| Zone-2 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay | https://gate.itb.ac.in |
| Zone-3 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi | http://gate.iidd.ac.in |
| Zone-4 | Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati | https://iitg.ac.in/gate-jam |
| Zone-5 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur | https://gate.itk.ac.in |
| Zone-6 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur | https://gate.iitkgp.ac.in |
| Zone-7 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras | http://gate.iitm.ac.in |
| Zone-8 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee | https://gate2026.iitr.ac.in |
What is the Use of GATE 2026 Scores?
Various PSUs, government organisation, private organisations, etc use the GATE scores to recruit candidates at premier positions. Listed below are some of the recruitment opportunities using the GATE exam scores.
Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) using GATE scores for recruitment:
- Airports Authority of India (AAI)
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)
- Coal India Limited (CIL)
- Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS)
- Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL)
- Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)
- Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL)
- Engineers India Limited (EIL)
- Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL)
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
- Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL)
- National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO)
- National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
- NLC India Limited (NLCIL)
- National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC)
- Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)
- National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
- Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited (OPGC)
- Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID)
- Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO)
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)
- Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
Current Recruitment Trends:
- Central Government Group-A level posts (e.g., Senior Field Officer (Tele), Senior Research Officer (Crypto), Senior Research Officer (S&T)) in the Cabinet Secretariat now use GATE scores.
- Recruitment details are published in National Newspapers, Employment News, or Rozgar Samachar.
How to Register Online for GATE 2026 Exam?
The GATE 2026 application form can be filled in online mode. Candidates must ensure that they fill out the GATE online form correctly. Candidates must ensure that they have filled out the application form correctly, uploaded the documents correctly and paid the application fee. The steps for GATE login are as follows:
- To successfully fill out the GATE 2026 application form, candidates must first visit the GOAPS portal to register themselves for the examination.
- On successful completion of the registration for the exam, a unique enrollment ID shall be sent to the candidates’ email ID and contact number.
- Login or proceed to complete the application process for the GATE 2026 exam.
- The next step is to upload the documents and pay the application fee.
- Once it is done, ensure that you take the printout of the GATE application form for further reference.
GATE 2026 Application Fee
The GATE application fee can be paid using online mode. All the applicants have to pay the required amount of application fee for the GATE 2026 exam as per their category. The category-wise GATE application fee is as follows:
| Category of Candidates | Application Fees | Late Fees (During the extended period) |
| Female (per paper) | Rs. 900 | Rs. 1,400 |
| SC/ ST/ PwD (per paper) | Rs. 900 | Rs. 1,400 |
| Other candidates (including International Applicants) (per paper) | Rs. 1,800 | Rs. 2,300 |
GATE 2026 Form Correction
Candidates have been given the provision to correct the GATE 2026 application form after they have paid the application fee. The date for making corrections in the form shall be notified to you by the GATE 2023 organizing institute. To correct an error in the GATE application form, candidates have to pay a certain amount of the application fee. However, only certain details can be corrected. Here is a list of details that can be corrected:
- Name of the candidate
- Date of Birth
- Parent/Guardian’s Mobile Number
- Gender
- Exam centre and exam city details
- Category of candidate
- Country of Residence
- Correspondence Address
- Qualifying Degree Details
GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates are advised to know if they are eligible to appear fore the GATE exam or not. GATE eligibility criteria is notified to the students to check if you are eligible to fill out the GATE online form or not. The eligibility for the GATE exam is as follows:
- Any 3rd year or any higher year of the undergraduate degree program in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/ Science/ Commerce/ Arts is eligible to appear in the GATE 2026 exam.
- Candidates who have obtained/pursuing their qualifying degree from foreign countries should be currently in the 3rd or higher years or have completed their Bachelor’s degree (duration: at least 3 years) in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/ Science/ Arts/ Commerce.
What is the Age Limit for GATE Exam?
No age limit has been set to appear for the GATE exam. Candidates of any age can apply for it if they fulfil the qualifications prescribed for the GATE exam.
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern
The GATE 2023 exam pattern consists of multiple choice questions, Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions. The following table gives you a brief on the GATE exam pattern.
| GATE Exam Pattern | |
| Particulars | Details |
| Examination Mode | The test papers will be in English. Computer-Based Test (CBT) [will be conducted at select centres 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) and/or (c) Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions |
| Questions for testing these abilities | (a) Recall (b) Comprehension (c) Application (d) Analysis & Synthesis |
| Distribution of Marks in all Papers EXCEPT papers AR, CY, DA, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH and XL | General Aptitude: 15 marks Engineering Mathematics**: 13 marks Subject Questions: 72 marks Total: 100 marks (**XE includes Engineering Mathematics section XE-A of 15 marks) |
| Distribution of Marks in papers AR, CY, DA, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH and XL | General Aptitude: 15 marks Subject Questions: 85 marks Total: 100 marks |
| Marking Scheme | Questions carry 1 mark or 2 marks |
| Negative Marking | For a wrong answer chosen in an MCQ, there will be a negative marking. For a 1-mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer. For a 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer. There is no negative marking for wrong answer(s) to MSQ or NAT questions. There is no partial marking in MSQ. |
Check below the subject-wise GATE syllabus
| – |
GATE 2026 Two-Paper Combination
GATE 2026 exam aspirants can appear in a maximum of two papers out of a total of 30 papers. A candidate can appear either for one paper or two papers out of the given list of GATE exam papers. Given below is the subject combination for the GATE exam 2026 with the paper code.
| GATE Test Paper | Code | GATE Test Paper | Code |
| Aerospace Engineering | AE | Geology & Geophysics | GG |
| Agricultural Engineering | AG | Instrumentation Engineering | IN |
| Architecture and Planning | AR | Mathematics | MA |
| Biomedical Engineering | BM | Mechanical Engineering | ME |
| Biotechnology | BT | Mining Engineering | MN |
| Civil Engineering | CE | Metallurgical Engineering | MT |
| Chemical Engineering | CH | Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering | NM |
| Computer Science & Information Technology | CS | Petroleum Engineering | PE |
| Chemistry | CY | Physics | PH |
| Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (NEW)* | DA | Production & Industrial Engineering | PI |
| Electronics & Communication Engineering | EC | Statistics | ST |
| Electrical Engineering | EE | Textile Engineering & Fibre Science | TF |
| Environmental Science & Engineering | ES | Engineering Sciences | XE |
| Ecology and Evolution | EY | Humanities & Social Sciences | XH |
| Geomatics Engineering | GE | Life Sciences | XL |
GATE 2026 Cut Off Marks
The GATE 2026 cut-off marks will be announced alongside the GATE 2026 results. These cut-off marks is the minimum scores needed for admission to M.Tech, M.E, M.Plan, and other postgraduate programs at premier institutions such as IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. Generally, GATE cut-offs range from 25 to 50 marks out of 100, depending on various factors. The cut-offs are influenced by several factors including the number of candidates, their scores, and the number of available seats. For reference, here are the GATE 2024 cut-offs for different papers:
| GATE Exam Paper | GEN | OBC-NCL/EWS | SC/ST/PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | 33.3 | 29.9 | 22.1 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Architecture and Planning | 41.5 | 37.3 | 27.6 |
| Biomedical Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Biotechnology | 38.9 | 35 | 25.9 |
| Civil Engineering | 28.3 | 25.4 | 18.8 |
| Chemical Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Computer Science and Information Technology | 27.6 | 24.8 | 18.4 |
| Chemistry | 25.2 | 22.6 | 16.7 |
| Data Science and Artificial Intelligence | 37.1 | 33.3 | 24.7 |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Electrical Engineering | 25.7 | 23.1 | 17.1 |
| Environmental Science and Engineering | 37.9 | 34.1 | 25.2 |
| Ecology and Evolution | 35.8 | 32.2 | 23.8 |
| Geomatics Engineering | 41.1 | 36.9 | 27.4 |
| Geology and Geophysics (Geology) | 42 | 37.8 | 28 |
| Geology and Geophysics (Geophysics) | 49 | 44.1 | 32.6 |
| Instrumentation Engineering | 32.7 | 29.4 | 21.8 |
| Mathematics | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 28.6 | 25.7 | 19 |
| Mining Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Metallurgical Engineering | 41 | 36.9 | 27.3 |
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 25.1 | 22.5 | 16.7 |
| Petroleum Engineering | 42.6 | 38.3 | 28.4 |
| Physics | 32 | 28.8 | 21.3 |
| Production and Industrial Engineering | 30.5 | 27.4 | 20.3 |
| Statistics | 26.6 | 23.9 | 17.7 |
| Textile Engineering and Fibre Science | 28.1 | 25.2 | 18.7 |
| Engineering Sciences | 36.2 | 32.5 | 24.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Economics) | 37 | 33.3 | 24.6 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (English) | 48 | 43.2 | 32 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Linguistics) | 49.7 | 44.7 | 33.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Philosophy) | 39.3 | 35.3 | 26.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Psychology) | 52.7 | 47.4 | 35.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Sociology) | 36 | 32.4 | 24 |
| Life Sciences | 29.3 | 26.3 | 19.5 |
GATE 2026 Topper List
The GATE 2026 topper list branch-wise will be released after the GATE 2026 result declaration. The GATE toppers will be announced for each GATE paper separately as well as for each category. In the meantime, you can check out the GATE 2023 topper list (previous year) in the following table.
Candidates will be able to check the subject-wise GATE toppers 2026 list online. The authority will release the GATE 2026 topper list pdf along with the result. Candidates can check the GATE topper list 2026 to know the names of the toppers and the marks obtained by them. Until the GATE 2026 topper list is released candidates can check the previous year's GATE topper list below.
| GATE 2023 Toppers List | ||||
| Paper: Sections | Name of Topper | Marks | Score | All India Ranks |
| Aerospace Engineering | JOSHI YASH KISHORBHAI | 73 | 988 | 1 |
| Agricultural Engineering | ANSHIKA RAI | 49 | 1000 | 1 |
| Architecture and Planning | SHREYA BHARDWAJ | 75.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Biomedical Engineering | THANDAVA SESHA TALPA SAI SUNKARA | 60 | 1000 | 1 |
| Biotechnology | AISHWARYA K | 79.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Chemical Engineering | ROHIT BHAGAT KALWAR | 92.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Chemistry | ATANU DAS | 72 | 981 | 1 |
| Civil Engineering | SUBAN KUMAR MISHRA | 83.11 | 1000 | 1 |
| Computer Science and Information Technology | JAYADEEP SUDHAKAR MORE | 93.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Ecology and Evolution | KARTHIK THRIKKADEERI | 84.33 | 1000 | 1 |
| Electrical Engineering | BHANWAR SINGH CHOUDHARY | 66 | 1000 | 1 |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | SIDDHARTH SABHARWAL | 90 | 1000 | 1 |
| Engineering Sciences: Solid Mechanics & Thermodynamics | ANSHUMAN | 83.67 | 952 | 1 |
| Environmental Science and Engineering | DEVENDRA PATIL & MANISH KUMAR BANSAL | 64.33 (Both) | 953 (Both) | 1 |
| Geology and Geophysics: Geophysics | SHUBHAM BANIK | 85.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Geology and Geophysics: Geology | MANISH SINGH | 74 | 1000 | 1 |
| Geomatics Engineering | SAURAV KUMAR | 66 | 1000 | 1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences: Economics | V GAURAV | 83.33 | 989 | 1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences: Psychology | DEEPTI DILIP MOAR | 84 | 1000 | 1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences: Linguistics | KEERTHANA NAIR | 74.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences: Philosophy | SREERAM K N | 72.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences: Sociology | TEJASVI KAMBOJ | 73 | 943 | 1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences: English | SAYANTAN PAHARI | 84.33 | 1000 | 1 |
| Instrumentation Engineering | AKASH SRIVASTAVA | 78.33 | 968 | 1 |
| Life Sciences: Biochemistry & Botany | ADVITA SHARMA | 73.33 | 1000 | 1 |
| Mathematics | SUVENDU KAR | 50.33 | 941 | 1 |
| Mechanical Engineering | ARYAN CHOUDHARY | 90.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Metallurgical Engineering | ASHUTOSH KUMAR YADAV | 85.67 | 973 | 1 |
| Mining Engineering | UDIT JAISWAL | 63.33 | 973 | 1 |
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | SHIVAM RANJAN | 60 | 1000 | 1 |
| Petroleum Engineering | MAHAMMADTAUKIR ALAUDDINBHAI KARIGAR | 74.67 | 963 | 1 |
| Physics | ARUNENDRA KUMAR VERMA | 75 | 1000 | 1 |
| Production and Industrial Engineering | SH GOWTHAM GUDIMELLA | 87.33 | 938 | 1 |
| Statistics | NIKHILESH RAJARAMAN | 73.67 | 1000 | 1 |
| Textile Engineering and Fibre Science | AMIT KUMAR PANDEY | 66 | 1000 | 1 |
GATE 2026 Answer Key
The GATE 2026 answer key will be announced after the exam has been completed for all days. The candidates will be able to check the official answer key and raise objections as well.
GATE 2026 Admit Card Out
IIT Guwahati will issue the GATE 2026 admit card on its website in January 2026. Candidates who have registered successfully for the exam will be eligible to download the GATE call letter by logging in with their GATE 2026 exam enrollment number and password.
GATE 2026 Result Date
After the declaration of the GATE answer key, the authorities shall announce the GATE result on its website in M arch. The GATE result PDF will display your All India rank, score, etc. The GATE scorecard is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.
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- What is GATE 2025 eligibility criteria?+The GATE 2025 eligibility criteria is 10+2+3. Additionally, those candidates who have completed their undergraduate degree programme or are in their third year of study may register for the GATE admission exam.
- What is the validity of GATE 2025 scorecard?+GATE 2025 score card is valid for three years from the date of announcement of the result. GATE candidates who want to improve their scores can take the examinations again next year. If a candidate has many valid scorecards, they can use any of them during admission to the college offering admission or a job at a PSU.
- What is the use of GATE exam scorecard?+The GATE scorecard is an important piece of documentation for those who have appeared for the exam. The scorecard is given to only those candidates who wish to pursue M.Tech or take a job at PSU (Private Sector Undertakings).
- What is GATE 2025 Exam Date?+As per the GATE exam schedule, the GATE 2025 exam will be held on 1, 2, 15, and 16 in two shifts. The exam shall be conducted in online mode in two sessions - the Forenoon Session and the Evening session.
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