GATE 2026: A Comprehensive Guide
What is GATE 2026? The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a prestigious national-level examination in India for admission into Master's and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts and Humanities, as well as for recruitment by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). For GATE 2026, IIT Guwahati is the Organizing Institute. The exam is jointly conducted by IISc and all IITs on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB), Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India. Key Dates for GATE 2026 Online Registration Opens: August 28, 2025. Registration Closes (Regular Fee): September 28, 2025. Registration Closes (Late Fee): October 9, 2025. Examination Dates: Expected in February 2026. Results Announcement: March 19, 2026. (Note: All dates are subject to change.) Eligibility Criteria Candidates must ensure they meet the eligibility criteria before applying. A significant update is that third-year undergraduate students (6th Semester) are now also eligible to appear for GATE 2026. Exam Pattern Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT) in English. Duration: 3 Hours. Papers: A total of 30 test papers. Candidates can appear for up to two papers from a prescribed set of combinations. Sections: All papers include a mandatory General Aptitude (GA) section (15 marks). The remaining 85 marks are for the subject-specific section. Most engineering papers also include an Engineering Mathematics section (13 marks). Total Questions: 65 questions (10 from GA and 55 from the core subject). Question Types: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ): Only one correct option. Multiple Select Questions (MSQ): One or more correct options. Numerical Answer Type (NAT): Answer is a real number. Marking Scheme Total Marks: 100 Marks. Negative Marking: This applies only to MCQs. For 1-mark MCQs, 1/3 mark is deducted for a wrong answer. For 2-mark MCQs, 2/3 mark is deducted for a wrong answer. No Negative Marking: There is no penalty for wrong answers to MSQ or NAT questions. Application Fees (Extended Period: Sep 29 - Oct 09, 2025) UR/OBC/EWS: ₹2500 Female/SC/ST/PwD: ₹1500 Opportunities After Qualifying GATE Higher Studies: Admission to M.Tech/Ph.D. programs at premier institutes like IISc, IITs, and NITs with a possible stipend. PSU Jobs: Direct recruitment by PSUs like HPCL, NLC, IOCL, etc. A top 200 rank is often necessary for the most desirable PSU positions. Research Positions: Opportunities as a scientist in organizations like BARC and DRDO. Study Abroad: GATE scores are accepted by universities like NUS and NTU in Singapore. Score Validity: The GATE scorecard is valid for three years. Qualifying Cutoff for Civil Engineering (CE) The qualifying cutoff is the minimum score required to get a valid GATE scorecard and an All-India Rank. Below are the General category cutoffs for recent years: 2025: 29.20 2024: 28.3 2023: 26.6 2022: 30.4 2021: 29.2 2020: 32.9 Admissions and Final Selection Simply qualifying GATE does not guarantee admission or a job. Most IITs, NITs, and PSUs conduct additional rounds like interviews and/or written tests, which can have up to 50% weightage in the final selection. A candidate with a lower rank can secure a position with an excellent interview performance.