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.
(Note: All dates are subject to change.)
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.
Total Marks: 100 Marks.
Negative Marking: This applies only to MCQs.
UR/OBC/EWS: ₹2500
Female/SC/ST/PwD: ₹1500
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.
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.