GATE 2026: Registration, Application Form, Exam Dates, Eligibility
GATE 2026 Notification will be available online in the month of August 2025. IIT Guwahati is the authority responsible for conducting GATE 2026 tentatively. Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national levelaptitude test. This exam is conducted every year for assessing the candidate’s comprehensive understanding in UG level courses. Through GATE qualifying scores, admission is offered to candidates in the field of Engineering, Science, Technology, Architecture and Humanities.
Score of GATE 2026 will be valid for three years. Besides, admission in Masters’ & direct doctoral courses, candidates through GATE scores will be eligible for recruitment in various PSUs. Also, PG admission into some colleges and institutions will be offered to students without MoE Scholarship. To know more details regarding the GATE 2026 Exam, students can go through this complete article which discusses about registration process, exam dates, eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, etc.
GATE 2026 Overview
| Name | GATE 2026 |
| Full Form | Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering |
| Conducting Authority | IIT Guwahati |
| Exam Level | National Level |
| Courses Offered | UG, PG, direct doctoral courses |
| Specialisation Offered | Engineering, Science, Technology, Architecture and Humanities |
| Exam mode | Computer based test |
| Application portal | GOAPS – GATE Online Application Portal System |
GATE 2026 Exam Dates
Here, students can know about GATE Exam Dates 2026 for various related events:
| Events | Dates 2026 (Tentative) |
| Notification Availability | 1st week of August 2025 |
| GOAPS (GATE Online Application Portal System) portal opens | 4th week of August 2025 |
| Last date to apply without late fee | 2nd week of October 2025 |
| Last date to apply with late fee | 3rd week of October 2025 |
| Application Correction/ Modify Details | 3rd week of November 2025 |
| Release of GATE admit card | 1st week of January 2026 |
| GATE 2026 | 1st week of February 2026 |
| Response sheet availability | 2nd week of February 2026 |
| Release of answer key | 4th week of February 2026 |
| Last date to submit objections/ challenges | 4th week of February 2026 |
| Final key releases | 1st week of March 2026 |
| Declaration of result | 2nd week of March 2026 |
| Availability of Scorecard | 4th week of March 2026 |
| Counselling portal (COAP) opens | 3rd week of March 2026 |
GATE 2026 Registration
Check complete GOAPS (GATE 2026 Online Application Portal System) details in below provided section:
- Online GATE 2026 Application portal will open from fourth week of August 2025.
- Candidates can apply through online mode No applications will be submitted through offline or other modes.
- Without late fee, registration can be done till second week of October 2025.
- With late fee (extended period), application portal will remain open till third week of October 2025.
- Students have to pay twice the application fee if they are opting for two papers.
- GATE Registration 2026 includes several steps – Online Registration, Filling of application form, uploading of documents & payment of application fee.
- Printed copy of application or any document should not be sent to the authority or any zonal GATE offices.
- In case of multiple applications submitted by candidates, only one will be considered and rest will be rejected without any refund of fee.
- Those applying outside of India have to travel to India to appear for the test.
Application Fee:
- GATE Registration Fee 2026 can be paid through online mode using net banking/ debit card/ credit card/ UPI/ wallet.
- Fee is non- refundable until certain two-paper combination is removed by the Organising Institute.
- Per test paper application fee is described below:
| Category | Regular period (regular fee) | Extended Period (late fee) |
| ST/ SC/ PWD/ Female category candidates | Rs.900/- | Rs.1400/- |
| All other candidates/ Foreign nationals | Rs.1800/- | Rs.2300/- |
How to Register for GATE 2026
Know complete steps to register for GATE 2026 below:
- Visit the online website (Link will be given above).
- Register online first by entering name, email, mobile number and setting a password.
- Once registered successfully, communication details will be sent to mobile number and email id.
- Now Login with the provided credentials and start filling the application form.
- Fill details – personal, address, qualification, choice of exam city, etc.
- Now upload the asked documents – category certificate, photograph, signature, valid photo id. All these documents should be scanned and in prescribed format and size.
- Now pay application fee using provided payment methods.
- Carefully check complete details filled in application form and then confirm.
- After confirming, take print of application form and save it for references in future.
Documents/ Details Needed for GATE Registration:
Students must make sure to have these documents/ data ready with them to fill GATE application:
- Personal Information – Name, DOB, Mobile number, etc.
- Communication, Qualifying degree details, paper, exam city choice, etc.
- Qualifying degree details
- GATE papers & codes in which they wish to appear
- 3 choices of exam cities
- Fee payment modes / details
- Candidates’ Photograph/ Signature/ Category certificate
- Valid Photo Id (Aadhar/ passport/ PAN/ Voter Id/ Driving License), etc.
GATE 2026 Form Correction
GATE Correction Window 2026 will open after end of registration process. Students will be able to make changes in category, paper, exam city, personal details, etc. Also, candidates can add a new test paper during this period.
The correction facility will be available only through online mode. Corrections through any other mode will not be accepted. Modification in details can be done from 3rd week of November 2025.
GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Know about GATE Eligibility Criteria 2026 before registering to avoid any rejection later:
- Qualifying Degree/ Subject: Those studying in 3rd or higher years of any UG degree (currently) or completed any degree (Govt. approved) in Engineering/ Technology, Humanities & Sciences, Architecture are eligible to apply.
- Age Criteria: No age limit is prescribed to apply.
- Eligibility for foreign nationals: For the ones pursuing or completed their qualifying degree from outside India should be currently in 3rd or higher years of any UG degree OR Completed bachelor’s degree (at least 3-year duration) in Engineering/ Technology, Humanities & Sciences, Architecture.
- Those having certification from any professional societies must make sure that the examination is approved by AICTE/ MoE/ UPSC/ UGC as being equivalent to B.Tech/ B.E/ B.Arch/ B.Planning, etc.
GATE 2026 Exam Pattern
Check details about GATE Exam pattern 2026 & marking scheme in below provided section:
- Exam mode: GATE 2026 will be held computer based test (CBT)
- Language medium: Exam paper will be held in English.
- Number of papers/ subjects: There will be 30 test papers.
- Type of Questions: Paper will have three types of questions – Multiple choice questions (MCQ), multiple select questions (MSQ) and numerical answer type questions (NAT).
- Sections: Paper will contain sections – General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate’s selected subjects.
- Testing abilities: GATE paper will test these abilities – Recall, Comprehension, Analysis and synthesis and Application.
- Duration of Paper: 3 hours will be provided to students to complete the paper.
- Marking: Questions in paper will carry either 1 or 2 marks.
- Negative marking: There will be negative marking for MCQs. For 1 mark question, 1/3 mark will be deducted & 2/3 mark will be deducted for 2 marks question. No partial marking or negative marking will be done for MSQ & NAT type of questions.
Check subject wise marking for various papers below:
| Paper Code | General Aptitude (GA) Marks | Compulsory Section | Subject Marks | Total Marks |
| AR: Part A is Common and Compulsory. Part B1/B2 can be selected during the exam. B1 – Architecture B2 – Planning | 15 | 60 | 25 | 100 |
| EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, PE, PI, TF; Subject marks in these papers include questions on Engineering Mathematics (13 marks), which are paper-specific. | 15 | – | 85 | 100 |
| ST, DA, CY, EY, PH, MA | 15 | – | 85 | 100 |
| GE (Part A is common & compulsory B1 & B2 can be selected during exam B1 – Surveying & mapping & B2 is image processing & analysis | 15 | 55 | 30 | 100 |
| XE: Section A (Engineering Mathematics) is Common and Compulsory. Applicants must select any TWO of the other sections during the exam. | 15 | 15 | (2×35) | 100 |
| GG (Part A is common & compulsory Part B can either be Geology (B1) or Geophysics (B2) which must be chosen at the time of application | 15 | 25 | 60 | 100 |
| XL: Section P (Chemistry) is Common and Compulsory. Applicants must select any TWO of the other sections during the exam | 15 | 25 | (2×30) | 100 |
| XH: Section B1 (Reasoning and Comprehension) is Common and Compulsory. Applicants must select any ONE of the other sections at the time of application. | 15 | 25 | 60 | 100 |
GATE 2026 Syllabus
GATE Syllabus 2026 can be checked online on the website. Check below for various test papers:
| Papers | Syllabus/ Topics |
| Civil Engineering | Water resources engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, engineering mathematics, geotechnical engineering, etc. |
| General Aptitude | Analytical aptitude, spatial aptitude, verbal aptitude, quantitative aptitude, etc. |
| Electronics & Communication Engineering | Digital circuit, control system, networks, signal and system, analog circuits, electronic devices, engineering mathematics, etc. |
| Aerospace Engineering | Engineering mathematics, flight mechanics, propulsion, space dynamics, structures, aerodynamics, etc. |
| Architecture and Planning | Environmental planning and design, planning process, housing, architecture and design, construction & management, building and structure, etc. |
| Chemical Engineering | Fluid mechanic and mechanical operations, heat transfer, engineering mathematics, mass transfer, process calculations and thermodynamics, chemical technology |
GATE 2026 Preparation Tips
To obtain good score in GATE 2026, candidates can take help of below provided preparation tips:
- Before starting preparation, go through complete syllabus, pattern & marking.
- Make list of important topics and study accordingly.
- Revise the topics which you study on daily basis.
- Make notes and go through them time to time.
- Attempt mock test online/ offline to be familiar with test & its pattern.
- Solve previous year question papers and sample papers.
- Study and prepare for GATE from the recommended sources/ books/ study material.
GATE 2026 Mock Test
Link to attempt GATE Mock test 2026 will be provided online on the website. It will be provided with the name of test paper or code. After clicking on the provided link, students need to enter their login details to attempt mock test.
Through mock test, GATE appearing candidate becomes aware about the look and feel of computer based exam. Students must note that the online mock test is just for practise and may differ with the relative number of questions in the exam.
GATE Paper & Codes
Complete list of papers and their codes have been provided in the table below.
| Paper | Code | Paper | Code |
| Aerospace Engineering | AE | Mathematics | MA |
| Chemical Engineering | CH | Physics | PH |
| Geomatics Engineering | GE | Petroleum Engineering | PE |
| Computer Science & Information Technology | CS | Textile Engineering & Fibre Science | TF |
| Engineering Sciences | XE | Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering | NM |
| Geology & Geophysics | GG | Biotechnology | BT |
| Architecture & Planning | AR | Instrumentation Engineering | IN |
| Agricultural Engineering | AG | Mining Engineering | MN |
| Bio medical Engineering | BM | Mechanical Engineering | ME |
| Environmental Science & Engineering | ES | Humanities & Social Sciences | XH |
| Civil Engineering | CE | Metallurgical Engineering | MT |
| Electrical Engineering | EE | Statistics | ST |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | EC | Life Sciences | XL |
| Ecology & Evolution | EY | Production & Industrial Engineering | PI |
| Chemistry | CY |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
GATE 2026 Admit Card
GATE Admit card 2026 can be downloaded online on the website in the first week of January 2026. No copies (printed) will be posted to students separately. Complete details of exam date, time, venue and certain instructions will be provided on it. In case of any misprinting or other discrepancy, one must contact officials before exam.
No request for change of date, time or other specified in admit card will be entertained by authority. Along with the admit card, one must be ready with their valid photo id proof for verification in the exam centre.
GATE Exam Centres
GATE Exam 2026 will be held in various cities across the country. Students from foreign countries have to visit India specifically to appear for the test as there will be no centres outside India.
The various exam cities are – Ambala, Kurukshetra, Hamirpur, Kangra, Madi, Mohali, Patiala, Bilaspur, Shimla-Solan, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Pathankot, Bhatinda, Jalandhar, Noida, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur, Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Haldwani, Dehradun, Roorkee and many more. Complete list can be checked online on the website.
GATE 2026 Answer key
The authority will first release the provisional answer key of GATE 2026 in fourth week of February 2026. Before that, responses will be made available in the second week of February 2026.
Using answer key, one can calculate their probable scores obtained in the exam. Also, objections can be raised by candidates if they find any error in the key. Students need to pay challenge fee which will be refunded only when the objection is proved to be correct.
GATE 2026 Result
GATE Result 2026 will be declared in the second week of March 2026. Candidates can check the results through online mode on the website.
To check results, one has to login using their enrollment id/ email address and password. Result will mention details like – name, roll number, section wise marks obtained, total marks, etc.
GATE Scorecard 2026
The scorecard of GATE 2026 will be made available for downloading online few days after the result declaration. Only the qualified candidates will be able to download their scorecards online and no hard copies will be issued by authority.
Scorecards will be valid for 3 years from the date of announcement of results. It reflects the relative performance of the candidate in test paper. Downloading of scorecards will be available from 4th week of March 2026.
GATE 2026 Cut Off
It is important for the GATE appearing candidates to obtain the minimum cut off in order to be eligible for admission in various institutions. Various PSUs also offer jobs based on qualifying marks obtained by them in GATE.
Check expected cut off marks below (according to previous year trends):
| Paper Code | Cut off Marks (Last year cut off) | ||
| General | OBC-NCL/ EWS | SC/ ST/ PWD | |
| Physics | 31.1 | 27.9 | 20.7 |
| Mechanical Engineering (ME) | 28.4 | 25.5 | 18.9 |
| Statistics | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| CE | 26.6 | 23.9 | 17.7 |
| ECE | 29.9 | 26.9 | 19.9 |
| Electrical Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| CH | 32.10 | – | – |
GATE 2026 COAP Counselling
COAPS (Common Offer Acceptance Portal) & CCMT (Centralized Counselling for M.Tech./M.Arch./M.Plan./M.Des.) are the two modes through which GATE Counselling 2026 will be organised. The counselling process will begin from third week of March 2026.
The counselling procedure includes various rounds – Online registration, payment of counselling fee, choice filling & locking, seat allotment and document verification. For the document verification, candidates will have to appear at the verification centres along with their valid certificates/ documents.
If you have any other query related to GATE 2026, you can ask us in the comments section below.
