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Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering

GATE 2026: Exam Date, Admit Card, Registration, Syllabus, Pattern, Preparation

GATE 2026 - IIT Guwahati will successfully conduct the GATE exam on February 2026. GATE result 2026 will be released at gate2026iitg.ac.in.

GATE 2026 - The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati will release the GATE exam result soon on its official website. It is expected that the GATE result 2026 will be announced on March, as per the official brochure released by IIT Guwahati. The conducting body will be releasing the answer key for the GATE exam on its official website - gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The institute will successfully conduct the GATE exam scheduled for February 2026. After the exam is conducted, IIT Guwahati will release the GATE answer key 2026 for which the anticipated date is February 2026

GATE exam 2026 question papers and solutions will be released officially by IIT Guwahati after the result announcement. Candidates will be able to download them from the link provided in the article below.

Many coaching institutes will also be releasing the subject-wise GATE 2026 analysis for candidates. GATE analysis includes details about the difficulty level of the question, GATE expected cut off, and more. The GATE answer key 2026 will be released for candidates who appeared in the examination. GATE 2026 answer key date is expected around the third or fourth week of February 2026. The answer key can be downloaded along with the response sheet for each subject. 

GATE 2026 will have a total of 30 test papers, comprising full papers and sectional. Candidates will have the option to appear for one or two test papers from the allowed two-paper combinations. The GATE score obtained by the candidates will remain valid for a period of THREE years from the date of announcement of results.

UPDATE - GATE Answer Key 2026 is OUT at goaps.iitg.ac.in

Also Read: 

GATE registration will start from  August 2026. The GATE application form will remain live from August to October 2026, allowing candidates to fill out the application form(with late fees). Students must note that all dates are liable to change as per the discretion of the conducting body, that is IIT Guwahati

After the release of the GATE result, the counselling process will start for IITs, IIITs, NITs, and GFTIs. GATE COAP Counselling 2026 will be conducted for admission to IITs, while GATE CCMT Counselling 2026 will be conducted for IIITs, NITs, and GFTIs. The GATE Counselling date is yet to be announced officially.

Check Expected GATE Cutoff 2026 for IITs, PSU, NITs

GATE Exam 2026

The GATE exam 2026 will be conducted separately for 30 papers. A candidate is allowed to appear either in ONE or UP TO TWO test papers. Aspirants preparing for the engineering exam are eligible for the exam. According to GATE eligibility criteria, the candidate must have a bachelor's degree in  Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/ Science/ Commerce/ Arts.

Due to several applicants aspiring for admission in M.Tech Program, the engineering exam for admission to the M.Tech is extremely demanding. Therefore, individuals doing GATE preparation must be familiar with the exam pattern and syllabus. For each of the 30 papers, there is a different GATE exam pattern and syllabus. For the year 2026, there has been no change in the syllabus and pattern for the GATE 2026 exam.

Download: GATE Syllabus 2026 for Data Science & Artificial Intelligence

GATE 2026 Exam Dates

The GATE Exam 2026 dates are out. Interested candidates can check the table below to know the important dates of the exam:

Particulars

Dates

GATE 2025 Application Form Starts

August 28, 2024

GATE 2026 Application Form Ends

October 2026

GATE 2026 Application Form Ends (with additional fee)

October 2026

GATE 2026 Admit Card Release 

January 2026

GATE 2026 Exam Dates

February 2026

GATE 2026 Response Sheet

February 2026

GATE 2026 Provisional Answer Key

February 2026

GATE 2026 Answer Key Challenge

February 2026 to March 2026

GATE 2026 Result

March 2026

GATE 2026 Scorecard

March 2026 to May 2026

GATE Application Form 2026

Candidates who fulfil the eligibility criteria are only eligible to apply for the GATE 2026 examination. The steps to fill out the GATE application form are given below:

  • Visit the GATE website (gate2026.iitg.ac.in)
  • The first step is to register on the official website by entering your mobile number, password, and active email address.
  • Candidates who successfully register themselves will be sent a GOAP enrollment ID to the email address they provided.
  • Use the enrolment ID to log in to the GATE portal called GOAPS.
  • You'll see the GATE application form on your screen.
  • Fill out your personal and academic information in the application form.
  • Upload the required documents.
  • Pay the application fee for GATE 2026.
  • Submit the application and print off the receipt after doing so.

GATE Application Fee 2026

IIT Guwahati will release the Admit Card on January 2026. Interested candidates can check the steps below to download their admit card:

  • Visit the official website of GATE
  • Click on the ‘GATE Admit Card Link’
  • Enter Enrolment ID and password.
  • Candidate’s admit card will be displayed on your screen
  • Download and take a printout of the admit card
  • Verify details mentioned on the admit card.

Details Mentioned on GATE Admit Card 2026

Candidates must verify the following details mentioned on their admit card:

  • Name of the Candidate
  • Registration Number
  • GATE Exam Date
  • GATE Exam Centre
  • Exam Timings
  • Candidates’ Photograph
  • Candidates’ Signature
  • GATE Exam Paper
  • Paper Code
  • Exam Day Instructions

Before submitting their GATE application, candidates must ensure that they meet all eligibility requirements. The following table summarises the GATE eligibility criteria for 2026:

GATE exam analysis 2026 will be provided to candidates who appear for the GATE 2026 exam. Candidates will be able to check the detailed GATE analysis from many unofficial sources. The subject-wise GATE exam analysis will be given to candidates by subject experts and teachers for each day after the exam is conducted. 

Interested candidates preparing for the GATE exam must be aware of the exam pattern. Aspirants can check the GATE exam pattern tabulated below:

GATE Marking Scheme 2026

GATE Combination of Two Papers

Note: Candidates must have a preferred choice of paper, which is their initial selection, if they want to take TWO subject examinations. From the possible combinations shown in the table above, candidates are required to make the second choice. Combinations that are not on the list ARE NOT permitted to take.

IIT Guwahati will release the GATE syllabus on its official website. Aspiring candidates can check the paper-wise GATE syllabus in the table below:

If applicants wish to ace the examination, they must be aware of the essential GATE preparation tips. Using the preparation guidance provided by experts can help candidates organise their preparation more effectively. Assessing one's skills and shortcomings can be made easier for applicants by solving GATE question papers. They can also be better able to comprehend the GATE exam syllabus and structure. 

Below are the GATE preparation tips that candidates should follow while preparing for the exam:

  • Know the syllabus and exam pattern inside and out
  • Minimum Study Material
  • Prepare Self Notes
  • Frequently revise the study material
  • Practice GATE Previous Year Question Papers

The GATE result will be announced by IIT Guwahati after the successful conclusion of the exam. Candidates will be able to check their result using their enrolment ID/Email address & password. GATE results 2026 will be valid for 3 years. Till that time, any institute would accept the GATE score as proof of eligibility for admission to postgraduate study or employment. Candidates will have the following details on their GATE result 2026:

  • Candidate’s Name
  • Candidate’s Photograph
  • Candidate’s Signature
  • GATE Registration Number
  • Gender of the Candidate 
  • Examination Paper & Paper Code
  • GATE Marks (Out of 100)
  • GATE Scores (Out of 1000)
  • Validity of GATE scores

GATE Marks Vs GATE Scores

It is important to note that GATE Marks & GATE scores are different. GATE Marks are the marks obtained by candidates out of 100 in the exam. The GATE scores are normalised scores of candidates out of 1000.

GATE Score Normalisation

The following formula is used to calculate the normalised GATE Score:

GATE Score Normalisation

The GATE cutoff is of two types: Qualifying Cutoff & Admission Cutoff. The GATE Qualifying cutoff is the minimum marks that candidates need to qualify the examination. The GATE admission cutoff is released separately by participating colleges for final admission to the college. It is important to note that just meeting the qualifying cutoff score does not guarantee admission.

The following table shows the GATE qualifying cutoff for 2026:

Two organisations—Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) and Centralised Counselling for MTech (CCMT)—conduct the GATE counselling for admission to M.Tech programmes. For admission to M.Tech programmes at IITs, GATE COAP counselling is held; for admission to M.Tech programmes in NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and CFTIs, GATE CCMT counselling is held.

GATE COAP 2026: Eligibility

  • Candidates must have a valid GATE score of the previous three years to participate in the counselling round for 2026 (2024/2025/2026).
  • It is required that candidates have minimum marks in graduation, which can vary depending on the institution they are applying to.

GATE CCMT 2026: Eligibility

  • Candidates must have a valid GATE score of the previous three years to participate in the counselling round for 2026 (2024/2025/2026).
  • A minimum 6.5 CGPA or 60% is required in graduation. SC/ST/PWD candidates must have a minimum CGPA of 6 or 55% in their graduation.
Top Institutes Accepting Applications
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham - Coimbatore
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham - CoimbatoreBTechCoimbatore, Tamil Nadu
Vellore Institute of Technology
Vellore Institute of TechnologyBTechVellore, Tamil Nadu
Chandigarh University (CU)
Chandigarh University (CU)BTechChandigarh, Punjab
Lovely Professional University
Lovely Professional UniversityBTechJalandhar, Punjab
Jain University - Bangalore
Jain University - BangaloreBTechBangalore, Karnataka
Alliance University - Bangalore
Alliance University - BangaloreBTechBhubaneswar, Karnataka
Manav Rachna University
Manav Rachna UniversityBTechFaridabad, Haryana
NITTE
NITTEBTechBangalore, Karnataka

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is GATE Exam 2025?

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, or GATE exam, is a yearly national-level admission examination that is administered on behalf of NCB-GATE by the IISc Bangalore and seven IITs (at Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, and Roorkee). Admission to M.Tech. and PhD programmes provided at IITs, NITs, and other participating institutions is the primary goal of the GATE examination. Companies in the public sector also consider GATE scores when hiring graduate engineers for entry-level roles.

What is GATE Eligibility Criteria?

Candidates aspiring or planning to appear for the GATE 2025 must have finished an undergraduate degree programme in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, or the arts.

Do IIT students take the GATE exam?

An IIT student who has a strong CGPA may be excused from taking the GATE exam while enrolling for the IIT M.Tech programme. If a candidate has finished their B.Tech from one of the IITs with a minimum CGPA of 8.5, they do not need to take the GATE examination.

What is the format of the GATE exam?

The GATE test is administered online and is computer-based. The examination is conducted for 29 papers. There are 65 questions in a paper totalling 100 marks. In general, each GATE test paper is divided into two sections: General Aptitude (10 questions, 15 marks), and Core Subject (55 questions, 85 Marks). The questions are either one or two marks each and come in the forms of MCQs, MSQs, and NATs. There is no negative marking for MSQs & NATs.

What is the upper age limit for GATE 2025?

There is no upper age limit for the GATE 2025 exam. Candidates will be able to take the examination if they satisfy all other requirements for eligibility.

Has the GATE 2025 Syllabus undergone any changes?

The GATE 2025 Syllabus has not undergone any modifications this year. The syllabus was previously updated in 2021, and this year will follow suit.

When will GATE 2025 exam be conducted?

GATE 2025 exam will be conducted tentatively in the first week of February 2025. The exam will be organised by IIT Roorkee

When will GATE result 2025 be announced?

GATE 2025 result will be announced tentatively in March 2025. Along with the result, IIT Roorkee will also release the final answer key.

When will GATE answer key 2025 be released?

IIT Roorkee will release the GATE 2025 answer key in February 2025. Candidates will be able to raise objections against the answer key if they feel the answer given in the answer key is incorrect.

What is GATE Cut off 2025?

IIT Roorkee will release the GATE cut off 2025 on the official website. Students who have the minimum cut off marks in GATE exam will be eligible for the counselling round. After each round of counselling, participating colleges release the opening and closing ranks for admission to different courses.

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