GATE
GATE scores are used for M.Tech/ME and direct PhD admissions at IITs, NITs, IIITs and IISc, for MHRD/AICTE postgraduate stipends, and for recruitment to Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) such as ONGC, NTPC, IOCL, BHEL and POWERGRID.
Eligibility
Candidates currently in the third or a higher year of any undergraduate programme, or who have completed a government-approved degree in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce or arts, may apply. There is no minimum percentage, no age limit and no cap on attempts. Candidates may write one or two papers from the permitted combinations.
Age limit: No age limit
Exam pattern
Computer-Based Test (CBT), 3 hours, 65 questions for 100 marks, across 30 papers (Robotics and Automation added for 2027; Textile Engineering & Fibre Science became a section of the Engineering Sciences (XE) paper). Every paper has a 15-mark General Aptitude section; the rest is subject-specific (Engineering Mathematics is usually 13 marks in engineering papers). Questions are Multiple Choice (MCQ), Multiple Select (MSQ) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT). Only MCQs carry negative marking: −1/3 for 1-mark and −2/3 for 2-mark questions. An on-screen virtual scientific calculator is provided, and scores are valid for three years.
Syllabus at a glance
Each paper has its own syllabus, revised for GATE 2027 for the first time in five years. Every paper includes General Aptitude (verbal, quantitative, analytical and spatial reasoning). Engineering papers include Engineering Mathematics (linear algebra, calculus, differential equations, probability, numerical methods) plus core branch subjects. Science, humanities and XE/XH/XL papers cover the relevant undergraduate syllabus.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Application rectification window on GOAPS (for scrutiny defects, no extra fee) | Until 3 Nov 2026 | confirmed |
| Data correction window (with fee) | TBA | tba |
| Exam city allotment notification | 4 Jan 2027 | confirmed |
| Admit card download | Early Jan 2027 (date TBA) | tba |
| GATE 2027 examination | 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 Feb 2027 | confirmed |
| Result declaration | 19 Mar 2027 | confirmed |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- Higher Engineering Mathematics - B.S. Grewal
- Advanced Engineering Mathematics - Erwin Kreyszig
- Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations - R.S. Aggarwal
- GATE Previous Years' Solved Papers (branch-wise) - MADE EASY Publications
- Word Power Made Easy - Norman Lewis
- Introduction to Algorithms - Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest & Stein (CSE)
How toppers play it
- General Aptitude (15 marks) plus Engineering Mathematics (about 13 marks) make up nearly 28% of most papers and are the easiest marks to secure, so get these near-perfect first.
- Only MCQs carry negative marking. Always attempt NAT and MSQ questions, and skip an MCQ only when you cannot narrow it down to two options.
- Download the revised 2027 syllabus for your paper. Many papers changed this cycle, so don't rely on older coaching notes alone.
- Solve at least 15 years of previous papers topic by topic, then take full-length mocks on the official interface using only the virtual calculator.
- Two-paper candidates should choose a combination that shares a core (e.g. CS + DA, EE + IN) so revision overlaps.