GATE Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a prestigious national-level exam that assesses candidates for a comprehensive understanding in various undergraduate-level subjects in Engineering, Technology, Science, Architecture, and Humanities. GATE 2026 - Organisation GATE 2026 is being organised by Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. GATE 2026 will be a computer-based test (CBT) and is being organized by Indian Institutes of Technology Guwahati. GATE 2026 is being conducted by IISc and all IITs, on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India. Opportunities Candidates who qualify in GATE can seek admission with possible financial assistance to Master’s programs and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, and Humanities; and Doctoral programs in relevant branches of Engineering, Science, and Humanities, in institutions supported by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and other Government agencies. GATE score is also used by some colleges and institutions for admission to postgraduate programs without MoE scholarship. Several Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have also been using GATE score for recruitment. Admission Valid GATE score can be used for seeking admission to: Master’s programs and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering/ Technology/ Science/ Architecture/ Humanities Doctoral programs in relevant branches of Engineering/ Technology/ Science/ Architecture/ Humanities, in the institutions supported by the MoE and other Government agencies Financial Assistance Qualifying GATE score can be used for seeking financial assistance towards: Master’s programs and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering/ Technology/ Science/ Architecture/ Humanities Doctoral programs in relevant branches of Engineering/ Technology/ Science/ Architecture/ Humanities, in the institutions supported by the MoE and other Government agencies Financial assistance given to M.Tech. students is ₹12400 per month and is generally paid for 22 months. Refer PG Scholarship (GATE/GPAT) Financial assistance given for Ph.D. programs (Direct Ph.D. after B.E./B.Tech/M.Sc equivalent with a valid GATE score) is ₹37000 per month for the first two years and ₹42000 per month from the third to the fifth year. (Refer Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure Circular No. 33(14)PFC-II/2018 dated June 21, 2023) Recruitment Many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have been using the GATE score in their recruitment process. A list (not exhaustive) of such PSU is provided below: Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) Coal India Limited (CIL) Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL) Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) Engineers India Limited (EIL) Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL) National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) NLC India Limited (NLCIL) National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO) Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), etc. GATE exam model GATE 2026 will have a total of 30 test papers comprising full papers and sectional papers. Candidates 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. The following table shows the list of papers with codes. GATE Test Paper Code GATE Test Paper Code Aerospace Engineering AE Geology & Geophysics GG Agricultural Engineering AG Instrumentation Engineering IN Architecture and Planning AR Mathematics MA Biomedical Engineering BM Mechanical Engineering ME Biotechnology BT Mining Engineering MN Civil Engineering CE Metallurgical Engineering MT Chemical Engineering CH Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering NM Computer Science & Information Technology CS Petroleum Engineering PE Chemistry CY Physics PH Data Science & Artificial Intelligence DA Production & Industrial Engineering PI Electronics & Communication Engineering EC Statistics ST Electrical Engineering EE Textile Engineering & Fibre Science TF Environmental Science & Engineering ES Engineering Sciences XE Ecology and Evolution EY Humanities & Social Sciences XH Geomatics Engineering GE Life Sciences XL The test papers will be in English. Each GATE 2025 paper is for a total of 100 marks, General Aptitude (GA) is common for all papers (15 marks), and the rest of the paper covers the respective test paper syllabus (85 marks). Eligibility Criteria Candidates who are currently studying in the 3rd or higher years of any undergraduate degree program or who have completed any government-approved degree program in Engineering/ Technology/ Science/ Architecture/ Humanities are eligible to appear for GATE 2026. Some Professional Societies/Institutions, which conduct examination in various fields of engineering, are given below. The Institution of Engineers (India) (IE) The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) The Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) The Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) The Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, including Polymer and Environmental Group (IIChE) The Indian Institute of Metals (IIM) The Indian Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIIE) Candidates who possess certification from any such professional societies must ensure that those examinations are approved by MoE/AICTE/UGC/ UPSC as being equivalent to B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch./B.Planning, etc. Candidates who have obtained/are pursuing their qualifying degree from countries other than India: Candidates must be currently in the 3rd or higher years or must have completed their Bachelor’s degree (of at least three years duration) in Engineering/Technology/Science/Architecture/Humanities. Any candidate fulfilling the above-mentioned criteria is eligible to appear for GATE 2026. Degree / Program Qualifying Degree / Examination Description of Eligible Candidates B.E./B.Tech./B. Pharm. Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology(4 years after 10+2 or 3 years after B.Sc. / Diploma in Engineering / Technology) Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed B. Arch. Bachelor’s degree of Architecture(5-year course) / Naval Architecture (4-year course) / Planning (4-year course) Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed B.Sc. (Research) / B.S. Bachelor’s degree in Science(Post-Diploma / 4 years after 10+2) Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed Pharm. D. (after 10+2) 6 years degree program, consisting of internship or residency training, during third year onwards Currently in the 3rd/ 4th/ 5th/ 6th year or already completed M.B.B.S. / B.D.S. / B.V.Sc. Degree holders of M.B.B.S. / B.D.S. / B.V.Sc and those who are in the 5th/ 6th/ 7th semester or higher semester of such programme 5th/ 6th/ 7th or higher semester or already completed M. Sc. / M.A. / MCA or equivalent Master’s degree in any branch of Arts / Science / Mathematics / Statistics / Computer Applications or equivalent Currently in the first year or higher or already completed Int. M.E. / M.Tech. (Post-B.Sc.) Post-B.Sc. Integrated Master’s degree programs in Engineering / Technology (4-year program) Currently in the 1st/ 2nd/ 3rd/ 4th year or already completed Int. M.E. / M.Tech. / M.Pharm or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2) Integrated Master’s degree program or Dual Degree program in Engineering / Technology (5-year program) Currently in the 3rd/ 4th/ 5th year or already completed B.Sc. / B.A. / B.Com. Bachelor degree in any branch of Science / Arts / Commerce (3 year program) Currently in the 3rd year or already completed Int. M.Sc. / Int. B.S. / M.S. Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year integrated B.S.-M.S. program Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed Professional Society Examinations (equivalent to B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Arch.) B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Arch. equivalent examinations of Professional Societies, recognized by MoE / UPSC / AICTE (e.g. AMIE by Institution of Engineers-India, AMICE by the Institute of Civil Engineers-India and so on) Completed Section A or equivalent of such professional courses B.Sc. (Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry) 4-years program Currently in the 3rd/ 4th year or already completed Refer page Two-Paper Combination for more details. Application Fee Category Regular Period (August 28 to October 07, 2025) During Extended Period (October 08 to October 13, 2025) Female candidates SC/ST/PwD (per test paper) ₹ 1000 ₹ 1500 All other candidates including foreign nationals (per test paper) ₹ 2000 ₹ 2500 GATE 2026 Examination Schedule Date February 07, 2026February 08, 2026February 14, 2026February 15, 2026 Announcement of results ; March 19, 2026 GATE Exam Preparation Old Question Papers NPTEL GATE Portal Helpdesk Phone Numbers +91 361 258 6500Monday to Friday 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM (Government working days only) Source: GATE 2026