GATE 2026: The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, will be organising the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering for the year 2026, and online application forms for the same will be accessible from August 25, 2025. The IIT Guwahati will examine the computer-based test (CBT) mode from the 7th of February to the 15th of February, 2026.
The GATE examination is conducted every year to check the comprehensive understanding of candidates in various undergraduate-level subjects in Engineering, Technology, Science, Architecture, and Humanities. It is being conducted by IISc Bengaluru and seven IITs comprising IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee, on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates will be considered eligible to sit for the GATE 2026 if they fulfil any of the mentioned options:
- The candidate who is currently studying in the 3rd or higher years of any undergraduate degree program, OR has already completed any government-approved degree program in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/ Science/ Commerce/ Arts
- Candidates who have obtained/ are pursuing their qualifying degree from countries other than India: Must be currently in the 3rd or higher years or have completed their Bachelor’s degree (duration: at least 3 years) in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/ Science/ Arts/ Commerce.
Benefits of a GATE score
The GATE score obtained by candidates will remain valid for three years from the date of the results announcement. A valid GATE 2026 score can be used for:
- 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 scholarships.
- Several Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) also use the GATE score for recruitment purposes.
Test Papers of GATE 2026
- The 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 questions will be of 3 types, that is
- Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
- Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)
- Numerical Answer Type (NAT)
- Overall, there will be 65 Questions, out of which 10 will be of General Aptitude, and the remaining 55 questions will be subject-specific.
- Marking scheme:
- Questions will carry 1 mark and 2 marks.
- For a 1-mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer. Similarly, for 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 marks will be deducted for a wrong answer.
- There is no negative marking for wrong answer(s) to MSQ and NAT questions.
- There is no partial marking for any question.
- Here is the list of Test Papers and their codes:
| Test Papers | Code | Test Papers | 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 (NEW) | 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 |
Documents Required
- Candidate’s photograph
- Candidate’s signature
- Category (SC/ ST) certificate (if applicable)
- PwD Certificate (if applicable)
- Certificate of Dyslexia (if applicable)
- A valid photo Identity document: Aadhar-UID (preferable)/ Passport/ PAN Card/ Voter ID/ Driving License
How to apply?
- Visit the official website of GATE 2026 by clicking on the link given below
- Click on the log-in option and register yourself by entering your basic details
- Then log in and fill out the form with your personal and educational details
- Upload the necessary images/ documents
- After completion of these steps, preview the form and pay the application fees
- Lastly, submit the form and download a PDF copy of the same for further reference
Application Fees
| Categories | In regular period | In the extended period |
|---|---|---|
| Female/ SC/ ST/ PwD candidates (per test paper) | Rs. 1000 | Rs. 1500 |
| All other candidates, including foreign nationals (per test paper) | Rs. 2000 | Rs. 2500 |
Key Dates
| Starting of registration | 25th August, 2025 |
| Closing of regular registration | 25th September 2025 |
| Closing of the extended period (with late fees) | 6th October 2025 |
| Availability of Admit Cards | – |
| Exam dates of GATE 2026 | 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th of February 2026 |
| Result Declaration | 19th March 2026 |
Important Links
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