GATE 2027 Overview
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is the Organizing Institute for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027. The examination will be conducted in Computer Based Test mode for 30 test papers across examination centres in more than 300 cities in India.
GATE 2027 is applicable for admission to postgraduate and doctoral programmes, possible scholarships or assistantships, and recruitment opportunities announced separately by participating institutions, government organisations and PSUs. The application portal will open on 14/08/2026 and the examination will be held on 06/02/2027, 07/02/2027, 13/02/2027, 14/02/2027, 20/02/2027 and 21/02/2027.
Programme Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Examination | Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027 |
| Organizing Institute | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) |
| Examination Type | National-level entrance examination |
| Examination Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Language | English |
| Number of Test Papers | 30 |
| Papers Allowed | One or two test papers |
| Examination Duration | 3 hours |
| Total Marks | 100 marks per paper |
| Official Website | https://gate2027.iitm.ac.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| GATE Online Application Processing System opens | 14/08/2026 |
| Regular application closing date | 21/09/2026 |
| Extended application closing date with late fee | 30/09/2026 |
| Last date for change of category, paper, examination city, addition of test paper and personal details | 21/10/2026 |
| Examination city notification | 04/01/2027 |
| GATE 2027 Examination | 06/02/2027, 07/02/2027, 13/02/2027, 14/02/2027, 20/02/2027 and 21/02/2027 |
| GATE 2027 Result Announcement | 19/03/2027 |
| Paid scorecard download period | After the free download period until 31/12/2027 |
All dates are provisional and may be changed by the GATE Committee.
Eligibility Criteria
There is no age limit for appearing in GATE 2027. Candidates who are currently studying in the third or higher year of an eligible undergraduate degree programme, or who have completed an eligible degree programme approved by the appropriate authority, may apply.
| Degree or Programme | Eligibility Requirement |
|---|---|
| B.E./B.Tech./B.Pharm. | Currently in the third year or higher, or already completed a recognised degree in Engineering, Technology or Pharmacy |
| B.Arch. | Currently in the third year or higher, or completed a recognised Architecture, Naval Architecture or Planning degree |
| B.Sc. (Research)/B.S. | Currently in the third year or higher, or already completed the degree |
| Pharm.D. after 10+2 | Currently in the third, fourth, fifth or sixth year, or already completed the programme |
| M.B.B.S./B.D.S./B.V.Sc. | Currently in the fifth, sixth, seventh or higher semester, or already completed the degree |
| M.Sc./M.A./M.C.A. or equivalent | Currently in the first year or higher, or already completed the master’s degree |
| Integrated M.E./M.Tech. after B.Sc. | Currently in the first, second, third or fourth year, or already completed the programme |
| Integrated M.E./M.Tech./M.Pharm. or dual degree after Diploma or 10+2 | Currently in the third, fourth or fifth year, or already completed the programme |
| B.Sc./B.A./B.Com. | Currently in the third year of a three-year degree, or already completed the degree |
| Integrated M.Sc./Integrated B.S.-M.S. | Currently in the third year or higher, or already completed the programme |
| Professional Society examinations | Section A or equivalent completed in an examination recognised as equivalent to B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch. |
| B.Sc. Agriculture, Horticulture or Forestry | Currently in the third or fourth year of the four-year programme, or already completed |
Candidates pursuing or holding a higher degree than the qualification listed above are also eligible. Candidates whose qualifying degree is from outside India must be in the third or higher year or must have completed a bachelor’s degree of at least three years’ duration in an eligible discipline.
Application Fee
The fee is payable per test paper. Candidates appearing for two papers must pay twice the applicable single-paper fee.
| Category | Regular Period | Extended Period |
|---|---|---|
| Female/SC/ST/PwD candidates | ₹1,000 | ₹1,500 |
| All other candidates, including foreign nationals | ₹2,000 | ₹2,500 |
PwD fee concession is available to candidates with benchmark disability of 40% or higher. Bank service charges, processing fees and other applicable charges are additional. The fee is generally non-refundable, except where an announced two-paper combination is removed.
Test Papers
GATE 2027 will be conducted for the following 30 test papers:
| Code | Test Paper |
|---|---|
| AE | Aerospace Engineering |
| AG | Agricultural Engineering |
| AR | Architecture and Planning |
| BM | Biomedical Engineering |
| BT | Biotechnology |
| CE | Civil Engineering |
| CH | Chemical Engineering |
| CS | Computer Science and Information Technology |
| CY | Chemistry |
| DA | Data Science and Artificial Intelligence |
| EC | Electronics and Communication Engineering |
| EE | Electrical Engineering |
| ES | Environmental Science and Engineering |
| EY | Ecology and Evolution |
| GE | Geomatics Engineering |
| GG | Geology and Geophysics |
| IN | Instrumentation Engineering |
| MA | Mathematics |
| ME | Mechanical Engineering |
| MN | Mining Engineering |
| MT | Metallurgical Engineering |
| NM | Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering |
| PE | Petroleum Engineering |
| PH | Physics |
| PI | Production and Industrial Engineering |
| RA | Robotics and Automation |
| ST | Statistics |
| XE | Engineering Sciences |
| XH | Humanities and Social Sciences |
| XL | Life Sciences |
Robotics and Automation (RA) is a new test paper for GATE 2027. Textile Engineering and Fibre Science is included as sectional paper XE9 under Engineering Sciences. Paper codes for the sectional papers XE, XH and XL have also been revised.
Examination Pattern
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer Based Test |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Questions | 65 questions: 10 General Aptitude and 55 subject questions |
| Marks | 100 marks |
| Question Types | MCQ, MSQ and NAT |
| Question Value | 1 mark or 2 marks |
| Language | English |
| Calculator | Only the on-screen virtual calculator is permitted |
The General Aptitude section carries 15 marks in every paper. In most papers, the subject component carries 85 marks, including 13 marks for Engineering Mathematics in specified engineering papers. In AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, RA, ST, XH and XL, the subject component carries 85 marks without a separate 13-mark Engineering Mathematics allocation.
Question Types and Negative Marking
- MCQ: Only one option is correct. A wrong answer in a 1-mark MCQ attracts a deduction of 1/3 mark, while a wrong answer in a 2-mark MCQ attracts a deduction of 2/3 mark.
- MSQ: One or more options may be correct. There is no negative marking, but there is no partial marking.
- NAT: The numerical answer must be entered using the virtual keypad. There is no negative marking and no partial marking.
Sectional Paper Pattern
- AR: General Aptitude 15 marks, Part A 60 marks and either Architecture or Planning Part B 25 marks.
- GE: General Aptitude 15 marks, common Part A 55 marks and either Surveying and Mapping or Image Processing and Analysis Part B 30 marks.
- GG: General Aptitude 15 marks, common Part A 25 marks and either Geology or Geophysics Part B 60 marks. The section must be selected during application.
- RA: General Aptitude 15 marks, common Part A 60 marks and either Electrical or Mechanical Part B 25 marks.
- XE: General Aptitude 15 marks, compulsory XE0 Engineering Mathematics 15 marks and up to two optional sections from XE1 to XE9 carrying 70 marks.
- XH: General Aptitude 15 marks, compulsory XH0 Reasoning and Comprehension 25 marks and one optional section from XH1 to XH6 carrying 60 marks.
- XL: General Aptitude 15 marks, compulsory XL0 Chemistry 25 marks and up to two optional sections from XL1 to XL5 carrying 60 marks.
Examination Sessions
The examination will be held in two sessions:
| Session | Time |
|---|---|
| Forenoon | 09:30 AM to 12:30 PM |
| Afternoon | 02:30 PM to 05:30 PM |
Candidates requiring compensatory time may receive a maximum examination duration of four hours as per applicable government guidelines.
Examination Cities
Candidates may select three examination cities from the tentative list, and all three choices must belong to the same GATE zone. The GATE Committee may add or remove cities or allot a city different from the choices selected due to operational requirements. Examination centres are planned across more than 300 cities in India. There are no international examination centres; foreign nationals must travel to India to appear for the examination.
Application Process
Applications are accepted online only through the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS), accessible from the official GATE 2027 website. Candidates must not send printed application forms or documents to IIT Madras or any coordinating institute.
Candidates are required to:
- Register on GOAPS and create an enrolment account.
- Provide personal, academic and communication details.
- Select one or two permitted test papers and examination cities.
- Upload the photograph, signature, valid photo identity document and applicable certificates.
- Provide live facial details during registration.
- Pay the application fee electronically through UPI, internet banking, debit card, credit card or wallet.
- Verify the application before selecting the final submission and payment option.
- Regularly check the application status and rectify defects within the stipulated period.
A verified DigiLocker account is recommended for a smoother registration and examination-centre verification process. Only one candidate may register with one email address, and the email address and mobile number cannot normally be changed later.
Required Documents
- Valid photo identity document: Aadhaar-UID, Aadhaar Virtual ID, passport, PAN card, voter ID, driving licence or government-issued photo ID.
- SC/ST certificate, where applicable.
- Valid PwD certificate or UDID details, where applicable.
- Dyslexia certificate, where applicable.
- Recent photograph and signature in the prescribed format.
The same original photo ID uploaded during application must be brought to the examination centre. OBC-NCL and EWS candidates are not required to upload a category certificate during the GATE application process.
Photograph and Signature Requirements
The photograph must be a recent colour passport-size photograph with a white background, frontal face view and clearly visible facial features. The photograph should be in JPEG/JPG format, with resolution between 200 × 260 pixels and 530 × 690 pixels and maximum file size of 600 kB.
The signature must be uploaded in JPEG/JPG format using black or dark blue ink. The maximum file size is 300 kB, with resolution between 250 × 80 pixels and 580 × 180 pixels. Digital signatures, initials-only signatures, unclear signatures and signatures outside the prescribed box may lead to rejection or disqualification.
PwD and Scribe Facilities
Candidates with blindness, locomotor disability affecting both arms, cerebral palsy or other specified disabilities with functional writing limitations may request a scribe and compensatory time, subject to submission of the prescribed certificates.
Candidates with a scribe are eligible for 20 minutes of compensatory time per hour, resulting in 60 additional minutes for the three-hour examination. The request for compensatory time or a scribe must be made during application; on-the-spot requests at the examination hall will not be accepted.
GATE-arranged scribes are preferred. A candidate’s own scribe may be permitted only where GATE is unable to arrange one and the prescribed undertaking is submitted. The scribe must not be eligible to appear for GATE 2027 and must meet the qualification conditions specified in the brochure.
Admit Card and Examination Instructions
The examination city will be notified in January 2027. The admit card download date will be announced on the official website. Admit cards will not be sent by post or email.
Candidates must carry:
- A printed copy of the GATE 2027 Admit Card, preferably in colour.
- The same original valid photo ID used during registration.
Mobile phones, calculators, watches, electronic devices, wallets, books, papers, loose sheets, handbooks, pencil boxes and communication devices are prohibited inside the examination hall. Only the on-screen virtual calculator may be used. Scribble pads will be supplied for rough work and must be returned before leaving the examination hall.
GATE Score, Result and Scorecard
GATE 2027 results are scheduled to be announced on 19/03/2027 through GOAPS. For multi-session papers, raw marks may be normalised before calculating the score. The qualifying marks for the General category are calculated using the prescribed formula based on the mean and standard deviation of marks.
The qualifying marks for OBC-NCL/EWS candidates may be calculated at 9/10 of the General category qualifying marks, while the qualifying marks for SC/ST/PwD candidates may be calculated at 2/3 of the General category qualifying marks.
The GATE scorecard is valid for three years from the date of result announcement. Qualified candidates can download the scorecard through GOAPS. A fee of ₹500 per test paper may be charged for downloading the scorecard after the free download period. Scorecards will not be issued from 01/01/2028 onwards, and hard copies of scorecards will not be provided.
Opportunities Through GATE Qualification
A valid GATE score may be used for:
- Admission to master’s programmes in Engineering, Technology and Architecture.
- Direct doctoral programmes in Engineering, Technology and Architecture.
- Doctoral programmes in relevant branches of Science, Humanities and other disciplines.
- Possible Ministry of Education scholarships or assistantships, subject to the rules of the admitting institute.
- Postgraduate admission without scholarship in participating institutions.
- Recruitment processes conducted separately by selected PSUs and government organisations.
Qualifying GATE does not guarantee admission, scholarship, assistantship or employment. Final admission and recruitment decisions depend on the eligibility, selection and reservation policies of the concerned institute or employer.
Syllabus Details
The GATE 2027 syllabus has been revised. The official syllabus covers General Aptitude and subject-specific areas for all 30 papers. Major subject areas include Engineering Mathematics, core engineering disciplines, Computer Science, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering Sciences and Life Sciences. The detailed syllabus includes all paper-wise and sectional topics from AE, AG, AR, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, CY, DA, EC, EE, ES, EY, GE, GG, IN, MA, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PH, PI, RA, ST, XE, XH and XL.
Previous GATE question papers from 2007 to 2026, mock examination links, the virtual scientific calculator and detailed syllabus are to be made available through the official GATE 2027 website.
Important Disclaimer
The GATE Committee may revise examination dates, cities, paper combinations and other details. Candidates should rely only on the official GATE 2027 website for updates. Unfair means or possession of prohibited items may result in cancellation of candidature and a ban from appearing in GATE for the next three years.