GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
~$20 (INR 1700)
Provider
IITs/IISc
Validity
3 years
Available
India
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
3-5+ years of professional experience typically required
Specific Requirements
- A candidate currently studying in the 3rd year or higher of any undergraduate degree programme is eligible, as is anyone who has already completed a government-approved degree in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts or Humanities.
- Candidates in the 5th, 6th or 7th semester or higher of M.B.B.S., B.D.S., B.V.Sc. or B.Sc. in Agriculture, Horticulture or Forestry are eligible, as are those who have completed those degrees.
- Master's-level students in M.Sc., M.A. or MCA programmes may apply from the first year onward.
- Candidates pursuing or already holding a degree higher than those listed in the eligibility table are allowed to appear.
- There is no age limit to appear for GATE 2026.
- There is no limit on the number of times a candidate may appear for GATE.
- A valid photo identity document is required at application: Aadhaar-UID (preferred), Aadhaar Virtual ID, a government-issued ID, passport, PAN card, voter ID or driving licence. International candidates sitting at centres in India may use only a valid passport, government-issued ID or driving licence.
- SC and ST candidates must upload valid category proof issued by an authorised official to claim the reduced application fee.
Number of Questions
65 questions carrying a total of 100 marks: 10 General Aptitude questions worth 15 marks and 55 subject questions worth 85 marks. Because every question is worth either 1 or 2 marks, the paper contains exactly 30 one-mark and 35 two-mark questions.
Duration
3 hours (180 minutes). PwD candidates eligible for compensatory time get 4 hours, under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment O.M. F. No. P-13013/75/2023-Policy-DD-III dated 1 August 2025.
Question Format
Multiple Choice Question (MCQ): four options, exactly one correct, 1 or 2 marks, Multiple Select Question (MSQ): four options, one or more correct, no partial credit, 1 or 2 marks, Numerical Answer Type (NAT): a signed real number keyed in on the on-screen numeric keypad, no options shown, 1 or 2 marks, General Aptitude section: 5 questions at 1 mark and 5 questions at 2 marks, common to all 30 papers
Passing Requirement
The general-category qualifying mark is max(25, min(40, mean + standard deviation)) of the marks of all candidates who appeared in that paper. OBC-NCL and EWS qualifying marks are 9/10 of that value; SC, ST and PwD qualifying marks are 2/3 of it. GATE 2026 general cut-offs ran from 25 in several papers to the 40 ceiling in six: Architecture and Planning, Ecology and Evolution, Metallurgical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences (English) and Humanities and Social Sciences (Sociology).
How It Is Delivered
Computer Based Test at allotted examination centres. An on-screen virtual scientific calculator is provided and must be the only calculator used. The computer keyboard is disabled for NAT answers, which are entered on a virtual numeric keypad. A scribble pad is issued for rough work and must be returned to the invigilator.
Languages Offered
English only. The GATE 2026 information brochure states that all test papers are in English and entirely of the objective type.
Rules specific to this exam
- Papers: 30 test papers in GATE 2026, including a new Energy Science sectional paper (XE-I) inside Engineering Sciences. A candidate may sit one paper or up to two from the approved two-paper combination table.
- Sessions: Some papers run in multiple sessions. A candidate sits only the session printed on the admit card, and multi-session papers are normalised across sessions before scoring.
Visit the official IITs/IISc certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
Score Scale
Two numbers are reported: raw marks out of 100 (or normalised marks out of 100 for multi-session papers) and a GATE score anchored so that the qualifying mark equals 350 and the mean of the top group equals 900. A score of 1000 is the ceiling rather than an automatic property of rank 1: most GATE 2026 AIR-1 holders were shown at 1000, but nine were not, including 996 in Mathematics, 993 in Humanities and Social Sciences (Sociology), 985 in Environmental Science and Engineering, 967 in Architecture and Planning, 948 in Petroleum Engineering, 942 in Engineering Sciences and 941 in Ecology and Evolution.
Score You Need
The general-category qualifying mark is max(25, min(40, mean + standard deviation)) of the marks of all candidates who appeared in that paper. OBC-NCL and EWS qualifying marks are 9/10 of that value; SC, ST and PwD qualifying marks are 2/3 of it. GATE 2026 general cut-offs ran from 25 in several papers to the 40 ceiling in six: Architecture and Planning, Ecology and Evolution, Metallurgical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences (English) and Humanities and Social Sciences (Sociology).
How It Is Calculated
Scoring is compensatory across the whole paper: one total, no section minimums. Wrong MCQ answers cost marks, at one third of a mark for a one-mark MCQ and two thirds for a two-mark MCQ, while MSQ and NAT answers carry no penalty and no partial credit. Multi-session papers are equated by normalisation before scoring. The GATE score is then a linear map, GATE Score = 350 + 550 x (M - Mq) / (Mt - Mq), where Mt is the mean of the top 0.1 percent or top 10 candidates, whichever group is larger.
When You Get Results
There is no unofficial score on screen at the end of the exam. Response sheets and answer keys are published first and opened to candidate challenge; GATE 2026 results were declared on 19 March 2026 on GOAPS. Scorecards were free to download from 27 March to 31 May 2026, then ₹500 per paper until 31 December 2026, after which they are not issued at all.
In raw terms: IIT Guwahati publishes the AIR-1 raw marks alongside the score of 1000: 96.67 out of 100 in Mechanical Engineering, 95.67 in Electronics and Communication, 94.54 normalised in Civil Engineering, 92.57 normalised in Computer Science and 92 in Electrical Engineering for GATE 2026.
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)?
A candidate currently studying in the 3rd year or higher of any undergraduate degree programme is eligible, as is anyone who has already completed a government-approved degree in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts or Humanities.. Candidates in the 5th, 6th or 7th semester or higher of M.B.B.S., B.D.S., B.V.Sc. or B.Sc. in Agriculture, Horticulture or Forestry are eligible, as are those who have completed those degrees.. Master's-level students in M.Sc., M.A. or MCA programmes may apply from the first year onward.. Candidates pursuing or already holding a degree higher than those listed in the eligibility table are allowed to appear.. There is no age limit to appear for GATE 2026.. There is no limit on the number of times a candidate may appear for GATE.. A valid photo identity document is required at application: Aadhaar-UID (preferred), Aadhaar Virtual ID, a government-issued ID, passport, PAN card, voter ID or driving licence. International candidates sitting at centres in India may use only a valid passport, government-issued ID or driving licence.. SC and ST candidates must upload valid category proof issued by an authorised official to claim the reduced application fee..
How much does the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) cost?
The GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) exam costs ~$20 (INR 1700). This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)?
Visit the official IITs/IISc certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
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