The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has officially released the brochure for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026. This year, the exam comes with some significant updates, making it essential for aspirants to stay informed. Here’s everything you need to know about GATE 2026, including key changes, important dates, and application details.
GATE 2026 Registration
The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, will accept Online registrations for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 from August 25, 2025. And the Last Date for Registration is September 25, 2025. The GATE 2026 exam will be conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology, Guwahati, on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026. GATE 2026 will be a computer-based test (CBT) and will be conducted in 30 subject areas, with the choice of selecting two papers in some subjects.
Valid GATE score can be used for seeking admission to:
- Master’s programs and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts/Humanities; and
- Doctoral programs in relevant branches of Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts/Humanities, in the institutions supported by the MoE and other Government agencies.
Before filing an application, candidates are advised to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria for GATE 2026.
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.
GATE 2026 Schedule
The schedule of the GATE examination 2026 is as follows:
| Event | Date |
| Start of online registration | Monday, August 25, 2025 |
| Last date for regular registration | Monday, October 6, 2025 |
| Extended registration deadline (with late fee) | Monday, October 9, 2025 |
| GATE 2026 Exam | February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026 |
| Result announcement | March 19, 2026 |
All interested and eligible candidates will be able to fill the GATE 2026 application form after the release of the Online form in September. Applicants will be able to complete GATE registration 2026 through the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS). In this article, candidates are going to get all the necessary information about GATE 2026 such as the online application process, application date, eligibility criteria, application fee, exam pattern, syllabus, admit card, result, etc.
GATE 2026 Exam Schedule
| Day, Date | Time (IST) |
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Saturday, February 07, 2026
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9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN)
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2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN)
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Sunday, February 08, 2026
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9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN)
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2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN)
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Saturday, February 14, 2026
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9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN)
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2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN)
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Sunday, February 15, 2026
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9:30 am to 12:30 pm (Forenoon Session – FN)
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2:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Afternoon Session – AN)
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GATE 2026 Information Brochure
This year, several changes have been introduced for GATE 2026, including the rule to allow candidates to appear for a maximum of two papers from a single application for a given combination of papers. The IIT Guwahati will conduct the Gate Examination 2026 on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026.
GATE Eligibility Criteria 2026
The following candidates are eligible to appear in GATE 2026 examination
Before filing an application, candidates are advised to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria for GATE 2026.
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/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts/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/Architecture/Science/Commerce/ Arts/Humanities.
Any candidate fulfilling the above-mentioned criteria is eligible to appear for GATE 2026.
More details of eligibility criteria are given below.
| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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| Pharm. D. (after 10+2) | A Professional Pharmacy doctoral program of 6 years duration after 10+2 which includes 1 year of internship or residency |
Currently in the 3rd/4th/5th/6th year or already completed
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| M.B.B.S./B.D.S./B.V.Sc. | Professional Medical degree programs – M.B.B.S./B.D.S./B.V.Sc. |
5th/6th/7th or higher semester or already completed
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| 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 1st year or higher or already completed
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| 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
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| 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
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| B.Sc./B.A./B.Com. | Bachelor’s degree in any branch of Science/Arts/Commerce (3-year program) |
Currently in the 3rd year or already completed
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| 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
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| 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
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| B.Sc. (Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry) | 4-year program |
Currently in the 3rd/4th year or already completed
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GATE 2026 Online Application Form
Candidates who are interested can fill out the GATE 2026 Application Form. The GATE 2026 Application Form began on August 25, 2025, and will end on September 25, 2025. Before the application form closes, you need to fill out the GATE 2026 Application Form online.
GATE 2026 Application Fee
| Category | Regular Period(August 25 to September 25, 2025) |
During the Extended Period(September 26 to October 06, 2025)
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| 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 |
There will be NO REFUND of any fee, other than for failed transactions.*
Why GATE?
Qualifying in GATE is a mandatory requirement for seeking admission and/or financial assistance to:
(i) Master’s programs and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering/Technology/Architecture and
(ii) Doctoral programs in relevant branches of Science, in the institutions supported by the MHRD and other Government agencies. Even in some colleges and institutions which admit students without MHRD scholarship/assistantship, the GATE qualification is mandatory. Further, many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have been using the GATE score in their recruitment process.
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.
