GATE 2026
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering for M.Tech/PhD admissions to IITs, IISc, NITs and PSU recruitment (ONGC, IOCL, NTPC, etc.).
- Registration fee
- ₹1,700 (General/OBC) / ₹850 (SC/ST/PwD) with late fee
- Test duration
- 3 hours
- Score valid for
- 3 Years
- Held
- Once/year (typically first/second weekend of February)
Fee and schedule last checked against the official source in August 2026.
GATE exam pattern
Scored on GATE score out of 1000, plus a normalised All India Rank.
General Aptitude
15 marks, common to every paper.
Core subject
85 marks in your chosen discipline, one of 30 papers.
What score should you aim for?
600-800 / 1000 for top IITs/IISc
This is the band competitive programmes typically look for — not a cut-off, and not a guarantee of admission. Individual departments publish their own requirements, and those are the only figures that bind. Always check the programme page before setting a target.
Who accepts the GATE?
M.Tech and PhD admission at IITs, IISc, NITs and IIITs; also used for recruitment by public sector firms including ONGC, IOCL, NTPC, BHEL and GAIL.
Worth knowing before you book
A valid GATE score serves two separate purposes — postgraduate admission and PSU recruitment — and qualifying also carries an MHRD stipend for M.Tech students at centrally funded institutes.
How your score affects an education loan
Lenders assess an education loan mainly on the institution and programme you are admitted to, the co-applicant's income, and any collateral offered. A competitive test score matters because it determines which institutions admit you — and an admission letter from a well-regarded university is what strengthens the application.
Some lenders publish concessions tied to specific institution lists. Those terms vary by lender and change often, so we do not quote a rate here — compare the current offers directly.