The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering or GATE 2026 will be conducted in February 2026. The official website for the test, gate2026.iitg.ac.in has been launched.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati will conduct next year's aptitude test.
The application process for GATE 2026 will begin on August 25 and candidates can apply without late fee up to September 25.
Also read: IIT Guwahati’s latest MTech programme doesn’t require GATE score, see details
GATE 2026: Important dates
Registration begins on: Monday, August 25
Regular registration ends on: Thursday, September 25
Extended registration window (with late fee) closes on: Monday, October 6
GATE 2026 exam dates: February 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026.
Announcement of results: March 19, 2026
GATE 2026: Eligibility criteria
- Candidates who are currently studying in the third or higher years of a degree programme or have completed the degree programme in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts/Humanities from a recognised institute are eligible to appear for GATE 2026.
- Candidates who possess certification must ensure that the examinations are approved by MoE/AICTE/UGC/ UPSC as being equivalent to BE/BTech/BArch/BPlanning, etc.
- Candidates who have obtained/are pursuing these qualifying degree programmes in a foreign country are also eligible to apply.
Check the detailed eligibility criteria here.
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{{/usCountry}}Also read: IIT JAM 2026 website launched, registration begins on September 5 at jam2026.iitb.ac.in
GATE 2026: Application fee
The application fee is ₹1,000 per paper during the regular period and ₹1,500 per paper during the extended period for Female/SC/ST/PwD candidates.
For all other candidates, the GATE 2026 application fee is ₹2,000 per test paper during the regular and ₹2,500 per test paper during the extended period.
About the exam
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national-level examination that assesses candidates' comprehensive understanding in various undergraduate-level subjects in for admission to Master’s and Doctoral programs and recruitment by some Public Sector Undertakings.
Admission
A vGATE score can be used for seeking admission to: Master’s programmes 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.
Financial assistance
GATE score can be used for seeking financial assistance for the above-mentioned programmes.
Financial Assistance given to M.Tech students is ₹12,400 per month and generally paid for 22 months.
Financial Assistance given for PhD programmes (Direct PhD after BE/BTech/MSc equivalent with a valid GATE score) is ₹37,000 per month for the first two years and ₹42,000 per month from the third to the fifth year.
Recruitment
Many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) use the GATE score in their recruitment process. A list of some of the PSUs has been provided on the GATE 2026 official website.