GATE Exam – Know What is GATE and All About GATE Exam

The GATE exam is one of the most important exams for engineering and science graduates in India. It opens doors to higher education, high-paying PSU jobs, and research careers.

In this blog, we’ll cover everything you need to know about GATE—eligibility, syllabus, exam pattern, preparation tips, and career opportunities.

What is the GATE Exam?

GATE is an All-India examination conducted to assess candidates’ understanding of engineering, technology, architecture, and science subjects. IITs and IISc Bangalore jointly organize the exam on behalf of the National Coordinating Board, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.

GATE scores are widely used for:

• Admissions to M.Tech/M.E/PhD programs in IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other reputed institutes.
• Recruitment in PSUs such as ONGC, NTPC, GAIL, HPCL, PGCIL, BHEL, BSNL, NHPC, DRDO, BARC, etc.
• Fellowships and research programs in premier institutions and organizations.

Recruitment Overview

Exam Name	Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE)
Conducting Body	IIT Roorkee (2025)
Purpose	Admission to M.Tech/PhD programs, PSU Recruitment, Research Opportunities
Mode of Exam	Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Number of Papers	30
Eligibility	Undergraduate students and graduates in Engineering/Science/Arts/Commerce
Official Website	Click Here

GATE Exam Organizing Institutes

GATE is conducted by different IITs and IISc Bangalore on a rotational basis each year. Below is the list of organizing institutes from 1995 to 2025:

Year	Organizing Institute
2025	IIT Roorkee
2024	IISc Bengaluru
2023	IIT Kanpur
2022	IIT Kharagpur
2021	IIT Bombay
2020	IIT Delhi
2019	IIT Madras
2018	IIT Guwahati
2017	IIT Roorkee
2016	IISc Bangalore
2015	IIT Kanpur
2014	IIT Kharagpur
2013	IIT Bombay
2012	IIT Delhi
2011	IIT Madras
2010	IIT Guwahati
2009	IIT Roorkee
2008	IISc Bangalore
2007	IIT Kanpur
2006	IIT Kharagpur
2005	IIT Bombay
2004	IIT Delhi
2003	IIT Madras
2002	IISc Bangalore
2001	IIT Kanpur
2000	IIT Kharagpur
1999	IIT Bombay
1998	IIT Delhi
1997	IIT Madras
1996	IISc Bangalore
1995	IIT Kanpur

 GATE Paper Codes

PAPER	CODE
Aerospace Engineering	AE
Agricultural Engineering	AG
Architecture and Planning	AR
Biotechnology	BT
Bio-medical Engineering	BM
Civil Engineering	CE
Chemical Engineering	CH
Computer Science & Information Technology	CS
Chemistry	CY
Electronics and Communication Engineering	EC
Electrical Engineering	EE
Engineering Sciences	XE
Petroleum Engineering	PE
Geomatics Engineering	GE
Geology and Geophysics	GG
Instrumentation Engineering	IN
Life Sciences	XL
Mathematics	MA
Mechanical Engineering	ME
Mining Engineering	MN
Metallurgical Engineering	MT
Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering	NM
Physics	PH
Production and Industrial Engineering	PI
Textile Engineering & Fibre Science	TF
Ecology and Evolution	EY
Statistics	ST
Environmental Science and Engineering	ES
Humanities and Social Sciences	XH
Data Science & Artificial Intelligence	DA

Two paper combinations allowed

Candidates can apply for two subject papers from the prescribed combinations

Code of The First (Primary) Paper	Codes of Papers Allowed as The Second Paper
AE	CE, ME, XE
AG	CE
AR	CE, GE
BM	BT, IN
BT	BM, XL
CE	AE, AG, AR, ES, GE, NM, XE
CH	ES, PE, XE
CS	DA, EC, GE, MA, PH, ST
CY	XE, XL
EC	CS, DA, IN, PH, EE
EE	DA, EC, IN, PH
ES	CE, CH, GE
EY	XL
GE	AR, CE, GG, ES, CS
GG	GE
IN	BM, EC, EE, ME
MA	CS, DA, PH, ST
ME	AE, DA, IN, NM, PI, XE
MN	GE, GG, XE
MT	XE
NM	CE, ME
PE	CH
PH	CS, DA, MA, XH
PI	ME, XE
ST	ME, XE
DA	CS, EC, EE, MA, ME, PH, ST, XE
XE	AE, CE, CH, CY, DA, ME, MT, PH, PI
XH	ST
XL	AE, CE, CH, CY, DA, ME, MT, PH, PI

Important Dates

Opening Date of GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS)	Wednesday	28th August 2024
Closing Date of REGULAR online registration/application process (Without Late Fee)	Thursday	3rd October 2024
Closing Date of EXTENDED online registration/application process (With Late Fee)	Friday	11th October 2024
Download of GATE 2025 Admit Card will be available	Tuesday	7th January 2025
GATE 2025 Examinations	Saturday, Sunday, Saturday, Sunday	1st February 2025, 2nd February 2025, 15th February 2025, 16th February 2025

Eligibility Criteria

1. Citizenship Requirements

• Candidates must be Indian Citizens. However, foreign nationals from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, and UAE can also apply.

2. Educational Qualifications

Qualifying Degree/Examination	Description of Eligible Candidates
BE/BTech/BPharm	Bachelor’s degree holders in Engineering/Technology (4 years after 10+2 or 3 years after B.Sc./Diploma in Engineering/Technology)
B.Arch	Bachelor’s degree holders of Architecture (5 years course)
B.Sc (Research)/BS	Bachelor’s degree in Science (Post-Diploma/4 years after 10+2)
MSc/MA/MCA or equivalent	Master’s degree in any branch of Science/Arts/Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Applications or equivalent
Int ME/M.Tech (Post-B.Sc)	Post-B.Sc Integrated Master’s degree programs in Engineering/Technology (4-year program)
Int ME/M.Tech or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2)	Integrated Master’s degree program or Dual Degree program in Engineering/Technology (5-year program)
Int M.Sc/Int BS-MS	Integrated M.Sc. or 5 years integrated B.S.-M.S. program
Professional Society Examinations (equivalent to BE/BTech/BArch)	B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch. equivalent examinations of Professional Societies, recognized by MoE/UPSC/AICTE (e.g., AMIE by the Institution of Engineers-India, AMICE by the Institute of Civil Engineers-India, and so on)

3. Age Limit

• No upper age limit.

Application Fee

Category	Fee (Regular)	Fee (Late)
General/OBC/EWS	INR 1700	INR 2200
SC/ST/PwD/Female	INR 850	INR 1350
International Candidates	3000

GATE 2025 Exam Pattern

Section	Number of Questions	Marks
General Aptitude (GA)	10	15
Core Subject	55	85
Total	65	100

• The exam duration is 3 hours.
• The question types include Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Multiple Select Questions (MSQs), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.
• Negative marking applies to MCQs.

GATE 2025 Syllabus

GATE syllabus varies by subject. However, it generally includes:

• Engineering Mathematics
• Core Subject Topics
• General Aptitude

Career Opportunities After GATE

A good GATE score opens multiple career paths, including:

1. Higher Studies – Admission to M.Tech/M.S./PhD programs in IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other top institutes.
2. Public Sector Jobs (PSUs) – Direct recruitment in ONGC, IOCL, NTPC, BHEL, PGCIL, BARC, DRDO, etc.
3. Teaching & Research – Positions in IITs, NITs, ISRO, and CSIR as Junior/Senior Research Fellows.
4. Opportunities Abroad – Some international universities accept GATE scores for MS/PhD programs.
5. Private Sector & Startups – Tech giants and startups hire candidates based on GATE rankings.

GATE Cutoff Marks

Understanding GATE Cutoff

The GATE cutoff refers to the minimum marks required by a candidate to qualify for the exam. These marks are different for each year and vary based on various factors like the number of candidates, the difficulty level of the exam, the number of available seats, and the reservation policies.

Factors Affecting GATE Cutoff Marks

Several factors influence the cutoff marks of GATE. Some of these factors are:

• Number of Candidates Appearing: The more the number of candidates, the higher the cutoff may be.
• Difficulty Level of the Exam: A more difficult exam may result in a lower cutoff.
• Number of Vacancies: If more seats are available in colleges or companies, the cutoff may be lower.
• Category of Candidates: Different categories like General, OBC, SC/ST, PwD, and others have different cutoffs.
• Previous Year’s Cutoff Trends: Historical data often plays a role in estimating the current year’s cutoff.

GATE Cutoff Classification

• Qualifying Cutoff: These are the minimum marks required to be eligible for further admission processes like counseling or recruitment. It varies according to the candidate’s category.
• Admission Cutoff: This refers to the cutoff marks that specific institutes or departments require for admission, and it might differ from the qualifying cutoff.

GATE Cutoff for Various Categories

The cutoff for GATE is set according to the following categories:

Category	Qualifying Marks (Approximate)
General	25 to 35% of the total marks
OBC-NCL	22 to 32% of the total marks
SC/ST/PwD	16 to 22% of the total marks
EWS (Economically Weaker Sections)	Similar to OBC-NCL

Note: The cutoff for specific papers can vary based on the discipline (e.g., Civil, Mechanical, Computer Science).

GATE Cutoff for PSU Recruitment

Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) also use the GATE score for recruitment. The cutoff for PSUs is typically higher than the qualifying cutoff because it’s based on the recruitment process. For example, a PSU like BHEL or IOCL may have a cutoff above the general qualifying score to shortlist candidates for interviews and further selection processes.

How is GATE Cutoff Determined?

The GATE cutoff is calculated based on the following:

• Raw Marks: The total marks scored by candidates in the exam.
• Normalization Process: Since GATE is conducted in multiple sessions, marks are normalized to ensure fairness in the evaluation process.
• Final Qualifying Marks: After normalization, the marks are compared against the predefined cutoff set by the organizing institute (IITs, IISc).

How to Apply

1. GATE Official Website

1. Register: Provide email ID, mobile number, and password.
2. Fill out the Application Form: Enter personal and educational details.
3. Upload Documents:
   • Passport-sized photograph
   • Signature
   • Degree certificate/mark sheets
   • Caste/PWD certificate (if applicable)
4. Pay Application Fee: Online via debit/credit card or net banking.
5. Download Confirmation: Take a printout for future reference.

Selection Process

1. GATE Scorecard: Used for M.Tech admissions and PSU recruitment.
2. Admission Process: Institutes like IITs and NITs conduct their counseling sessions based on GATE scores.
3. PSU Recruitment: Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) like ONGC, NTPC, and IOCL consider GATE scores for hiring engineers.

Result Process

• Candidates can check results online at the GATE official website.
• Scorecards will be available for download.
• Marks are normalized for multi-session papers.

List of IITs, NITs, and IIITs in India

List of IITs in India

S.No	Name of IIT	State	Year of Establishment	Website
1	IIT Kharagpur	West Bengal	1951	Click Here
2	IIT Bombay	Maharashtra	1958	Click Here
3	IIT Madras	Tamil Nadu	1959	Click Here
4	IIT Kanpur	Uttar Pradesh	1959	Click Here
5	IIT Delhi	Delhi	1961	Click Here
6	IIT Guwahati	Assam	1994	Click Here
7	IIT Roorkee	Uttarakhand	2001	Click Here
8	IIT Ropar	Punjab	2008	Click Here
9	IIT Bhubaneswar	Odisha	2008	Click Here
10	IIT Gandhinagar	Gujarat	2008	Click Here
11	IIT Hyderabad	Telangana	2008	Click Here
12	IIT Jodhpur	Rajasthan	2008	Click Here
13	IIT Patna	Bihar	2008	Click Here
14	IIT Indore	Madhya Pradesh	2009	Click Here
15	IIT Mandi	Himachal Pradesh	2009	Click Here
16	IIT (BHU) Varanasi	Uttar Pradesh	2012	Click Here
17	IIT Palakkad	Kerala	2015	Click Here
18	IIT Tirupati	Andhra Pradesh	2015	Click Here
19	IIT Dhanbad	Jharkhand	2016	Click Here
20	IIT Bhilai	Chhattisgarh	2016	Click Here
21	IIT Dharwad	Karnataka	2016	Click Here
22	IIT Jammu	Jammu and Kashmir	2016	Click Here
23	IIT Goa	Goa	2016	Click Here

List of NITs in India

S.No	Name of NIT	State	Year of Establishment	Website
1	NIT Allahabad	Uttar Pradesh	2002	Click Here
2	NIT Bhopal	Madhya Pradesh	2002	Click Here
3	NIT Nagpur	Maharashtra	2002	Click Here
4	NIT Durgapur	West Bengal	2002	Click Here
5	NIT Hamirpur	Himachal Pradesh	2002	Click Here
6	NIT Jaipur	Rajasthan	2002	Click Here
7	NIT Jalandhar	Punjab	2002	Click Here
8	NIT Jamshedpur	Jharkhand	2002	Click Here
9	NIT Kurukshetra	Haryana	2002	Click Here
10	NIT Calicut	Kerala	2002	Click Here
11	NIT Rourkela	Odisha	2002	Click Here
12	NIT Silchar	Assam	2002	Click Here
13	NIT Karnataka	Karnataka	2002	Click Here
14	NIT Warangal	Telangana	2002	Click Here
15	NIT Surat	Gujarat	2002	Click Here
16	NIT Tiruchirappalli	Tamil Nadu	2002	Click Here
17	NIT Srinagar	Jammu & Kashmir	2003	Click Here
18	NIT Patna	Bihar	2004	Click Here
19	NIT Raipur	Chhattisgarh	2005	Click Here
20	NIT Agartala	Tripura	2006	Click Here
21	NIT Arunachal Pradesh	Arunachal Pradesh	2010	Click Here
22	NIT Delhi	Delhi	2010	Click Here
23	NIT Goa	Goa	2010	Click Here
24	NIT Manipur	Manipur	2010	Click Here
25	NIT Meghalaya	Meghalaya	2010	Click Here
26	NIT Mizoram	Mizoram	2010	Click Here
27	NIT Nagaland	Nagaland	2010	Click Here
28	NIT Puducherry	Puducherry	2010	Click Here
29	NIT Sikkim	Sikkim	2010	Click Here
30	NIT Uttarakhand	Uttarakhand	2010	Click Here
31	NIT Andhra Pradesh	Andhra Pradesh	2015	Click Here

List of IIITs in India

S.No	Name of IIIT	State	Year of Establishment	Website
1	IIITM Gwalior	Madhya Pradesh	1997	Click Here
2	IIIT Allahabad	Uttar Pradesh	1999	Click Here
3	IIITDM Jabalpur	Madhya Pradesh	2005	Click Here
4	IIITDM Kancheepuram	Tamil Nadu	2007	Click Here
5	IIIT Sri City	Andhra Pradesh	2013	Click Here
6	IIIT Guwahati	Assam	2013	Click Here
7	IIIT Vadodara	Gujarat	2013	Click Here
8	IIIT Kota	Rajasthan	2013	Click Here
9	IIIT Tiruchirappalli	Tamil Nadu	2013	Click Here
10	IIIT Una	Himachal Pradesh	2014	Click Here
11	IIIT Sonepat	Haryana	2014	Click Here
12	IIIT Kalyani	West Bengal	2014	Click Here
13	IIIT Lucknow	Uttar Pradesh	2015	Click Here
14	IIIT Dharwad	Karnataka	2015	Click Here
15	IIITDM Kurnool	Andhra Pradesh	2015	Click Here
16	IIIT Kottayam	Kerala	2015	Click Here
17	IIIT Manipur	Manipur	2015	Click Here
18	IIIT Nagpur	Maharashtra	2016	Click Here
19	IIIT Pune	Maharashtra	2016	Click Here
20	IIIT Ranchi	Jharkhand	2016	Click Here
21	IIIT Surat	Gujarat	2017	Click Here
22	IIIT Bhopal	Madhya Pradesh	2017	Click Here
23	IIIT Bhagalpur	Bihar	2017	Click Here
24	IIIT Agartala	Tripura	2018	Click Here
25	IIIT Raichur	Karnataka	2019	Click Here

Important Web-Links

Online Application/ login	Click Here
Official Website	Click Here

FAQs

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