Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE)
What is GATE EXAM?
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an examination which is conducted for Master of Engineering (ME), Masters in Technology (MTech) and direct PhD admissions to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and other institutes/universities across India. It also opens the gateway to booming Public Sector Undertaking Companies (PSUs) and in the field of research. Some of the PSUs and research organizations which use GATE score for providing jobs include ONGC, NTPC, GAIL, HPCL, PGCIL, BHEL, BSNL, NHPC, BARC, DRDO, etc.
GATE is an All-India examination administered and conducted in eight zones across the country by the GATE Committee comprising of faculty members from IISc, Bangalore and other seven IIT’s on behalf of the National Coordinating Board, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development.
GATE EXAM : What’s New
- Two new subjects – Geomatics Engineering (GE) and Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NM). The total number of subjects has increased to 30.
- In another newly introduced change, students applying for GATE EXAM 2025 can also opt for two different papers from the prescribed set of combinations.
- Eligibility criteria to appear for GATE-2025 is relaxed from the minimum 10+2+4 (ongoing) to minimum 10+2+3 (ongoing), enabling even those in the third year of their undergraduate studies to appear for the examination, thus providing an additional opportunity to candidates to improve their performance to secure better career options.
- All test papers of GATE EXAM 2025 will be entirely objective type. Pattern of questions may include (i) Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), (ii) Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and/or (iii) Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.
ATE Exam Organizing Institutes
The exam is jointly conducted by IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee and Indian Institute for Science, Bangalore (IISC Bangalore), on rotational basis. The following table shows the organizing institutes in various years:
| Year | Organizing Institute |
|---|
| 2025 | IIT Roorkee |
| 2024 | IISC Bengaluru |
With a successful attempt in GATE an aspirant can choose the most suitable option from wide range of roads to travel to his final career destination :
- Students can pursue M.Tech/M.S/ M.E/Ph.D from IISc Bangalore, IITs, NITs, IIITs and other reputed institutes.
- Students can pursue Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Engineering (PGDIE), Post Graduate Diploma in Manufacturing Management (PGDMM), Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management (PGDPM) from NITIE Mumbai.
- Several reputed Maharatna and Navratna PSUs and research organizations recruit on basis of GATE Score. i.e. IOCL, NTPC, BHEL, PGCIL, BARC, CSIR etc.
- Teaching: Professor, Asst. Professor at IITs, NITs and other reputed educational institutes.
- Junior Research Fellow: ISRO, DRDO, BARC, CSIR, IITs etc.
- Senior Research Fellow: ISRO, DRDO, BARC, CSIR, IITs etc.
- Junior/Senior Research Associates.
- Scientists “C” grade jobs.
- Lucrative opportunities in research & development after post-graduation.
- Multinational firms shortlist candidates on the basis of GATE score.
- Some international universities offers M.S or Ph.D programs on the basis of GATE Score.
GATE 2025 Eligibility
Anyone who has successfully completed 10+2+2 or 10+3+1 and currently studying in 3rd or higher years of any undergraduate degree program OR has already graduated in any government approved degree program in Engineering / Technology / Architecture / Science / Commerce / Arts is eligible to apply for GATE.
| Qualifying Degree | 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) | Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed |
B.Arch | Bachelor’s degree holders of Architecture (5 years course) | Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed |
B.Sc (Research)/BS | Bachelor’s degree in Science (Post-Diploma/4 years after 10+2) | Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed |
MSc/MA/MCA or equivalent | Master’s degree in any branch of Science/Arts/Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Applications or equivalent | Currently in the first year or higher or already completed |
Int ME/ 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 |
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) | Currently in the 3rd/ 4th/5th year or already completed |
Int M.Sc/ Int BS-MS | Integrated M.Sc. or 5 years integrated B.S.-M.S. program | Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed |
Professional Society Examinations (equivalent to BE/BTech/BArch) | B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch. equivalent examinations of Professional Societies, recognised 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 |
GATE 2025 Exam Pattern
QUESTION PAPER PATTERN
| Particulars | Details |
|---|
| Examination Mode | The test papers will be in English. Computer Based Test (CBT) [will be conducted at select centers in select cities]. |
| Duration | 3 Hours* |
| Number of Subjects (Papers) | 30 |
| Sections | General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate's Selected Subjects |
| Type of Questions | Candidate’s Selected Subject(s)- Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
- Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) and/or
- Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions
|
| Questions for testing these abilities | - Recall
- Comprehension
- Application
- Analysis & Synthesis
|
| Distribution of Marks in all Papers EXCEPT papers AR, CY, DA, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH and XL | General Aptitude: 15 marks
Engineering Mathematics**: 13 marks
Subject Questions: 72 marks
Total: 100 marks
(**XE includes Engineering Mathematics section XE-A of 15 marks) |
| Distribution of Marks in papers AR, CY, DA, EY, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH and XL | General Aptitude: 15 marks
Subject Questions: 85 marks
Total: 100 marks |
| Marking Scheme | Questions carry 1 mark or 2 marks |
| Negative Marking | For a wrong answer chosen in an MCQ, there will be negative marking.
For a 1-mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.
For a 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer.
There is no negative marking for wrong answer(s) to MSQ or NAT questions.
There is no partial marking in MSQ. |
| Paper Code | General Aptitude (GA) Marks | Compulsory Section | Subject Marks | Total Marks | Total Time* (Minutes) |
|---|
| AE, AG, BM, BT, CE, CH, CS, EC, EE, ES, IN, ME, MN, MT, NM, PE, PI, TF; Subject marks in these papers include questions on Engineering Mathematics (13 marks), which are paper-specific. | 15 | -- | 85 | 100 | 180 |
| CY, DA, EY, MA, PH, ST | 15 | -- | 85 | 100 | 180 |
| AR [Part A is Common and Compulsory for all; Part B1 or Part B2 can be selected during Exam. B1: Architecture or B2: Planning] | 15 | 60 | 25 | 100 | 180 |
GE [Part A is Common and Compulsory for all; Part B1 or B2 can be selected during the Exam.
B1 - Surveying and Mapping or B2 -Image Processing and Analysis.] | 15 | 55 | 30 | 100 | 180 |
| GG [Part A is Common and Compulsory for all; Part B can either be Geology (B1) or Geophysics (B2) -- which must be chosen at the time of Application.] | 15 | 25 | 60 | 100 | 180 |
| XE [Section A (Engineering Mathematics) is Common and Compulsory for all; Applicants must select any TWO additional Sections during the Exam] | 15 | 15 | 2 x 35 | 100 | 180 |
| XH [Section B1 (Reasoning and Comprehension) is Common and Compulsory for all; Applicants must select any ONE additional Section at the time of Application] | 15 | 25 | 60 | 100 | 180 |
| XL [Section P (Chemistry) is Common and Compulsory for all; Applicants must select any TWO additional Sections during the Exam] | 15 | 25 | 2 x 30 | 100 | 180 |
*PwD candidates with benchmark disability greater than 40% are eligible for compensatory time of one hour. PwD candidates with less than 40% disability and having difficulty in writing are eligible for compensatory time subject to production of a certificate as stated.
GATE 2025 Syllabus
According to GATE 2024 was conducted for 30 test papers. The following table shows the list of papers with codes. Please click the Paper/Code to download the syllabus.
A candidate is allowed to appear either in ONE or UP TO TWO test papers
GATE 2025 Exam Schedule
GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS)
Website Opens for Enrolment, Application
Filling, Application Submission | 24th August 2024 |
Closing Date of Regular online registration/application process | 26th September 2024 |
| End of Extended period for online registration/application (with late fee) | 7th October 2024 |
Modifications in GATE 2025 Application | 6th November 2024 |
Availability of GATE Admit cards for download | 2nd January 2025 |
| GATE 2025 Examinations | 1st February 2025
2nd February 2025
15th February 2025
16th February 2025 |
Announcement of Results on the Online Application Website | 19th March 2025 |
| Availability of Score Card for download by candidates | 28th March 2025 |
GATE 2025 Cutoff
GATE 2025 cut-offs will be released along with the GATE 2025 results. GATE cutoffs are the minimum marks required to get admission to M. Tech, M. E, M.Plan or other post-graduation courses in India's most reputed institutions such as IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. In general GATE cutoffs range from 25 to 50 marks out of 100 for various papers depending on multiple factors.
GATE cutoffs are defined by various factors such as the number of candidates attending the exam, marks of the candidates, and most importantly the number of seats available for candidates. Candidates can check the GATE 2024 cut-off for a better understanding:
GATE 2024 Paper-wise Cutoffs |
| Paper | GEN | OBC-NCL/EWS | SC/ST/PwD |
| Aerospace Engineering | 33.3 | 29.9 | 22.1 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Architecture and Planning | 41.5 | 37.3 | 27.6 |
| Biomedical Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Biotechnology | 38.9 | 35 | 25.9 |
| Civil Engineering | 28.3 | 25.4 | 18.8 |
| Chemical Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Computer Science and Information Technology | 27.6 | 24.8 | 18.4 |
| Chemistry | 25.2 | 22.6 | 16.7 |
| Data Science and Artificial Intelligence | 37.1 | 33.3 | 24.7 |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Electrical Engineering | 25.7 | 23.1 | 17.1 |
| Environmental Science and Engineering | 37.9 | 34.1 | 25.2 |
| Ecology and Evolution | 35.8 | 32.2 | 23.8 |
| Geomatics Engineering | 41.1 | 36.9 | 27.4 |
| Geology and Geophysics (Geology) | 42 | 37.8 | 28 |
| Geology and Geophysics (Geophysics) | 49 | 44.1 | 32.6 |
| Instrumentation Engineering | 32.7 | 29.4 | 21.8 |
| Mathematics | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 28.6 | 25.7 | 19 |
| Mining Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Metallurgical Engineering | 41 | 36.9 | 27.3 |
| Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 25.1 | 22.5 | 16.7 |
| Petroleum Engineering | 42.6 | 38.3 | 28.4 |
| Physics | 32 | 28.8 | 21.3 |
| Production and Industrial Engineering | 30.5 | 27.4 | 20.3 |
| Statistics | 26.6 | 23.9 | 17.7 |
| Textile Engineering and Fibre Science | 28.1 | 25.2 | 18.7 |
| Engineering Sciences | 36.2 | 32.5 | 24.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Economics) | 37 | 33.3 | 24.6 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (English) | 48 | 43.2 | 32 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Linguistics) | 49.7 | 44.7 | 33.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Philosophy) | 39.3 | 35.3 | 26.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Psychology) | 52.7 | 47.4 | 35.1 |
| Humanities and Social Sciences (Sociology) | 36 | 32.4 | 24 |
| Life Sciences | 29.3 | 26.3 | 19.5 |
GATE 2023 cutoff
| Paper Code | Unreserved | OBC- (NCL)/ EWS | SC/ ST/ PwD |
|---|
| CS: Computer Science and Information Technology | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| ME: Mechanical Engineering | 28.1 | 25.2 | 18.7 |
| EC: Electronics and Communications Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| EE: Electrical Engineering | 30.7 | 27.6 | 20.4 |
| CE: Civil Engineering | 30.4 | 27.3 | 20.2 |
| CH: Chemical Engineering | 25.3 | 22.7 | 16.8 |
| IN: Instrumentation Engineering | 42.4 | 38.1 | 28.2 |
| MA: Mathematics | 27.3 | 24.5 | 18.2 |
| AR: Architecture and Planning | 37.3 | 33.5 | 24.8 |
| BM: Biomedical Engineering | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| AE: Aerospace Engineering | 29.8 | 26.8 | 19.8 |
| AG: Agriculture Engineering | 26.3 | 23.6 | 17.5 |
| BT: Biotechnology | 35.5 | 31.9 | 23.6 |
| CY: Chemistry | 27.5 | 24.7 | 18.3 |
| ES: Environmental Science & Engineering | 25.9 | 23.3 | 17.2 |
| EY: Ecology Evolution | 33.4 | 30 | 22.2 |
| GE: Geomatics Engineering | 40.4 | 36.3 | 26.9 |
| GG: Geology | 48.7 | 43.8 | 32.4 |
| GG: Geophysics | 54.8 | 49.3 | 36.5 |
| MN: Mining Engineering | 25.5 | 22.9 | 17 |
| MT: Metallurgical Engineering | 46.2 | 41.5 | 30.8 |
| NM: Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 27.8 | 25 | 18.5 |
| PE: Petroleum Engineering | 37.8 | 34 | 25.1 |
| PH: Physics | 26.5 | 23.8 | 17.6 |
| PI: Production & Industrial Engineering | 43.7 | 39.3 | 29.1 |
| ST: Statistics | 25 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| TF: Textile Engineering & Fiber Science | 38.8 | 34.9 | 25.8 |
| XE: Engineering Sciences | 40.3 | 36.2 | 26.8 |
| XH: Humanities and Social Sciences (C1- Economics) | 55.5 | 49.9 | 37 |
| XH: Humanities and Social Sciences (C2- English) | 51.9 | 46.7 | 34.5 |
| XH: Humanities and Social Sciences (C3- Linguistics) | 53.1 | 47.7 | 35.4 |
| XH: Humanities and Social Sciences (C4- Philosophy) | 50.7 | 45.6 | 33.8 |
| XH: Humanities and Social Sciences (C5- Psychology) | 62.1 | 55.8 | 41.4 |
| XH: Humanities and Social Sciences (C6- Sociology) | 59.7 | 53.7 | 39.8 |
| XL: Life Sciences | 33.9 | 30.5 | 22.5 |
GATE Rank v/s Institute
The qualifying cut off for all the colleges may vary every year but it has been observed that the rank required for admissions to top colleges remains nearly the same. Some of the examples for the ranks which are accepted by institutes are mentioned below in the table:
Name of the Institute | Minimum GATE 2024 rank for admission |
|---|
IISc Bangalore | Less than or equal to 100 |
IIT Bombay | Less than or equal to 100 In some of the courses less than or equal to 600 |
IIT Kharagpur | Less than or equal to 600 |
IIT Hyderabad | Less than or equal to 1500 |
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