Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2012

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all India examination administered and conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordination Board - GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India.

Eligibility for GATE Examination 

The following categories of candidates are eligible to appear for GATE 2012:
-Bachelor's degree holders in Engineering/Technology/ Architecture (4 years after 10+2) and those who are in the final year of such programmes.
-Master's degree holders in any branch of Science/Mathematics/ Statistics/Computer Applications or equivalent and those who are in the final year of such programmes.
-Candidates in the second or higher year of the Four-year Integrated Master's degree programme (Post-B.Sc.) in Engineering/Technology.
-Candidates in the fourth or higher year of Five-year Integrated Master's degree programme or Dual Degree programme in Engineering/Technology.
-Candidates with qualifications obtained through examinations conducted by professional societies recognized by UPSC/AICTE (e.g. AMIE by Institute of Engineers (India); AMICE by Institute of Civil Engineers (India)) as equivalent to B.E./B.Tech. Those who have completed section A or equivalent of such professional courses are also eligible.

GATE Examination Schedule

GATE 2012 Examination will include both ONLINE and OFFLINE examinations as per the following schedule:      

  Type                  Date                         Time                             Paper Codes
Online             29 Jan 2012(Sunday)  09:00 Hrs to 12:00 Hrs AR, GG and TF
                                                         14:00 Hrs to 17:00 Hrs AE, AG and MN

Offline            12 Feb 2012(Sunday) 09:00 Hrs to 12:00 Hrs BT, CE, CH, CS,                                                                                                        ME, PH and PI

                                                         14:00 Hrs to 17:00 Hrs        CY, EC, EE, IN,                                                                                                  MA, MT, XE and XL

How to Apply 

Candidates have to apply only Online. The application fee and the steps in the application process are given below.Category Application Fee
General/OBC Rs.1000/-
SC / ST / PD Rs.500/-

PD: Person with Disability

                                                   Application Process  
Step 1:Decide Payment Option
Gateway Payment:
Payment can be made using netbanking. Banking service charge is extra (maximum of Rs.30/-)

Challan Payment:
Payment by cash at ICICI, Indian Bank or State Bank of India branches. Bank service charge is extra (maximum of Rs.25/-)

Step 2: Obtain SC / ST / PD Certificate (if applicable)
Authorities empowered to issue Certificates


Step 3: Apply Online (Will be available on 12 September 2011 from 00:00 Hrs onwards)
Candidates must follow the instructions provided while applying online.

At the end of this process, a PDF file will be generated with the following pages:
Page-1: Instructions
Page-2: GATE 2012 Application - GATE Copy
Page-3: GATE 2012 Application - Candidate's Copy
Page-4: Address Slip of respective zonal GATE office
Page-5: Bank Challan (for Challan Payment option only)


Take a print out of the entire file.

Step 4: Cash Payment: (only for Challan Payment option)

The bank challan (Page-5) will be printed in triplicate. Take it to any one of the branches of ICICI, Indian Bank or State Bank of India (as opted by the candidate) and pay the fees. Bank will retain a copy with them and will return two copies to you. In those two copies, retain the Candidate's copy with you and attach the GATE Copy with the application.

Step 5:
Paste your recent photograph (3 cm X 4 cm) in the designated place of Page-2.
Sign at the designated places of Page-2.
Paste the Page-4 on top of a A4-size envelope.

Step 6: Post/Submission

Before posting your application form, make sure that, in addition to the other relevant attachments, you have attached either a copy of the degree certificate or a certificate from your college principal as indicated below:
Candidates should submit a copy of the degree certificate or provisional certificate if they have passed their qualifying degree in 2011 or before.

Candidates with the following eligibility conditions should submit a certificate signed by the Principal of the college, where the candidate is studying, clearly indicating the year of passing of the candidate in the qualifying degree.

Students in the final year of Bachelor's degree programme in Engineering/Technology/ Architecture (4 years after 10+2).

Students in the final year of Master's degree programmes in any branch of Science/Mathematics/ Statistics/Computer Applications or equivalent.

Students in the second or higher year of the Four-year Integrated Master's degree programme (Post-B.Sc.) in Engineering/Technology.

Students in the fourth or higher year of Five-year Integrated Master's degree programme or Dual Degree programme in Engineering/Technology.

To download the format of the certificate to be sent by the candidates, click here.

Duly filled-in Application with appropriate enclosures must be sent by Speed Post (preferably) or by Registered Post to The Chairman, GATE of the Zone, corresponding to the 1st Choice of Examination City to appear for the examination, so as to reach on or before Monday, 24th October, 2011 
OR  It can be handed over personally to respective Zonal GATE Office.

Books for GATE Preparation:


 What is New in GATE 2012

Application Process:

In GATE 2012, candidates need to register and fill the application ONLINE only by accessing the zonal GATE websites of IISc and seven IITs. The application process is complete only when a print out of the filled ONLINE application with the candidate's signature and a good quality photo affixed in the appropriate place is received by the respective GATE office along with necessary documents, if any, on or before 24 October 2011. Please note that sale of application forms through banks and GATE office counters has been discontinued.

Downloadable Admit Card:

Sending Admit cards by post has been discontinued from this year. Admit cards can only be downloaded from the zonal GATE websites from 2nd January 2012. Bring the admit card to the test center along with at least one original (not photocopied / scanned copy) and valid (not expired) photo identification.

ONLINE examination in two additional papers:

In GATE 2011, the papers with codes GG, TF, AE and MN had ONLINE examination. In GATE 2012, two additional papers, AR and AG, will also have ONLINE examination. The ONLINE examination will be conducted in two sessions on Sunday, January 29, 2012.

Forenoon session (09:00 hrs to 12:00 hrs): AR, GG and TF.

Afternoon session (14:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs): AE, AG and MN.

Numerical answer type questions in ONLINE papers:

In the ONLINE papers (AE, AG, AR, GG, MN and TF), the question paper will consist of questions of multiple choice type and questions of numerical answer type. For multiple choice type questions, each question will have four choices for the answer. For numerical answer type questions, each question will have a number as the answer. The number of numerical answer type questions may vary between 5 and 10 in each question paper.

Pre-final year students:

 Pre-final year students are not eligible to write GATE 2012.