GATE 2027: exam dates, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is the national test used for admission to master's and doctoral programmes in engineering and science, for scholarships, and by some public sector companies in recruitment. It is run jointly by IISc and the IITs; IIT Madras organises GATE 2027. The dates candidates are asking about: GATE 2027 is held over three weekends, 6–7, 13–14 and 20–21 February 2027, and the result is due on 19 March 2027 (checked 20 October 2026 on the GATE 2027 website). Registration, including the late-fee windows, has already closed.
GATE 2027 at a glance
| Conducting body | IISc and the IITs for the National Coordination Board – GATE; IIT Madras organises GATE 2027 |
| What it is for | M.Tech, M.E., direct Ph.D. and similar admissions, scholarships, some PSU recruitment |
| Mode | Computer-based test at a centre in India |
| Questions | 65 questions, 100 marks per paper |
| Time | 3 hours (up to 4 hours with compensatory time) |
| Marking | 1 or 2 marks; −1/3 or −2/3 for a wrong multiple-choice answer only |
| Language | English only |
| How often | Once a year |
| Official website | gate2027.iitm.ac.in |
GATE 2027 exam date
From the GATE 2027 home page, as of 20 October 2026:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Application portal (GOAPS) opened | 2 September 2026 |
| Regular registration closed | 5 October 2026 |
| Extended registration (late fee) closed | 12 October 2026 |
| Special window (late fee) | 15–16 October 2026 |
| Defect rectification, no extra fee | 14–31 October 2026 |
| Exam city allotment | 4 January 2027 |
| Admit card | To be announced |
| Examination | 6–7, 13–14 and 20–21 February 2027 |
| Result | 19 March 2027 |
The site says all dates are liable to change. Your paper's day and session will be on your admit card.
How to apply (and what to do now)
Registration for GATE 2027 has closed. If you registered:
- Log in to GOAPS from the GATE 2027 website and check whether your application has a defect notification. If it does, fix it between 14 and 31 October 2026; no extra fee is charged.
- Watch the site for the data correction window (with fee), still marked "to be announced". Use it for changes such as the paper or exam city.
- Note 4 January 2027 for the exam city and download the admit card when the date is published.
- Keep the ID you entered on the form; you will need the same one at the centre.
If you missed GATE 2027, the FAQ page explains how registration works; the next cycle will be announced by its own organising institute.
Eligibility: the FAQ says any undergraduate student currently in the third year or higher of a government-approved programme can appear, and there is no age limit. A candidate may take one paper or two papers from the combinations the brochure allows.
GATE exam pattern
Every paper has 65 questions and 100 marks in one 3-hour sitting:
| Part | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| General Aptitude | 10 (five of 1 mark, five of 2 marks) | 15 |
| Engineering Mathematics (CS, EC, EE, ME, CE) | part of the 55 subject questions | 13 |
| Rest of the subject | part of the 55 subject questions | 72 |
| Total | 65 | 100 |
Question types:
- Multiple choice (MCQ): one correct answer of four. A wrong answer costs 1/3 mark on a 1-mark question and 2/3 mark on a 2-mark question.
- Multiple select (MSQ): one or more correct answers. No negative marking, and no partial credit.
- Numerical answer (NAT): you type a number on the on-screen keypad. No negative marking.
Only the on-screen virtual scientific calculator is allowed. The published GATE score depends on everyone who sat your paper: 350 at the General qualifying mark and 900 at the mean of the top 0.1%; the qualifying mark for General candidates is the mean plus one standard deviation, kept between 25 and 40 marks. A score card is valid for three years.
GATE syllabus
- General Aptitude (all papers): verbal, quantitative (including data interpretation), analytical and spatial aptitude.
- Engineering Mathematics: differs by paper. For CS it is discrete mathematics, linear algebra, calculus, probability and statistics; EE, ME and CE add differential equations, complex variables or numerical methods.
- CS subject: digital logic, computer organization, programming and data structures, algorithms, theory of computation, compiler design, operating systems, databases and computer networks.
The official syllabus for each paper is on the test papers and syllabus page. Our GATE syllabus page summarises the CS paper and the main engineering papers.
A 15-week plan to February
Weeks 1–6 (to early December). Finish the syllabus. Take one full GATE mock test now as a baseline, then one subject at a time: notes, then a topic test. Give General Aptitude two short sessions a week; 15 marks is a lot for the effort.
Weeks 7–11 (December to mid-January). Revise each subject a second time. Sit a full 3-hour mock every week, using only an on-screen calculator. After each, list every MCQ you got wrong: those are the only answers that cost marks.
Weeks 12–15. Two full mocks a week in the session your admit card gives you. Practise NAT questions carefully; a rounding slip scores zero. In the last week, revise formulas and rest.
Our article on how to use mock tests explains how to space them out.
Useful links
- GATE 2027 official website and GOAPS login
- GATE 2027 information brochure and question paper pattern
- Free GATE mock tests
- GATE syllabus
- GATE exam dates
- CSIR NET December 2026: exam date, pattern and how to apply
- How to analyse a mock test
Frequently asked questions
When is GATE 2027?
GATE 2027 is on 6–7, 13–14 and 20–21 February 2027, according to the GATE 2027 website (checked 20 October 2026). The day and session of your paper are on your admit card.
Can I still apply for GATE 2027?
No. Regular registration closed on 5 October, the late-fee window on 12 October and the special window on 16 October 2026. Registered candidates can still fix defects until 31 October.
Is there negative marking in GATE?
Only on multiple-choice questions: 1/3 mark for a wrong 1-mark answer and 2/3 mark for a wrong 2-mark answer. Multiple-select and numerical questions have no negative marking.
Who is eligible for GATE 2027?
The GATE FAQ says any undergraduate student currently in the third year or higher of a government-approved programme can appear, and there is no age limit. The brochure lists the accepted degrees.
What is the GATE pass mark?
There is no fixed pass mark. The General qualifying mark is the mean plus one standard deviation of that paper, kept between 25 and 40 out of 100; OBC-NCL and EWS get nine tenths of it and SC, ST and PwD two thirds.
When is the GATE 2027 result?
19 March 2027, according to the GATE 2027 website.