GATE 2027 Exam Date, Registration and IIT Madras Updates

GATE 2027 will be held on 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027, and it is being conducted by IIT Madras. Registration is already open on the GOAPS portal at gate2027.iitm.ac.in, with 27 September 2026 as the regular last date and 5 October 2026 as the last date with late fee.

In this guide you will find the full GATE 2027 schedule, fee, eligibility, the new Robotics and Automation paper, and a quick recap of the GATE 2026 result conducted by IIT Guwahati. We also explain what your GATE score can do for M.Tech, PhD and PSU jobs.

When is GATE 2027 exam date?

GATE 2027 is scheduled on six days over three weekends: 6-7 February, 13-14 February and 20-21 February 2027. IIT Madras has also listed 4 January 2027 for city allotment information and 19 March 2027 for the result. Paper-wise dates and shifts will come in a detailed schedule later.

This is a change from the last two years. GATE 2026 and GATE 2025 were held over two weekends (four days). GATE 2027 has three weekends, most likely because a new paper has been added and more candidates are expected. Do not assume your paper will fall in the first week. Wait for the official paper-wise timetable.

GATE 2027 important dates (official)

The admit card date has not been fixed on the home page yet. Based on the 2026 pattern, when IIT Guwahati released admit cards in early January, you can expect the GATE 2027 admit card in early to mid-January 2027. Treat this as tentative.

Which IIT is conducting GATE 2027?

IIT Madras is the organising institute for GATE 2027. All official updates, including the application form, admit card, answer key, result and scorecard, will be released on gate2027.iitm.ac.in. The GATE helpdesk for this cycle is run from IIT Madras.

GATE is conducted jointly by IISc Bangalore and seven IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee) on behalf of the National Coordination Board for GATE, Ministry of Education. The organising role rotates each year. Here is how it has moved recently:

• GATE 2025: IIT Roorkee
• GATE 2026: IIT Guwahati
• GATE 2027: IIT Madras

The organiser changes, but the exam structure stays broadly the same: a computer-based test of 100 marks, with 65 questions (10 General Aptitude and 55 subject questions), and MCQ, MSQ and numerical answer type questions.

Also readIIT JAM 2027 Exam Date, Registration, Result and 2026 Toppers

How to register for GATE 2027?

You register for GATE 2027 online on the GOAPS portal at gate2027.iitm.ac.in. Fill personal, academic and contact details, complete live facial registration, upload documents through DigiLocker, choose exam cities and pay the fee. DigiLocker-based registration is mandatory for Indian nationals this year.

Follow these steps so you do not get stuck at the last minute:

1. Create a DigiLocker account (if you do not have one) and keep your Aadhaar-linked mobile number active.
2. As per reports, create a folder named "GATE2027" in DigiLocker and keep your documents there before you start.
3. Register on GOAPS with your email ID and mobile number, then log in.
4. Fill in your personal, communication and academic details carefully. Your name should match your ID proof.
5. Complete the live face capture step in good light.
6. Upload your photograph, signature, category certificate (if applicable) and PwD certificate (if applicable).
7. Select one or two papers (from the allowed two-paper combinations) and your exam city choices.
8. Pay the fee online and download the confirmation page.

Tip: Do not wait for 27 September. Server load is highest in the last two days, and after that the late fee applies. If your college certificate is pending, check the GOAPS instructions on which alternate documents are accepted.

What is the GATE 2027 application fee?

The GATE 2027 fee is Rs 1,000 per paper for female, SC, ST and PwD candidates and Rs 2,000 per paper for all others during the regular period. In the extended period, these become Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500 per paper. Foreign nationals pay the same fee as the "all others" group.

Source: the application fees page of gate2027.iitm.ac.in. Bank or gateway charges, if any, are extra.

Who is eligible for GATE 2027?

You can appear for GATE if you are in the third year or higher of an undergraduate degree, or have already completed a degree in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts or humanities. There is no age limit and no minimum marks rule for appearing in the exam.

This means a B.Tech student in the third year (2026-27) can take GATE 2027 now and use the score for M.Tech admission after graduation, because the score is valid for three years. Eligibility for admission is separate. IITs, NITs and PSUs set their own degree and marks conditions, so always check the admission brochure before you apply.

Also readIIT M.Tech Admission 2027 via GATE: COAP, CCMT and IIT-wise Dates

What is new in GATE 2027?

The biggest change is a new test paper, Robotics and Automation (RA). IIT Madras has also changed some sectional paper codes in XE (Engineering Sciences), XH (Humanities) and XL (Life Sciences), revised syllabi, and made DigiLocker registration mandatory for Indian nationals.

• Robotics and Automation (RA): a brand-new paper. It is useful for mechanical, electrical, electronics and instrumentation students who want to specialise in robotics.
• Revised syllabi: the official site asks candidates to check the updated syllabus for each paper. Do not rely on an old coaching PDF.
• Changed sectional codes: if you plan to write XE, XH or XL, recheck your section codes while filling the form.
• DigiLocker and live face capture: these are meant to reduce impersonation and document errors.

The official home page mentions 30 test papers in total. You can choose one paper or two papers from the permitted combinations.

What happened in GATE 2026? (IIT Guwahati recap)

GATE 2026 was conducted by IIT Guwahati on 7, 8, 14 and 15 February 2026. The result was declared on 19 March 2026 on the GOAPS portal, and scorecards were available for download from 27 March 2026. The score is valid for three years.

GATE 2026 had 30 test papers, including a new Energy Science (XE-I) section in Engineering Sciences. Several PSUs, such as EIL, GAIL, NPCIL and NHAI, announced recruitment using GATE 2026 scores, as listed on the IIT Guwahati GATE site.

How do you check the GATE 2026 result or scorecard now?

Log in to the GOAPS portal of GATE 2026 (gate2026.iitg.ac.in) using your enrollment ID or email and password. The free download window ended on 31 May 2026. As per the reported rules, you can still download it by paying Rs 500 per paper until 31 December 2026. If you need it for 2027 admissions, download it now.

What can you do with a GATE 2027 score?

A GATE 2027 score is mainly used for M.Tech/ME admission at IITs, NITs, IIITs and IISc, for direct PhD admission, and for recruitment in many public sector undertakings. Some institutes abroad also accept GATE scores. The score remains valid for three years from the result date.

• M.Tech at IITs: apply to each IIT separately, then accept offers on COAP. Read our IIT M.Tech admission 2027 guide on COAP and CCMT.
• M.Tech at NITs and IIITs: through CCMT centralised counselling.
• PhD: many IITs and IISc accept GATE for PhD. See our IIT PhD admission 2027 guide.
• PSU jobs: PSUs publish their own notifications with the GATE paper and year they will accept.
• Stipend: GATE-qualified M.Tech students at IITs typically get an assistantship of Rs 12,400 per month, subject to institute rules.

If you are a science graduate, IIT JAM is a parallel route into IIT M.Sc programmes. Check our IIT JAM 2027 exam date guide for that path.

Is GATE a second chance if you missed a good JEE rank?

Yes. GATE is often called a "second shot" at an IIT or NIT. If your JEE Main rank got you a private college, a state college or a lower-ranked NIT, a strong GATE score can still take you to an IIT or top NIT for M.Tech. Your B.Tech college name does not decide GATE admission; your score does.

Many students who are reading about colleges for a low JEE Main rank worry that the choice is final. It is not. Pick a college where you can study well, keep your CGPA healthy and start GATE preparation in the third year. Our list of NITs and IIITs you can get with a low JEE Main rank can help you choose a good base for that plan.

Important: GATE opens the door to an interview or offer, but M.Tech admission is never guaranteed. Cut-offs change every year with seats, applicants and paper difficulty.

How should you plan GATE 2027 preparation from now?

With the exam in February 2027, you have roughly four to five months. Finish registration first, then split the time into syllabus completion, previous-year paper practice and full-length mock tests. Keep the last four weeks for revision and timed mocks only.

• September-October 2026: finish registration, download the revised syllabus and list weak topics.
• November-December 2026: complete the syllabus and solve topic-wise previous-year GATE questions.
• January 2027: take full mocks on the official virtual calculator; download your admit card as soon as it is out.
• February 2027: focus on revision, formula sheets and sleep before your paper.

General Aptitude carries 15 marks and is the same for every paper. It is the easiest area to score in, so do not skip it.

Final Word: What should you do next for GATE 2027?

GATE 2027 is organised by IIT Madras, the exam runs from 6 to 21 February 2027 over three weekends, and the result is on 19 March 2027. Your most urgent task is registration before 27 September 2026.

• Register on gate2027.iitm.ac.in before 27 September 2026 (late-fee deadline 5 October 2026).
• Set up DigiLocker and keep your documents ready before you open the form.
• Check the revised syllabus and new paper codes, especially if you take XE, XH, XL or the new RA paper.
• Download your GATE 2026 scorecard if you plan to use it; the paid download window ends on 31 December 2026.
• Bookmark the IIT M.Tech admission and COAP guide for the March-July 2027 admission season.
• Keep an eye on the official site for the paper-wise schedule and admit card in January 2027.