GATE: Cut off, Result 2020, Exam 2021, Login, Syllabus

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an examination that primarily tests the comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and science.

GATE is conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of Technologies at Roorkee, IIT Delhi, Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Chennai (Madras) and Mumbai (Bombay) on behalf of the National Coordination Board – GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.

The GATE score of a candidate reflects the relative performance level of a candidate. The score is used for admissions to various post-graduate education programs (e.g. Master of Engineering, Master of Technology, Master of Architecture,

Doctor of Philosophy) in Indian higher education institutes, with financial assistance provided by MHRD and other government agencies. Recently, GATE scores are also being used by several Indian public sector undertakings for recruiting graduate engineers in entry-level positions.

It is one of the most competitive examinations in India. GATE is also recognized by various institutes outside India, such as Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

 

 

Key Description:


Acronym: GATE

Type: Computer-Based Standardized Test

Developer / administrator: Conducted jointly by IISc and 7 IITs on behalf of the National Co-ordination Board – GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

Knowledge / Skills Tested: Bachelor's degree level knowledge of the chosen engineering discipline or master's degree level knowledge of the chosen science discipline.

Purpose: Post-graduate engineering admissions, screening for entry-level engineering jobs.

Year Started: 1984 (36 years ago)

Duration: 3 hours

Score / Grade Range: Marks (unscaled) out of 100, in 0.33 point increments. Score (scaled) out of 1000, in 1 point increments.

Score / Grade Validity: 3 years (GATE 2014 onward).

Offered: One time every year (usually in February 1st & 2nd week).

Countries / Regions: Over 660 centers in India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and United Arab Emirates.

Languages: English

Prerequisites / Eligibility Criteria: Final year student or graduate of Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in engineering/ architecture or Master's degree (or equivalent) in science, computer applications can apply for gate .

Fee:

  • INR: ₹ 750 for Indian female,SC,ST,and physically challenged candidates.
  • INR ₹ 1500 for all other Indian candidates.
  • US $ 50 for international candidates.

Scores / Grades Used By: Various Indian engineering colleges offering post-graduate education, several public sector Indian companies recruiting engineers, etc.

Qualification rate Increase: 18.8% (in 2020).

Website: gate.iitd.ac.in (for GATE 2020)

 

 

Eligibility if GATE


The following students are eligible to take GATE:

  • Bachelor's degree holders in Engineering / Technology / Architecture (4 years after 10+2/ Post-B.Sc./ Post-Diploma) and those who are in the final year of such programs.
  • 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 programs.
  • Candidates in the second or higher year of Four-year integrated master's degree programs (Post-B.Sc.) in Engineering / Technology.
  • Candidates in the fourth or higher year of Five-year integrated master's degree programs or Dual Degree programs in Engineering / Technology.
  • Candidates with qualifications obtained through examinations conducted by professional societies recognized by UGC/AICTE (e.g.
  • AMIE by IE(India), AMICE by the Institute of Civil Engineers (India)-ICE(I), AMIETE By IETE(India)) as equivalent to B.E./B.Tech.
  • Those who have completed section A or equivalent of such professional courses are also eligible.

There is no age limit criterion defied by the exam conducting authority to appear in GATE.

 

 

Disciplines, Structure, Syllabus, And Marking Scheme:


Disciplines

At present, GATE is conducted in the following 25 disciplines. A candidate can select any one of these.

GATE Paper Code GATE Paper Code
Aerospace Engineering AE Instrumentation Engineering IN
Agricultural Engineering AG Mathematics MA
Architecture and Planning AR Mechanical Engineering ME
Biomedical BM Mining Engineering MN
Biotechnology BT Metallurgical Engineering MT
Civil Engineering CE Petroleum Engineering PE
Chemical Engineering CH Physics PH
Computer Science and Information Technology CS Production and Industrial Engineering PI
Chemistry CY Textile Engineering and Fiber Science TF
Electronics and Communication Engineering EC Engineering Sciences XE
Electrical Engineering EE Life Sciences XL
Ecology and Evolution EY Statistics ST
Geology and Geophysics GG

 

Duration And Examination Type


The examination is of 3 hours duration, and contains a total of 65 questions worth a maximum of 100 marks. From 2014 onward, the examination for all the papers is carried out in an online Computer Based Test (CBT) mode where the candidates are shown the questions in a random sequence on a computer screen.

The questions consist of both Multiple Choice Questions or MCQs (four answer options out of which the correct one has to be chosen) and Numerical Answer Type questions or NATs (answer is a real number, to be entered via an on-screen keypad and computer mouse). Candidates are provided with scribble pads for rough work and these have to be returned after the examination. At the end of the 3-hour window, the computer automatically closes the screen from further actions.

 

Syllabus


Verbal Ability: English grammar, sentence completion, verbal analogies, word groups, instructions, critical reasoning and verbal deduction.

Numerical Ability: Numerical computation, numerical estimation, numerical reasoning and data interpretation.
Engineering Mathematics (not for all Papers)

Technical Ability: Technical questions related to the Paper chosen
Questions and marking scheme

The examination will consist of totally 65 questions, segregated as One-mark and Two-mark questions. Out of 65 questions, 10 questions will be from General Aptitude (Verbal and Numerical ability) and 55 questions will be Technical, based on the Paper chosen. The General Aptitude section will have 5 One-mark questions and 5 Two-mark questions, accounting for about 15% of total marks. The Technical section and Engineering Mathematics section will combinedly have 25 One-mark questions and 30 Two-mark questions, accounting for about 85% of total marks. Further, all the sections will have both Multiple Choice Questions or MCQs and Numerical Answer Type questions or NATs. The examination awards negative marks for wrong MCQ answers. Usually, 1/3rd of original marks will be deducted for wrong MCQ answers (i.e. -0.33 for wrong One-mark answers and -0.66 for wrong Two-mark answers) while there is no negative marks for NATs.

 

 

Recruitment of GATE


Public sector undertakings (PSUs) in India, for long, have had troubles conducting their recruitment processes with more than 100,000 students taking the exams for less than 1000 jobs (a selection rate of less than 1%). After sensing the exponential rise in the number of engineering graduates in India who wish to get a PSU job, the PSUs have decided that a GATE score shall be the primary criteria for initial shortlisting. This change was the primary cause for the rapid increase in applicants for GATE 2012.

Indian Oil Corporation was the first PSU which successfully tested out this system and was followed two years later by National Thermal Power Corporation, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Bharat Electronics & PowerGrid Corporation of India.

Usually these companies release their recruitment notifications right after GATE notification, indicating that candidates have to take GATE to be considered for a job in their organizations.

 

List of Companies:

Many companies have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the GATE organizing committee, for using GATE score as a screening tool for recruiting engineers at entry-level positions.

  • Oil and natural gas corporation
  • Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
  • Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
  • Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
  • National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd.
  • Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.
  • Mazagon Dock Ltd.
  • Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd.
  • Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
  • Central Electronics Ltd.
  • Coal India Ltd.
  • National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd.
  • Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.
  • THDC Ltd.
  • Odisha Power Generation Corporation
  • Ircon International Ltd.
  • Bharat Broadband Network Limited
  • Bank Note Paper Mill India Pvt. Ltd.
  • National Highways Authority of India
  • Airport Authority of India
  • Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
  • Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited

The syllabus for the GATE exam and its preparation remains the same, irrespective of whether one is applying for a job at a PSU or seeking admission for post graduation in engineering.

 

 

Year and Organizing Institute

 


Each year's GATE is organised by any one of 8 institutes: IISc and 7 IITs. The overall co-ordination and responsibility of conducting GATE lies with this institute, which is designated as the Organizing Institute (OI) for GATE of that year.

GATE coaching institutes often make speculations regarding the topics to focus upon depending upon the institute that is the OI of that year.

Institute GATE editions organized
Indian Institute of Science 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2016.
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras 1985, 1991, 1997, 2003, 2011, 2019, 2027.
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2012, 2020, 2028.
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay 1987, 1993, 1999, 2005, 2013,2021.
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2014, 2022.
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 1989, 1995, 2001, 2007, 2015.
Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee 2009, 2017, 2025.
Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati 2010, 2018.