GATE 2027 Exam Dates, Pattern and Key Deadlines
GATE 2027 will be held on 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027, and results are due on 19 March 2027. IIT Madras is organising the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering this year. It has revised the syllabus for the first time in five years and added a new Robotics and Automation paper. Registration is closed, but one deadline remains for applicants: the window to fix defects in your application closes on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Below are the full schedule, the exam pattern and what to do next.
GATE 2027 important dates
All dates are from the official GATE 2027 website. IIT Madras marks them as subject to change.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Regular registration closed (without late fee) | 5 October 2026 |
| Extended registration closed (with late fee) | 12 October 2026 |
| Special registration window (with late fee) | 15 October, 10:30 AM to 16 October, 10:29 AM |
| Application rectification (scrutiny defects) closes | 3 November 2026 (Tuesday) |
| Application data correction window (with fee) | To be announced |
| City allotment notification | 4 January 2027 (Monday) |
| Admit card download | To be announced |
| GATE 2027 exams | 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027 (Saturdays and Sundays) |
| Results | 19 March 2027 (Friday) |
Log in to GOAPS (the GATE Online Application Processing System) to see whether your application has any defects flagged. The rectification deadline has already been extended twice, from 21 October to 31 October and then to 3 November. If the portal shows a scrutiny defect on your application, such as an unclear photo, a signature problem or a document mismatch, fix it before 3 November. Don’t count on another extension.
Paper-wise schedule
The exams run across three weekends, in forenoon and afternoon sessions. IIT Madras releases the paper-wise timetable separately on the GATE website. Check the notifications page for it, and don’t rely on unofficial lists that circulate on social media.
What’s new in GATE 2027
IIT Madras announced several changes in its press release on the exam dates:
- Syllabus revised. The GATE syllabus has been revised after five years. Download the 2027 syllabus for your paper from the official site, and don’t use an older edition’s.
- New Robotics and Automation paper. This new paper has two Part B options: B1 (Electrical) and B2 (Mechanical).
- Textile moves into XE. Textile Engineering and Fibre Science is now a section within the Engineering Sciences (XE) paper.
- 30 papers in total. Candidates can take one paper or two papers from the allowed combinations.
- DigiLocker and facial registration. The application process uses DigiLocker verification and facial registration. Candidates whose documents were not verified through DigiLocker will have them checked at the exam hall, so carry the originals.
GATE 2027 is the exam’s 45th year; it began in 1983. The question papers are in English only.
GATE 2027 exam pattern
According to the official question paper pattern:
- Mode: computer-based test (CBT)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Questions: 65 in total (10 General Aptitude + 55 subject questions)
- Total marks: 100
- General Aptitude: 15 marks, common to all papers
- Engineering Mathematics: about 13 marks in most papers
- Question types: multiple choice (MCQ), multiple select (MSQ) and numerical answer type (NAT)
Negative marking
Only MCQs have negative marks: 1/3 mark is deducted for a wrong answer to a 1-mark MCQ, and 2/3 mark for a 2-mark MCQ. MSQs and NAT questions have no negative marking, but MSQs have no partial credit. You must pick every correct option, and no wrong one, to score. In practice, that makes guessing on MSQs risky in a different way: a wrong guess doesn’t cost marks, but a partly right answer doesn’t earn any either.
Is a GATE score worth it? What it’s used for
A GATE score is valid for three years from the date results are announced. It is used for admission to MTech and direct PhD programmes, and many public sector undertakings (PSUs) also use it for recruitment. So a 2027 score can support applications into 2030. IIT Madras also states plainly that GATE qualification does not guarantee admission, a scholarship or a PSU job, because each institute and employer sets its own criteria.
If you are a final-year student, you can plan GATE alongside other options. Graduates thinking about management can compare it with the CAT 2026 exam date and pattern. If you want work experience first, the PM Internship Scheme 2026 is open to final-year students. Younger siblings starting the engineering route can follow JEE Main 2027 registration, and students who need funding can check the NSP scholarship last date.
A 14-week plan to February
With about 14 weeks left until 6 February, a sensible split looks like this:
- November: compare your preparation with the revised 2027 syllabus, and close any gaps the revision created.
- December: finish subject revision and practise General Aptitude and Engineering Mathematics every week. Together they make up close to 30 marks in most papers.
- January: take full-length timed mock tests in a CBT format. Check your exam city on 4 January.
- Exam week: download your admit card when it is released, check the reporting time and carry your original ID.
Help and contact
The GATE office at IIT Madras answers application queries at 044-22578200 and helpdesk@gate.iitm.ac.in, Monday to Friday, 5 PM to 7 PM. Mention your enrolment ID in every email.
Frequently asked questions
What is the GATE 2027 exam date?
6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027, across three weekends.
Which IIT is conducting GATE 2027?
IIT Madras.
When will the GATE 2027 result be announced?
19 March 2027, according to the official schedule.
Can I still apply for GATE 2027?
No. The special registration window closed on 16 October 2026. Registered candidates can fix scrutiny defects until 3 November 2026.
Is there negative marking in GATE 2027?
Only for MCQs: 1/3 mark for a wrong answer to a 1-mark question and 2/3 mark for a 2-mark question. MSQ and NAT questions have no negative marking.
When will the GATE 2027 admit card be released?
The date has not been announced yet. City allotment comes first, on 4 January 2027.
Featured image: Sabari Girisan M / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
