GATE 2027 is open to students in the third year or above of an eligible undergraduate degree and to people who have completed an eligible degree. The list includes engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts, humanities, agriculture and several medical and professional qualifications.

There is no age limit and no limit on attempts. The required study stage changes with the qualification. For example, a BCA student becomes eligible in the third year, while an MCA student can apply from the first year.

GATE 2027 Application and Correction Status

The official GATE 2027 website says new registration is closed. Applications are now being checked by the zonal institutes. Candidates whose form is marked defective can correct the stated problem in GOAPS from 14 to 31 October 2026 without an extra fee.

A form may show one of three main states: under scrutiny, defective, or accepted. A defective form needs the exact correction named in the email or GOAPS message. The later data-correction window will cover permitted changes and may carry a fee; its date is still to be announced.

Who Can Apply for GATE 2027?

A candidate can take GATE 2027 while studying in the third year or above of a government-approved undergraduate programme, or after completing an approved degree. The broad list includes engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts and humanities. A higher qualification is also accepted.

The third-year rule is not used for every course. Students in MSc, MA, MCA and a post-BSc integrated ME or MTech can apply from the first year. Students in the listed medical degrees can apply from the fifth semester.

GATE 2027 Degree-wise Eligibility

The course name and the present study year must both meet the official rules. A person who has completed the degree can also apply. The table uses the course names and study stages published by IIT Madras.

The eligible stage belongs to the current degree, not the number of years after Class 12. A lateral-entry BTech student who joined in the second year becomes eligible after reaching the third year of BTech.

Age, Attempts and Minimum Marks

GATE 2027 does not set an age limit, an attempt limit or one common graduation percentage for taking the exam. These open exam rules are often confused with conditions used later by an IIT, NIT, PSU or another organisation.

For example, an MTech programme may ask for 60% or a stated CGPA, while a PSU may apply its own age rule. Those conditions belong to that course or job. They do not change the basic eligibility for writing GATE.

Diploma, Lateral-entry and Professional Qualifications

A diploma alone is not listed as a GATE qualifying degree. A student who enters BTech after a diploma can apply after reaching the third year of BTech. The same third-year rule applies to a recognised three-year engineering or technology degree taken after BSc or a diploma.

Professional-society examinations

The official list includes examinations conducted by the Institution of Engineers (India), Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers, Aeronautical Society of India, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers, Indian Institute of Metals and Indian Institute of Industrial Engineers.

The candidate must complete Section A or an equivalent stage, and the examination must have the required government recognition as a degree equivalent. Membership in a society does not by itself establish eligibility.

Degrees Obtained Outside India

A candidate studying outside India must be in the third year or above, or must have completed a bachelor's degree of at least three years in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts or humanities.

This rule allows the candidate to take GATE. It does not automatically confirm that every Indian institute will treat the foreign degree as equivalent for admission. The chosen institute applies its own course and document rules.

Choosing a GATE Paper

GATE 2027 has 30 papers, including the new Robotics and Automation paper. A candidate may take one paper or an approved two-paper combination. The selected paper does not have to carry the same name as the undergraduate degree.

Paper choice still matters for admission. A department may accept only particular GATE papers and degrees. A student choosing between Computer Science and Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, for example, needs to compare the papers accepted by the target programmes. The official exam permits the choice, but the institute decides whether that score fits its course.

GATE Eligibility and Admission Eligibility

GATE exam eligibility answers only whether a candidate can sit for the test. Admission and recruitment happen later and use separate rules.

A third-year student may take GATE before finishing the degree. Admission still depends on completing that degree by the institute's deadline and meeting its marks, paper and document conditions. A GATE score therefore does not guarantee a seat, scholarship or job.

Things to Remember

• New GATE 2027 registration is closed.
• Scrutiny defects can be corrected until 31 October 2026 when GOAPS or email asks for a change.
• The data-correction window date is still TBA.
• Most undergraduate students can apply from the third year, but some postgraduate and medical courses use a different stage.
• There is no age or attempt limit for taking GATE 2027.
• Exam eligibility, course admission and recruitment are separate decisions.

Related GATE 2027 Information

The following pages cover the GATE 2027 overview, important dates, exam pattern, paper-wise syllabus, required documents and photo and signature rules.