
A GATE 2026 score above 750 can open opportunities in major PSUs. If the score is 850 or above, the top Maharatna PSUs like IOCL, ONGC, NTPC, HPCL, and PGCIL will become feasible.
IIT Guwahati conducted GATE 2026, and the results will be announced on March 19, 2026. Thereafter, PSUs will begin publishing recruitment notifications based on the GATE scores.

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Key Summary:
|
|---|
GATE 2026 Key Dates for PSU Recruitment
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| GATE 2026 Exam | February 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 2026 |
| Provisional Answer Key Released | February 22, 2026 |
| GATE 2026 Result | March 19, 2026 |
| Scorecard Available | March 27, 2026 |
| Scorecard Valid Until (Free) | May 31, 2026 |
| PSU Recruitment Notifications (Expected) | March-June 2026 |
Source: GATE 2026 Official Portal, gate2026.iitg.ac.in
PSUs are classified into three tiers. Score requirements, packages, and competition levels vary significantly across tiers.
| PSU Type | Examples | GATE Score (General) | Package Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maharatna | ONGC, IOCL, NTPC, GAIL, BHEL, PGCIL | 800-900+ | 12-22 LPA |
| Navratna | HAL, HPCL, BPCL, SAIL, BEAL | 700-800 | 9-16 LPA |
| Miniratna | THDC, MRPL, AAI, BEML | 600-700 | 6-12 LPA |
Source: PSU Recruitment Through GATE 2026, YouTube
These are the most competitive PSUs. Cutoffs below are based on previous year trends and are approximate.
| PSU | Package (LPA) | Electrical | Mechanical | Civil | Computer Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IOCL | 12-16 | 78 | 75 | 72 | 74 |
| NTPC | 12-18 | 78 | 75 | 70 | 68 |
| GAIL | 12-17 | 80 | 78 | 70 | 72 |
| PGCIL | 15-22 | 82 | 75 | 73 | 70 |
| BHEL | 12-15 | 72 | 70 | 65 | 68 |
| BPCL | 12-18 | 78 | 77 | 75 | 73 |
| HPCL | 12-16 | 75 | 73 | 70 | 72 |
| SAIL | 12-16 | 72 | 70 | 68 | 65 |
Source: PSU Recruitment Through GATE 2026, YouTube
| PSU | Type | Package (LPA) | Electrical | Mechanical | Civil | CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAL | Navratna | 7-12 | 78 | 75 | 70 | 72 |
| BEAL | Navratna | 9-11 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 70 |
| THDC | Miniratna | 9-12 | 68-70 | 66-69 | 63-65 | 65-67 |
| National Fertilizers | Navratna | 6-9 | 67 | 65 | 62 | 63 |
| Container Corporation | Navratna | 6-9 | 68 | 66 | 65 | 64 |
| AAI | Miniratna | 8-12 | 65-68 | 63-66 | 62-65 | 63-66 |
| BEML | Miniratna | 7-10 | GATE Score ~560-570 | — | — | — |
Source: PSU Recruitment Through GATE 2026, YouTube
Reserved categories receive relaxation in cutoffs. The gaps below are approximate and vary by PSU.
| Category | Safe GATE Score (Top PSUs) | Safe GATE Score (Mid-Tier PSUs) | Approximate GATE Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 850+ | 700-750 | 75+ out of 100 |
| OBC-NCL | 750-800 | 620-680 | 65-70 out of 100 |
| SC / ST | 650-700 | 520-580 | 55-62 out of 100 |
| PwD | 550-600 | 450-520 | 50-55 out of 100 |
Source: gate2026.iitg.ac.in
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Most PSUs follow a two-stage process. A good GATE score gets candidates to Stage 1; Stage 2 is where many candidates lose out.
| Stage | What It Involves | PSUs That Include This |
| GATE Score Shortlisting | Candidates above cutoff are called for further rounds | All PSUs using GATE |
| Personal Interview | Technical and HR questions based on domain and projects | ONGC, IOCL, NTPC, NHPC, NPCIL, PGCIL |
| Group Discussion | Communication, teamwork, and analytical ability assessed | HPCL, NTPC, GAIL |
| Medical Test | Physical fitness check before joining | Most Maharatna PSUs |
| Direct Recruitment (No GATE) | Own written test + interview | NPCC, DRDO |
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Ques. What GATE score is required for top PSU recruitment in 2026?
Ans. A GATE score of 850+ (out of 1000) is the safe target for top Maharatna PSUs like IOCL, ONGC, NTPC, and PGCIL in the General category. In terms of GATE marks out of 100, this translates to roughly 75+ marks depending on branch difficulty. OBC candidates can target 750-800 score; SC/ST candidates 650-700 for the same PSUs.
Ques. What is the difference between GATE marks and GATE score for PSU recruitment?
Ans. GATE marks are the raw score out of 100 from the paper. GATE score is a normalized value out of 1000, calculated using a formula that accounts for exam difficulty and performance relative to all candidates. PSUs use the GATE score (out of 1000) for shortlisting, not raw marks. The cutoff tables in GATE mark format (out of 100) are published by individual PSUs in their recruitment notifications.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.