GATE 2027: exam pattern, syllabus, dates and preparation
GATE 2027 is organised by IIT Madras and held on six days in February 2027. Here is the pattern, the 30 papers, the dates, who can apply and how the qualifying marks work, checked against the official site.
GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is a once-a-year computer-based test. For the 2027 cycle it is organised by IIT Madras, and the exam runs over six weekend days in February 2027. Each candidate is given one session per paper.
TestGuru is not affiliated with IIT Madras or any IIT. The official site, gate2027.iitm.ac.in, is the authority on everything below.
GATE 2027 at a glance
| Item | GATE 2027 |
|---|---|
| Organising institute | IIT Madras |
| Mode | Computer-based test, in English |
| Papers | 30 test papers; take one, or two from the allowed combinations |
| Questions | 65: 10 General Aptitude + 55 subject |
| Total marks | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours (compensatory time for eligible PwD candidates) |
| Question types | MCQ, MSQ and NAT |
| Calculator | On-screen virtual scientific calculator only |
| Exam days | 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027 |
| Result | 19 March 2027 |
| Score validity | 3 years from the result date |
When is GATE 2027, and can I still apply?
The exam is on 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027 (Saturdays and Sundays). Regular registration closed on 5 October 2026. The extended registration window, with a late fee, closes on 12 October 2026. The application rectification window runs from 14 to 21 October 2026.
Every date, including the city allotment and admit card, is on the important dates page.
How is GATE marked?
GATE has three question types, and only one of them can cost you marks.
| Question type | Marks | Negative marking |
|---|---|---|
| MCQ (one correct option) | 1 or 2 | −1/3 for a 1-mark question, −2/3 for a 2-mark question |
| MSQ (one or more correct options) | 1 or 2 | None, and no partial marks |
| NAT (you type a number) | 1 or 2 | None |
General Aptitude is common to every paper and is worth 15 marks. In most engineering papers, Engineering Mathematics carries another 13. The exam pattern page breaks down the marks for every paper type, including XE, XH and XL.
Who can take GATE 2027?
You can apply if you are in the third or a higher year of a government-approved undergraduate programme, or if you have already completed a government-approved degree in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts or humanities. There is no age limit and no limit on attempts.
The degree-by-degree rules and the fee table are on the eligibility page.
What is new in GATE 2027?
- Robotics and Automation (RA) is a new paper.
- Textile Engineering and Fibre Science is no longer a separate paper (it was TF in 2026). It is now section XE9 of Engineering Sciences.
- The section codes in XE, XH and XL have been renamed, for example XE-A is now XE0 and XL-P is now XL0.
- The syllabi have been revised, so download the 2027 version for your paper rather than relying on older notes.
The full list of papers and sections is on the syllabus page.
What marks do I need to qualify?
Qualifying marks are set per paper after the exam. For GATE 2026 (organised by IIT Guwahati), the General qualifying mark ranged from 25 to 40 out of 100 depending on the paper. In that table, the OBC-NCL/EWS mark is 90% of the General mark, and the SC/ST/PwD mark is about two-thirds of it.
The full 2026 table is on the cutoff page.
How long is a GATE score valid?
Three years from the date the results are announced. Scorecards can be downloaded free at the end of March 2027. After the free period, a download costs ₹500 until 31 December 2027.
How should I prepare?
With the exam in February, you have about four months. The preparation strategy page covers how to plan them, why General Aptitude is worth securing early, and how the marking rules should change the way you attempt each question type.
Does TestGuru have GATE mock tests?
Not yet. GATE mock tests are on the waitlist. When they open, each test will come with a report that names the idea behind every wrong answer and builds a practice set from your own mistakes. Join the waitlist and we will send one email on the day they open. See what the GATE mock tests will cover.
Everything about GATE
Exam pattern
GATE 2027 exam pattern: 65 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours, MCQ, MSQ and NAT marking, negative marking rules and the marks split for every GATE paper.
Read →Syllabus
GATE 2027 syllabus: all 30 papers with codes, the new Robotics and Automation paper, XE, XH and XL sections, General Aptitude topics and the official PDFs.
Read →Dates
GATE 2027 dates: extended registration closes 12 Oct 2026, exam on 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 Feb 2027, result on 19 Mar 2027, plus city slip and scorecard.
Read →Eligibility
GATE 2027 eligibility: 3rd-year UG students and graduates can apply, no age limit or attempt limit, degree-wise rules and the application fee by category.
Read →Cutoff
GATE 2026 qualifying cutoff marks for every paper by category (General, OBC-NCL/EWS, SC/ST/PwD) from the IIT Guwahati site, and what they mean for 2027.
Read →Strategy
GATE 2027 preparation strategy: a plan for the four months to February, securing General Aptitude, using MSQ and NAT marking rules and practising full papers.
Read →