GATE 2027: Eligibility Guide

GATE 2027 eligibility is wider than most people expect. You can apply while you are still studying, as long as you are in the required year of your degree, and there is no age limit and no limit on attempts. IIT Madras, the organising institute, sets the rules on behalf of the National Coordination Board. This guide explains who can apply, which degrees and years qualify, how foreign qualifications and professional society exams are treated, who cannot apply, and what you need to submit. The exam runs on 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027. Note: this page summarises the official rules, so confirm your case on the official website before you pay the fee.

GATE 2027 Eligibility at a Glance

Key Changes for GATE 2027

• DigiLocker is mandatory: Indian candidates must register through DigiLocker. Do not delete your account while the process is on.

• New paper: Robotics and Automation (RA) is added, with its own allowed paper combinations.

• New section codes: The XE, XH and XL papers use new codes. Textile Engineering and Fibre Science is now inside XE.

• Compensatory time for PwD: Candidates with blindness, locomotor disability (both arms only) or cerebral palsy get one hour extra on a valid certificate or UDID. Other specified disabilities need a certificate of functional limitation to write.

Educational Qualification

The table below lists the degrees that qualify and the year you must have reached on the date of application. The rule is the same for every paper, but you should also check whether your degree suits the paper you choose.

Candidates who already hold a higher degree, or are studying for one, can also appear.

What This Means for You

• If you are in 3rd year of B.Tech: You can apply now. You do not need to wait for your final year.

• If you are in the 3rd year of a 3-year B.Sc. or B.Com.: You qualify only in that final year, not earlier.

• If you have finished your degree: You can apply any number of times, with no age cap.

• If you are studying medicine: You must have reached the 5th semester.

Professional Society and Foreign Qualifications

Some candidates hold qualifications that are not regular university degrees. These are the rules.

• Professional society examinations: Examinations such as AMIE or AMICE count as equal to B.E., B.Tech. or B.Arch., if the examination is recognised by the Ministry of Education, UPSC or AICTE. You must have completed Section A or an equivalent stage.

• Named societies: The brochure refers to IE (India), ICE, IETE, AeSI, IIChE, IIM and IIIE. Enrolments with permanent recognition up to 31 May 2013 stand recognised, as per the AICTE circular of 23 November 2020.

• Foreign qualifications: You must be in the 3rd year or higher of a degree, or hold a bachelor's degree of at least 3 years in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts or humanities.

• Foreign nationals: They can apply, but they pay the full fee and must choose exam cities in India.

Age Limit and Attempts

There is no upper or lower age limit for GATE 2027, and there is no cap on attempts. Because there is no age limit, no age relaxation applies to any category. Some older pages still show an age limit or a relaxation table, which no longer applies.

Nationality, Papers and Other Conditions

• One application only: You cannot submit more than one application. The second paper is added to the same application.

• Primary paper first: You must pick a primary paper. Only the allowed secondary paper can be added, and only in the regular and extended windows.

• Same city: The centre for the second paper can differ, but it must be in the same city.

• Cities: Choose up to six cities from the same zone. No centre is outside India.

• Name and date of birth: Your name must match your photo ID exactly. The date of birth cannot be changed later.

Allowed Two-Paper Combinations

You may write a second paper only if it appears against your primary paper below. The rules can change under unforeseen circumstances, with refunds where needed.

Who Is Not Eligible

• Candidates below the required year: A student in the 2nd year of a B.Tech, or the 2nd year of a 3-year B.Sc., cannot apply yet.

• Candidates with an unrecognised qualification: Professional society examinations that are not recognised by the Ministry of Education, UPSC or AICTE do not count.

• Candidates with more than one application: Duplicate applications are not allowed, and one email address can be used only once.

• Candidates who skip DigiLocker (Indian nationals): Registration through DigiLocker is mandatory.

Application Fee and Documents

The fee depends on your category, the number of papers and the window.

EWS candidates pay the general fee. If money is debited but the application is not acknowledged, it is credited back in about 15 working days.

• Photograph: JPEG, 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm, 5 kB to 600 kB, white background, face covering 60 to 70 percent, no cap or sunglasses.

• Signature: JPEG, 3 kB to 300 kB, in black or dark blue ink, not digital and not in capitals.

• Category certificates: SC or ST candidates upload a PDF named CATEGORY.pdf. PwD candidates upload the UDID or disability certificate PDF. General, OBC-NCL and EWS candidates need no certificate upload.

• Other details: Parent or guardian contact, degree and institute details, paper choices and six preferred cities.

Unreadable documents can lead to delay or rejection, so scan them clearly. The rectification window runs from 14 October to 21 October 2026.

How to Check Your Eligibility in Four Steps

1. Find your degree in the table: Match your course and its duration to the list above.

2. Check your year: Confirm you have reached the qualifying year on the day you apply. A 3-year degree such as B.Sc. needs you to be in the 3rd year.

3. Pick the right paper: Choose a paper that suits your degree and the programme you want. Then check whether a second paper is allowed with it.

4. Keep documents ready: Name, date of birth, degree details, category proof and a valid photo ID must all agree with each other.

Important Dates for Applicants

The regular window was extended from 27 September 2026. The organisers note that all dates are liable to change.

Eligibility for Candidates With Disabilities

Candidates with disabilities follow the same educational rules as everyone else. The fee is lower, and some candidates get extra time in the exam. You must upload a valid UDID or disability certificate as a PDF, named UDID_CERT.pdf or PWD_CERT.pdf. Other certificates, such as the dyslexia certificate, are compiled into the same PDF.

• One hour of compensatory time: For blindness, locomotor disability (both arms only) and cerebral palsy, on a valid certificate or UDID.

• Other specified disabilities: Compensatory time is given on a certificate of functional limitation to write.

• Qualifying mark: The qualifying mark for PwD candidates is two-thirds of the general mark.

Fixing Mistakes Before They Cost You

Most rejected applications fail for small reasons. Your name must exactly match your photo ID, and your date of birth cannot be changed after you submit. Photographs and signatures that do not meet the size and format rules can delay your application. You also need your DigiLocker account to stay active, so do not delete it. If you find a mistake, use the rectification window from 14 October to 21 October 2026.

After You Apply

City allotment is notified on 4 January 2027, and the result is due on 19 March 2027. To prepare, read the GATE 2027 syllabus and the GATE 2027 exam pattern, and practise with GATE 2027 mock tests on Testkart. The GATE 2027 overview gives all dates in one place.

Older Eligibility Pages Can Mislead You

Many websites still publish old age limits, old degree rules and old paper combinations. Always read the rules on the official GATE 2027 eligibility page before you apply.