Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all-India examination conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordination Board (GATE), under the Ministry of Education. One of the eight institutes acts as the organising institute each year, and the role rotates. It is held once a year, usually in February.

GATE is a computer-based test conducted in English. Papers span 30 subjects across engineering and the sciences, and you may sit for one or two of them. Every paper carries a common General Aptitude section covering verbal and quantitative reasoning; most engineering papers add Engineering Mathematics alongside the core subject you choose.

The score is the gateway to postgraduate admission, M.Tech, M.E., and PhD programmes at IISc, the IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other government-funded institutions, and it is also used by public sector undertakings for recruitment. A GATE score remains valid for three years from the date the result is announced.

Eligibility is broad. You can appear if you are in the third year or higher of any government-approved undergraduate degree, or already hold such a degree in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, arts, or the humanities. There is no upper age limit and no cap on the number of attempts.

Sources: GATE (IISc) – official website · Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering – Wikipedia