GATE Exam Dates 2026 (Feb), Registration Date (Aug 25), Admit Card & Result Dates

The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) has announced the GATE 2026 exam dates with the launch of its new website (gate2026.iitg.ac.in). The GATE 2026 application procedure will start on August 25, 2025 and the last date to apply is September 25 without late fees. The extended online GATE registration 2026 process "with late fees" will conclude on October 6, 2026. Aspiring candidates must apply for the GATE 2026 within the specified timeline to successfully participate in the exam.

The GATE 2026 Exam is scheduled in February month for four days. The examination of GATE will take place on February 7, 8, 14 and 15 in 2026. To stay updated regarding the GATE notifications and further events, aspirants are recommended to visit the official website of the GATE frequently. Now when the GATE 2026 schedule is out, aspirants must plan their preparation strategy carefully keeping the same in mind. Refer to the following to learn more about the GATE 2026 exam dates and schedule.

GATE Important Dates 2026

The following table contains all the dates and events related to GATE examination 2026. Students can analyze the same to plan their next step accordingly.

GATE Application Form Date

The GATE application process 2026 will officially begin on August 25, 2025 when the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) will be activated by the authorities. Candidates planning to appear in the exam must apply online. Before submitting their GATE application, the first step entails entering personal and academic details, uploading scanned documents, and choosing a paper, and exam city. Candidates who fail to register before the last date will not be allowed to participate in the exam.

GATE 2026 Last Date to Apply

The last date for submitting the GATE 2026 application form (without late fees) is September 25, 2025. This date is important for candidates who want to avoid incurring additional costs for late applications and to have their application processed in a timely fashion. For candidates who do not submit their GATE 2026 application form before September 25, 2025, there will be an extended deadline (with late fees) for applications until October 6, 2025. It is best to have the application completed ahead of the regular deadline.

GATE Application Form Correction Window

After the application completion date, candidates will have the opportunity to provide corrections to their applications. The correction window will likely open in November 2025. During the correction window, candidates can correct several fields including, name, date of birth, category, gender, exam city, and paper. Candidates should be informed that changes may come with an extra fee. The correction window is a one-time opportunity for candidates to ensure that all information is correct and updated prior to the admit card printed.

GATE Admit Card Release Date

The admit cards for GATE 2026 will likely be available on the official site in January 2026. The admit card can be downloaded by registered candidates using their login credentials. The GATE 2026 admit card will include key details including candidate information, exam date and time, reporting information, and address of examination centre. The printed copy of the admit card along with valid id are a requirement on the examination day.

GATE Exam Dates 2026

GATE 2026 will be administered on two consecutive weekends: February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026. Each exam day will consist of two exam sessions each day, morning and afternoon, to capture all subject papers. Each exam session will last three hours, and will be entirely computer-based. Candidates should arrive at their test center very early and comply with all instructions to make certain they are not disqualified from GATE 2026. Candidates also need to make sure they know their exact shift, and reporting time.

GATE Answer Key Release Date

The provisional answer key for GATE 2026 will likely be issued in late February or early March 2026. The GATE exam answer key will allow candidates to cross-reference their answers and have a general idea of their potential score. Candidates will also be given time to submit objection(s), if the candidate believes there are any discrepancies in the provisional answer key, by submitting their objection(s) with a small fee per objection. After a precedent consideration of the objections, an answer key will be released prior to the result announcement.

GATE Result Date 2026

The GATE 2026 results will be announced in March 2026 and candidates can access their scorecards through the official GOAPS portal. The result will include marks scored by the candidate and GATE score along with qualifying cut-off and rank. Only candidates who obtain marks above the qualifying cut-off in their GATE 2026 Result will be eligible for admissions or eligible to be considered for PSU recruitment. The scorecard will be valid for three years from the date of announcement, and candidates are required to keep the scorecard very carefully for future use.

GATE Cut-Off Marks

The cut-off marks of GATE 2026 will be published officially along with the results. Each cut-off is the minimum marks needed to qualify in a particular paper subject as GATE cut-off marks differ in subject and category. Cut-offs are determined based on the difficulty level of the exam, number of candidates appeared, and the number of seats available in universities. The qualified candidate is only required to score above cut-off marks for subsequent admission process or be considered for recruitment in PSUs or any government organization.

GATE Counselling / COAP Registration Dates

For students who want to apply for MTech selections at IITs and participating institutes (institutes that accept GATE) will register for the Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) around 20 March 2026. GATE COAP enables students to explore acceptance offers given by IITs on their GATE scores. Centralized Counselling for M.Tech (CCMT) will be used for NITs and other centrally funded institutions admission offers. Registration is required for students to receive offers for admission if selected.