GATE – Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering

• Duration of exam: Total 3 hours (180 minutes) is allotted for the exam. 
• No. of questions: 65 questions in total
• Marks distribution: Total Marks: 100, General Aptitude: 15 marks, Engineering Mathematics (for selected papers): 13 marks, Core Subject: 72 marks
• Marking scheme: MCQs: +1 or +2 for correct answers, –1/3 negative marking for 1-mark questions, –2/3 negative marking for 2-mark questions, NAT (Numerical Answer Type): No negative marking, MSQ (Multiple Select Questions): No negative marking

Common sections across most papers:

• General Aptitude
• Engineering Mathematics (varies by paper)
• Core Subject Topics (paper-specific)

• Registration: Candidates can register for GATE online through the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS).
• Eligibility: Candidates must have completed or be in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Technology/Science/Architecture. No age limit. Students from arts/commerce backgrounds may apply for select interdisciplinary GATE papers (e.g., XH, MA).
• Documents Required: Recent passport-size photograph, Signature, Graduation certificate/semester mark sheet, Category certificate (if applicable), PwD certificate (if applicable), Valid photo ID (Aadhar, Passport, Voter ID, etc.)
• Exam fee: General/OBC Male: ₹1,800, Female / SC / ST / PwD: ₹900, International candidates: Fee varies by center
  (Late fees apply beyond deadline.)

After the results are announced, candidates are shortlisted based on GATE scores for M.Tech/M.E./Ph.D. admissions through COAP (for IITs) or CCMT (for NITs and other institutions). PSUs may directly shortlist candidates for interviews or group discussions based on their GATE score cutoffs. The final selection depends on GATE rank, academic performance, and institute-specific criteria.