The GATE 2027 examination is being organised under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Science and the seven Indian Institutes of Technology. IIT Madras is serving as the organising institute for the 2027 examination.

Candidates interested in appearing for the examination should complete the registration process through the official GATE 2027 portal and carefully review the eligibility requirements and application instructions before submitting their forms.Registration Process

Applicants will need to provide the required personal and academic information and upload documents according to the specifications prescribed by the examination authority. Candidates should also verify the information entered in the application form before final submission.

GATE aspirants should avoid relying on unofficial websites for registration-related information and should use the official examination portal for the application process.

 Why GATE Matters

GATE scores are used for admission to postgraduate programmes in engineering, technology, architecture, science and related areas at participating institutions.

The examination also has relevance for recruitment by certain public-sector organisations, although individual organisations determine their own eligibility criteria and recruitment requirements.

Candidates Should Check Details

Before applying, candidates should carefully check the examination pattern, papers available, eligibility conditions, application fee, important dates and other instructions contained in the official notification.

Those planning to appear for GATE 2027 should also keep copies of their submitted application and payment confirmation for future reference.

With registration now open, aspirants can begin preparing their applications while simultaneously planning their examination preparation strategy.

Registration for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027 has begun on August 27, with IIT Madras introducing several changes to the application process, including mandatory DigiLocker-based registration for Indian nationals and an expanded choice of examination cities.

The registration process was originally scheduled to open on August 14 but was subsequently rescheduled to August 27. Candidates can submit applications through the official GATE 2027 portal. The regular registration deadline is September 27, while the extended window with a late fee will remain open until October 5.

DigiLocker mandatory for Indian nationals

One of the key changes this year is the mandatory use of DigiLocker for GATE 2027 registration by Indian nationals.

IIT Madras has asked candidates to create or update and verify their DigiLocker accounts before beginning the application. Details including the candidate's name, date of birth, mobile number, email ID, profile picture, address and verified ID card number will be fetched through DigiLocker during registration.

Candidates should ensure that their personal information is accurate before submitting the application. The official FAQ also clarifies that the photograph stored in Aadhaar or DigiLocker will not be used as the GATE application photograph; candidates will provide a recent photograph and may also have a live photograph captured during registration.

Six examination city choices instead of three

Another important change concerns the selection of examination cities.

Candidates can now choose six examination cities from the same GATE zone, compared with the earlier limit of three choices. The official GATE 2027 FAQ says the first-choice city is likely to be allotted in most cases, while the additional choices become relevant if there are capacity or operational constraints.

However, selecting six cities does not guarantee that a candidate will receive one of those choices. The GATE committee reserves the right to add or remove cities and, because of operational constraints, allot a city that was not among the candidate's selected options.

GATE 2027 registration and correction dates

The important dates for the application process are:

• Registration begins: August 27, 2026
• Regular registration closes: September 27, 2026
• Extended registration with late fee closes: October 5, 2026
• Application rectification window: October 14 to October 21, 2026
• City allotment notification: January 4, 2027
• Admit card: Date to be announced

Candidates should note that the dates are subject to change, according to the official GATE 2027 website.

New GATE paper and revised syllabus

GATE 2027 will also introduce a new test paper in Robotics and Automation (RA). IIT Madras has simultaneously revised the syllabi for the examination's test papers and advised candidates to check the updated versions before preparing.

Changes have also been made to the Textile Engineering and Fibre Science paper and to sectional paper codes in Engineering Sciences (XE), Humanities and Social Sciences (XH), and Life Sciences (XL). Candidates appearing for two papers must select combinations permitted by the GATE 2027 rules.

GATE 2027 will have 30 test papers, and candidates can opt for one or two papers from the permitted combinations.

No international examination centres

Foreign nationals and Indian citizens residing outside India can appear for GATE 2027 under the applicable rules. However, IIT Madras has clarified that there will be no international examination centres.

Candidates living abroad will therefore have to select an examination city in India. The application requirements and applicable fees will depend on their category and examination paper.

When will GATE 2027 be held?

GATE 2027 will be conducted over three weekends: February 6-7, February 13-14, and February 20-21, 2027. The examination will be held in computer-based test mode in both forenoon and afternoon sessions.

The GATE 2027 result is scheduled to be announced on March 19, 2027.

GATE scores can be used for admission to relevant master's and doctoral programmes and, subject to individual organisations' rules, for recruitment by several public sector undertakings. The GATE score remains valid for three years from the date of result announcement.

With registration now open, candidates should first complete the DigiLocker verification requirement, check the revised syllabus and paper combinations, and carefully select their six preferred examination cities before submitting the application.