GATE 2027 Registration Start: Apply Online, Eligibility, Exam Date, Fee & Last Date

IIT Madras, the Organizing Institute for GATE 2027, has revised the registration schedule from what was originally announced in the July notification. If you saw earlier reports mentioning a 14 August 2026 start date, that has now changed.

According to the latest official update (confirmed as of 13 August 2026), the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) will now open for registration on 27 August 2026 instead of 14 August. The regular application deadline has also moved to 27 September 2026 (from the earlier 21 September), with the late-fee window extended to 5 October 2026.

If you’re relying on any article or notice showing 14 August as the start date, that information is outdated — always check gate2027.iitm.ac.in directly for the current schedule, since IIT Madras itself has flagged that dates are subject to change.

GATE 2027 remains mandatory for candidates seeking admission to M.Tech/M.E., direct PhD programmes, and financial assistance at IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other institutes, as well as recruitment into several PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) that use GATE scores for entry-level engineering/scientist positions.

GATE 2027 Highlights

Particular	Details
Exam Name	Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027
Organizing Institute	IIT Madras
Information Brochure Released	20 July 2026 (Version 1.0)
Registration Starts (Revised)	27 August 2026
Regular Last Date (Revised)	27 September 2026
Last Date with Late Fee	5 October 2026
Exam Dates	6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21 February 2027
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Total Papers	30 (including new Robotics & Automation paper)
Mandatory Requirement	DigiLocker verification (Indian nationals)
Official Website	gate2027.iitm.ac.in

GATE 2027 Important Dates

Event	Date
Information Brochure released	20 July 2026
Registration starts (revised)	27 August 2026
Regular registration last date (revised)	27 September 2026
Registration with late fee	5 October 2026
Application correction window	14 to 21 October 2026
City allotment notification	4 January 2027
GATE 2027 Exam	6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21 February 2027
Result	19 March 2027

Note: IIT Madras has explicitly stated that these dates are subject to further change. Always confirm the latest schedule directly at gate2027.iitm.ac.in before applying, since this year’s dates have already been revised once.

GATE 2027 Application Form

The application process runs through GOAPS (GATE Online Application Processing System) and generally involves:

Creating an account and receiving a user ID and password.
Filling in personal details, academic qualifications, and category information.
Selecting your GATE paper (and second paper, if opting for the two-paper combination).
Choosing your examination city preferences (up to six cities can be selected this year).
Uploading a recent passport-size color photograph, signature, and valid photo ID.
Live facial capture, which will be matched against your Aadhaar database details as part of the enhanced verification process introduced this year.
Reviewing and paying the application fee.

DigiLocker-based registration is mandatory for Indian nationals — make sure your DigiLocker account is created and properly updated (with correct personal details) before you begin the GOAPS registration, as this is now a required step, not optional.

How to Apply for GATE 2027 Online

Visit the official GATE 2027 website gate2027.iitm.ac.in.
Set up or verify your DigiLocker account in advance — do this before registration opens to avoid delays.
Once live (27 August 2026), open the GOAPS application portal.
Register using a valid email ID and mobile number to receive your user ID and password.
Log in and fill in personal and academic details.
Select your examination paper (and second paper, if applicable, from the permitted combinations).
Choose your preferred examination cities.
Upload the required documents, including your photograph, signature, and photo ID.
Complete the live facial verification step.
Preview the entire application form carefully.
Pay the application fee online.
Submit the form and download the confirmation page for your records.

GATE 2027 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates currently in their third year or higher of an approved undergraduate programme (or those who have already completed such a programme) are eligible to apply.
Eligible educational backgrounds include Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts, and Humanities, depending on the specific paper.
There is no age limit for GATE 2027.
There is no restriction on the number of attempts — candidates can appear for GATE as many times as they wish.
Candidates can appear for one paper, or up to two papers, provided the second paper falls within an officially permitted subject combination.

GATE 2027 Application Fee

Category	Fee (Regular Window)	Fee (Extended/Late Window)
General/OBC	Approx. ₹1,800	Approx. ₹2,300
SC/ST/PwD/Female applicants	Approx. ₹900-₹1,000	Approx. ₹1,400-₹1,500
Late fee (in addition to base fee)	—	₹500

Important: IIT Madras has confirmed the fee structure itself is unchanged from GATE 2026, but reported figures for the female/SC/ST/PwD concessional rate vary slightly across sources for this cycle. Verify the exact category-wise fee on the official GATE 2027 fee page (gate2027.iitm.ac.in) before making payment, rather than relying on any third-party figure, including this one.

Candidates opting for a second paper under the two-paper combination facility are typically required to pay an additional fee for that paper — check the official fee page for the exact additional amount.

GATE 2027 Documents Required

Recent passport-size color photograph (as per specified format on the official portal)
Signature (as per specified format)
Valid photo ID
Category certificate (wherever applicable)
PwD/UDID certificate (if applicable)
Educational qualification details/documents
DigiLocker-linked personal information (mandatory for Indian nationals)

Follow the exact photograph and signature specifications listed on the official GATE 2027 portal — incorrect format/size is a common reason for application rejection or delay.

GATE 2027 Exam Date

GATE 2027 will be conducted across six days:

6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21 February 2027

Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Conducted across 300+ exam cities this year — exam centres have been revised compared to previous cycles.
A total of 30 test papers are on offer.
Candidates can select one or two permitted papers within the same application.

GATE 2027 Exam Pattern

Total marks per paper: 100
General Aptitude section: Carries 15 marks in the standard structure (applicable across most papers).
Subject-specific section: Makes up the remaining marks, testing core technical/subject knowledge.
Question types: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Multiple Select Questions (MSQs), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.
Duration: 3 hours per paper.
Marking scheme: Includes negative marking for incorrect MCQ answers; NAT questions typically carry no negative marking.

Note: Exact paper-wise syllabus, weightage, and negative-marking details vary by paper — always check the specific paper’s syllabus PDF on the official portal.

New Changes in GATE 2027

New Robotics & Automation (RA) Paper

GATE 2027 introduces a brand-new Robotics & Automation (RA) test paper, bringing the total number of papers to 30.
Several existing GATE syllabi have also been revised for this cycle.
Sectional paper codes for XE (Engineering Sciences), XH (Humanities & Social Sciences), and XL (Life Sciences) have been updated — candidates who took GATE in previous years should not assume the old codes still apply.

Enhanced Verification Process

Live facial verification is now part of registration, matching your face against Aadhaar database records via DigiLocker integration.
This is intended to strengthen identity verification and reduce impersonation during the exam.

Revised Exam Centres

Exam centres for GATE 2027 have been revised, and candidates can now select up to six preferred cities, compared to fewer options in some previous cycles.

Candidates should carefully check the updated syllabus and paper codes before finalizing their paper selection, since these changes could affect preparation strategy, especially for XE/XH/XL streams.

GATE 2027 Syllabus

The updated, paper-wise syllabus is available on the official GATE 2027 website.
Syllabi for several papers have been revised this cycle, alongside the introduction of the new Robotics & Automation paper.
Always download and check the latest syllabus PDF for your specific paper before starting preparation — don’t rely on last year’s (GATE 2026) syllabus, as sectional codes and content have changed for some streams.

GATE 2027 Two-Paper Combination

Candidates have the option to appear for one or two papers in the same GATE cycle.
If opting for two papers, the second paper must be selected from an officially permitted combination list — not every pairing is allowed.
Both papers must be selected within the same application at the time of registration; this cannot be added later outside the correction window.
Before choosing an unconventional combination, check whether your target institute/programme actually accepts that specific pairing for admission — GATE allows the combination, but individual institutes set their own acceptance rules.

What Is GATE 2027 Used For?

M.Tech/M.E. admissions at IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other institutions.
Master’s programmes in various engineering and science disciplines.
Direct PhD admissions at several institutes.
Financial assistance/stipends for eligible postgraduate students, subject to institute-specific rules.
PSU recruitment — many Public Sector Undertakings use GATE scores as an initial screening criterion for entry-level engineer/scientist recruitment.

Important: GATE itself does not guarantee admission, a scholarship, or a PSU job — individual institutions and PSUs set their own eligibility cutoffs, interview processes, and selection rules on top of the GATE score.

GATE 2027 Registration — Important Points

Create or update your DigiLocker account well before 27 August 2026, so registration isn’t delayed on day one.
Use a valid, actively-monitored email address and mobile number.
Check your eligibility carefully before selecting your paper — especially if considering the two-paper combination.
Upload documents strictly in the prescribed format and size.
Verify every detail carefully before final submission — the correction window (14-21 October 2026) allows only limited changes.
Save your application/enrolment number securely.
Keep your payment receipt safe for future reference.
Do not submit multiple applications — this can create complications during city allotment and admit card issuance.

GATE 2027 FAQs

Q1. When will GATE 2027 registration start?

The revised official schedule states registration begins on 27 August 2026 (changed from the earlier 14 August date).

Q2. What is the last date for GATE 2027 registration?

The revised regular deadline is 27 September 2026 (changed from the earlier 21 September date).

Q3. Can I apply after the regular deadline?

Yes, an extended application window with a late fee (₹500 in addition to the regular fee) is available until 5 October 2026.

Q4. Is there any age limit for GATE 2027?

No, there is no age limit for GATE 2027.

Q5. How many papers can I choose?

Candidates can choose one paper, or up to two papers, subject to the officially permitted subject combinations.

Q6. Who is conducting GATE 2027?

IIT Madras is the Organizing Institute for GATE 2027.

Q7. Is DigiLocker verification mandatory?

Yes, for Indian nationals, linking and verifying your DigiLocker account is a mandatory step before completing GATE 2027 registration.

Q8. What’s new in GATE 2027?

A new Robotics & Automation (RA) paper has been introduced (bringing the total to 30 papers), several syllabi have been revised, XE/XH/XL paper codes have been updated, and live facial verification via DigiLocker/Aadhaar has been added to the registration process.

Q9. When is the GATE 2027 exam?

The exam will be conducted on 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21 February 2027.

Direct Important Links

Description	Link
GATE 2027 Registration (GOAPS)	gate2027.iitm.ac.in
Information Brochure	gate2027.iitm.ac.in
Official Website	gate2027.iitm.ac.in

Conclusion

GATE 2027 registration has been officially revised — the GOAPS application window now opens on 27 August 2026 and closes on 27 September 2026 (with a late-fee window until 5 October 2026), a shift from the originally announced 14 August start date. Candidates should set up their DigiLocker account now, review the new Robotics & Automation paper and revised syllabus, and prepare all required documents well in advance so they’re ready to apply the moment registration opens. Given that IIT Madras has already revised this schedule once, keep checking gate2027.iitm.ac.in regularly for any further updates.