GATE

A COMPLETE GUIDE
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

CONTENTS
Introduction to GATE  04
Salient Points of GATE 05
GATE Important Dates 06
GATE Eligibility Criteria 07
GATE Exam Pattern 10
GATE Zonal & Exam Centres 14
GATE Application Process 15
GATE Application Status 16
Corrections in GATE Application 17
GATE Admit Card 18
How to prepare for GATE? 19
Time Management Before and During GATE Exam 21
GATE Result & Score Card 22
What after GATE? 25

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

FOREWORD
Dear GATE Aspirants,
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is the largest online Engineer-
ing Entrance exams in India for the PG courses in Engineering. Admissions to the
M.Tech courses offered by IITs, IISc Bangalore, NITs and many state run universi-
ties as well as private ones in the country are based on the GATE scores.
Over the years, it has been seen that GATE applications for five disciplines are the
largest in comparison. Candidates for Mechanical, Computer Science, Electron-
ics & Communication, Electrical and Civil Engineering are in such large numbers
that the test for these disciplines are held in multiple sessions. The rest of the
disciplines are held in one session.
The other reason is the PSU recruitment that is more for these disciplines and
hence the large numbers. Most of the candidates who appear for GATE are gen-
erally very hard pressed for time to research about the entrance test on account
of various factors.
Careers360 has compiled all the relevant information about GATE for the ease
of the GATE aspirants. This E-book is in essence a complete guide for GATE put
together with the wish that it helps all students in their pursuit of success in GATE.

 All the Best!
 Team Careers360

3
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

INTRODUCTION TO GATE
GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is the All India examination that
is used to screen the applicants from across the country for admissions to the
various Post Graduate courses in Engineering in the IITs, IISc Bangalore, NITs,
some CFTIs and many private institutes as well as many state universities.

GATE is an online test that is designed primarily to test the comprehensive under-
standing of the candidates in their chosen discipline in Engineering or Technology.
The syllabus encompasses the syllabi by the students studied at the graduation
level.

GATE scores are used for screening the admissions to the PG courses like
M.Tech/M.E/ Integrated courses like M.Tech-Phd and even M.Des at some IITs.
GATE qualified candidates are given preference over other candidates in many
state conducted entrance exams while many allow direct admissions on the basis
of the GATE scores.

Many leading PSUs have been recruiting candidates on the basis of their GATE
scores and this number has been increasing over the years since 2012 when it
was announced for the first time.

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

Salient Points of GATE:

●● GATE is organized by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and seven IITs namely
IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Guwahati, and
IIT Roorkee
●● The exam is held once every year in February. Applications are generally available in the
month of September of the previous year.
●● GATE is now open to Foreign candidates who can appear for the exam at exam centres
at Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Dhaka (Bangladesh), Dubai (UAE),
Kathmandu (Nepal), Singapore.
●● GATE is completely online – application process, admit card download, test, result and
score card.
●● The GATE Application Process is through GOAPS which is the GATE Online Applica-
tion Processing System.
●● Candidates have to upload their photograph and signature along with their degree or
provisional or a certificate from the HOD.
●● GATE Admit Card can only be downloaded by candidates and will not be available by
any other means.
●● Biometric information (Photograph and Fingerprints) for randomly selected candidates
may be captured at the exam centres before the start of the examination
●● The Result can be checked by all candidates through GOAPS
●● The GATE Score Card can be downloaded within the given time frame only by students
who have qualified in the exam.
●● GATE Scores are valid for a period of three year

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE IMPORTANT DATES:

It is important for candidates to know when to apply, what date to expect the admit
card and exam schedules etc. The below given dates are tentative but are a good
measure to allow candidates to keep an eye on the events related to GATE.

Time line for GATE

Event Date
Start of Online Application through GOAPS September 1
Last Date for Application October first week
Last Date for Change of Exam Centre (City) November second week
Download of Admit card January first week
GATE Exam February first & second Saturdays & Sundays
GATE Result March Second Week,
Availability of GATE Score Card for Download March Second Week to May Last Week,
GATE Score Card on payment of fee May Last week to December 31

GATE Exam Schedule:

Session Day Time
1 First Saturday of February 9 am to 12 noon
2 2 pm to 5 pm
3 First Sunday of February 9 am to 12 noon
4 2 pm to 5 pm
5 Second Saturday of February 9 am to 12 noon
6 2 pm to 5 pm
7 Second Sunday of February 9 am to 12 noon
8 2 pm to 5 pm

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GATE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The GATE Eligibility Criteria should be checked carefully by everyone applying for
GATE to ensure that they meet them.
GATE Eligibility Criteria
Qualifying Degree
B.E./ B.Tech./ B.Pharm.
B. Arch.
B.Sc. (Research)/ B.S.
M. Sc./ M.A./MCA or equivalent
Int. M.E./ M.Tech. (Post-B.Sc.)
Int. M.E./ M.Tech. or Dual
Degree(after Diploma or 10+2)
Int. M.Sc./ Int. B.S.-M.S.
Professional
Society Examinations (equivalent to
B.E./B.Tech./B. Arch.)
GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE
Qualifying Degree / Examination Description of Eligible Candi-
dates
Bachelor's degree holders in Engi- Currently in the final year or already
neering/Technology (4 years after completed
10+2 or 3 years after B.Sc./Diploma
in Engineering /Technology)
Bachelor's degree holders of Archi- Currently in the final year or already
tecture (5 years course) completed
Bachelor's degree in Science (Post- Currently in the 4th year or already
Diploma/4 years after 10+2) completed
Master's degree in any branch of Currently in the final year or already
Science/Mathematics/Statistics/ completed
Computer Applications or
equivalent
Post-BSc Integrated Master's Currently in the 2nd/ 3rd/4th year
degree programs in Engineering/ or already completed
Technology (4 years program)
Integrated Master's degree pro- Currently in the 4th/5th year or
gram or Dual Degree program in already completed
Engineering/Technology (5 years
program)
Integrated M.Sc. or 5 years inte- Currently in the final year or already
grated B.S.-M.S. program completed
B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch. equivalent Completed Section A or equivalent
examinations of Professiona of such professional courses
Societies, recognized by MHRD/
UPSC/AICTE (e.g., AMIE by Institu-
tion of Engineers-India, AMICE by
the Institute of Civil Engineers-
India)
7
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

Some Important Points:

All candidates have to upload their degree certificate/provisional certificate/course com-

pletion certificate/professional certificate/membership certificate issued by the institute
or society.

Candidates with Higher Degrees: Candidates who are pursuing any higher degree
or has already passed a higher degree than the ones mentioned in the table above can select
the minimum relevant one from the given one above to apply. For example, candidates who
have complete or are completing their M.Tech must mention details of their B.Tech.

Certificate from Principal: Candidates who are in their final year or have not got
their certificate have to upload a Certificate from the Head of the Department/Institute
(in the specified format) or a copy of marks sheet for Section A of AMIE. This certificate
must mandatorily have the signature and seal of the Head of Institute/Department with
current date.

GATE Qualifying Disciplines for Engineering/Technology

Aeronautical Engg.
Aerospace Engg
Aircraft Maintenance Engg
Agricultural Engg.
Agricultural Technology
Architecture/ Architectural
Architecture & Interior Design /
Decoration
Automation & Robotics
Automobile Engg.
Automobile Maintenance Engg.
Biochemical Engg.
Biomedical Engg.
Biomedical Instrumentation
Biotechnology
Cement & Ceramic Technology
Ceramic Engg. & Technology
Ceramic & Glass Technology
Chemical Engg.
Chemical Technology
Electrical Instrumentation &
Control Engg.
Electrical and Mechanical Engg.
Electrical and Power Engineering
Electro-Chemical Engg.
Electronics Engg.
Electronics & Biomedical Engg.
Electronics Communication & Ins
trumentation
Electronics & Computer Engg.
Electronics & Communication
Electronics & Telecommunication
Electronics & Power
Energy Engg.
Energy & Environmental Engg.
Environmental Engg.
Environmental Science & Technol-
ogy
Environmental Planning
Environment & Pollution Control
Fashion Technology / Fashion &
Appareral Technology
Fibres & Textiles Processing Tech-
nology
Manufacturing Engg.
Manufacturing Science & Engg.
Manufacturing Technology
Marine Engg. / Technology
Material Science and Engg. / Tech-
nology
Mechanical Engg.
Mechatronics
Mechatronics & Automation Engg.
Medical Electronics / Engg.
Medical Instrumentation
Metallurgical Engg.
Military Engg.
Mineral Engg. / Mineral Dressing
Mining Engg. / Technology, Mining
& Machinery
Nano Technology & Robotics
Naval Architecture /Marine Engg.
Oil Technology
Optics & Optoelectronics
Paint Technology

8

Civil Engg
Civil & Environmental Engg
Civil & Structural Engg.
Civil & Construction Engg.
Civil & Water Resource Management
Computer Engg.
Computer Science & Engg.
Computer Science & Technology
Computer Science & Information
Technology
Communication Engg.
Control & Instrumentation
Construction Engg. & Management
Dairy Engg. / Technology
Electrical Engg.
Electrical and Electronics Engg.
Electrical and Instrumentation
Engg.
GATE Qualifying Disciplines for Science
Agricultural Science
Applied Electronics
Applied Mathematics
Applied Mechanics
Applied Physics
Biochemistry
Bio-Sciences
Chemistry
Computer Applications
Earth Sciences
Electronics
Electronics & Computer Science
Fire Engg. / Technology & Safety
Food Engg. & Technology.
Food Processing Engg / Processing
& Preservation Engg.
Industrial Technology
Industrial Engg.
Industrial Management
Industrial Metallurgy
Information & Communication
Technology
Information Engineering
Information Technology
Instrumentation & Process Control/
Engineering
Instrumentation Engg. / Technology
Instrumentation & Process Control
Leather / Foot Wear Technology
Machine Engg.
Man-Made Fibre / Textile Technol-
ogy
Engineering Physics
Geology / Geophysics
Geo Informatics
Industrial Chemistry
Information Science
Life Sciences (Botany)
Life Sciences (Zoology)
Life Science / Veterinary / Animal
Science
Materials Science
Mathematics
Mathematics & Computing
Mcrobiology
9
GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE
Petro-Chemical Engg.
Petroleum Engg. / Technology
Petroleum Refinery Engg.
Planning (Environmental / Infra-
structure / Urban & Regional/
Urban Regeneration
Plastic Engg. / Technology
Polymer Engg. / Science /Technol-
ogy
Polymer Science & Chemical Tech-
nology
Power Electronics / Power Electron-
ics Engg.
Power Engg.
Printing & Packing Technology
Production & Industrial Engg.
Renewable Energy
Robotics & Automation
Rubber Technology
Telecommunication Engg.
Textile Engg. / Technology
Nano Science & Technology
Nuclear Science & Technology
Nuclear Physics
Operations Research
Pharmaceuticals Chemistry &
Technology
Pharmaceutical Sciences / Phar-
macy
Physics
Radio Physics
Radio Physics & Electronics
Statistics
Textile Chemistry
Urban Transportation Planning &
Management
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE EXAM PATTERN:

The GATE examination consists of a single paper of 3-hour duration that contains
65 questions carrying a maximum of 100 marks. The question paper will consist
of both multiple choice questions (MCQ) and numerical answer type questions
as given below

Types of Questions in GATE :

Multiple Choice Questions
These questions carry 1 or 2 marks each in all papers
and sections.
They are objective in nature with a choice of four
answers, out of which the candidate has to mark the
correct answer(s).
Marking Scheme
There will be negative marking.
For 1-mark questions, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a
wrong answer.
For 2-mark questions, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a
wrong answer
Numerical Questions
These questions carry 1 or 2 marks each in all papers
and sections.
The answer for these questions is a real number
There will be no choices given for these questions
Candidates must key in the answer using the virtual
keypad (The keyboard of the computer will be disa-
bled).
There is no negative marking for Numerical questions

Note: Candidates will be provided with blank paper sheets for rough work and these have
to be returned back after the examination.

General Aptitude (GA) Questions:

●● This is a mandatory section for all papers.
●● The GA section includes 5 questions carrying 1 mark each (sub-total 5 marks) and 5
questions carrying 2 marks each (sub-total 10 marks).
●● The GA questions carry a total of 15 marks

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE Exam Pattern

Sl.No GATE Paper Code Exam Pattern

1 Aerospace Engineering AE

2 Agricultural Engineering AG The Engineering Mathematics

section will carry around 15%
of the total marks,
3 Biotechnology BT
The General Aptitude section
will carry 15% of the total
4 Civil Engineering CE marks
The remaining 70% percent-
5 Chemical Engineering CH age of the total marks is
devoted to the subject of the
Computer Science and Information paper.
6 CS
Technology
Except GG & XE all papers
Electronics and Communication Engi- have:
7 EC
neering 1 Mark questions: 25 ques-
tions
8 Electrical Engineering EE 2 Marks questions: 30 ques-
tions
9 Instrumentation Engineering IN Total Questions are 55 and
Total Marks 85
10 Mechanical Engineering ME

11 Mining Engineering MN

12 Metallurgical Engineering MT

13 Petroleum Engineering PE

14 Production and Industrial Engineering PI

15 Textile Engineering and Fibre Science TF

16 Engineering Sciences XE*

17 Life Sciences XL*

18 Architecture and Planning AR

General Aptitude section will

19 Chemistry CY carry 15% of the total marks
and the remaining 85% of the
20 Ecology and Evolution EY total marks is devoted to the
subject of the paper

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

Geology and Geophysics:

In addition to General Ability, the Ques-
tion Paper will have Part A common &
compulsory for all candidates with 25
21 questions of 1 mark GG*
Part B has Section 1 (Geology) and Sec-
tion 2 (Geo-physics). Candidates can
answer any one section
30 questions for 2 marks each

22 Mathematics MA

23 Physics PH

* All papers except GG, XE and XL have a common marking system

Explaining GATE XE and XL Papers:

GATE Engineering Sciences XE Paper Sec- GATE Question Pattern
Section
tions

1 mark questions: 7
2 mark questions: 4
Engineering Mathematics (Compulsory) A Total: 11 questions carrying a total of 15
marks

Candidates have to answer any two sections from below

The choice of two sections from B to G can be made during the examination after viewing the questions. Only
two optional sections can be answered at a time. A candidate wishing to change midway of the examination to
another optional section must first choose to deselect one of the previously chosen optional sections (B to G).

Fluid Mechanics B 1 mark questions: 9

2 mark questions: 13
Materials Science C 22 questions carrying a total of 35 marks

Solid Mechanics D

Thermodynamics E

Polymer Science and Engineering F

Food Technology G

Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences H

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE  Life Sciences XL Paper Sections Code GATE Question Pattern

1 mark questions: 5
2 mark questions: 10
Total 15 questions for a total of 25
Chemistry (Compulsory) H
marks

Candidates have to answer any two sections from below The choice of two sections from I to M can be made
during the examination after viewing the questions. Only two optional sections can be answered by the candi-
date. A candidate wishing to change midway of the examination to another optional section must first choose to
deselect one of the previously chosen optional sections (I to M).

Biochemistry I 1 mark questions: 10

2 mark questions: 10
Botany J Total 20 questions for a total of 30
marks
Microbiology K

Zoology L

Food Technology  M

Design of Questions in the GATE Paper:

The questions may be designed to test the following abilities:
(i) Recall: These are based on facts, principles, formulae or laws of the discipline of
the paper. The candidate is expected to be able to obtain the answer either from his/her
memory of the subject or at most from a one-line computation.
(ii) Comprehension: These questions will test the candidate’s understanding of the
basics of his/her field, by requiring him/her to draw simple conclusions from fundamental
ideas.
(iii) Application: In these questions, the candidate is expected to apply his/her knowl-
edge either through computation or by logical reasoning.
(iv) Analysis and Synthesis: In these questions, the candidate is presented with
data, diagrams, images etc. that require analysis before a question can be answered. A Syn-
thesis question might require the candidate to compare two or more pieces of information.
Questions in this category could, for example, involve candidates in recognising unstated
assumptions, or separating useful information from irrelevant information

13

GATE EXAM CENTRES
Candidates have to choose a minimum of three centres while filling in their GATE
Application Form. They must choose the first two centres from the same zone and
will be allotted the third one n case of no vacancies in the first two.
Zone No. Zonal GATE Office
1 IISc Bangalore
Bengaluru - 560 012
Website: http://gate.iisc.ac.in/
2 IIT Bombay, Powai,
Mumbai - 400 076
Website: http://www.gate.iitb.
ac.in/
3 IIT Delhi, HauzKhas,
New Delhi - 110 016
Website: http://gate.iitd.ac.in/
4 IIT Guwahati
Guwahati - 781 039
Website: http://www.gate.iitg.ac.in
5 IIT Kanpur Kanpur - 208 016 Web-
site: http://gate.iitk.ac.in/
6 IIT Kharagpur
Kharagpur - 721 302
Website: http://gate.iitkgp.ac.in/
7 IIT Madras
Chennai - 600 036
Website: http://gate.iitm.ac.in/
8 IIT Roorkee
Roorkee - 247 667
Website: http://www.iitr.ac.in/
gate/
9 International GATE under the aegis
of the organizing institute
GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE
Tentative List of Examination Cities/Towns
Ananthapuramu, Angamaly, Bagalkot, Ballari (Bellary),
Belagavi (Belgaum), Bengaluru, Bidar, Davanagere, Hassan,
Hubballi (Hubli), Hyderabad, Kalaburag (Gulbarga), Kannur,
Kasaragod, Kolar, Kozhikode, Kurnool, Malappuram, Man-
galuru, Manipal, Mysuru (Mysore), Palakkad, Payyanur, Port
Blair, Shivamogga (Shimoga), Thrissur, Tumakuru, Vatakara
Ahmedabad, Ahmednagar, Amravati, Anand, Aurangabad,
Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Gandhinagar, Goa, Jalgaon, Kolhapur,
Mehsana, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Navi Mumbai,
Pune, Rajkot, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Surat, Thane,
Vadodara
Ajmer, Alwar, Bahadurgarh-Rohtak, Bikaner, Faridabad,
Greater NOIDA, Gurugram, Hisar, Indore, Jaipur, Jammu,
Jodhpur, Karnal, Kota, Mathura, New Delhi, Palwal, Samba,
Sikar, Udaipur, Ujjain
Agartala, Asansol-Durgapur, Burdwan, Dhanbad, Dibrugarh,
Gangtok, Guwahati, Imphal, Itanagar, Jorhat, Kalyani, Muzaf-
farpur, Patna, Shillong, Silchar, Siliguri, Tezpur
Agra, Aligarh, Allahabad, Bareilly, Bhopal, Gorakhpur, Gwalior,
Jabalpur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Varanasi
Balasore, Berhampur (Odisha), Bhilai, Bhimavaram, Bhu-
baneswar, Bilaspur (CG), Cuttack, Eluru, Hooghly, Jamshed-
pur, Kakinada (Surampalem), Kharagpur, Kolkata, Raipur,
Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry), Ranchi, Rourkela,
Sambalpur, Tadepalligudem, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam,
Vizianagaram
Alappuzha, Aluva, Attingal, Bapatla, Chengannur, Chennai,
Chittoor, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dindigul, Ernakulam, Erode-
Thiruchengode, Gudur, Guntur, Idukki, Kadapa, Kanjirapally,
Kanyakumari-Nagercoil, Karimnagar, Karur, Khammam,
Kollam, Kothamangalam, Kottayam, Madurai, Muvattupuzha,
Nalgonda, Namakkal, Nedumangad, Nellore, Ongole, Pala,
Puducherry (Pondicherry), Punalur, Salem, Thanjavur, Thiru-
vananthapuram, Thiruvannamalai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli,
Tirupati, Tuticorin, Vellore, Villupuram, Virudhunagar, Waran-
gal
Ambala, Amritsar, Baddi (HP), Bathinda, Bhimtal, Dehradun,
Ghaziabad, Haldwani, Hamirpur (HP), Jalandhar, Khanna,
Kurukshetra, Ludhiana, Meerut, Mohali, Moradabad, Muzaf-
farnagar, NOIDA, Panipat, Pathankot, Patiala, Roorkee, San-
grur, Shimla-Solan, Sonepat, Una, Yamunanagar
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Dhaka (Bang-
ladesh), Dubai (UAE), Kathmandu (Nepal), Singapore
14
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE APPLICATION PROCESS:

Check List of Data to be kept ready before filling in the GATE Application Form:
Candidates must keep the following information ready before filling in the GATE
Application Form.
●● Personal information (name, date of birth, valid personal mobile number, parent’s name,
parent’s mobile number, etc.).
●● Address for Communication (including PIN code),
●● Eligibility degree details (College address, PIN code of college),
●● GATE paper, choice of GATE examination cities,
●● Photograph as specified
●● Signature as specified
●● Scanned copy of Degree Certificate or Certificate from Principal/HODs in pdf format.
●● Scanned copy of Category/PwD Certificate (if applicable) in pdf format.
●● Details of a valid ID Proof to be carried to the exam hall.
●● Net-banking login and password in case of payment through net-banking mode.
●● Debit card/credit card number, password, CVV number in case of Card Payment.

Guidelines for Signature and Photograph:

Details Size Format Max Dimensions Min Dimensions
Colour Pho- 3.5 cm Width x 4.5 cm Height JPEG for- 480 x 640 in pixels 240 x 320 pixels
tograph taken mat (0.3 Mega pixel)
after August 1.
Signature in Within rectangular box of size 2 160 x 560 pixels 80 x 280 pixels
black or blue. cm x 7 cm (Height x Width) on an
Should NOT be A4 white paper
in Capital letters

GATE Application Process

●● Registration
●● Verification of Email ID & Mobile No
●● Fill the requisite details in Application Form
●● Upload the supporting documents, photograph and signature as specified.
●● Make the Application Fee payment online
●● Submit the Application Form
●● Check the GATE Application Status

15
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE Application Fees

For Examination Centres in India
Female candidates 750
SC/ST/PwD* category candidates 750
All other candidates 1500
For Examination Centres in Foreign Countries (All Candidates)
Addis Ababa, Colombo, Dhaka and Kathmandu US$ 50
Dubai and Singapore US$ 100

Payment Mode:
●● Candidates can pay online through Net Banking or Debit/Credit Cards.
●● Additional bank service charges may be applicable.

GATE Application Form Status:

Once the GATE application forms are received, they are scrutinised in terms of
the accuracy of the data which includes uploading supporting documents, clarity
of the photograph and signature of the candidates. If everything will be found in
order, the application form will be accepted. If not, defects will be highlighted in
the form and candidate will be informed about the same for rectification purpose.
Candidates will be sent an email and an SMS in this regard. All such candidates
will have to make changes within a stipulated time frame.
The current status of the application will be updated after its receipt and scrutiny
by the respective zonal GATE offices. Candidates can check the status of their
application form anytime by logging into through their GOAPS email ID and pass-
word. It is important to note that failing to rectify the defects in GATE application
form within the stipulated time period can lead to the rejection of the application. 

Forgot Enrolment ID or Password? 

In case the candidates forget their enrolment ID or password, they must follow the
given guidelines to check their lost credentials and log into their account.

Option 1: Forgot Enrolment ID or not received their Enrolment ID via Email – Candi-
dates will have to select this option and submit their registered mobile number and pass-
word. The enrolment ID will be sent via SMS to the candidate’s mobile number.
Option 2: Forgot Password – In this case, candidates will have to provide their enrol-
ment ID and password. Similarly, the password will be sent to the registered mobile number.
Option 3: Forgot Enrolment ID and Password -  Candidate who has paid the fees will
have to contact their zonal office. Candidates who have not paid the fees will have to register
themselves again.

16
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE 2018 APPLICATION FORM

CORRECTION
Candidates will be given a chance to rectify any mistakes they have made in
their GATE application form. This is possible only for some details and not all the
details in the application form. The candidates will have to send an email with their
Enrolment Number to their respective zonal GATE office along with the requisite
documents as proof to correct the mistakes. Candidates may be required to pay
a fee in case of category changes from SC/ST/Pwd to Gen/OBC. 

What can be corrected in GATE Application Form?

S.No Type of Correction
1 Name of Candidate
2 Date of Birth
3 Name of Parent
4 Qualifying Degree
Year of Qualifying Degree
Have you Graduated in the above
Degree?
Documents to be Accepted as Proof for Correction
10th Standard Certificate, Voter ID, Passport, Aadhaar ID, Driving
License
Birth Certificate, 10th Standard Certificate, Passport
Voter ID, Passport, Aadhaar ID, Driving License
Degree Certificate or Final Year/Semester Mark Sheet or Cer-
tificate with seal and signature of HoD/Principal/Competent
Authority

17
 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE ADMIT CARD

Candidates must download their admit card through GOAPS. The admit card is
generally available in recent years in January tentatively. Candidates must log in to
download their admit card. The GATE admit card is an important document as it
contains the GATE Registration No which is the detail that is used to connect for
PSU recruitment or M.Tech admissions. The admit card must be kept safe for a
period of three years as the GATE Scores are valid for that period. Candidates will
be required to carry the original photo identity proof mentioned in their application
form to the exam hall.

Details mentioned in the GATE Admit Card

●● Date of exam
●● Time of Exam
●● Registration No of Candidate
●● Name of Candidate
●● GATE paper appearing for
●● Exam Centre Address in detail
●● Photograph of candidates
●● Signature of candidate
●● Instructions for candidates

Important Instructions for Candidates:

Before printing the admit card for GATE, candidates are advised to go through
the details carefully to pin point any discrepancy, mistake etc. What they should
note is
●● If the details given in the admit card are legible and clear or not.
●● The photograph must be clear in the admit card
●● Similarly, the signature should also be clear and legible.
●● The GATE registration number must be mentioned clearly in the document.

For any discrepancy or mistake, candidates must contact the GATE zonal authori-
ties who will take the necessary steps to rectify the mistakes or discrepancies if
any.

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

HOW TO PREPARE FOR GATE?

●● Candidates must gather and know all the details of the GATE exam like the eligibility
criteria, subject papers, syllabus, exam pattern etc. All this information is well covered
in this book
●● GATE previous year’s statistics points out that 15% of the applicants only qualified in
the exam. This highlights the difficulty levels of the name. Therefore, preparation must
be serious and intense.
●● Most of the experts and toppers are of the opinion that the entire GATE syllabus must be
covered. However it is generally seen that the GATE papers delve more into the subjects
covered during the second and third year of graduation. So it is imperative that the syl-
labus pertaining to this period is brushed up more and taken care of.
●● If you are a final year student, you couldn’t ask for a more hectic schedule but turn it to
your advantage. The study environment is there. All you need to do is to incorporate the
schedule for GATE preparation into it. Yes, it is very intense but the result is worth the
effort.
●● First sit and analyse your strengths and weaknesses topic wise for the whole Syllabus.
This will help pinpoint the weak areas where you need more hard work than the others.
It will also point out the strong points that you need to hold on to.
●● The GATE Sample Papers, Previous Year’s Questions Papers are immensely helpful.
They help you to get familiar with the GATE Exam Pattern and helping you gauge the
more important topics.
●● Yes, the whole Syllabus is important but some topics need more effort more than the
others. With constant analysis, candidates can gauge what is important and better their
preparation.
●● Make your preparation better by dealing with the topics in hand in a more phased man-
ner and strengthening your knowledge. Schedule your study schedule in such a way
that you deal with a weak area and revise a strong one after the other so that you finish
tackling and confronting problem areas.
●● Test Series are very important for GATE Preparation. It is advisable to test oneself for
individual topics at the start while studying the syllabus. Make this a regular habit. You
can analyse your preparation efforts and strategy and change if needed.
●● It is good to make ready reckoner short notes topic wise when you are preparing for the
GATE Exam. These notes will be extremely useful when revising during the last days
before the GATE Exam
●● Once a substantial amount of the syllabus is done, it is right to start with the full tests. It
is mandatory to solve test papers and more important to solve as many previous GATE
papers as you can. This will hone your Exam strategy and improve your time manage-
ment skills.

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

●● Make a timetable after careful consideration and stick to it strictly. This time table
should be realistic such that you will be able to adhere and achieve it. Keep the GATE
Syllabus handy to refer to the topics and to know where you stand with regard to your
overall preparation.
●● Seniors, faculty can be a great help in your preparation as they have some experience
with GATE Preparation. Friends who have enrolled in coaching classes can also help
here
●● Don’t look for Shortcuts. Try and cover as much of the GATE syllabus as possible. Don’t
go by weightage and other shortcuts suggested by anyone. The last two years exams saw
questions asked from topics not expected by students.
●● Try and hone your calculation skills. The numerical questions are now in a greater pro-
portion than they were in earlier years. Since there is no negative marking, you should
also target accuracy in these.
●● For every weak topic or subject, work double hard to make yourself strong in it rather
than ignore it. Coping up with a mountain of syllabus at the end is a strict no go and a
sure way to lag.
●● Don’t lose heart or be disappointed if your performance is not excellent during the initial
days. You can still catch up with a few more attempts. The age old adage- “Practice makes
a man perfect” holds true here too. Most toppers have pushed their way through sheer
hard work and lots of practice.
●● Enrol in some GATE Test Series available online or through classes. These will help you
to have a regular check mechanism of where you stand. These tests will help you gauge
your position and what you need to improve in.
●● But it is not necessary to enrol somewhere. All you need to do is buy some sample papers
or download from the internet.
●● November onwards should be for practice of mock tests, sample papers and previous
year paper. The more you do these, the more you are comfortable with the exam pattern
thereby improving your speed.
●● Schedule the last days of the preparation with daily tests according to the actual GATE
exam. This will help you acclimatize yourself to the day, time of the actual exam.
●● Ensure that your revision is completed maximum by November. The last month is for
practice, practice and more practice. Keep the ready reckoner notes handy and look to
solve the doubts you may have in the papers. Once the solution is known to you, practice
it again so that you are sure of the answer.
●● Since the GATE papers will be online, you must also practice online. Check out the
GATE Mock Test after it is announced to check and practise using the Online Calculator
that is introduced from this year.
●● An important part is getting familiar with the online test environment. So it is advisable
to spend the last days practicing and solving the sample, mock papers along with the

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

previous year papers online.

●● Last but not least, make sure that the GATE admit Card, original valid Photo ID as
mentioned in your GATE application, and other materials are kept ready a week before
the actual GATE exam. This allows you not to miss any important document or writing
materials that are needed to appear for the exam.

Time Management Before and During GATE Exam:

●● Time management is one of the most important aspects that have to be taken care of during
preparation and also during the actual exam. Time is of shortage and is of essence. So sched-
uling and planning has to be nearly perfect and has to be adhered to in order to ensure success.

●● An extremely complex task is the making of the timetable or schedule. Before that, the
strong desire and belief of performing well in GATE has to be really strong.
●● Make a month wise target plan and include the topics that need to be covered during
that period. If you have enrolled for some coaching, you can adhere to the timetable
they give you.
●● It is a must to have a daily plan and a monthly plan with precise targets which are achiev-
able. Making plans that are unrealistic are a no go.
●● Do away with frivolous activities like TV, internet surfing, chatting on social media and
ensure the time is spent on your GATE preparation. Parties, movies are a strict no go for
the duration that you need to get your GATE preparation on board.
●● Practice with mock tests and previous year question papers especially during the last
months before GATE. You can hone your time management skills for the actual exam
and plan for the same.
●● The practice tests also allow you to know how much time to devote to each section in
the exam
●● Where there is a will, there is a way. GATE is an open competition where anyone can
succeed. Past records prove that only those with a strong desire to succeed and willing
to do the required hard work will qualify with flying colours. The background of any
student doesn’t really matter with GATE. Only the deserving ones get through and if you
want to be one of those, you know what to do- follow the above pointers and succeed in
GATE exam.

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE RESULT & SCORE CARD

The GATE result is announced online in the second to third week of March. Can-
didates can know the details of their performance and whether they have qualified
in the exam through the result. The result is just for information sake. It cannot be
used for any other purpose. Candidates can know the scores they have obtained
in the exam along with the qualifying marks for the respective GATE paper.

The GATE Score Card is available after the result is announced. It can be down-
loaded only by those candidates who have scored equal to or above the qualifying
marks as per their category and have been declared as qualified. Such candidates
must download their GATE score card and preserve it for a period of three years.
The GATE score card is an important document and required for PSU recruitment
or M.Tech admissions. Candidates will be asked to furnish the same for these.
Candidates will be allowed to download their GATE score card till the last week
of May and thereafter will have to pay Rs 500 online to get a copy of the same.
This facility will also be available till a limited period of time namely December 31.

GATE Qualifying Cutoff Marks:

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

GATE Cutoff and Qualifying Marks from Previous Years

S.No Branch General OBC SC/ST/PH
1 Electronics and Communication (EC) 25.00 22.50 16.60
2 Civil Engineering (CE) 28.70 25.8 19.10
3 Electrical Engineering (EE) 25.20 25.20 16.70
4 Mechanical Engineering (ME) 32.87 29 21
5 Computer Science & Information Technology (CS) 25 22.50 16.60
6 Instrumentation Engineering (IN) 34.60 31.10 23.00
7 Chemical Engineering (CH) 44.30 39.80 29.50
8 Biotechnology (BT) 38.90 35.00 25.90

GATE Normalisation process - Why are the GATE

marks normalized?
GATE is held in multiple sessions for papers like ME, CE, EE, EC and CS. The
reason is there are a huge number of applicants for these papers as most of
the PSU recruitments are for these branches. M.Tech specializations are com-
paratively preferred more for these core branches. Therefore the authorities use
normalization for these papers to ensure that any variation in the difficulty levels
of the question papers across different sessions is accounted for. The underlying
assumption for this is that “The abilities of candidates are the same across all the
sessions” as the procedure for allocation of session to candidates is random in
GATE. Moreover, the authorities ensure that the number of candidates allotted in
each session is of the same order of magnitude for the same multi-session GATE
paper.

GATE Normalisation process - How are the GATE

marks normalized?
For multiple Session GATE Papers (ME, CE, CS, EE, EC), the actual raw marks
obtained by the candidates out of 100 will be converted for that subject using
the given formula 

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

Calculation of Final GATE score for all papers

This is for all papers. For single session papers, the GATE score is calculated
using the raw GATE marks of the candidates out of 100 while for multi session
papers, the normalized marks are used to calculate the final score. The formula
applied to calculate the GATE score is given below where M is the raw scores
obtained by a candidate in case of single session test papers and is the normal-
ized scored of the candidates in case of multiple sessions. The formula used to
obtain the final score of the candidates is.

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 GATE - A COMPLETE GUIDE

WHAT AFTER GATE?

An important question that crops up after the exam is over –What after GATE? Well
there are the M.Tech admissions for IITs, NITs and then there is the PSU recruit-
ment that is the cause of the increase in GATE applicants every year. Candidates
can also apply abroad to universities in Singapore and Germany etc for their higher
education on the basis of GATE scores.

IIT M.Tech Admissions through GATE COAP

All the IITs have organised a Common Offer Acceptance Portal to ensure that
candidates and the institutes benefit with having a common system rather than an
individual one that is time consuming and costly too. Interested and eligible can-
didates have to apply to the IITs they are interested in for the M.Tech admissions
and register at GATE COAP to check the admission offers they have received. If
they find the offer acceptable, they must confirm the same by paying the fees and
completing the admission formalities laid down by the IIT. GATE COAP is available
from May tentatively.

NIT M.Tech Admissions through CCMT

The NITs and some GFTIs have come together since 2012 to organize a com-
mon counselling for the M.Tech admissions offered by them. This process is the
CCMT and is available in april. Candidates must register and pay the application
fee to participate in the common counselling. Upon seat allotment, they must get
their documents verified and confirm the admission with payment of a part fee as
prescribed by the CCMT authorities.

PSU Recruitment through GATE

Each year more than 40 PSUs announce recruitment on the basis of the GATE
scores. Candidates who have valid GATE Scores can apply to these PSUs whose
applications begin as early as January after the GATE admit card is available.
However the shortlisting and interviews are only after the announcement of the
GATE result. Candidates who meet the eligibility can apply for these sought out
jobs and seek their way to a rewarding career in the public sector.
Candidates can check our website engineering.careers360.com for all the latest
updates and pertinent information on GATE.

All the best!

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