Qualification for GATE 2026: Eligibility Criteria & Degrees

Qualification for GATE 2026: Eligibility Criteria & Degrees

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GATE Exam Date:07 Feb' 26 - 08 Feb' 26

K Guna SahitiUpdated on 29 Oct 2025, 11:20 AM IST

Qualification for GATE 2026: The authority released the minimum required qualification for GATE 2026 on the official website, gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The official qualification for the GATE 2026 notification was released on August 5, 2025. Candidates can check the detailed qualifications for GATE 2026 in this article. As per the GATE 2026 eligibility, aspirants studying in the 3rd or higher years of any UG degree or who have completed government-approved degree course in Engineering/Science/ Architecture/Technology/Commerce /Humanities/Arts are eligible to apply for the GATE 2026 exam. The authority had opened the GATE 2026 application form correction window on October 28, 2025, and it will close on November 3, 2025. The authority will conduct the GATE 2026 exam on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026.

Qualification for GATE 2026: Eligibility Criteria & Degrees
Qualification for GATE 2026

IIT Guwahati has announced the GATE 2026 exam date online. The GATE exam allows candidates to pursue MTech programs in prestigious institutes. Candidates must make sure to have a valid qualification before applying for the course. Read the article below completely to know more details regarding the Qualification for GATE 2026.

Qualification for GATE 2026

The authority released the GATE 2026 qualification details on August 5. Below is the qualification exam required for GATE 2026.

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GATE Exam Qualification 2026

Degree

Qualifying Examination

Eligible Candidates

B.Sc. (Research) / B.S.

Bachelor’s degree in Science (Post-Diploma/4 years after 10+2)

Currently in the 3rd year or higher, or already completed

B.Sc. (Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry)

4-year B.Sc program

Currently in the 3 rd/ 4 th year or already completed

B.E. / B.Tech. / B. Pharm.

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology (4 years after 10+2 or 3 years after B.Sc. / Diploma in Engineering / Technology)

Currently in the 3 rd year or higher or already completed

B. Arch.

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture (5- year course) / Naval Architecture (4- year course) / Planning (4- year course)

Currently in the 3 rd year or higher or already completed

M.B.B.S./B.D.S.

Degree holders of M.B.B.S./B.D.S. and those who are in the 5th/6th/7th semester or higher semester of such programme

5 th/ 6 th/ 7 thor higher semester or already completed

Pharm. D. (after 10+2)

6 years degree program, consisting of internship or residency training, from the third year onwards

Currently in the 3rd/ 4 th/ 5 th/6th year or already completed

B.Sc. / B.A. / B.Com.

Bachelor's degree in any branch of Science / Arts / Commerce (3-year program)

Currently in the 3 rd year or already completed

M. Sc. / M.A. / MCA or equivalent

Master’s degree in any branch of Arts/Science/Mathematics/Statistics/ Computer Applications or equivalent

Currently in the first year or higher or already Completed

Int. M.E./ M.Tech. (Post-B.Sc.)

Post-B.Sc Integrated Master’s degree programs in Engineering/ Technology (4-year program)

Currently in the 1 st/ 2 nd/ 3 rd/ 4 th year or already completed

Int. M.E./ M.Tech./M.Pharm or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2)

Integrated Master’s degree program or Dual Degree program in Engineering/Technology (5-year program)

Currently in the 3 rd / 4 th/ 5 th year or already completed

Professional Society Examinations (equivalent to B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Arch.)

B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch. equivalent examinations of Professional Societies, recognized by MoE/UPSC/AICTE (e.g. AMIE by the Institution of Engineers-India, AMICE by the Institute of Civil Engineers-India, and so on)

Completed Section A or equivalent of such professional courses

Int. M.Sc. / Int. B.S. / M.S.

Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year integrated B.S.-M.S. program

Currently in the 3 rd year or higher or already completed

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who conducts the GATE 2026 Exam?
A:

IIT Guwahati will conduct the GATE 2026 exam. 

Q: What is the last date for the GATE 2026 registration?
A:

The last date for the GATE 2026 registration with a late fee was October 13, 2025.

Q: What is the minimum qualification for the GATE 2026 Exam?
A:

The candidate has to complete 4 years of graduation in either the maths or science stream.

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Questions related to GATE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to GATE ?

Hello,

Visit the below website to download the previous 15 years question paper of GATE exam.

https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/last-15-years-gate-papers-solutions

You'll also get the solutions from it. These question papers will help you a lot in your preparation.

All the best.

Hello,

The GATE 2026 Agricultural Engineering (AG) paper will have a total of 100 marks. Out of this, 15 marks are for General Aptitude and 85 marks are for core Agricultural Engineering subjects.

The marks are generally distributed among major topics like Engineering Mathematics (12–13 marks), Farm Machinery (10–11), Farm Power (14–15), Soil & Water Conservation (12–13), Irrigation & Drainage (10–12), Agricultural Process Engineering (10–12), and Dairy & Food Engineering (9–10 marks).

The official qualifying marks for GATE 2026 are not yet released. However, based on previous years, the cutoff for the Agricultural Engineering paper is expected to be around 25 marks for General, 22.5 for OBC/EWS, and 16.6 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.

Hope it helps !

Hello,

No,For Mtech you are not eligible to give GATE examination in 2nd year diploma and after completing your diploma degree

Only bachelor's degree holders can give GATE examination

Thank you

Hello

If you're in 2nd year right now, you can’t register for GATE 2026 just yet.
The exam is only open to students in the 3rd year or beyond in their degree.
It’s mainly because the GATE tests subjects that are usually taught later in your course.
But don’t worry, you are in a great position to start preparing early!
Focus on your basics, practice problem-solving, and build strong concepts now.
By the time you reach 3rd year, you’ll be well ahead of the game.