What's New in GATE 2027? DigiLocker Mandatory and Other Changes Announced by IIT Madras

What's New in GATE 2027? Major Changes Announced by IIT Madras

The authority has announced the major changes along with the information brochure for engineering candidates. They can check the major changes announced by IIT Madras for GATE 2027 as follows:

Select Six Cities from GATE Exam Centres 2027

Candidates, while filling out the form, will be able to select six exam cities instead of three. They will have to choose the names from a single zone only.

GATE 2027 Exam on Six Days

Starting this year, the exam will be held on 6 days. The exam will be held on Saturdays and Sundays across three weeks. Till last year, the GATE was scheduled only on four days. The GATE test dates are February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21, 2027

Live Photo for GATE Application 2027

IIT Madras has introduced additional verification measures during the registration process. According to the brochure, applicants will be required to capture a live photo during registration.

DigiLocker Mandatory for GATE 2027 Registration

Aspirants have to either create a DigiLocker account or update a previously made account with latest details. It is mandatory for smoother document verification and application process. Candidates’ applications will be accepted only through GOAPS portal in online mode. Their basic details will be directly fetched from DigiLocker.

New Robotics and Automation (RA) Paper Introduced

The authority has announced the new test paper, Robotics and Automation (RA). This addition reflects the increasing importance of robotics, automation, artificial intelligence and smart manufacturing technologies across industries.

Revised Syllabus of Multiple Test Papers

According to IIT Madras, all candidates have been advised to make sure they go through the new GATE 2027 syllabus very carefully prior to preparing for exam. This is because they need to get the latest syllabus and know which new things have been included in it.

Changes in XE, XH, and XL Paper Codes

IIT Madras has also made changes to the paper codes for the multi-sectional papers, like XE for engineering sciences, XH for humanities and social sciences, XL for life sciences. Those who are planning to appear in the GATE examination must carefully verify the revised paper code while filling out the application form.

Textile Engineering Moved Under XE Section

According to the GATE 2027 brochure, Textile Engineering and Fibre Science has been included in XE section. In 2026, this subject had its own dedicated paper. This change means candidates interested in Textile Engineering will now appear through the XE paper and choose the relevant section during the examination.

GATE 2027 to be Conducted for 30 Test Papers

IIT Madras will conduct the GATE 2027 for 30 test papers in the Computer Based Test mode. They will choose subjects depending on their academic background and career goals. The GATE 2027 examination will be held in English language only and will be conducted across more than 300 cities in India.

Two-Paper Option

The facility to appear for one or two papers remains available in GATE 2027. However, candidates must select paper combinations only from the list approved by the GATE committee. Teh GATE 2026 two paper combinations have been revised as well.

GATE Examination Pattern

The GATE exam pattern remains the same for 2027 examination. Candidates will continue to use the on-screen virtual calculator provided during the examination. Students can check the GATE 2027 exam pattern in the table below:

GATE 2027 Important Dates

IIT Madras has also announced the official schedule for GATE 2027. Refer to the table below to check the GATE 2027 dates: