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GATE Exam 2024: Exam Pattern, Syllabus, Cutoff, Eligibility and Application form
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GATE Exam: Overview
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a prestigious national-level examination opening doors to postgraduate and doctoral programs. Conducted annually by seven esteemed IITs and IISc Bangalore on behalf of NCB-GATE, it serves as the gateway to Master’s and Doctoral programs across diverse streams like Engineering, Architecture, Technology, Arts, Science, and Commerce.
It selects prospective engineers for M.Tech programs at prestigious institutions like IITs, NITs, and IIITs while also serving as a recruitment criterion for top PSUs such as ONGC, NTPC, GAIL, HPCL, PGCIL, BHEL, and BSNL. The competition is fierce, with only a fraction—around 16-18%—out of the vast pool of approximately 9 lakh applicants managing to qualify each year. Securing a rank within the top 200 opens the doors to coveted IITs, while other aspirants find opportunities in esteemed institutions like NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. GATE isn’t just an exam; it’s the key to shaping a promising career in engineering, where excellence and determination pave the way for success.
It selects prospective engineers for M.Tech programs at prestigious institutions like IITs, NITs, and IIITs while also serving as a recruitment criterion for top PSUs such as ONGC, NTPC, GAIL, HPCL, PGCIL, BHEL, and BSNL. The competition is fierce, with only a fraction—around 16-18%—out of the vast pool of approximately 9 lakh applicants managing to qualify each year. Securing a rank within the top 200 opens the doors to coveted IITs, while other aspirants find opportunities in esteemed institutions like NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. GATE isn’t just an exam; it’s the key to shaping a promising career in engineering, where excellence and determination pave the way for success.
Table of Contents
GATE Exam Key Highlights
| Particulars | Insights |
|---|---|
|
GATE Full Form |
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering |
|
Conducting Body Of GATE |
IISc Bangalore |
|
Exam Level |
National Level Exam |
|
Total Number of Questions |
65 Questions |
|
Total Marks |
100 Marks |
|
GATE Exam Mode |
Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
|
Duration of the exam |
180 Minutes (3 hours) |
|
Type of Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ); Multiple Select Questions (MSQ); Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions |
|
Exam Language |
English |
|
Official Website |
GATE Exam Eligibility
GATE Eligibility mandates a completed graduation or enrollment in the 3rd year or beyond. The specifics of GATE eligibility vary and are contingent upon the criteria established by the individual institutions.
- The exam doesn’t have any specified minimum pass percentage requirement.
- Age Requirements: No specific age requirements.
- Nationality Criteria: GATE 2024 applicants must be Indian citizens. Residents of Nepal, Bangladesh, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, or the UAE are also eligible, provided they’ve finished their bachelor’s studies.
| Degree | Qualifying Degree/Examination | Description of eligible candidates | Expected Year of Completion |
|---|---|---|---|
|
B.E./B.Tech/B.Pharm. Students |
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology (4 years after 10+2 or 3 years after B.Sc. / Diploma in Engineering / Technology) |
Applicants should be in the 3rd year or a higher grade or have completed their studies. |
2025 |
|
B.Arch Students |
Bachelor’s degree of Architecture (5-year course) / Naval Architecture (4-year course) / Planning (4- year course) |
Applicants should be in the 3rd year or a higher grade or have completed their studies. |
2026 (for the 5-year program) 2025 (for the 4-year program) |
|
B.Sc. (Research) Students |
Bachelor’s degree in Science (Post-Diploma/4 years after 10+2) |
Applicants should be in the 3rd year or a higher grade or have completed their studies. |
2025 |
|
Pharm. D. (after 10+2) |
A 6-year program, featuring internship or residency training from the third year onwards. |
Applicants should be in the 3rd /4th / 5th / 6th year or have completed their studies. |
2027 |
|
M.B.B.S |
Graduates with an M.B.B.S. degree or students in their 5th, 6th, or 7th semester or higher in the same program. |
Applicants should be in the 5th / 6th / 7th semester or have completed their studies. |
2025 |
|
M.Sc., MA, MCA or Equivalent |
Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in Arts, Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Applications, or a comparable discipline for eligibility. |
Currently in the first year or higher or already Completed |
2025 |
|
Integrated M.E./M.Tech (Post B.Sc.) |
Post-B.Sc Integrated Master’s degree programs in Engineering/ Technology (4-year program) |
Currently in the 1st / 2nd /3rd /4th year or already completed |
2027 |
|
Int. M.E./M.Tech. 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 3rd /4th / 5th year or already completed |
2026 |
|
B.Sc. / B.A. / B.Com.
|
Bachelor degree in any branch of Science / Arts / Commerce (3 years program) |
Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed |
2023 |
|
Integrated M.Sc, Integrated B.S./M.S. |
Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year integrated B.S.-M.S. program |
Currently in the 3rd year or higher or already completed |
2026 |
|
Degree from Professional Society Examination (equivalent to B.E/B.Tech/B.Arch) |
B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch. equivalent examinations of Professional Societies, recognized by MoE/UPSC/AICTE |
Completed Section A or equivalent of such professional courses |
NA |
GATE Eligibility Criteria for International Students
- Applicants residing in nations including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are eligible candidates for the GATE 2024 examination.
- Students meeting this criterion should have finished or are currently pursuing their final year studies or in the pre-final year of their bachelor’s degree in engineering and technology or its equivalent.
- GATE international exam cities are no longer available. Candidates, including international students, must now choose an exam city within India for GATE 2024.
GATE Exam Syllabus
GATE 2024 Syllabus covers General Aptitude and Core Discipline topics, allotting 15% to General Aptitude and a significant 85% to Core Discipline. Note that the General Aptitude segment is compulsory in all branches.
GATE 2024 Syllabus for General Aptitude
The General Aptitude section is consistent across all 29 GATE papers. Its syllabus is comprised of four key segments: Verbal Ability, Quantitative Aptitude, Analytical Aptitude, and Spatial Aptitude. The provided table illustrates the GATE General Aptitude Syllabus categorized by topics.
| Sections | Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
|
Verbal Aptitude |
This segment covers key English grammar aspects: tenses, articles, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, verb-noun agreement, and other parts of speech. Additionally, it focuses on fundamental vocabulary, including words, idioms, and phrases in context. It emphasizes reading, comprehension, and narrative sequencing skills. |
|
Quantitative Aptitude |
Data interpretation: data graphs (bar graphs, pie charts, and other graphs representing the data), 2- and 3-dimensional plots, maps, and tables Numerical computation and estimation: ratios, percentages, powers, exponents and logarithms, permutations and combinations, and series Mensuration and geometry Elementary statistics and probability |
|
Analytical Aptitude |
This section demands attention, focusing on core areas like logic: deduction and induction, analogy, numerical relations, and reasoning. |
|
Spatial Aptitude |
Within this section, students will cover fundamental elements such as shape transformation, translation, rotation, scaling, grouping, assembly, reflection, paper manipulation, cutting, and exploration of patterns in 2D and 3D dimensions. |
GATE 2024 Data Science and AI Syllabus
GATE 2024 introduces the Data Science and AI paper. IISc Bangalore has shared the GATE 2024 DA Syllabus PDF. Dive into the GATE 2024 Data Science and AI Syllabus PDF using the link provided below.
GATE Exam Pattern
Explaining the structure, the GATE 2024 Exam Pattern defines the question paper’s core aspects. It includes details on question count, marking scheme, time limit, and more. The paper entails Multiple-choice (MCQ), multiple-selection (MSQ), and numerical answer type (NAT) questions. While MCQs incur negative marking, numerical answer questions have no such penalty.Dive into essential GATE 2024 Exam Pattern insights below.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
|
Mode of Examination |
Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
|
Duration |
3 hours (180 minutes) |
|
Total Questions |
65 |
|
GATE Total Marks |
100 |
|
Type of Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ); Multiple Select Questions (MSQ); Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions |
|
Sections |
Two/ Three (depending on the paper) |
|
Section-wise Number of Questions |
General Aptitude (GA)- 10 questions, Core Discipline- 55 questions |
|
Section-wise Weightage |
General Aptitude (GA)- 15 marks, Core Discipline- 85 marks |
|
Marking Scheme |
1 or 2 marks for each correct answer |
|
Negative Marking |
In 1-mark MCQs, a deduction of 1/3 mark applies to wrong answers. With 2-mark MCQs, the penalty increases to 2/3 mark. Do note, no negative marking exists for MSQs and NATs. |
GATE 2024 Marking Scheme
| Sections | Total Questions | Total Marks | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 mark Questions |
2 mark Questions |
|
|
General Aptitude |
5 |
5 |
(5 x 1) + (5 x 2) = 15 |
|
Core Discipline |
25 |
30 |
(25 x 1) + (30x 2) = 85 |
|
Total |
30 |
35 |
100 |
GATE Exam Cutoff
GATE Cut off is announced alongside the result. Qualifying this benchmark is crucial for access to counseling or admission. For GATE CS aspirants, achieving a 30+ score in the GATE 2024 exam is recommended. Check the previous year’s cutoff below for insights.
GATE Cut off 2023
| Paper Code | General | OBC/ EWS | SC/ ST/ PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
|
CS (Computer Science and Information Technology) |
32.5 |
29.2 |
21.6 |
|
ME (Mechanical Engineering) |
28.4 |
25.5 |
18.9 |
|
EC (Electronics and Communications Engineering) |
29.9 |
26.9 |
19.9 |
|
EE (Electrical Engineering) |
25 |
22.5 |
16.6 |
|
CE (Civil Engineering) |
26.6 |
23.9 |
17.7 |
|
CH (Chemical Engineering) |
32.1 |
28.8 |
21.4 |
|
IN (Instrumentation Engineering) |
34.8 |
31.3 |
23.2 |
|
MA (Mathematics) |
25 |
22.5 |
16.6 |
|
AR (Architecture and Planning) |
33.7 |
30.3 |
22.4 |
|
BM (Biomedical Engineering) |
25 |
16.6 |
16.6 |
|
AE (Aerospace Engineering) |
25.1 |
22.5 |
16.7 |
|
AG (Agriculture Engineering) |
25 |
22.5 |
16.6 |
|
BT (Biotechnology ) |
31.6 |
28.4 |
21 |
|
CY (Chemistry) |
26.5 |
23.8 |
17.6 |
|
ES (Environmental Science & Engineering) |
27.7 |
24.9 |
18.4 |
|
EY (Ecology Evolution) |
42.6 |
38.3 |
28.4 |
|
GE (Geomatics Engineering) |
28.7 |
25.8 |
19.1 |
|
MT (Metallurgical Engineering) |
47.5 |
42.7 |
31.6 |
|
PE (Petroleum Engineering) |
34.4 |
30.9 |
22.9 |
GATE Application form
Registration:The GATE registration process involves providing the candidate’s basic information—name, email ID, and contact number. Following successful registration, the system generates the GATE application number and password.
Application Form: GATE application necessitates inputting personal, academic details, and uploading photos/signatures. Selection of exam center and subject is crucial. Post-form completion, upload the necessary documents.
Required Documents: Upload scanned copies—Passport-size Photograph, Signature, Eligibility Certificate, SC/ST Certificate, and PwD Certificate—as per the guidelines shared.
Application Form: GATE application necessitates inputting personal, academic details, and uploading photos/signatures. Selection of exam center and subject is crucial. Post-form completion, upload the necessary documents.
Required Documents: Upload scanned copies—Passport-size Photograph, Signature, Eligibility Certificate, SC/ST Certificate, and PwD Certificate—as per the guidelines shared.
| Documents | Dimensions | Size and Other Specifications | Format of Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Passport size photograph |
3.5 cm Width × 4.5 cm Height
|
5 kb -200 kb, 60% – 70% of Face Coverage Pixels Range from 240×320 – 480×640 |
JPEG / JPG |
|
Signature |
80×280 – 160×560 Pixels |
5 kb-200 kb, Area of signature must cover 70-80% of the image. Sign with black or dark blue color ink only. |
JPEG / JPG |
|
Photo ID Proof |
– |
– |
PDF |
|
Class 10th & 12th Marksheet |
– |
– |
PDF |
|
Caste Certificate |
– |
– |
PDF |
|
PwD Certificate |
– |
– |
PDF |
Application Fees: Applicants need to pay the application fee through UPI, credit card, debit card, or net banking, depending on their category.
| Category | Application fee | Late Application fee |
|---|---|---|
|
Female/SC/ST/PwD |
₹ 900/- |
₹ 1400/- |
|
All other candidates including foreign nationals |
₹ 1800/- |
₹ 2300/- |
FAQs
What is the GATE Exam?
The GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) Exam is a national-level examination in India, conducted jointly by the IISc (Indian Institute of Science) and IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology). It assesses the comprehensive understanding of various engineering and science subjects.
Who is eligible to apply for GATE 2024?
As per GATE’s eligibility criteria, candidates in their 3rd year of graduation, along with graduates, are eligible. Meeting the eligibility requires completing the necessary degree from a recognized institute. Additionally, individuals with BDS or M.Pharma degrees qualify.
What is the syllabus for the GATE exam?
GATE 2024 Syllabus includes General Aptitude and Core Discipline topics, with 15% allotted to General Aptitude and 85% allotted to Core Discipline. It should be noted that the General Aptitude section is required in all branches.
What is the GATE 2024 exam pattern?
As per the GATE Exam pattern specifications, expect 65 questions weighing 100 marks. The format includes MCQs, MSQs, and NAT types. Important: 1-mark questions incur a -0.33 penalty, while 2-mark questions suffer -0.66.
Who will conduct GATE 2024?
IISc Bangalore is the appointed host for GATE 2024. Every year, prestigious institutes, including IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Roorkee, manage the examination. Noteworthy: IISc Bangalore led the GATE exams in 1984, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2016.
