This article will completely focus on the GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria. For all the aspirational engineering students or candidates, GATE is not just an exam, it’s more than that. It’s just like the extra opportunities or the incredible opportunity that the candidate has got. Therefore, if you want to enrol in an M.Tech, ME, or straight PhD program at a prestigious university like IIT, NIT, or IIIT, or if you want to work for a prestigious Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) like ONGC, NTPC, BHEL, DRDO, or ISRO, the GATE 2026 exam can be your launching pad.
Also learn: IIT Bhubaneswar MTech Placements Record 2025
GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria – Check Age Limit, Qualification, Attempts & More
In order to sit for the GATE 2026 examination, a candidate or a student should qualify the required eligibility criteria that have been set by the institute. Among the particular academic prerequisites mentioned in the GATE eligibility criteria 2026 are a bachelor’s degree in engineering or technology and a master’s degree in a relevant field. The GATE is not a normal exam, but it is considered the national-level examination for all postgraduate engineering programs.
The GATE exam is not conducted by any one institute, but it is taken jointly by seven IITs. Those are located in Chennai, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Guwahati, and the Indian Institute of Science or IISc, Bengaluru, Karnataka, and this is completely done by considering the of the National Institute Coordination Board-GATE, it is the Department of Higher Education, from the Ministry of Education, and the (GOI) or Government of India.
GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria
IIT Guwahati has posted the GATE 2026 eligibility requirements on its official website, https://gate2026.iitg.ac.in/. There will be multiple information related to the eligibility of the GATE 2026 will be provided here such as age limit, nationality, etc. However, candidates must meet the GATE 2026 eligibility standards in order to be eligible for the test.
Below are the detailed GATE Exam Eligibility Requirements:
The following points show the GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria (General):
Nationality
- Indian nationals will be eligible to apply. All the students whose nationality is India are eligible.Â
- Other candidates can also apply, if they doesn’t belong to India.
Academic Qualification
- Candidates should have a master’s degree (any of the master’s degree work) in any relevant bachelor’s degree in engineering or technology.
- If the candidates are in their final year of the qualifying degree, then they also become eligible to sit in the GATE 2026.Â
GATE Age Limit
- There is no age restriction for GATE 2026.
GATE Attempt Limit
- The quantity of attempts is unrestricted.
GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Course/ Paper Wise
Candidates who have earned certification from any of these professional associations must make sure that the exams are recognised by the MoE, AICTE, UGC, UPSC, and others as being on par with a B.E., B.Tech., B.Arch., B.Planning, etc.
Candidates who have obtained or are pursuing a qualifying degree from countries other than India: Applicants must be in their third year or higher, or have completed at least three years of study towards a bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, the arts, or the humanities.
Before completing the form, candidates should become aware with the eligibility requirements for the GATE 2026 exam.
The table below lists each paper’s/ Course/ Programs GATE eligibility requirements:
| Degree/ Courses/ Program | Examination/ Qualifying Degree | Eligible Candidates | Expected Year of Completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.E. / B.Tech. / B. Pharm. | Engineering or technology bachelor’s degree (4 years after 10 + 2 or 3 years after B.Sc./ Diploma) | Presently enrolled in the third year or above, or finished | 2026 |
| B. Arch. | Five-year architecture bachelor’s degree, four-year naval architecture course, or four-year planning course | Presently enrolled in the third year or above, or finished | 2027 (5-year), 2026 (4-year) |
| B.Sc. (Research) / B.S. | Science bachelor’s degree (Post-Diploma, 4 years after 10 + 2) | Presently enrolled in the third year or above, or finished | 2026 |
| Pharm. D. (after 10+2) | 6 – year degree program that, starting in the third year, includes internship or resident training | Currently in the 3rd/4th/5th/6th year, or already completed | 2027 |
| M.B.B.S./B.D.S. | M.B.B.S./ B.D.S. degree holders, as well as those enrolled in the fifth, sixth, or seventh semester or above | 5th, 6th, 7th semester or higher, or already completed | 2026 |
| M.Sc. / M.A. / MCA or equivalent | A master’s degree in any field of study, including computer applications, mathematics, statistics, or the arts, or an equivalent | Currently in the first year or higher, or already completed | 2026 |
| Int. M.E./ M.Tech. (Post-B.Sc.) | Engineering and technology post-B.Sc. integrated master’s degree programs (4 – year program) | Currently in any year or already completed | Any year |
| Int. M.E./ M.Tech./ M.Pharm or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2) | Five-year engineering/ technology dual degree programs or integrated master’s degree programs | Currently in the 3rd/4th/5th year, or already completed | 2027 |
| B.Sc. / B.A. / B.Com. | Bachelor’s degree in any branch of Science / Arts / Commerce (3-year program) | Presently enrolled in the third year or above, or finished | 2026 |
| Int. M.Sc. / Int. B.S. / M.S. | Integrated M.Sc. or 5-year integrated B.S.-M.S. program | Presently enrolled in the third year or above, or finished | 2027 |
| Professional Society Examinations (equivalent to B.E. / B.Tech. / B.Arch.) | Professional societies’ comparable exams for B.E., B.Tech., and B.Arch. that are approved by the MoE, UPSC, and AICTE (such as AMIE from the Institution of Engineers-India and AMICE from the Institute of Civil Engineers-India) | Completed Section A of AMIE or equivalent professional courses | – |
Key Change in GATE 2026
GATE 2026 is open to applicants who are enrolled in or have finished any government-approved undergraduate degree program in technology, engineering, architecture, science, business, the arts, or the humanities, or who are in their third or higher year of study.
So, basically it has provided the relaxation in the eligibility as in GATE 2025, the eligible candidates were Final-year or completed degree (10+2+4) and in GATE 2026 it has Relaxed to 3rd year or higher (10+2+3).
GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria for non-Indian university candidates
Candidates should look at the below 2 points, if they are non Indian.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Science Side like Engineering or Technology: The student or the candidate should be in their last year of their course that is engineering or must have completed the same. Also, the course basically lasts for four years minimum.Â
- Postgraduate Degree in Related Engineering/ Science Subjects:Â he student or the candidate should be in their last year of their postgraduate course that is engineering or must have completed the same. Also, the course basically lasts for two years minimum.Â
FAQs on the GATE 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Can I only take the GATE 2026 exam a certain number of times?
The number of attempts is unlimited.
What level of education is required to sit for the GATE exam?
Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, architecture, science, commerce, or the arts and be in their final year of study or have already earned their degree.
What paperwork is required to sign up for the GATE 2026 test?
A degree certificate, a provisional degree certificate, a caste certificate, and other papers are required to be uploaded.
How long is the GATE score valid for?
A lot of applicants think that the GATE results are only good for a year. However, this isn’t the case. As there is no age restriction on the exam, candidates are free to take it as often as they choose. The GATE Scorecard is valid for three years after it is granted.
Does a candidate’s nationality affect their eligibility in any way?
Applications for GATE 2024 are open to candidates from India and other nations.
