GATE 2027: Register now; exam held for six days

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) is conducting the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027, with exam dates announced and registrations currently underway. The examination will be held for six days across India, supporting postgraduate admissions to highly reputed institutions and jobs in premier public sector organizations.

The GATE exam, a Computer Based Test (CBT) conducted in English, is a crucial assessment for millions of candidates annually. For the 2027 edition, IIT Madras has implemented changes to the syllabus and introduced DigiLocker integration in the application form, according to official information.

GATE 2027 Examination Structure and Marking

The GATE 2027 examination will comprise 30 test papers, each with a duration of three hours. The exam is divided into two sections: General Aptitude (GA) and the Candidate’s Selected Subject(s). Question types include Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Numerical Answer Type (NAT), designed to test abilities such as Recall, Comprehension, Application, and Analysis & Synthesis.

A total of 65 questions will be asked, with 10 questions from General Aptitude and 55 from the chosen subject. General Aptitude carries 15 marks in most papers. Engineering Mathematics accounts for 13 marks in most engineering papers, while Subject Questions carry 72 marks. However, in papers such as AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, RA, ST, XH, and XL, Subject Questions carry 85 marks. Questions are either 1-mark or 2-marks. Negative marking applies only to MCQs: 1/3 mark is deducted for a wrong 1-mark MCQ answer, and 2/3 mark for a wrong 2-mark MCQ answer. There is no negative marking for MSQ or NAT questions, and no partial marking in MSQ.

PwD candidates in certain categories may request one hour of compensatory time if they provide a valid disability certificate or UDID card, as per O.M. F. No. P-13013/75/2023-Policy-DD-III dated August 01, 2025.

Difficulty Level and Organizing IITs

The GATE exam is known for maintaining a consistent difficulty level over the past 10 to 15 years across all its disciplines and 30 papers. While the overall difficulty level of GATE 2025 was reported as moderate to slightly difficult, and GATE 2024, conducted by IISc Bangalore, was moderate, students often debate which older IITs prepare the toughest questions.

IISc Bangalore is frequently mentioned for setting the most difficult GATE papers, with questions designed to assess analytical skill research. Many students have also indicated that IIT Bombay creates challenging GATE question papers. IIT Bombay, IISc Bengaluru, and IIT Guwahati are noted for curating challenging GATE question papers. In 2019, when IIT Madras set the GATE Electrical paper, AIR 1 scored 97.33 out of 100, AIR 2 scored 97.00, and AIR 5 scored 95.67. The organizing IIT manages the GATE official website, coordinates exam centers, and calculates results. GATE is conducted by different IITs and IISc on a rotational basis every year; for example, IIT Guwahati organized GATE 2026, and IIT Roorkee administered the exam in 2025. Professors and senior faculty members from all IITs and IISc Bangalore pool their questions into a secure database for GATE.

Despite these perceptions, official statements indicate that no specific IIT is solely responsible for setting tough papers, and there is no particular conducting body that consistently sets the toughest paper. Instead, the focus remains on maintaining a consistent and standardized level of difficulty across all disciplines.

Further reading

• ITM Business School admission guide released: know programs, financial aid, GATE cutoffs
• GATE 2027: Register by September 27 to avoid late fees
• GATE exam pattern: sections, marking and duration Next step
• M.Pharm 2026: Apply with B.Pharm scores, GPAT, or CUET PG for Delhi NCR admissions
• NID Registration 2027: Application Link Soon at admissions.nid.edu
• KAU BTech Agricultural Engineering ICAR spot admission: Apply by Sep 25, 2026 Applications open

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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