GATE 2026 SC Cutoff: Category-Wise Ranks, Branch Trends & Qualifying Marks
The GATE 2026 SC Cutoff for Computer Science and Information Technology (CS) settled at 20 marks, while the general category required 30 marks, and OBC-NCL/EWS candidates needed 27 marks. This cutoff is the minimum qualifying score released by IIT Guwahati on March 28, 2026, following the announcement of results on March 19, 2026. Across various engineering disciplines, SC/ST qualifying marks generally range lower than those for unreserved categories, reflecting reservation policies and overall candidate performance in each paper.
GATE 2026 Important Dates and Schedule
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 saw its key events unfold according to the following schedule, with the examination conducted by IIT Guwahati.
| Event | Date (2025-2026) |
|---|---|
| Online Registration Starts | August 28, 2025 |
| Online Registration Closes (Without Late Fee) | October 7, 2025 |
| Online Registration Closes (With Late Fee) | October 9, 2025 |
| Admit Cards Available for Download | January 13, 2026 |
| GATE 2026 Examination Dates | February 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026 |
| Announcement of Results | March 19, 2026 |
| Official Cutoff Release | March 28, 2026 |
GATE 2026 Qualifying Cutoffs for Popular Branches
The qualifying marks for GATE 2026 varied across different engineering disciplines and categories, with SC/ST candidates benefiting from specific reservation criteria.
| Branch (Paper Code) | General (Marks) | OBC-NCL/EWS (Marks) | SC/ST/PwD (Marks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science and Information Technology (CS) | 30.0 | 27.0 | 20.0 |
| Electrical Engineering (EE) | 25.0 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) | 25.0 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| Civil Engineering (CE) | 29.2 | 26.2 | 19.4 |
| Mechanical Engineering (ME) | 35.8 | 32.2 | 23.8 |
Branch-wise GATE 2026 SC/ST Qualifying Cutoffs
For SC/ST candidates, the GATE 2026 qualifying cutoffs were released across all 30 papers, indicating the minimum marks required to be considered GATE qualified.
| Paper Code | Test Paper | SC/ST/PwD Cutoff (Marks) |
|---|---|---|
| AE | Aerospace Engineering | 16.6 |
| AG | Agricultural Engineering | 16.6 |
| AR | Architecture and Planning | 26.6 |
| BM | Biomedical Engineering | 16.6 |
| BT | Biotechnology | 17.2 |
| CE | Civil Engineering | 19.1 |
| CH | Chemical Engineering | 16.6 |
| CS | Computer Science and Information Technology | 20.0 |
| CY | Chemistry | 16.6 |
| DA | Data Science and Artificial Intelligence | 17.5 |
| EC | Electronics and Communication Engineering | 16.6 |
| EE | Electrical Engineering | 16.6 |
| ES | Environmental Science and Engineering | 17.4 |
| EY | Ecology and Evolution | 26.3 |
| GE | Geomatics Engineering | 17.1 |
| GG1 | Geology and Geophysics (Geology) | 25.5 |
| GG2 | Geology and Geophysics (Geophysics) | 26.6 |
| IN | Instrumentation Engineering | 17.0 |
| MA | Mathematics | 16.6 |
| ME | Mechanical Engineering | 23.8 |
| MN | Mining Engineering | 20.4 |
| MT | Metallurgical Engineering | 26.6 |
| NM | Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering | 16.7 |
| PE | Petroleum Engineering | 20.7 |
| PH | Physics | 17.8 |
| PI | Production and Industrial Engineering | 23.7 |
| ST | Statistics | 20.1 |
| TF | Textile Engineering | 23.1 |
| XE | Engineering Sciences | 23.5 |
| XH-C1 | Humanities and Social Sciences (Economics) | 26.6 |
| XH-C2 | Humanities and Social Sciences (English) | 26.6 |
| XH-C3 | Humanities and Social Sciences (Linguistics) | 26.6 |
| XH-C4 | Humanities and Social Sciences (Philosophy) | 26.6 |
| XH-C5 | Humanities and Social Sciences (Psychology) | 26.6 |
| XH-C6 | Humanities and Social Sciences (Sociology) | 26.6 |
| XL | Life Sciences | 20.8 |
FAQs
Q: What was the qualifying cutoff for SC/ST in GATE 2026 CSE?
A: The GATE 2026 qualifying cutoff for SC/ST candidates in Computer Science and Information Technology (CSE) was 20 marks.
Q: How does the GATE 2026 SC/ST cutoff compare to the General category?
A: The GATE 2026 SC/ST cutoff is generally lower than the General category cutoff due to reservation policies. For instance, in CSE, the SC/ST cutoff was 20 marks, while the General cutoff was 30 marks.
Q: What factors influence the GATE cutoff marks each year?
A: GATE cutoff marks are influenced by several factors, including the total number of candidates who appeared, the difficulty level of the examination, the number of available seats, and previous year’s cutoff trends.
Q: When were the GATE 2026 results and cutoffs officially released?
A: The GATE 2026 results were announced on March 19, 2026, and the official category-wise and branch-wise cutoffs were released by IIT Guwahati on March 28, 2026.
Q: Is the GATE qualifying cutoff the same as the admission cutoff for IITs/NITs?
A: No, the GATE qualifying cutoff is the minimum score required to pass the exam and receive a valid scorecard, making a candidate eligible for counseling. The admission cutoff, however, is typically higher and represents the minimum score needed to secure a seat in specific programs at IITs, NITs, and other participating institutions.
Q: How long is a GATE score valid?
A: A GATE score obtained by a candidate remains valid for a period of three years from the date of the announcement of results.
