GATE Branch Wise Cutoff: Qualifying Marks, Category-Wise Trends & Counselling Schedule 2026
General category qualifying marks in the GATE 2026 cutoff for Computer Science Engineering (CSE) settled at 30, while OBC-NCL/EWS candidates required 27, and SC/ST/PwD candidates needed 20 marks. The GATE Branch Wise Cutoff is the minimum score required to qualify for the examination, making candidates eligible for M.Tech admissions in prestigious institutes like IITs, NITs, and IIITs, as well as Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) recruitments. These qualifying cutoffs for GATE 2026 were officially released by IIT Guwahati on March 28, 2026, following the announcement of results on March 19, 2026.
GATE 2026 Qualifying Cutoffs by Branch and Category
The table below details the minimum qualifying marks out of 100 for various engineering branches in GATE 2026, segmented by candidate category.
| Branch | General | OBC-NCL/EWS | SC/ST/PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science (CS) | 30 | 27 | 20 |
| Mechanical Engineering (ME) | 25.2 | 22.7 | 16.8 |
| Electrical Engineering (EE) | 27.7 | 24.9 | 18.5 |
| Electronics & Comm. Engg. (ECE) | 26.4 | 23.8 | 17.6 |
| Civil Engineering (CE) | 28.7 | 25.8 | 19.1 |
GATE Counselling 2025 Schedule (Latest — 2026 awaited)
The Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) for GATE admissions facilitates M.Tech admissions to IITs and IISc. The 2025 counselling schedule is provided below, as 2026 dates are yet to be officially released.
| Event | Date (2025) |
|---|---|
| COAP Registration Starts | March 27 |
| Round 1 Offers | May 17 – May 20 |
| Round 2 Offers | May 23 – May 25 |
| Round 3 Offers | May 29 – June 1 |
| Round 4 Offers | June 5 – June 7 |
| Round 5 Offers | June 11 – June 13 |
| Additional Rounds (up to) | July 11 |
2026 counselling dates will be updated post-release.
GATE Cutoff Trends: 2021-2025 for Computer Science
Analyzing the GATE cutoff trends over recent years provides insight into the fluctuating competitiveness for various branches, with Computer Science Engineering (CSE) showing notable shifts.
| Year | General (Marks out of 100) | OBC-NCL/EWS (Marks out of 100) | SC/ST/PwD (Marks out of 100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29.2 | 26.2 | 19.4 |
| 2024 | 27.6 | 24.8 | 18.4 |
| 2023 | 32.5 | 29.2 | 21.6 |
| 2022 | 25.0 | 22.5 | 16.6 |
| 2021 | 26.1 | 23.4 | 17.4 |
FAQs
Q: What is the difference between GATE qualifying cutoff and admission cutoff?
A: The GATE qualifying cutoff is the minimum score required to pass the exam and receive a scorecard, making a candidate eligible to apply for M.Tech admissions or PSUs. The admission cutoff, however, is a much higher score or rank set by individual institutes (like IITs and NITs) for shortlisting candidates for specific programs, and it varies significantly by branch and college.
Q: How is the GATE cutoff calculated?
A: The GATE cutoff is determined based on factors such as the number of candidates who appeared for the exam, the difficulty level of the paper, and previous year’s cutoffs. For reserved categories, the cutoff is typically calculated as a percentage of the General category cutoff (e.g., 9/10 for OBC-NCL/EWS and 2/3 for SC/ST/PwD).
Q: What is considered a good GATE score for admission to IITs/NITs?
A: While the qualifying cutoff is lower, a GATE score of 700+ is generally considered safe for admission to most IIT programs, and 600+ marks are typically safe for CSE, ME, and ECE subjects in NITs. For top IITs, effective admission cutoffs are often 60-80+ marks out of 100.
Q: Does the GATE cutoff vary by engineering branch?
A: Yes, the GATE cutoff varies significantly across different engineering branches. Branches with higher demand, such as Computer Science Engineering (CSE) and Electrical Engineering (EE), often have higher cutoffs compared to others.
Q: Is a GATE score valid for PSU recruitment?
A: Yes, many Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) use GATE scores for their recruitment processes. However, the cutoff for PSU recruitment is usually based on marks out of 100 rather than the normalized score, with top PSUs often requiring marks exceeding 75-80 for General category candidates.
Q: When were the GATE 2026 results announced?
A: The GATE 2026 results were announced on March 19, 2026, by IIT Guwahati.
