GATE Cutoff For OBC Students: 2026 Qualifying Marks & Admission Trends

GATE Cutoff For OBC Students: CSE at 27, Humanities and Social Sciences at 36, with 2026 qualifying marks officially released on March 19, 2026. The GATE Cutoff For OBC Students is the minimum score required to qualify for M.Tech admissions and PSU recruitment, typically set at 90% of the General category cutoff. While the 2026 qualifying cutoffs are available, detailed admission cutoffs for various institutes are still being finalized through COAP and CCMT counselling, with 2025 data providing the latest comprehensive branch-wise trends.

GATE 2026 Important Dates

Key dates for the GATE 2026 examination, including application, exam, and result announcements, are outlined below.

GATE 2026 Qualifying Cutoffs by Category (Selected Branches)

The table below presents the official GATE 2026 qualifying cutoffs across different categories for selected engineering and humanities branches.

GATE 2025 Branch-wise Qualifying Cutoffs for OBC (Latest — 2026 Awaited)

For a broader understanding of branch-specific qualifying scores, the following table details the GATE 2025 cutoffs for OBC candidates across various disciplines, serving as the latest comprehensive data available while 2026 admission cutoffs are awaited.

GATE 2026 Counselling Schedule

The counselling process for GATE 2026 qualified candidates involves multiple rounds through COAP and CCMT. Below are the key dates for the counselling process.

FAQs

Q? What is a good GATE score for OBC students to get into IITs?

For OBC students aiming for M.Tech admissions in top IITs, a GATE score typically ranging from 700 to 800+ is considered competitive, depending on the specific branch and institute. While qualifying marks are lower, admission cutoffs for premier institutions are significantly higher.

Q? How is the GATE cutoff for OBC students calculated?

The GATE qualifying cutoff for OBC-NCL/EWS categories is generally calculated as 90% of the qualifying marks for the General category. This formula ensures a proportionate reservation benefit for OBC candidates.

Q? Are GATE qualifying marks and admission cutoffs the same for OBC candidates?

No, GATE qualifying marks and admission cutoffs are distinct. Qualifying marks are the minimum scores required to pass the GATE exam, making a candidate eligible for counselling. Admission cutoffs are the higher scores required by individual IITs, NITs, and other institutes for actual admission to their M.Tech programs.

Q? What are the eligibility criteria for OBC candidates to appear for GATE 2026?

OBC candidates, like others, must be in the 3rd or higher year of any undergraduate degree program or have completed a government-approved degree in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts/Humanities. There is no age limit for appearing in GATE 2026.

Q? Which counselling processes should OBC GATE qualifiers participate in for M.Tech admissions?

OBC GATE qualifiers seeking M.Tech admissions should participate in the Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) for IITs and the Centralized Counselling for M.Tech/M.Arch/M.Plan Admissions (CCMT) for NITs, IIITs, and other Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs).

Q? How long is a GATE score valid for OBC students?

A GATE score obtained by a candidate, including those from the OBC category, remains valid for a period of three years from the date of the announcement of results.

Written by Nishit Kumar

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

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