GATE 2027 registration closes September 27: apply for engineering entrance exam

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, the organizing institute for GATE 2027, has announced that the regular registration window for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027 will close on September 27, 2026. Aspiring candidates must complete their applications online via the GOAPS portal at gate2027.iitm.ac.in by this date to avoid incurring a late fee.

GATE 2027 is a national-level examination conducted jointly by IISc & IITs on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India. The examination evaluates candidates’ understanding of undergraduate-level subjects for admission to postgraduate and doctoral programs and for recruitment by Public Sector Undertakings.

Application Process and Deadlines

The GOAPS Registration Portal for GATE 2027 opened on September 2, 2026. While the regular registration period concludes on September 27, 2026, candidates will have an extended registration deadline until October 5, 2026, though this will involve an additional late fee. Following the registration period, an application rectification window will be available from October 14, 2026, to October 21, 2026, for candidates to make necessary corrections to their forms, with personal identification details locked after initial submission.

The application process requires candidates to visit the official website, complete DigiLocker verification (mandatory for Indian nationals), enter personal and academic details, select test papers and cities, upload specified documents, preview the form, and pay the non-refundable application fee. Candidates can select up to six city choices from the same zone.

Eligibility and Examination Details

There is no upper age limit for GATE 2027. Candidates in their 3rd year or higher of a 4-year undergraduate degree, or those who have already completed a qualifying degree, are eligible to apply. The GATE 2027 examination will be conducted across six days in morning and afternoon sessions, covering a total of 30 test papers. A notable change for this cycle is the introduction of a new Robotics & Automation (RA) paper.

Qualified candidates can use their GATE scores for admission to postgraduate and doctoral programs, potentially with financial assistance, in institutions supported by the Ministry of Education. Also, several Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) consider GATE scores as portion of their recruitment process. The GATE 2027 cycle also includes revised syllabi and updated paper codes for XE/XH/XL, alongside an upgraded registration process featuring live facial verification and DigiLocker integration.

Document Specifications and Required Uploads

Candidates must adhere to specific guidelines for uploading documents during the registration process. This includes a recent passport-size photograph and a scanned signature. SC/ST and PwD certificates must be uploaded at the time of registration, while OBC-NCL and EWS certificates are generally required during the counselling stage.

Further reading

• ITM Business School admission guide released: know programs, financial aid, GATE cutoffs
• GATE 2027: Apply by September 27 for regular registration
• GATE exam pattern: sections, marking and duration Next step
• M.Pharma 2026: Apply to Delhi NCR colleges with B.Pharm scores, GPAT, or CUET PG
• 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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