GATE 2027 registration deadline today; DigiLocker verification mandatory for Indian nationals

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), the organising institute for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027, has mandated DigiLocker registration and facial verification for all Indian national applicants. Today, September 27, 2026, marks the regular registration deadline for the examination, with an extended deadline of October 5, 2026, available for those paying a late fee.

This year’s application process, which commenced on September 2, 2026, at approximately 7:00 PM, introduces significant changes aimed at strengthening security and preventing impersonation. Unlike GATE 2026, where Aadhaar was merely preferable and identity issues were addressed post-payment, GATE 2027 requires identity checks before the application form is filled.

Mandatory Digilocker Verification and Application Process

For GATE 2027, Indian nationals are required to complete DigiLocker registration and facial verification. The IIT Madras website explicitly states, “GATE 2027 Registration through DigiLocker is mandatory for all Indian nationals. Please create/update your VERIFIED DigiLocker account NOW!” While candidates can register using an unverified DigiLocker account, their application forms will undergo scrutiny after the deadline.

DigiLocker pulls seven key fields: name, date of birth, mobile number, email ID, profile picture, address, and verified ID card number. The GATE 2027 Information Brochure v1.2 recommends registering with a verified DigiLocker account for a smooth application and examination process. Foreign candidates are exempt from the DigiLocker step and can register directly through the GOAPS portal (gate2027.iitm.ac.in).

Document Upload and Eligibility Criteria

SC/ST and PwD candidates must create a ‘GATE2027’ folder within their DigiLocker Drive. SC/ST certificates must be named ‘CATEGORY.pdf’ and PwD certificates ‘PWD_CERT.pdf’ or ‘UDID_CERT.pdf’ within this folder. The file size for uploaded certificates in DigiLocker Drive must be between 10 KB and 600 KB. For the application itself, the required image size for a photo is a maximum of 530 x 690 pixels and 600 KB, while a signature requires a maximum of 580 x 180 pixels and 300 KB.

Eligibility for GATE 2027 includes any undergraduate student in their 3rd year or higher of an approved program, with no age limit for appearing in the examination. One email address can be used for only one application form, and candidates must select up to six preferred exam cities within their assigned zone. the photo in the Aadhaar card or DigiLocker will not be used for the GATE 2027 application; instead, a live photo and a recent uploaded photo will be required.

Revised Schedule and Application Fees

IIT Madras revised the original GATE 2027 registration schedule. The examination will be conducted over three weekends: February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21, 2027. Admit cards are scheduled for release on January 3, 2027, with results expected in mid-March 2027. A new Robotics paper has been introduced for GATE 2027, and the syllabus for several existing papers has been revised after nearly five years.

The application fee for GATE 2027 is non-refundable. For Female, SC, ST, and PwD candidates, the regular fee is ₹1,000 per paper, increasing to ₹1,500 during the extended period. All other candidates, including foreign nationals, will pay ₹2,000 per paper during the regular period and ₹2,500 during the extended period.

Addressing Verification Issues

Candidates encountering issues with facial verification are advised to contact the GATE Helpdesk Support. The GATE-JAM Office helpdesk can be reached at 044-22578200 during weekdays from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. For issues related to missing address details on the personal page, candidates should update their mobile number and email on DigiLocker and then reapply in incognito mode. If DigiLocker Drive access was not granted, candidates must revoke existing consent and log in again, allowing access.

The DigiLocker FAQ states that candidates will not be able to change their name or date of birth if it differs from Aadhaar. UIDAI gives the sense that a standalone demographic update for an Aadhaar name change costs ₹75, with typically 20-90 days for details to update. Candidates must ensure their Aadhaar name matches their other documents. If college names are not in the list or contain special characters, candidates should remove them or type manually.

Further reading

• GATE topper salary: Maharatna PSUs offer up to 2.5 lakh per month, private sector up to 2 lakh
• GATE 2026 statistical report out: 10.11 lakh registered, cutoffs detailed
• 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
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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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