GATE 2027 registration without late fee closes today, apply by October 5 with penalty

In short

Today, September 27, 2026, is the last day to register for GATE 2027 without incurring a late fee.
Candidates can still apply with an additional fee of ₹500 until October 5, 2026.
An active DigiLocker account and live facial recognition are mandatory for Indian national applicants.
The GATE 2027 examination will be conducted on February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21, 2027.
The application correction window will open from October 14 to October 21, 2026.

The registration window for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027 without a late fee closes today, September 27, 2026. Aspiring candidates must complete their applications via the online GOAPS portal by the end of the day to avoid additional charges. IIT Madras is the organizing institute for GATE 2027.

Official notification screenshot — Screenshot of the official page at gate2027.iitm.ac.in

Candidates who miss today’s deadline will have an extended opportunity to register until October 5, 2026, by paying an additional late fee of ₹500. The GATE 2027 examination is scheduled to take place across three weekends in February 2027, specifically on February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21. The application process this year includes updated protocols such as mandatory DigiLocker account integration and live facial recognition for identity verification, aimed at streamlining identification and preventing fraud.

Application Process and Fees

The GOAPS portal for GATE 2027 registration opened on September 2, 2026. Indian national candidates are required to possess an active DigiLocker account for registration, with live facial recognition via a device camera being mandatory for identity verification. While candidates can register using an unverified DigiLocker account, original documents will be verified at the examination halls. Foreign nationals are exempt from the DigiLocker step and can register directly with their details.

The application fee is non-refundable. SC/ST and PwD applicants must upload relevant certificates in PDF format to a ‘GATE2027’ folder within their DigiLocker account. Candidates must ensure that the consent validity in their DigiLocker account is changed to three years to prevent ‘GATE 2027 Verification failed’ issues. The application form is only accepted upon successful payment of the fee.

Category	Regular Fee (up to 27 Sept 2026)	Extended Fee (up to 5 Oct 2026)
Female candidates (all categories) / SC / ST / PwD	₹1,000	₹1,500
All other candidates (General / OBC / Foreign nationals)	₹2,000	₹2,500

Eligibility and Document Specifications

Candidates in their 3rd year or higher of a 4-year undergraduate degree or higher qualification are eligible to apply for GATE 2027, with no upper age limit specified. Personal identification details are locked from the moment of first submission, emphasizing what’s key about accuracy during initial registration. Only one email ID and form must be submitted per candidate.

Specific guidelines have been provided for photograph and signature uploads. The photograph must be in JPEG/JPG format, with a file size between 5 KB and 600 KB, and dimensions of 3.5 cm (width) × 4.5 cm (height). The face must cover 60-70% of the image. The signature must also be in JPEG/JPG format, with a file size between 3 KB and 300 KB, an aspect ratio of 1:2.75 to 1:3.75, and must cover 70-80% of the image area. It must be in dark blue or black ink on plain white paper, and not in all caps or initials only.

Parameter	Photograph Specifications	Signature Specifications
Format	JPEG / JPG	JPEG / JPG
File Size	5 KB to 600 KB	3 KB to 300 KB
Dimension	3.5 cm (width) × 4.5 cm (height)	Aspect ratio (Height: Width) = 1:2.75 to 1:3.75
Pixel Resolution	Min: 200 × 260 Max: 530 × 690	Min: 250 × 80 Max: 580 × 180
Background	Plain White	Plain White
Ink Color	N/A	Dark Blue or Black Ink Only
Key Criteria	Face must cover 60–70% of the image. No caps, sunglasses, or glare on spectacles.	Signature must cover 70–80% of image area. No initial-only signatures or capital letters.

Key Dates and Exam Details

The GATE 2027 Information Brochure was released on July 20, 2026, detailing changes such as the introduction of a new Robotics & Automation (RA) paper, bringing the total number of test papers to 30. Following the close of registration, an application correction window will be available from October 14 to October 21, 2026, for candidates to rectify certain details. The admit cards are expected to be released in early January 2027, with the result declaration anticipated in March 2027.

Event	Date
Information Brochure released	20 July 2026
Registration opens (GOAPS)	2 September 2026
Last date to register (without late fee)	27 September 2026
Last date to register (with late fee)	5 October 2026
Application correction window	14 October 2026 – 21 October 2026
Admit card release	Expected early January 2027
GATE 2027 exam dates	6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21 February 2027
Result declaration	Expected March 2027

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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