GATE 2025: New Two-Paper Combination List (OUT), Exam Dates (OUT), Mock Test Links Available, etc.

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering or GATE is a national-level entrance examination conducted for admission to Masters in Technology (MTech) and direct PhD admissions to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and other institutes/universities across India. Many public sector undertakings (PSUs) and state electricity boards (SEBs) also accept GATE to recruit trainee engineers and scientists for group C-level posts.

The exam is jointly conducted by IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee and Indian Institute for Science, Bangalore (IISC Bangalore) on a rotational basis on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB - GATE), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource & Development (MHRD), Government of India.

GATE 2025 is one of the most reputed exams for candidates seeking admission to postgraduate courses offered by IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other renowned institutes nationwide. Candidates can check highlights related to the GATE 2025 admission exam in the table below:

IIT Roorkee has announced the GATE 2025 exam dates for 30 different test papers. Candidates can check GATE 2025 branch-wise test dates below -

The GATE 2025 application form registration is now over. The last date to submit the form with late fees was October 11, 2024. The GATE 2025 Application process consisted of several stages, namely registration, uploading documents, and fee payment. The GATE 2025 application form was available on the official website or GOAPS portal. The last date to submit the application form with regular fees was October 3, 2024. The steps to apply can be checked below -

Step 1: Register on the GOAPS 2025 portal using a valid email and mobile number and generate an Enrollment ID and Password.

Step 2: Log in to the GOAPS 2025 portal using the Enrollment ID & Password created while registering.

Step 3: Upload the required documents. The GATE 2025 required documents must meet the specifications mentioned.

Step 4: Pay the GATE 2025 Application fee through any payment gateway

Step 5: Preview and confirm the declaration and submit the application

Here is a detailed video on how to fill out the GATE 2025 application form. 

Candidates must provide error-free details, and uploaded scanned copies of documents must be legible.  

GATE 2025 Application Fee

Paying the application fee is a mandatory step in the GATE registration process. Without the fees, the candidate's application form will not be accepted. IIT Roorkee has released GATE 2025 Application fees. Candidates must know that the paid application fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Candidates can pay the application fee using provided gateways such as UPI/net banking/debit card/credit card/E-wallet. Recently, the authorities have added acceptance of international Visa cards and Maestro cards for fee payment. According to the prevailing norms, additional bank charges may apply to the fee payment. Candidates can check the GATE 2025 Application fee below:

GATE 2025: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates aspiring for the GATE 2025 entrance exam must meet the eligibility criteria before filling out the GATE 2025 application form. Students can check the eligibility criteria below:

Educational Qualification: Candidates must possess either of the undergraduate degrees mentioned below. Students who have passed or are appearing in the third or final years of any undergraduate degree are also eligible to appear for the exam.

• BE/BTech
• BPharma
• BArch
• BSc (Research)/BS
• Professional Society Examination (equivalent to BE/BTech/BArch)
• MSc/MA/MCA or equivalent
• Integrated ME/MTech
• Integrated MSc/Integrated BS-MS
• Integrated ME/MTech or Dual Degree (after Diploma or 10+2)

Pass Percentage: No minimum passing percentage criteria are defined for the GATE 2025 exam.

Age Limit: No age limit is defined for applying for the GATE exam.

Nationality: Indian citizens can take the GATE exam, and international students meeting the necessary educational qualifications can also apply. Candidates must note that there are no international exam centres for foreign nationals. 

GATE International Students: Candidates from Nepal, Bangladesh, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates can apply for GATE 2025.

GATE 2025 Application Form Status

Once the GATE 2025 application form is submitted, candidates can check its status. The GATE application status check notifies candidates of the status or position of their application form. To check the form status, candidates must visit the official website or GOAPS portal and log in with their enrollment ID and password. After logging in, candidates can view their GATE application status. 

If a candidate has successfully submitted their form, then the following status is displayed on the screen -

Your application is submitted and payment is received successfully. 

However, if a candidate's application form is under scrutiny, the conducting authorities will mail a request for specific changes, which must be made within a stipulated period. 

GATE 2025:  Application Form Correction

Candidates who have filled in the wrong details in their GATE 2025 Application Form. A correction window opens after completing the application form to rectify the mistakes. The GATE 2025 correction facility was started on October 31, 2024. However, all applicants' last date to change the GATE 2025 application form was Nov 20, 2024. For PwD candidates, the last date to make changes was November 22, 2024. Candidates can log in to the GOAPS 2025 portal to make any changes to their GATE 2025 Application form. 

Candidates must know that they can modify most of the details in the application form except a few, which are listed below:

• Mobile Phone Number 
• Registered Email ID

Candidates can change the details they have already filled out by paying a fee per change. Candidates cannot change more than one detail for a single fee payment. Candidates can check the detail-wise modification/correction fee below: 

IIT Roorkee will conduct the GATE exam on February 1, 2, 15, and 16, 2025, in two sessions: Morning and Afternoon. Students aspiring for the exam can check all the GATE 2025 Paper Pattern-related details such as the type of Questions and Marking scheme, from the table below:

Click Here to check the detailed GATE 2025 Exam Pattern

The GATE two-paper combination allows candidates to opt for at least two papers for the GATE 2025 exam. Paper I is the primary paper, and paper II is the secondary paper. Candidates must choose the paper combination from the subject list curated by the conducting authorities. The official subject combinations for the GATE 2025 exam are listed in the table below. 

IIT Roorkee has also announced a new two-paper combination list for the registered candidates. These are in addition to the two-paper combinations available in the regular and extended application windows. The facility to change or add new GATE papers was available from November 14 to November 20, 2024. Candidates can check the new GATE 2025 paper combinations below -

IIT Roorkee has released the GATE 2025 syllabus and information brochure. The GATE Exam has three major sections: General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and the Core subject the candidate has opted for. The General Aptitude syllabus is common for all 30 subject papers.

GATE Question paper will have 65 questions for 100 marks, including 15 marks general aptitude questions. The paper codes AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, XH, and XL will have 15 marks for general aptitude & the rest 85 marks are devoted to the specific subject. All other paper codes except AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, XH and XL will have 15 marks for general aptitude, 13 marks for engineering mathematics and the remaining 72 marks for the specific subject.

Candidates can check the brief GATE 2025 syllabus below:

GATE previous year's question papers are very useful tools for understanding the highs & lows of GATE exam. IIsc Bengaluru has released for all 30 subjects GATE question papers including CS, CE, DA, ME, EC, and EE. Candidates can check & download the GATE question paper 2024 from the table below. Candidates can check all previous year's question papers for the GATE exam by clicking the below-given link. The GATE 2025 question papers will be available after the completion of the exam. 

Click Here to check GATE Question Papers 

GATE 2024 Question Paper of major subjects:

IIT Roorkee will release the GATE 2025 admit card before the exam dates. The GATE 2025 exam dates (subject-wise) have been announced. Candidates registered for the exam can download the GATE exam admit card 2025 on January 2, 2025. The GATE admit card contains details about the exam date and time, the address of the exam centre, the paper for which it is appearing, and the candidate's basic details like name, photo, and signature.

Candidates will be able to download their admit card from GOAPS 2025 login. Candidates must make sure that their photo and signature are clearly visible in the printout of their GATE 2025 admit card. The Admit Card is valid only if the candidate's photograph and signature images are clear and legible.

The photograph on the Admit Card and the valid photo identity document should match the candidate's appearance on the examination day. To ensure this, print the Admit Card on an A4-sized paper using a laser printer, preferably in colour. The GATE 2025 Admit Card and Original ID proof are essential for entry into the examination hall.

How to Download GATE 2025 Hall Ticket

Students can download their GATE admit card 2025 by following the simple steps:

• Visit the official website gate2025.iitr.ac.in
• Log in through GOAPS Enrollment ID/Email ID and Password
• Click on "Download Admit Card" to download GATE 2025 Admit card
• Download and take multiple coloured printouts of the document
• Check for discrepancies, and if found any, report it to the Exam conducting authority through the given contacts.

⇒ Download the GATE 2025 Admit Card

Items to Carry with GATE 2025 Admit Card on Exam Day

Candidates must bring a print-out of the downloaded Admit Card on A4-sized paper to the Examination for verification along with the original and valid photo Identity Document (NO photocopy / scanned copy / an expired document), which was specified during the filling up of the online application. 

IIT Roorkee has released the GATE 2025 mock test links for 30 subject papers on its official website. The links were activated on the website before the examination. Candidates can click on the respective subject link and attempt the test for free. 

However, applicants appearing in the GATE 2025 exam can take the GATE 2024 mock test at gate2024.iitr.ac.in. Candidates are advised to practice the GATE 2024 mock test for their preparations. GATE Mock tests help candidates understand the exam's depth and pattern. Along with the mock test, candidates can also refer to the GATE 2025 syllabus and GATE 2025 exam pattern for their preparations. Candidates can refer to the links provided below for more details.  

GATE 2025 response sheets will be released within one week of the exam's completion. Candidates can download the response sheet by logging in to the GOAPS 2025 portal with their enrollment ID and password. The response sheet has all the candidates' recorded responses during the exam. Candidates can use the response sheets, along with the GATE 2025 answer key, to calculate their expected scores in the exam.

How to download GATE 2025 Response sheet 

Candidate can download their response sheets using the following steps: 

• Open the GATE 2025 official website: gate2025.iitr.ac.in  
• Click on the Candidate Login link  
• Enter your GOAPS enrollment ID or email ID and password  
• GATE 2025 Answer key download link will be displayed after login  
• Download and save the PDF 

Candidates can not challenge the GATE response sheet, printed copies of answers marked by the candidates during the exam. However, candidates can challenge the answer key of GATE 2025 on the prescribed dates.

GATE 2025 official answer keys are released within 2 – 3 weeks of the completion of the GATE 2025 exam. The GATE 2025 exam will take place on Feb 1, 2025, Feb 2, 2025, Feb 15, 2025, and Feb 16, 2025. Candidates can download the official answer key through the official website gate2025.iitr.ac.in. Candidates are advised to check and match their responses quickly after releasing the answer key. With the help of the response sheet and answer key, students can calculate their probable score in the exam before the declaration of the result.

Candidates not satisfied with the answer key can submit challenges to it by paying a fee of 500 rupees per question. The answer key challenge window opens for 2-3 days only, so candidates must be aware of their time limits. 

How to Download GATE Answer Key 2025

Candidates can download the answer key with the help of the following steps:

• Open the GATE 2025 official website: gate2025.iitr.ac.in  
• Click on the Candidate Login link  
• Enter your enrollment ID or email ID and password  
• GATE Answer key download link will be displayed after login  
• Download and save the PDF 

⇒ Download GATE 2025 Answer Key

GATE 2025 cut-offs will be released along with the GATE 2025 results. GATE cutoffs are the minimum marks required to get admission to M. Tech, M. E, M.Plan or other post-graduation courses in India's most reputed institutions such as IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. In general GATE cutoffs range from 25 to 50 marks out of 100 for various papers depending on multiple factors. 

GATE cutoffs are defined by various factors such as the number of candidates attending the exam, marks of the candidates, and most importantly, the number of seats available for candidates. Candidates can check the GATE 2024 cut-off for a better understanding: 

GATE 2023 cutoff

Check - GATE Previous Year Cutoff

GATE 2025 results will be announced on March 19, 2025, after the completion of the exam. Candidates can check their results through the GOAPS 2025 portal. The GATE 2025 scorecard will be available from March 28, 2025, to May 31, 2025. Candidates who qualify for the entrance exam can download the GATE Scorecard from the portal. Based on normalisation, the GATE Score is calculated for every candidate on a scale of 0 to 1000. The GATE scorecard will remain valid for three years from the date of the GATE result 2025 declaration.

How to download GATE 2025 Result?

Candidates can download the GATE results once released using the following steps: 

• Open the GATE 2025 official website: gate2025.iitr.ac.in 
• Log in using your credentials GOAPS Enrollment ID and password 
• Click on GATE 2025 Result 
• GATE result will appear in PDF format 

• Download and save the PDF  

GATE 2025 Scorecard

GATE 2025 Scorecards will be released for all the qualified candidates. Candidates can download their GATE scorecards free of cost up to May 31, 2025. After that, the scorecard will be available for download by paying INR 500 up to December 31, 2025. Candidates must save a softcopy of the scorecard for all future uses. Candidates must know that hard copies of the GATE Scorecard will not be sent to any candidate.

How to download GATE 2025 Scorecard 

Candidates can download the GATE scorecard once released using the following steps: 

• Open the GATE 2025 official website: gate2025.iitr.ac.in 
• Log in using your credentials [Enrollment ID and password] 
• After checking GATE result, click on the GATE scorecard link 
• GATE Score card will appear  
• Download and save the PDF

GATE Qualified candidates have two options for the counselling process. GATE-qualified candidates can opt for COAP for admission to the MTech courses offered by IIT and CCMT for admission to MTech programs offered by NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. Eligible candidates need to participate in the GATE 2025 counselling as per schedule. GATE-qualified candidates can also avail themselves of financial assistance through a monthly stipend of 12400 through GATE counselling. Candidates can read the following points to know the steps of GATE 2025 counselling in brief:

• Online registration  
• Choice filling 
• Locking of choices 
• Automated locking of saved choice [ if not locked by the candidate] 
• Announcement of seat allocation [ rounds] 
• Seat acceptance & fee payment SAF 
•  Document uploading & updating the status of seat: willingness [ Freeze, Float, slide or withdraw] 
• Online document verification by the allotted institute 

GATE COAP 2025: Counseling Process

Common Offer Acceptance Portal commonly known as COAP serves as a common platform for all the participating institutes to fill all the M.Tech. seats and for the participating PSU's to upload their Job offers to the GATE Qualified candidates. COAP 2025 will be conducted in five main & five additional rounds. COAP 2025 Main round counseling will tentatively be conducted from May 2025 to June 2025 in five different rounds. In the main five rounds, Candidates are given three options any one option; Accept & Freeze, Retain & Wait, and Reject & Wait to select out of three available choices. Candidates must understand that five additional rounds will be decisive, So the candidates will have only 'Accept and Freeze' and 'Reject' options in additional rounds 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10.

• if a candidate selects 'Accept & Freeze' it means he/she is willing to accept one of the available offers and does not want to be considered for upgrading to higher preferences.
•  if a candidate selects 'Retain & Wait' it means he/she is willing to accept one of the available offers, however, he/she wants to be considered for upgrading to higher preferences.
•  if a candidate selects 'Reject & Wait' it means he/she is not willing to accept the available offer, and he/she wants to be considered for upgrading to higher preferences.

GATE CCMT 2025: Counseling Process

Centralized Counselling for M.Tech./M.Arch./M.Plan. [CCMT] is a common platform for GATE-qualified candidates to take admission to NITs, IIITs & other GFTIs. CCMT 2025 Counselling process consists of three regular rounds, two special rounds (SR) & a national spot round (NSR). CCMT will tentatively be conducted from June 2025 to July 2025 in six rounds. Candidates will be given four choices for the allotted seats namely Float, Slide, Freeze & Surrender (Participate in the next round).

• Float: Retaining choices of previous rounds & willing to opt for better choices in further rounds. 
• Slide: Retaining choices of previous rounds of the same institute & willing to opt for better choices in further rounds. 
• Freeze: No change in Seat Allotment, however, willing to opt for category upgradation. 
• Surrender (Participate in the next round): No claim on the surrendered seat in further rounds & willing to opt for the better opportunity. 

Also Read - Colleges accepting GATE Scorecard

The qualifying cut-off for all the colleges may vary every year, but it has been observed that the rank required for admissions to top colleges remains nearly the same. Some of the examples for the ranks that institutes accept are mentioned below in the table:

Many public sector undertakings, such as ONGC, SAIL, BHEL, GAIL, and Indian Oil, recruit Graduate Engineer Trainees (GET) based on GATE scores. Advertisements for PSU recruitment through GATE 2025 are generally published around the declaration of GATE results.

Candidates interested in applying for GATE PSU Recruitment 2025 need to check the official pages of PSU. Once the GATE 2025 result is announced, candidates must register for PSU recruitment through GATE by filling out the online application form. After registration, candidates must appear in the written test and interview as per the schedule.

Check: PSU recruitment through GATE 

Check below for the frequently asked questions related to the GATE 2025 exam.