Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
| Acronym | GATE |
|---|---|
| Type | Computer-based standardized test |
| Developer / administrator | Conducted jointly by IISc and 7 IITs on behalf of the National Co-ordination Board – GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. |
| Knowledge / skills tested | Undergraduate level knowledge of the chosen engineering or master level knowledge of science discipline. |
| Purpose | Post-graduate engineering admissions, screening for entry-level engineering jobs, screening for PhD programmes at IITs & IISc Bangalore etc. |
| Year started | 1984 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Score / grade range | Marks (unscaled) out of 100, in 0.33 point increments. Score (scaled) out of 1000, in 1 point increments. |
| Score / grade validity | 2 years (till GATE 2014); 3 years (GATE 2015 onward). |
| Offered | Once every year (usually in February). |
| Countries / regions | Over 660 centres in India, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and United Arab Emirates. |
| Languages | English |
| Annual no. of test takers |
 818,850 (in 2016). |
| Prerequisites / eligibility criteria | Final year student or graduate of Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in engineering/ architecture or Master's degree (or equivalent) in science, computer applications, etc. |
| Fee |
₹750 (US$11) for female, SC, ST and physically challenged candidates. ₹1,500 (US$22) for all other candidates. |
| Scores / grades used by | Various Indian engineering colleges offering post-graduate education, several public sector Indian companies recruiting engineers, etc. |
| Qualification rate |
 15.05 % (in 2015) |
| Website |
gate |
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an all-India examination that primarily tests the comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and science. GATE is conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of Technology (Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee) on behalf of the National Coordination Board – GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.
The GATE score of a candidate reflects the relative performance level of a candidate. The score is used for admissions to various post-graduate education programs (e.g. Master of Engineering, Master of Technology, Doctor of Philosophy) in Indian higher education institutes, with financial assistance provided by MHRD and other government agencies. Recently, GATE scores are also being used by several Indian public sector undertakings (i.e., government-owned companies) for recruiting graduate engineers in entry-level positions. It is one of the most competitive examinations in India. Based on the success story of IITs all over the world, GATE is also recognized by various international institutes such as Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
A valid GATE score is essential for obtaining financial assistance during Master’s programs and direct Doctoral programs in Engineering/Technology/Architecture, and Doctoral programs in relevant branches of Science in Institutes supported by the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) or other Government agencies. As per the directives of MHRD, the following procedure is to be adopted for admission to the post-graduate programs (Master’s and Doctoral) with MHRD scholarship/assistant-ship: Depending upon the norms adopted by a specific institute or department of the Institute, a candidate may be admitted directly into a course based on his/her performance in GATE only or based on his/her performance in GATE and an admission test / interview conducted by the department to which he/she has applied and/or the candidate’s academic record. If the candidate is to be selected through test/interview for post-graduate programs, the minimum of 70% weightage is given to the performance in GATE and the remaining 30% weightage can be given to the candidate’s performance in test/interview and/or academic record. The admitting institutes can, however, prescribe a minimum passing percentage of marks in the test/interview. Some colleges/institutes specify GATE qualification as the mandatory requirement even for admission without MHRD scholarship/assistant-ship.
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