GATE 2021

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

GATE 2021 - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)


Disclaimer : GATE is NOT an admission ensuring examination. Qualifying in GATE examination does NOT guarantee admission / scholarship. Admission to any institute is fully dependent on the admitting institute's criteria for educational qualification. Similarly, GATE qualification does not assure a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) job, as it depends on the recruitment procedure of the concerned PSU.

GATE Committee is NOT liable for any legal obligations related to admission / job.




  1. I am currently studying in 3rd year B.A./B.Com./B.Sc. Am I eligible to appear for GATE-2021?

  2. YES, any undergraduate student currently in 3rd year or higher years of any government approved program in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Arts/Commerce/Science is eligible to appear for GATE 2021.


  3. I am currently studying in 3rd year B.E., but through parallel entry in the 2nd year after finishing Diploma, am I eligible to appear for GATE 2021?

  4. YES, any undergraduate student currently in 3rd year or higher years of any government approved program in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Arts/Commerce/Science is eligible to appear for GATE 2021.


  5. Is there any age limit to appear for GATE 2021?

  6. NO. There is NO age limit to appear for GATE 2021.


  7. Are there any restrictions on the number of times one can appear for GATE?

  8. NO. One can appear for the GATE examination any number of times.


  9. Can I appear in any of the GATE 2021 papers?

  10. The candidates are expected to appear in paper(s) [up to two from the given combinations] appropriate to the discipline of their qualifying degree. The candidates are free to choose any other papers of GATE 2021, however, it is better to choose a paper in line with the eligibility criteria of the institutions/organizations in which they wish to seek admission/job.


  11. How do I apply ONLINE?

  12. Refer to Section 4.4.2 given in the GATE 2021 Brochure and by visiting the website https://gate.iitb.ac.in


  13. Can I use one e-mail address to fill multiple application forms?

  14. NO. One e-mail address can be used to submit only ONE application form.


  15. Do I need to fill two forms to appear in two papers?

  16. NO. The two papers option may be selected based on the given set of combinations in a SINGLE form only.


  17. Why should I choose FOUR examination cities?

  18. The candidates will most likely be allotted a centre in the examination city of their first choice. Only in cases, where there are too many candidates opting for a certain city as their first choice, the other three choices become relevant. The candidates are required to fill theier choices of cities to appear in the examination, but should remember that because of operational constraints, the GATE committee reserves the right to add a new city or remove an existing one, and allot a city that may not be any of the choices of a candidate. For candidates opting for international centres, there will be only one choice (by default).


  19. What do I do, if the power/internet connection failed during the submission of application process?

  20. Please login to the GOAPS website again and continue the application process.


  21. Only SC/ST/PwD candidates have been asked to upload the category certificates. What about the OBC (non-creamy layer) or EWS candidates? Do they have to upload the category certificate too?

  22. NO. Category certificate is required only for Indian nationals (appearing from exam centres within India), who wishes to avail a concession in application fee. As far as the GATE 2021 examination is concerned, only SC/ST/PwD candidates and all women candidates are eligible for application fee concession.


  23. How do I make the fee payment for GATE 2021 examination?

  24. There is a link to the payment gateway from the application portal. The candidate can opt for any of the payment options listed over there. The additional charges such as service charges, processing fees or bank charges, have to be borne by the candidate.


  25. How much fee should I pay to appear in Two papers of GATE 2021 examination?

  26. The fee per subject paper is given below, for two papers the amount of fee is twice that for a single paper.

    For Examination Centres in India Regular Period
    (14th to 30thSept. 2020)
    During the Extended Period
    (1st to 7th Oct 2020)
    Female candidates (per paper) 750 1250
    SC / ST / PwD* category candidates (per paper) 750 1250
    All other candidates (per paper) 1500 2000

  27. What is the fee for candidates with foreign nationality?

  28. For the candidates with Foreign nationality, who wish to appear for GATE 2021 examination, the application fee per paper is as follows:

    Examination Centres Regular Period
    (14th to 30thSept. 2020)
    During the Extended Period
    (1st to 7th Oct 2020)
    Centres in India 1500 2000
    Addis Ababa, Colombo, Dhaka and Kathmandu US$ 50 US$ 70
    Dubai and Singapore US$ 100 US$ 120

  29. What is the fee for candidates with Indian nationality appearing at International centres?

  30. For the candidates with Indian nationality, who wish to appear for GATE 2021 examination, the application fee per paper (irrespective of their category and gender) is as follows:

    Examination Centres Regular Period
    (14th to 30thSept. 2020)
    During the Extended Period
    (1st to 7th Oct 2020)
    Addis Ababa, Colombo, Dhaka and Kathmandu US$ 50 US$ 70
    Dubai and Singapore US$ 100 US$ 120

  31. What do I do, if power/Internet connection failed during an online payment?

  32. When you can get back online, login back to GOAPS website and check the status of the payment. If the payment was received by GATE, you can continue the process of printing the application form.

    If the payment was not received by GATE, you can also check the status of transaction from your bank account. In case, the fee amount has been debited (deducted) from your bank account, but GOAPS does not acknowledge any fee payment, then the money will be credited back to your account. However, this may take a week or more, after the closure of the application process.

    In such a situation, you may initiate a fresh payment on GOAPS without waiting for the money to be credited back to your account. This will ensure that your application submission will be on time (within the deadline).


  33. My net banking account has been debited more than once. How do I get the money back?

  34. Any unaccounted or excess money that was received on behalf of GATE 2021 from this account, will automatically be returned (credited) to the same bank account. However, this may take a week or more, after the closure of the application process.


  35. My bank account has been debited (money taken out), but GOAPS website says that the payment has not been received. What do I do?

  36. Please login back to GOAPS after some time and check the status of the payment. Even then, if GOAPS does not acknowledge any fee payment, the money will be credited back to your account. However, this may take a week or more, after the closure of the application process. In such a situation, you must initiate a fresh payment on GOAPS without waiting for the money to be credited back to your account. This will ensure that your application submission will be on time (within the deadline). Finally, you will be charged only once. Any excess/unaccounted debits will be returned back to you.


  37. Do I have to send the print-out of the application form?

  38. NO. The print-out of the application form is not required to be sent to the Organising Institute (IIT Bombay) or any other GATE zonal offices.


  39. When and how will I know the status of my application?

  40. You can check the status of your application by logging into GOAPS website


  41. After completing the ONLINE application process and generating a PDF file, will I be able to change my application data?

  42. NO. After completing all the steps up to PDF application form generation in the ONLINE application process, you can only download the application form and CANNOT modify the data. Hence, you need to be very careful while entering the data.


  43. I have missed to take a print-out of my ONLINE application at the end of my application process. How will I get access to it?

  44. You can login using GOAPS Enrollment ID and password and take a print-out for your own reference. The print-out must NOT be sent to GATE Organising Institute.


  45. If I have not uploaded photograph as per the specifications mentioned, will my application be rejected?

  46. YES, without proper photograph, the application will be rejected.


  47. If I have not uploaded signature as per the specifications mentioned, will my application be rejected?

  48. YES, without proper signature, the application will be rejected.


  49. Which Identity Document (ID) will be accepted in the application form?

  50. For Indian candidates, the following valid photo identification documents/cards will be accepted: Aadhaar-UID, Passport, PAN Card, Voter ID, College ID, Employee ID and Driving License. For International candidates, ONLY valid Passport/Government issued ID/College ID/Employee ID will be accepted as the recognized identification.


  51. Is there a relaxation in cut-off score and fee for the EWS (Economically weaker section) candidates?

  52. The cut-off score and fee for EWS candidates will be SAME as General candidates.


  53. What will happen if I am not able to produce EWS certificate at the time of admission/counselling etc.?

  54. If you are not having a valid EWS certificate at the time of admission/counselling/recruitment, you will be considered as General category candidate. However, GATE has nothing to do with subsequent admission or recruitment process.


  55. Do I have to upload my EWS certificate during the application process?

  56. NO. Since, the “GATE CUT-OFF SCORE” for General and General-EWS categories are same, you need not upload any EWS certificate.




  1. When will I receive my Admit Card?

  2. Admit Card can ONLY be downloaded from the GOAPS website from 8th January 2021. Admit Cards will NOT be sent by post or as an e-mail attachment.


  3. Is the Admit Card alone sufficient to gain entry to the examination centre?

  4. NO. Candidates must bring a good quality print-out, preferably colour printout of the downloaded Admit Card, to the Examination for verification along with the original and valid photo Identity Document (NO photocopy/scanned copy/NOT an expired document), which was specified during the filling up of the online application.
    For Indian candidates, only following identification cards will be accepted: Aadhaar-UID, Passport, PAN card, Voter ID, College ID, Employee ID and Driving License.
    For International candidates, ONLY a valid Passport/Government issued ID/College ID/Employee ID will be accepted as the recognized identification.
    The Admit Card is valid if and ONLY if the candidate's photograph and signature images are clear and legible. The photograph on the Admit Card and that in the valid photo identity document should match with the appearance of the candidate on the day of examination


  5. Can I bring soft copy of the Admit Card (in mobile phone/tablet/laptop) to gain entry to the examination centre?

  6. NO. Hard copy (preferably printed in colour) of the Admit Card must be brought to the examination centre along with the original (not photocopied/scanned copy) and valid (not expired) photo Identity Document (ID), which was specified during the filling up of the online application.




  1. For how many GATE papers can I apply?

  2. A candidate can apply for ONE or TWO subject papers(from the given set of combinations as per Table 4.2a) of the 27 papers listed in the GATE INFORMATION BROCHURE or GATE website. The choice of the appropriate paper is the responsibility of the candidate.

    Combinations other than the listed ones are NOT allowed.

    Some guidelines in this respect are suggested below:

    • The candidate is expected to appear in paper(s) [up to two as per the given set of combinations in Table 4.2a] appropriate to the discipline of his/her qualifying degree.
    • The candidate is, however, free to choose any other paper according to his/her admission plan, keeping in mind the eligibility criteria of the institutions in which he/she wishes to seek admission.


  3. If a paper is being held in more than one session, can I appear in any of the sessions of that particular paper?

  4. NO. Each candidate will be assigned to ONLY ONE of the multiple sessions of a particular paper which is being held in multiple sessions. Under any circumstances, a candidate will NOT be allowed to appear in a session in which his/her candidature is not assigned.


  5. After submission of application, am I permitted to change my GATE Examination Paper?

  6. YES. ONLY after the last date for application submission, a request for the change of GATE Examination Paper will be entertained against additional payment till 13th November, 2020. Any request after this date will NOT be considered.


  7. After submission of application, am I permitted to change my GATE Examination City?

  8. YES. ONLY after the last date for application submission, a request for the change of examination city will be entertained against additional payment till 13th November, 2020. Any request after this date will NOT be considered.


  9. After submission of application, am I permitted to change my Category?

  10. YES. ONLY after the last date for application submission, category change request will be entertained against additional payment till 13th November, 2020. Any request after this date will NOT be considered.


  11. Will I be provided with any white paper for rough work and calculations during the examination?

  12. Only one scribble pad at any point of time will be provided to the candidate that can be used to do the rough work. To obtain second scribble pad, the candidate MUST return the first scribble pad. The candidate has to return any scribble pad in his/her possession at the end of the examination. Virtual Scientific Calculator will be available on the computer screen.


  13. Am I allowed to enter the examination hall at any time during the examination?

  14. NO. Candidates must enter before the starting time of examination. Delayed entry is permitted such that candidates login NOT later than 30 minutes from the starting time of the examination. NO relaxation is given under any circumstances.


  15. In case of permitted delayed entry in the examination hall, will I get extra time corresponding to my delayed entry?

  16. NO. The candidate with permitted delayed entry will NOT get any extra time.


  17. Am I allowed to leave the examination hall during the examination?

  18. NO. Candidates will NOT be allowed to leave the examination hall for any reason during the examination. Candidates are allowed to leave the examination hall only after the scheduled end of examination.


  19. What items are not permitted to be brought with me inside the examination venue?

  20. Only Admit Card, original valid photo Identification Card and a pen are permitted to be taken inside the examination hall.
    Mobile phones, physical calculators, wallets, watches of any type, any electronic/communicating devices, books, papers, loose sheets, pen/pencil box/pouch and any other material are NOT permitted inside the examination hall.
    If a candidate brings any of these items, they have to be kept outside the examination hall at the candidate’s own risk. If the candidate is found to be in possession of these items (even if not using them), he/she will be disqualified and the result will not be declared for the candidate.


  21. Can I use a physical calculator during the examination?

  22. NO. During the online GATE 2021 examination, all candidates will be provided with a virtual scientific calculator which has to be used to answer the questions.


  23. Will there be any arrangement at the examination centre for the safe keeping of my personal items such as my mobile phone?

  24. NO. Such arrangements will not be made at the examination centre. If a candidate brings personal belongings including mobile phones, they have to be kept outside the examination hall at the candidate’s own risk. The GATE officials are not responsible for safe keeping of your personal items.


  25. What happens if a physical calculator (even on an electronic watch) or a mobile phone (even in switched off mode) is found in my possession in the examination hall?

  26. Such cases will naturally constitute violation of GATE 2021 code of conduct (as given in Appendix B) and will lead to disqualification of the candidature.


  27. Is there a separate rank/paper for Geology and Geophysics candidates in GATE 2021?

  28. Separate scores and ranks will be provided to Geology and Geophysics candidates based on the Part B section in GG paper (keeping the GG paper pattern as it is).

    For this, separate cut-off marks will be obtained as per the common procedure but by considering the following sections of GG paper:

    • For Geology (GL) candidates: GA Section + Part A: Common Section + Part B (Section -1): Geology
    • For Geophysics (GP) candidates: GA Section + Part A: Common Section + Part B (Section-2): Geophysics


  29. Is there a separate rank/paper for Humanities and Social Sciences candidates in GATE 2021?

  30. Separate scores and ranks will be provided to Humanities and Social Sciences candidates based on the choice of C1 to C6 section in XH paper.


    For this, separate cut-off marks will be obtained as per the common procedure but by considering the following sections of XH paper:

    • For Economics (XH-C1) candidates: GA Section + Part B1: Reasoning and Comprehension (Common section) + Part C1: Economics
    • For English (XH-C2) candidates: GA Section + Part B1: Reasoning and Comprehension (Common section) + Part C2: English
    • For Linguistics (XH-C3) candidates: GA Section + Part B1: Reasoning and Comprehension (Common section) + Part C3: Linguistics
    • For Philosophy (XH-C4) candidates: GA Section + Part B1: Reasoning and Comprehension (Common section) + Part C4: Philosophy
    • For Psychology (XH-C5) candidates: GA Section + Part B1: Reasoning and Comprehension (Common section) + Part C5: Psychology
    • For Sociology (XH-C6) candidates: GA Section + Part B1: Reasoning and Comprehension (Common section) + Part C6: Sociology




  1. What are the details of the guidelines that will be followed about PwD candidates writing GATE 2021 examination?

  2. GATE 2021 will follow the guidelines as mentioned in the government regulations (Appendix A). Please refer to:

    https://gate.iitb.ac.in/assets/2021/PWD_Guidelines.pdf


  3. Will the facility of scribe be given to all PwD candidates?

  4. The facility of scribe is meant for only those PwD candidates who are persons with benchmark disability (i.e. not less than 40% disability) and who have physical limitation to write including that of speed. However, provision of scribe shall be allowed on production of a certificate to the effect that the person concerned has physical limitation to write, as given in APPENDIX-I of Guidelines for Conducting Exam for PwD (which is given in Appendix A of this information brochure).


    In case of person with benchmark disability (i.e. not less than 40% disability) in the category of blindness, locomotor disability (both arms affected-BA) and cerebral palsy, the facility of scribe shall be allowed on advance request only.

    (Ref. Para No. IV of OM No. F. No. 34-02/2015-DD-III Dated 29th August, 2018)


  5. Will there be a “magnified question paper” for visually challenged PwD candidates?

  6. YES. Once you reach the examination hall, please contact the GATE Institute Representative through the invigilator in your examination hall and he/she will do the needful.


  7. Will the facility of scribe and/or compensatory (extra) time be given to dyslexic candidates?

  8. Yes, dyslexic candidates can avail the services of scribe, provided such candidates submit a proper dyslexic certificate issued by the competent authorities (see APPENDIX A). The scribe will be provided by the GATE authorities or candidates may bring their own scribe. The compensatory (extra) time would be applicable to such dyslexic candidates availing the scribe facility.


  9. Is there a provision of getting compensatory (extra) time for a PwD/dyslexic candidate?

  10. A person with benchmark disability (i.e. not less than 40% disability), who is allowed to avail the facility of scribe (see PwD FAQ No.2 above) will automatically get additional one hour compensatory (extra) time for an examination of three hours duration.


    PwD/dyslexic candidates, with certain benchmark disabilities (that limits the speed of writing) who do not want to avail the scribe assistance, but at the same time request for compensatory time during the time of application, may be considered for an extra time of one hour only if fulfilling the criteria of scribe as per the PwD FAQ No.2.


    On-the-spot request for any compensatory time at the examination hall will NOT be entertained.


  11. Will the facility of own scribe be given to person with benchmark disabilities (that limits the speed of writing)?

  12. Yes, subject to fulfilling criteria of scribe as per PwD FAQ No.2 above, persons with benchmark disability (i.e. not less than 40% disability) will be allowed to opt for their own scribe, provided the qualification of the scribe is one step below the qualification of the candidate taking the examination. The candidate with benchmark disabilities (i.e. not less than 40% disability) opting for their own scribe should submit details of their own scribe as per proforma at APPENDIX-II of Guidelines for Conducting Exam for PwD, (which is available in Appendix A of this information brochure). Scribe details must include latest qualification and identity documents. (Ref. Para No. VI of OM No. F. No. 34-02/2015-DD-III Dated 29th August, 2018)


    On-the-spot request for arranging scribe at the examination hall will NOT be entertained.