GATE Application Form 2026 OUT: 62% Students Plan to Register for in first week, reveals Shiksha Poll Results
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2026 ( GATE )
Admit Card - 2 Jan '26
62% students plan to register for GATE in the first week: GATE 2026 registrations are closed. A recent Shiksha poll shows that 62% students plan to register for GATE 2026 in the first week. Read below for more.
The GATE 2026 admission process began. The GATE exam dates are out, followed by small yet significant changes in the GATE 2026 registration fees and the introduction of a new paper (Energy Science) under Engineering Sciences. The exam will take place on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026, and aspirants are already making smart moves and decisions toward their career goals.
Explore colleges based on GATE
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
Latest Updates:
The IIT Guwahati had released the GATE application form on August 28 at the GOAPS portal. The registration window is now closed. The last date to apply was (with late fees) October 13.
Candidates can fill GATE 2026 application form at GOAPS portal. The official website to apply is gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Registration is mandatory. First, candidates have to register and then fill their form. Overall, the stages of GATE form filling include - registration, uploading of documents, and payment of application fees.
- GATE 2026 registration link activated at gate2026.iitg.ac.in: Apply now
- GATE two-paper combination list 2026 OUT: check details here
- How to get a job in FAANG companies through GATE 2026?
62% students had planned to register in first week, says Shiksha poll.
A recent Shiksha poll reveals that 62% of the students plan to register for GATE in the first week itself. This mind-set of the aspirants indicates awareness among the students about their preparation, planning and avoiding last minute hassle. Let's check out.
GATE 2026 Poll Summary: What Students Are Planning?
This clearly shows that nearly 2 out of every 3 students are keen to complete their application in the first week of GATE 2026 registration.
Explore more Engineering exams with upcoming dates
15 Feb '26 - 19 Feb '26
3 Feb '26 - 3 Mar '26
7 Mar '26
31 Mar '26
15 Feb '26
12 Mar '26
1 Apr '26 - 30 Apr '26
7 Jun '26 - 23 Jun '26
Why Aspirants Plan to Register in GATE early?
Early registrations in GATE 2026 aren’t just about being proactive; it’s also being practical. Here's how-
Avoid late fees- GATE 2026 applications submitted after the regular can lead to late charges. However, early GATE registration helps save both time and money. The application form was activated on the GOAPS portal from August 28 onwards. Candidates can check the GATE 2026 dates and fee details below -
| Category |
Regular Period |
During the Extended Period |
|---|---|---|
| Female/SC/ST/PwD* candidates (per test paper) |
1000 |
1500 |
| All other candidates, including foreign nationals (per test paper) |
2000 |
2500 |
Less Stress- Registering early reduces stress gives time to prepare. The GATE 2026 application form correction facility is available after the registration process is completed. Candidates can access the correction window using their enrollment ID and password.
This year, IIT Guwahati has revised the GATE 2026 registration fees. The fee details are mentioned on the official website and information bulletin. The details regarding the GATE application fees can be checked below -
- The GATE fee for SC, ST, and PwD applicants is INR 1000 during the regular period and INR 1500 during the extended period.
- For other candidates, including foreign nationals, the fee is INR 2000 (during the regular period) and INR 2500 during the extended timeline.
Accepted payment modes include- Netbanking, UPI, Credit Card, Debit Card, and UPI. After the payment, candidates are advised to keep a copy of the payment receipt for future reference.
GATE enrollment ID is created at time of registration. It is a login credential. GATE registration is roll number given to students. The registration number is printed on hall ticket.
Following documents are needed while filling GATE 2026 application form -
- Scanned photograph and signature
- Valid ID poof
- Category certificate (optional)
- Dyslexic certificate (optional)
Above documents must be uploaded as per exam guidelines.
By registering early, students can have the following benefits -
- Prepare well for the GATE exam without worrying.
- Get their desired test centre (as priority)
- Avoid technical issues
Not planned for GATE 2026 yet
As per Shiksha poll, 12% applicants plan to register for next year.
According to the poll, 11% of students haven’t considered registering yet, and 12% plan to register next year. If you fall under this category -
- Look for your goal and target
- Check your GATE eligibility and start preparing
The Shiksha GATE 2026 registration poll highlights indicates students behavior towards the exam. Majority are planning to fill their forms in the first week itself to avoid hassle and tension. So, go register now.
Also read:
Upasana Pradhan is an Mtech graduate in Electronics and Communication Engineering from DTU who specialises in curating postgraduate and undergraduate engineering entrance exam content, such as GATE, TS PGECET, KCET,
Read Full BioNews & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Jan '26 | JEE Main 2026 City Intimation ... |
7 Jan '26 - 8 Jan '26 | JEE Main 2026 photo verificati... |
Feb '26 | TS EAMCET 2026 notification |
Mar '26 | TS EAMCET 2026 application for... |
Feb '26 | KCET Notification 2026 |
Apr '26 | JEE Advanced 2026 registration... |
Apr '26 | JEE Advanced 2026 practice tes... |
Oct '25 | DTU LEET 2025 Display of Merit... |
Oct '25 | DTU LEET 2025 Exam Date |
Jan '26 | OJEE 2026 registrations |
Mar '26 | OJEE 2026: Last date of fee pa... |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 21 hours ago
Yes, the TS PGECET and GATE syllabus remains the same for M.Tech admission. However, GATE questions are trickier and conceptual compared to TS PGECET. Students who want to appear both TS PGECET and GATE must prepare accordingly-
- Go through pattern of both exams and syllabus
- Solve mock test and questio
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates can check their offer status using their login ID and password obtained during COAP registration. GATE COAP offers will be displayed on given date and time only, where students have to confirm their choices.
I
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
The COAP counselling is done online only. For registrations, students need to keep the following details ready-
- GATE application details
- Scores secured in GATE exam
- Mobile number and email address
P
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates who have qualified GATE exam will be eligible for GATE COAP counselling. The counselling offer admission to IITs. The admission counselling registration is online and is done in multiple rounds depending on seat availability.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
GATE CCMT counselling is expected to start in June/July. Students who have qualified in GATE exam 2026 and want to take admission in NITs and other engineering colleges must register and participate in CCMT. The dates will be updated here for each round.
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
GATE 2026 COAP counselling dates will be released in June/July after the announcement of results. Students who want to take admission in IITs must register through COAP for counselling.
T
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
GATE 2026 Electronics and Communication paper will be conducted on February 15 in the first shift. Students who have regsitered for EC paper must download their admit card on January 2.
H
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
IIT Guwahati will conduct GATE CSE exam on February 8, 2026 in two shifts. The CS1 will be held in first shift and CS2 in second shift. The exam timings can be checked below-
- CS1 paper - 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
- CS2 paper- 2:30 am to 5:30 pm
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
Students can check GATE exam dates on IIT GATE Guwahati website- gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The dates have been released for GATE admit card, branch-papers, and results. Dates for answer key and counselling will be made available soon.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
The Panjab University accepts the GATE cutoff score for admission to the ME/ M.Tech courses. The GATE Cutoff 2023 ranged from 363 to 387 score for admission for the General category under the All India quota. The toughest and the easiest specialisation was M.E. in Electronics and Communication Engin
N
Contributor-Level 10
Candidates can choose at least three exam centres while filling their GATE 2026 application form. The list of GATE exam cities (zone-wise) is available on the website. Besides that, it has to be noted that the three centres must be from the same zone. Thus, based on the availability, the centre will be allotted to the candidate for appearing the GATE 2026 exam.