GATE 2026 Preparation: Here's what aspirants are targeting, IIT and NIT admission tops the Shiksha Poll
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2027 ( GATE )
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1 Jun '26 - 31 Dec '26
What motivates aspirants to crack the GATE exam 2026: A recent Shiksha poll with 993 votes reveals students motivation to crack GATE exam. Read below to know more.
Recently, Shiksha conducted a poll on "What motivates you most to crack GATE 2026" and with 993 votes, majority of aspirants have opted for IITs and NITs. Let's get deeper to understand, what does number say about aspirants goals.
Quick update:
- IIT Guwahati is conducting GATE 2026.
- The GATE 2026 application form fees are revised for all categories. For more details, visit the GATE 2026 admission and exam details.
- A new sectional paper, Energy Science (XE-I), is introduced under Engineering Sciences. The
- GATE 2026 examination was held on February 7, 8, 14, and 15 in two shifts.
Admission to Top IITs and NITs through GATE 2026
For decades, IITs and NITs have been a top priority for engineering students. With 45% votes, it clearly shows its consistency among GATE aspirants for MTech and research.
⭐Why they shine so bright: An IIT/NIT admission through GATE more than a degree. Students who enter these institutes get high-package placements, research opportunties and more.
A Dream PSU Job with 42% Votes
42% of aspirants have said their motivation is securing a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) job through GATE. PSUs like ONGC, SAIL, GAIL, NTPC, and AAI have great job security, salaries, and additional perks and benefits. In addition, they offer better work and personal space with financial stability.
The close percentage difference between IIT/NIT admission and PSU jobs shows how equally popular both career routes have become among GATE aspirants.
Financial Stability
While only 13% of students selected financial stability as their top motivation, this number cannot be overlooked. For many aspirants, cracking GATE is a means to a secure and comfortable life. Both MTech admissions and PSU jobs are in a way offer rewarding career, but some aspirants prefer GATE as a mode of lifting their family's financial condition, making it personal
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Commonly asked questions
Indian Institute of Technology released GATE cutoff 2026. The IITG GATE 2026 result has been declared. The conducting body releases the exam result and cutoff for all 30 subjects. The cutoff for GATE 2026 is available category-wise. Candidates securing the minimum cutoff will be eligible to participate in counselling.
Note: The minimum qualifying cutoff is different for all subjects.
GATE 2026 CSE cutoff (category-wise) can be checked here -
General | OBC-NCL EWS | SC/ST and PwD |
30 | 27 | 20 |
The cutoff is the minimum mark that is required for all candidates to qualify for the exam. IIT Guwahati announced GATE result 2026 on March 19.
The GATE CCMT cutoff for CSE (round 1) at NIT Delhi can be checked below -
- Minimum GATE score - 668
- Maximum GATE score - 741
A GATE score of 550 in mechanical engineering will fetch you a rank range of 1500 - 3000. Students with this GATE score range can opt for M.Tech at NIT Calicut, NIT Trichy, etc.
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What the Shiksha Poll Reveals About GATE 2026 Aspirants
Thus, the poll highlights that -
- IIT and PSU remains neck to neck competition
- Apsirants are more career and tech focused now.
The GATE exam continues to be a gateway to multiple opportunities, whether it is pursuing advanced education at IITs and NITs, landing a dream PSU job, or achieving financial stability.
The Shiksha poll for GATE 2026 reveals a clear picture: most aspirants are motivated by academic and career goals, with financial security as a strong underlying factor.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 23 hours ago
Yes, DCRUST requires GATE as well as CUET-PG for admission to its 2-year PG level M.Tech course along with a minimum 50% aggregate (45% aggregate for reserved category) in any graduation degree from a recognised university. The M.Tech programme is spread across 4 semesters in 2 years. M.Tech program
a
Beginner-Level 4
Answered a week ago
A GATE score of 70 would not get you admission at NIT Goa in the third round. As per the NIT Goa GATE cutoff 2026, the General AI category faced a cutoff ranging from 353 to 552. Hence, a score of at least 353 would be required for admission.
Among the OBC AI quota, students need to attain a score o
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
The General AI category requires a score of at least 552 in the third round for M.Tech CSE course admission. The minimum score will vary as per the round and category. Students can check the table below to know the minimum score needed by all categories for the M.Tech CSE programme.
| Category | Minimum score required for M.Tech CSE |
|---|---|
| General | 552 |
| OBC | 496 |
| SC | 400 (R2) |
| ST | 334 (R1) |
| EWS | 518 (R2) |
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes its accepted
A
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a week ago
NIT Andhra Pradesh M.Tech cutoff 2026 ranged from 410 to 495 for the General AI category in the third round. The NIT Andhra Pradesh cutoff 2026 was released for the third round for admission to the M.Tech course based on the CCMT counselling process.
Students can check the table below to know the
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Dear reader,
While evaluating your M.Tech. admission options at IIT Bhilai and IIT Patna based on your GATE score provides a good foundation for your academic planning, Lovely Professional University (LPU) serves as an excellent alternative. LPU offers premier engineering postgraduate programs featu
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
IIT Ropar CSE cutoff 2026 has been released based on the GATE entrance exam, followed by the COAP counselling process. For the General AI category, the Round 7 cutoff score for CSE admission was 682. For other categories, check out the table below:
| Category | GATE Cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | 682 (R7) |
| OBC | 628 (R6) |
| SC | 489 (R6) |
| ST | 375 (R7) |
| EWS | 678 (R7) |
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
For the OBC category students, the GATE cutoff scores ranged between 335 and 610 up to Round 6 for M.Tech admission across multiple specialisations. Based on the Round 6 cutoff scores, CSE was the most competitive branch. To view the latest round cutoff for all the M.Tech specialisations in the OBC
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
GATE is not mandatory for all MTech colleges in Hyderabad. While top government colleges and NITs require a valid GATE score, many private colleges in Hyderabad accept TS PGECET scores or offer direct admission based on BTech marks and personal interviews. However, having a good GATE score gives you
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
IITRAM M.Tech cutoff 2026 has been released, wherein the first round score for admission to the M.Tech in Electrical Infrastructure course was 354 for the students belonging to the General AI quota.
R
Contributor-Level 10
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,
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