GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME: Check Expected Marks & Previous Year Cut off Trends
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2027 ( GATE )
GATE 2027 Correction Window
10 Nov '26 - 14 Nov '26
GATE aspirants can check here the GATE 2026 cut off ME and the expected cut off.
Check Expected Marks & Previous Year Cut off Trends
GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME: The GATE expected cut off for ME for General category candidates is expected to be around 34-40, while for candidates belonging to OBC it is expected to be 28 to 33, while for SC/ST candidates it can range between 23 to 26.
The cutoff for GATE is divided into types: qualifying cutoff, and admission cutoff. The qualifying cutoff of GATE determines if students have passed the exam, and admission cutoff varies by institute based on competition and seat availability. Candidates can check here the cut off of GATE 2026 ME to know minimum marks required to crack the exam, as well as past year cut off trends of GATE ME.
Also check:
What is the GATE exam for Mechanical Engineering?
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) for Mechanical Engineering (ME) is held annually to shortlist candidates for admission into PG programs (M.Tech/Ph.D.) at IITs/NITs and top technical jobs (PSUs) like IOCL, NTPC, and BHEL.
As per the GATE exam pattern, the test will be held for a 3-hour time duration. Based on the GATE question papers, the test will have 65 questions (100 marks total). The questions will be based on subjects such as - General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics, and core Mechanical Engineering subjects (thermodynamics, mechanics, manufacturing, etc.
Also read: What is GATE Exam Login
- GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME - Key Insights
- Expected GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME
- GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME - Factors Influencing Cutoff
- Past year Cut off trends - GATE ME Official Qualifying Cutoff (2021–2025)
GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME - Key Insights
- The GATE 2026 Mechanical Engineering cutoff determines candidates' possibility of getting admission for M.Tech admissions at premier institutes like IITs and IISc, or direct recruitment into PSUs.
- The GATE 2026 cutoff for ME is generally influenced by the difficulty level of the question paper, the total number of applicants who qualified and appeared in GATE exam.
- Based on recent stats, it is being noticed that the registrations has recently surged across core branches such as Computer Science, Civil, Mechanical, Electronics and Data Analytics.
- The qualifying cutoff is determined by IIT Guwahati and ensures candidates eligibility, however the admission cutoff varies significantly by institute and specialization, requiring much higher scores for competitive fields like Thermal or Design Engineering.
Also read: GATE EE Syllabus
Commonly asked questions
The highest GATE cutoff score for NIT M.Tech admission typically ranges from 800 to 850 in the first round. Some of the top NITs include NIT Surathkal, NIT Trichy, and NIT Warangal, accept admissions with GATE score 800 above for branches like EC, CS, ME, and EE.
Qualified candidates have to register at the CCMT portal to participate in the GATE counselling. The counselling process will begin in June/July.
The GATE cutoff mark varies every year depending on the branch and year. The expected cutoff mark (passing marks) usually ranges from 25 to 40 marks, depending on the branch selected and category.
The CSE cutoff for GATE 2027 will be announced soon. Candidates can check CSE cutoff (category-wise) of last year 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.
Many PSUs accept the GATE score for recruitment. Here are some top PSUs that accept GATE scores for jobs -
- Airports Authority of India (AAI)
- Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)
- Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
- Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)
- Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS)
- National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
Most of the PSUs accept the current GATE scorecard for recruitment. Therefore, it is important to stay updated with the recruitment notifications.
Expected GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME
Based on past year trends, we can expect a similar score for 2026. From following table, candidates can find the GATE 2026 ME cut off (expected) -
| Category |
Expected Cutoff Range (Marks) |
|---|---|
| General (GEN) |
34 - 40 |
| OBC-NCL / EWS |
29.5 - 33 |
| SC / ST / PwD |
23 - 26.5 |
Also read: GATE DA Syllabus
GATE 2026 Cutoff for ME - Factors Influencing Cutoff
Final marks will be released by IIT Guwahati on its portal tentatively in March 2026. However, students can check here the key factors that can be considered while determining the cut off of GATE 2026 ME :
| Factor |
Details |
|---|---|
| Difficulty level of exam |
Tougher papers lead to low qualifying marks. If paper is tricky, the cutoff may drop by 1-3 marks. |
| Candidate Volume |
A higher number of registered applicants increases competition, driving cutoff upward. |
| Seat Availability |
While it doesn't affect passing marks, fewer seats in top programs lead to much higher admission-based scores. |
| Normalization |
For papers with multiple sessions, marks are normalized to ensure no candidate is disadvantaged by a tougher session slot. |
Also read: GATE 2026 EE Question Paper
Commonly asked questions
The cutoff score in GATE is the minimum mark required to qualify for the exam. The conducting body releases the qualifying cutoff along with result. It determines, whether a candidate is eligible to participate in the counselling round or not.
The cutoff score in GATE varies every year (category-wise), depending on the number of students registered, difficulty level of the question paper, and previous year's trends. The GATE cutoff score are mainly of two types - admission and qualifying cutoff.
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.
Based on previous year's cutoff trends and experts analysis, here is an expected GATE score range required for M.Tech admission -
| GATE Score Range | MTech options |
|---|---|
| 300 to 400 | MTech in any state government college. Also, aspirants can apply for other exams. |
| GATE Score 500 to 600 | The maximum chances of getting into a state government college. Few new NITs options (specific branches or category) |
| 600 to 700 score in GATE | Top NITs (in-demand branches) and few new IITs |
| GATE score 700 to 800 | Top NITs, IITs, and IISc, High chances for PSU recruitment |
| GATE score 800 to 900 | MTech or MSc in Top IITs (core branches), top PSUs recruitment like ISRO, BARC, and DRDO |
| GATE score 900+ | Top IITs, NITs, IISc, and PSU recruitment. Aspirants can also opt for research work. |
The GATE CCMT cutoff for CSE (round 1) at NIT Delhi can be checked below -
- Minimum GATE score - 668
- Maximum GATE score - 741
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Past year Cut off trends - GATE ME Official Qualifying Cutoff (2021–2025)
From the following table students can check cut off marks in each category out of 100. These trends will help students appearing in the 2026 exam.
| GATE Year |
General (GEN) |
OBC-NCL / EWS |
SC / ST / PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
35.8 |
32.2 |
23.8 |
| 2024 |
28.6 |
25.7 |
19.0 |
| 2023 |
28.4 |
25.5 |
18.9 |
| 2022 |
28.1 |
25.2 |
18.7 |
| 2021 |
33.0 |
29.7 |
22.0 |
After analyzing the previous five years GATE ME cut off marks it has been revealed that there is a fluctuating trend in ME cutoffs since it is a core subject. This often reflects shifts in the difficulty level of the question paper and number of candidates who registered in the exam.
Last year in 2025, the GATE cutoff saw a significant jump, and recorded a multi-year high specifically for the General category. The above shared table indicates that while the 2022–2024 period remained stable around the 28-mark range, the 2025 peak suggests a more competitive landscape or a relatively higher-scoring paper.
Also read: MTech Exams other than GATE
GATE Cut off marks of other popular streams
| GATE 2026 cut off for CSE |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a week ago
Yes, SRMJEEE PG does accept GATE scores for admission. Candidates applying through GATE must provide their scores at the time of filling application form.
S
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
For the OBC category students, the GATE last round closing scores were between 289 and 504 for admission to M.Tech course at NIT Durgapur. Below given is the year-wise GATE cutoff comparison:
| Course | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Tech. in Biotechnology | 314 | 330 | 315 |
| M.Tech. in Geotechnical Engineering | 324 | 321 | 350 |
| M.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering | 447 | 514 | 504 |
| M.Tech. In Environmental Science and Technology | 302 | 309 | 289 |
| M.Tech. in Power Systems | 319 | 323 | 319 |
| M.Tech. in Power Electronics and Machine Drives | 332 | 323 | 334 |
| M.Tech. in Microelectronics and VLSI | 464 | 475 | 459 |
| M.Tech. in Operations Research | 324 | 389 | 355 |
| M.Tech. in Machine Design | 334 | 335 | 325 |
| M.Tech. in Instrumentation and Control | 332 | 329 | 325 |
| M.Tech. in Next generation communication and network | 324 | 342 | 333 |
| M.Tech. in AI and Data Analytics in Process Engineering | – / – | 427 | 353 |
| M.Tech. in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science | – / – | 499 | 500 |
| M.Tech. in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence | – / – | 323 | 333 |
| M.Tech.7 in Sustainable Materials and Technology | – / – | 345 | 304 |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
During the NIT Durgapur cutoff 2026 for the General AI category, the GATE overall cutoff scores ranged between 351 and 548. Considering the CCMT last round cutoff 2026, the most competitive course for admission was M.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering, with cutoff score concluding at 548.
For
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, candidates can change their category during the rectification phase. A fnon-refundable fee of INR 500 must be paid to change to make modifications in application.
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
If the edit option is visible on dashboard, then it means you can edit. However, officials will open defect rectification window before result declaration giving another chance to upload correct photo and signature.
T
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes, GATE correction window is now open for modifications. Candidates have to pay to make changes to application form.
I
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a month ago
The syllabus of SRMJEEE PG and GATE is same, but the questions asked in SRMJEEE PG are moderate level. Most questions are basic and direct formula-based.
B
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 months ago
No, Alliance School of Business only accepts the scores of its own exam called ARAT for admitting candidates to its PhD course.
Candidates can also get direct admission into PhD courses if they completed UG level graduation with an aggregate over 75% in honors mode or in a UG course of four year dura
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The GATE total marks is 100. The marks in GATE question paper is distributed as follows:
- General Aptitude - 15 marks
- Engineering Mathematics - 13 marks
- Subject/Core Discipline - 72 marks
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 months ago
NIT Silchar has a moderate overall engineering placement record with average packages around INR 12–14 LPA, but core CSE/IT departments claim a major share of these high-paying software offers.
A
Contributor-Level 10
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