GATE 2026: GATE Exam vs Placements, Which is better for aspirants, benefits, salary, and more
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2025 ( GATE )
Admit Card - 2 Jan '26
GATE Exam Vs Placements: For engineering students in India, making a decision between campus placements and preparing for the GATE exam is difficult. Both the routes have their own benefits and can offer amazing career paths. Read below to know more about the GATE exam vs campus placements.
GATE 2026 Exam Vs Placements: For engineering aspirants, choosing between GATE and campus placements is one of the toughest decisions. Your brain might get fogged with many questions like where should I invest - should I prepare for GATE to aim IITs and NITs or grab a job through campus placement? Both are promising, however, the right decision, depends on long-term goals. Let's understand -
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Latest Updates:
- GATE 2026 registration link OUT at gate2026.iitg.ac.in: Apply now at the GOAPS portal
- AAI recruitment through GATE started: Register before September 27
GATE 2026 Exam: Route to Higher Studies and PSU Jobs
The GATE exam is one of the toughest competitive exams for engineering students, testing conceptual knowledge, analytical skills, and problem-solving. But what about the benefits after qualifying for GATE? Honestly, there are many. Candidates can check the benefits after qualifying for GATE 2026 -
This year, IIT Guwahati is conducting the GATE 2026 exam. IIT Guwahati conducted the GATE exam in 2018. Based on the GATE 2018 and past year paper format, the GATE 2026 is expected to be moderately difficult. The question paper is expected to have higher weightage on concept-based questions, blending numerical and practical analysis. Candidates are advised to practice the previous year's question paper as many times as possible to understand the difficulty level of the question paper.
The GATE marks is the actual marks obtained by the candidate. It is calculated out of 100. On the other hand, the GATE scores is calculated out of 1000 using a formula of GATE normalisation process. The GATE result will be released on March 19.
What are the Benefits after qualifying for GATE?
- A good GATE score gets you admission into top institutions like IITs, NITs, IIITs, etc. It helps you building technical expertise and skills.
- Many PSUs offer jobs through GATE. These provide you job security with interesting salary and attractive perks
- Candidates can get into research fellowships
- Achieve scholarships to become financially independent.
- Many international universities accept GATE scores for admission.
Advantages of Campus Placements
Getting into campus placements gives early job security, hands-on experience and skills in the relevant industry, and experience the corporate culture with an attractive salary package.
Who Should Prepare for GATE Examination?
Preparing for the GATE can be useful for those who want to go for higher studies in IITs or NITs, or get into PSU jobs, or work in academi research, teaching, etc.. GATE offers a long term career plan and stability.
| PRO TIP - If you’re in 3rd or 4th year, appear for GATE once. Even if you don’t score well, you’ll gain experience for the final attempt. IIT Guwahati has started the GATE registrations. Aspirants can apply at gate2026.iitg.ac.in. |
Who Should Choose Campus Placements?
Students who want to earn immediately and become financially independent, or want to enjoy corporate culture, or are more inclined into business roles, consulting, or management can choose campus placements.
| PRO TIP: If you’re confident about placements and still attempt GATE, it adds credibility to your resume. |
Explore more Engineering exams with upcoming dates
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Also read:
- What is the salary of a GATE topper in a month?
- How to get into FAANG companies through GATE?
- Post-GATE career tips: How to build a strong LinkedIn profile for career opportunities and networking
Can I prepare for GATE with Job Placements?
Yes, with the right strategy, you can easily prepare for GATE exam with campus placements. Here's how -
- Grasp strong fundamentals. Take your lectures seriously. Building concepts can help both in GATE preparation and technical interviews.
- Dedicate your weekends and evenings to GATE preparation by learning coding skills and new languages.
- Attempt full-length mock tests and previous year's question papers to test your analytical skills that can help in placements.
| PRO TIP: Even if you secure a placement, keep your GATE score valid, as it remains useful for higher studies or PSU opportunities later. The GATE scorecard is valid for three years. |
Conclusion: Which one is the best?
- If your plan is for higher studies, then go for GATE. Build your concepts and achieve AIR and get into top institutions for research work.
- If you are immediate financial independency, then look for campus placements.
In short, GATE gives long-term growth and prestige, placements give immediate stability and experience. "Don’t think of it as GATE vs Placements. Think of it as GATE and Placements, and how you can use both to your advantage."
The decision also depends on your goals: Are you chasing knowledge, research, and security, or do you want experience, money, and corporate growth? Either way, both roads lead to success if you walk them with clarity and preparation.
Both NIT Warangal and NIT Trichy are considered good for BTech course. When we compare both the colleges in terms of academics and placements, NIT Warangal outscores in terms of the average and the highest package. The highest package in NIT Warangal placements 2024 was INR 88 LPA. When we compare both the Institutes in terms of NIRF ranking 2024, NIT Trichy ranks 9. On the other hand, NIT Warangal secured 21st spot in the NIRF ranking 2024 in the Engineering category.
NIT Trichy has released the cutoff list for admission to the MCA course. The cutoff for the General AI category candidates was closed at 47. Looking at the cutoff ranks over the three years, it seems as if the competition has increased among the General AI category. The table below contains the cutoff ranks for NIMCET in current and past years:
| Year | Cutoff |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 48 |
| 2024 | 52 |
| 2025 | 47 |
Below table contains a comparison of NIT Trichy with other NITs based on parameters such as course fee and NIRF ranking for BTech:
College Name | BTech Total Tuition Fee | NIRF Ranking (2024) |
|---|---|---|
NIT Trichy | INR 5 lakh | 9 |
| INR 5 lakh | 17 | |
| INR 5 Lacs - INR 6.3 lakh | 19 |
*The above fee is taken from unofficial sources and hence, is indicative. Students are requested to visit the official website to get more details on the same.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 5 days ago
Yes, IIT Guwahati has extended the GATE 2026 registration date with late fees. The new GATE 2026 registration date is October 13.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 6 days ago
If you notice an error or discrepancy after submitting your GATE form, don't panic. Once the application correction window opens, log in via GOAPS using your credentials and make the corrections. Details like category, gender, exam city, paper choice, date of birth, etc., can often be edited — usual
D
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
The factors that determine the GATE cutoff are -
- Availability of seats (the total seat intake varies every year for NITs, IIITs, and IIT admission)
- Number of registered applicants
- The difficulty level of the examination - (GATE is conducted on multiple days, however, the paper difficulty varies for eve
I
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Based on the previous year's trends, the GATE 2026 expected cutoff for computer Science and engineering can be checked below-
- For General category it might go around 30 to 31.0
However, the GATE cutoff varies every year, depending on the difficulty level, number of applicants appearing for the exam,
U
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, a duplicate GATE 2026 admit card will not be provided at the test center. Candidates must carry their own admit card along with the mentioned documents and items to the GATE exam center. IIT Guwahati will release the GATE admit card on January 2.
P
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Candidates will get only one scribble pad at a time. They must write their name and registration number before using it. If the rough sheet gets filled, then they can ask for another one scribble pad after returning the previous one to the invigilator. After the exam concludes, candidates must retur
B
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Yes, candidates will get a scribble pad in the GATE exam 2026 to do the rough work. Candidates have to write their name and registration number on the scribble pad before using it. However, the rough sheet must be returned after the completion of the exam.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The barcode present in the GATE admit card 2026 carries the candidate's information. It is required for a faster verification process and fraud prevention. So, make sure it does not get tampered. Carry multiple copies in case your GATE 2026 hall ticket is torn or tampered.
T
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Applicants must carry the following documents and items to the center along with the GATE 2026 admit card -
- Photo ID proof (as uploaded in the application form)
- Passport-size photograph
- Transparent water bottle
- Pen (blue or black)
It is advised to carry two to three copies of the GATE admit card to avoid
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
Candidates must provide their enrollment ID and password (created at the time of registration) to download their GATE admit card. The admit card will be made available on the GOAPS portal at the GATE candidate login. The GATE 2026 hall ticket release date is January 2 as mentioned in the information
H
Contributor-Level 7
Both the Indian Institutes of Technology are well-ranked. Given below are the comparison between the two IITs for their MSc course based on parameters including fee, ranking and eligibility criteria:
MSc Institutes
NIRF Rank '23 (Overall)
MSc Total Tuition Fee
MSc Eligibility
IIT Delhi
03
INR 40,000 - INR 4 lakh
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant Science discipline with a minimum 55% aggregate
IIT Madras
01
INR 20,000 - INR 10 lakh
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant Science discipline
NOTE: The fee mentioned here is taken from an unofficial source. Hence, is indicative.