GATE 2026: Top Underrated Branches that can lead to High Paying Careers after MTech
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2027 ( GATE )
GATE 2027 Registration Last Date without late fee
5 Oct '26
GATE Most Underrated Branches that lead to high-paying careers: Many students who are appearing for GATE exam always incline for popular streams like CS, EC, EE, CE, and ME. With 30 GATE papers, there are certain branches which are known to be hidden gems, which means that they can lead to high-paying careers. Want to know in depth? Read article below.
GATE 2026 most underrated branches that lead to high-paying careers: We all know that GATE is one of the most prestigious exam in India. However, out of 30 subjects, most aspirants move towards the popular streams like computer science, electronics, mechanical etc. While these branches have high scopes, but there are other branches out there that offer amazing job profiles, research options and lucrative salaries. So, in this article we have discussed about the most underarated GATE branches that lead to high-career paying opportunities.
- GATE Most Underrated Branches that can lead to High-Paying Careers
- GATE Instrumentation Engineering
- GATE Environmental Science and Engineering (ES)
- GATE Engineering Sciences (XE)
- Why Choosing an Underrated Branch Might be a Smarter Decision in GATE?
GATE Most Underrated Branches that can lead to High-Paying Careers
Candidates can check below the most underrated GATE branches that have attractive career prospects and exciting research opportunities in the upcoming years.
Commonly asked questions
IIT Bombay is one of the top Engineering institute in the country. It is ranked by various bodies. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2026 has ranked IIT Bombay, #3 in the "Engineering" category. BTech is the flagship programme of the institute. Moreover, the institute also offers MBA programme. IIT Bombay is also well-known for its Management course. It has secured #10 position in the NIRF 2024 rankings in the Management category.
IIT Bombay BTech tuition fee is INR 8 Lacs.
IIT Bombay offers BTech course in different specialisations and as an integrated programme. Its fee structure is cumulative of various components, such as tuition fees, caution money, and more. Students who get a seat allocated in the counselling have to pay the required fee amount. This is inclusive of tuition fees for the integrated programme.
It must be noted that the given fee details are as per the official website/ sanctioning body. It is still subject to revision and hence, is indicative.
IIT Mandi tuition fee costs around INR 44,000 – INR 8.1 L. This fee is exclusive of other components such as examination fee, application fee, hostel fee, security deposit, etc. This fee is taken from the official website. It is subject to change. Hence, it is not moderately expensive, and not very costly. The institute also provide education loan facility and scholarships.
IIT Delhi MSc fee structure is cumulative of various components, including tuition fees, hostel fees, student welfare fund, alumni fees, training and placement charges, etc. Candidates who get selected have to pay the required admission fees to confirm their candidature. IIT-Delhi MSc tuition fee range from INR 30,000 to INR 3,00,000. This fee amount is as per the official website/ sanctioning body. It is still subject to changes and hence, is indicative.
GATE Instrumentation Engineering
Why is it underrated?
This branch is often overshadowed by GATE EE (electrical engineering). However, GATE IN is an indisciplinary field that blends the subjects and concepts of electronics, control systems and measurements.
GATE Instrumentation Engineering Career Scope and Opportunities -
Appearing and qualifying in GATE IN can get aspirants jobs in oil, gas, power plants, and in many manufacturing industries. Also, students can opt for PSU jobs with GATE score above 700. If someone is willing to make a career in research, then they have great scope in automation, robotics, etc.
Emerging Fields in Instrumentation Engineering -
Here are some emerging fields that candidates can consider in instrumentation engineering -
- renewable energy, smart manufacturing, and biomedical instrumentation. Considering the GATE two paper combination facility, students can take the benefit and get into a global recognised career in the Green economy, sustainability goals, etc.
IITs that offer GATE IN programmes
- IIT Kharagpur, offer MTech in instrumentation and integrated electronics with an average placement salary package of 43 LPA
- IIT Roorkee offers MTech in instrumentation and signal processing
GATE Instrumentation Engineering Cutoff
As per the last year stats, GATE IN expected cutoff can be ranged between 23 to 25 (for the general category) and 17 to 20 (for the reserved category). Also, around 11935 candidates appeared for the GATE exam out of 14680 registered applicants in GATE IN.
GATE IN Average Salary Insights
- Aspirants can expect an average salary ranging from 6 to 43 LPA.
- IIT Kharagpur had the top package of 43 LPA, for firms like Yokogawa and Honeywell
Also read:
GATE Environmental Science and Engineering (ES)
Why it's underrated?
GATE ES is quite new to field, however due to emerging debate on making a climate-conscious world, the course has several career opportunities. GATE ES is super underrated and hidden career prospects in higher studies and research.
GATE Environmental Science Career Scope and Opportunities
- Aspirants can get into government organisations like NHAI, ESG Firms, and MoEFC
- Candidates willing for research work roles can get into IITs, IISc, and NITs for research sectors in climate change, pollution control, and water management
- Also get into consultancy jobs with firms working in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Goverance) compilance
Emerging Fields in Environmental Science and Engineering
- Sustainable resource management, smart pollution control using AI, climate challenge, etc.
IITs that offer MTech programmes in GATE ES
- IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay offer MTech in Environmental Science
GATE Environmental Science and Engineering Cutoff
- GATE cutoff ranges between 23-26 (for the general category) and 17-18 (for the reserved category), as per the last year
- 6631 candidates appeared for the GATE 2025 exam out of 9073
GATE Environmental Science Engineering Salary Insights
- Salary typically range from 6 LPA to 16 LPA (depending on skills and experience)
Also read:
| GATE XL cutoff | GATE cutoff for CSE | GATE cutoff for CE |
| GATE Electrical Engineering (EE) cutoff | GATE ME cutoff | GATE ECE cutoff |
| GATE 2026 DA cutoff |
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.
The total tuition fee of the IIT Dhanbad MSc programme ranges from INR 32,000 to INR 48,000. The total course can be higher as it includes other components such as Institute Admission fee, Hostel admission fee, benevolent fund, identity card, etc. Given fee is as per official sources, but can still vary. Hence, is indicative.
Candidates applying for a MSc programme at IIT Delhi need to complete IIT JAM application process (apart from cognitive Science and MSc (Chemistry). The following table mentions IIT JAM 2024 application fee:
Category | IIT JAM Application Fee for One Test Paper | IIT JAM Application Fee for Two Test Papers |
|---|---|---|
Female (All Categories)/ SC/ST/PwD | INR 900 | INR 1,250 |
All Others | INR 1,800 | INR 2,500 |
Yes, IIT Bombay offers a four-year BTech in eight specialisations. Admission to these programmes is based on merit in JEE Advanced. Only the students who pass JEE main can take the advanced exam. The aspirants who furher meet the cutoff criteria can participate in JoSAA counselling.
All the BTech specialisations offered by IIT Bombay are enlisted below:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Computer Science & Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science
- Engineering Physics
- Civil Engineering
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
GATE Engineering Sciences (XE)
Latest Updates: IIT Guwahati has introduced a new paper under GATE Engineering Sciences for GATE, called Energy Science. The paper code is XE (I).
Why it is underrated?
Many aspirants neglect GATE XE thinking that it has no value due to its curriculum and paper combinations. However, GATE XE can be termed as a versatile subject with many career opportunities in ME, MTech, and research field.
GATE Engineering Sciences Career Scope and Opportunities
- Students can get into fields like materials science, nanotech and polymer technology which have high scopes in future.
- Many PSUs like DRDO and BARC offers careers in research and development.
- Students have also opportunity to get into research-based scholarships and higher education abroad (GATE accepted score universities)
GATE XE Emerging Fields
Aspirants can get into research and innovations in solar, thermal energy, industrial robotics, nanodevices, etc.
IITs that offer MTech in Engineering Science through GATE
- IIT Bombay, IISc Bangalore, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati are some of them.
- Other institutions like NIT Trichy, Jadavpur University offer MTech in Engineering Sciences
GATE Engineering Sciences (XE) Cutoff Scores
Based on the last year stats and previous year trends, the GATE XE cutoff mostly ranges between 31 to 26 for general category and 23 to 24 for reserved category. Last year, 11156 candidates appeared the GATE exam out of 14937.
GATE Engineering Sciences Average Salary
- Entry-level salaries for GATE-qualified in XE can range from 4 to 8 LPA in public and private sectors depending on skills and experience.
- However, in PSUs, students can expect a salary range between 20 to 32 LPA (again, depending on skill set and experience) with perks and benefits.
Here's a bonus tip: Qualifying GATE XE can be easier due to low compeition and with smart subject selection, students can lead to high-career paying jobs.
Also read:
Explore more Engineering exams with upcoming dates
31 Mar '27
19 Sep '26 - 28 Sep '26
Why Choosing an Underrated Branch Might be a Smarter Decision in GATE?
- Less Competition, Higher Ranks- Very less candidates appear for these GATE papers, thus there are high chances of getting a good rank in GATE exam
- Interesting Career Opportunities- These streams are quite niche, hence less crowd of students with more career options and opportunities
- Research-Focused Future- If you are interested in getting into research field, then these underrated GATE branches can be the best option for you
So, if you’re preparing for GATE, try exploring its benefits and career prospects.
News & Updates
Explore Other Exams
Oct '26 | JEE Main 2027 Registration Ses... |
Dec '26 | JEE Main 2027 Correction Windo... |
19 Aug '26 - 20 Aug '26 | TS EAMCET 2026 MPC Counselling... |
12 Aug '26 - 17 Aug '26 | TS EAMCET 2026 MPC Counselling... |
25 Sep '26 | BiPC Final Phase Seat Allotmen... |
21 Sep '26 | Third Round Seat Allotment |
18 Jul '26 | Special OJEE admit card 2027 r... |
13 Jun '26 - 28 Jun '26 | Special OJEE registrations 202... |
Jul '26 | AISECT Joint Entrance Exam 202... |
Jun '26 | AISECT Joint Entrance Exam 202... |
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Galgotias University provides a supportive academic environment for GATE and higher studies preparation, primarily through faculty mentorship, library resources, and technical workshops, though students often rely on self-study or external coaching for intensive exam training
V
Beginner-Level 5
Answered a week 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 a week ago
Yes, you can change or correct spelling mistakes in your name during the GATE Application Form Correction process by paying a fee of ₹500 and providing supporting documents.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks 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 weeks 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 3 weeks ago
No
Every one need to pay fee
A
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 3 weeks 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
Answered 3 weeks ago
No GATE score is required for admission to BITS Pilani Dubai MEng course. For admission to the MEng course, Indian students are required to submit a Bachelor's degree in the relevant field with minimum 60% marks. Students can apply for the MEng course by filling out the application form.
C
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, GATE application form window is now open for GATE 2027 registration. Candidates can apply via DigiLocker now.
U
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
According to the IIT Kanpur GATE cutoff 2024, the last round closing ranks ranged from 622 to 840 for the General AI category. So, students who score above 630 increase their chances of admission. The higher the score, the better the chances of admission. Check the list below to know the minimum sco
N
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,
Read Full Bio