Is Calculator Allowed in GATE 2026 Exam?
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2026 ( GATE )
Admit Card - 2 Jan '26
Is calculator allowed in the GATE exam: One of the most commonly asked questions among GATE aspirants is that, whether a calculator is allowed in the GATE exam or not? Since GATE is known be one of the competitive exam nation-wide, understanding the GATE exam guidelines is highly important. Read below to know more.
Since GATE is conducted by IITs and IISc on a rotational basis, and this year, IIT Guwahati is conducting GATE 2026 exam, knowing the exam day guidelines and instructions beforehand is essential. It can help you stay away from the confusion and perform better on the exam day.
In this article, we have explained a few things -
- Is calculator allowed inside GATE exam hall?
- What type of calculator one can use for calculations?
- Important instructions one must follow inside GATE exam hall.
Latest Update: GATE 2026 admit card release date, check steps to download, and other details
- Is Calculator allowed in GATE 2026 Exam?
- Use of Virtual Calculator in GATE 2026 Exam
- Is it mandatory to use GATE 2026 Virtual Calculator in the exam?
- Can we carry rough sheet to the GATE 2026 Exam?
- How to use Virtual Calculator in the GATE Examination?
Is Calculator allowed in GATE 2026 Exam?
Yes, calculators are allowed in the GATE examination, but only virtual calculators. The GATE virtual calculator will be implemented by default in your system that is provided in the exam hall. Physical calculators, such as scientific or non-scientific are not allowed inside the exam hall. The GATE 2026 exam conducting authorities provide on -screen calculator and students have to use it for all numerical and mathematical calculations.
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What type of Calculators are not allowed in GATE Exam?
The following types of calculators are strictly prohibited in the GATE exam -
- Scientific
- Non-scientific
- Programmable
- And Mobile phones with calculator apps
Candidates will be checked thoroughly before entering inside the GATE examination centre. Any form of electronic gadget is not allowed.
Use of Virtual Calculator in GATE 2026 Exam
GATE authorities provide virtual scientific calculator to perform calculations, such as
- Basic arithmetic operations
- Trigonometric functions
- Logarithmic calculations
- Square root and power functions
Students who are appearing for GATE 2026 exam, conducted on February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026, must be aware of the functions provided by GATE scientific calculator. One must start practising and get well-acquainted with its features to solve questions in accuracy. The GATE 2026 admit card will be released on January 2, 2026.
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Is it mandatory to use GATE 2026 Virtual Calculator in the exam?
Yes, as physical calculators are prohibited in GATE exam, therefore using virtual calculator is mandatory for solving numerical problems available in GATE question paper. The on-screen calculator will appear on the system/dashboard and can be opened whenever required.
Note: Students are advised to develop strong mental calculation skills and simplify equations whenever required in the examination.
The main objective of implementing GATE virtual calculators is to ensure that all students work under the same conditions.
Can we carry rough sheet to the GATE 2026 Exam?
No, candidates are not allowed to carry a rough sheet to the GATE examination centre. A scribble pad will be provided inside the exam hall. After receiving the GATE scribble sheet, students have to write their name and roll number first and start doing their calculations. Once the exam is completed, students will have to return it to the invigilator.
How to use Virtual Calculator in the GATE Examination?
Here’s how one can use the GATE virtual calculator effectively -
- Start solving questions using GATE scientific calculator in advance.
- Try accessing the virtual calculator only for the tricky questions only, this will save a lot of time.
- Learn shortcuts and approximation techniques using GATE scientific calculator.
- Use scribble pad to solve easy questions.
In short, students are advised to practise solving numerical questions using GATE virtual calculator right before the exam. It will help to improve accuracy and time management in the exam.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 5 days 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 5 days 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 5 days 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 5 days 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 5 days 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 5 days 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
Answered a week ago
No, the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering examination takes place once a year. Every year, different IITs and IISc conduct exam on rotational basis. GATE is conducted online for three hours for 30 branch papers.
U
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, applicants who have qualified GATE exam are also eligible for WBUT PGET. Candidates must have a valid GATE scorecard. However, students have to appear for a personal interview round. Students must mention their GATE scorecard in the application form.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 weeks ago
GATE 2027 is expected to be conducted by IIT Madras for all 30 branch papers. Official announcement will be made soon.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a month ago
The GATE exam is conducted once a year. The entrance test takes place on multiple dates and shifts for 30 test papers. For 2026, IIT Guwahati is conducting the exam on February 7, 8, 14, and 15.
S
Contributor-Level 7
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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