Students’ Speak: Entrance exams you could appear for apart from GATE
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2026 ( GATE )
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By: Kandarp Patel
Only PSUs and IITs are not the options in GATE. There are also some good options or opportunities apart from these if your GATE score is low.
Got a low score in GATE 2020? There would be a lot of questions running through your head right now. Read this article to know what all options and opportunities you can still avail of.
The first step is to seriously think, whether or not should you re-attempt. If you are ready to do enough hard work for one more year and your passion is to pursue MTech from any of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) or to obtain a job in public sector undertakings (PSUs), then go for one more attempt.
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However, remember the risk will be higher. If you are ready for one more attempt then try to do a job or take admission in MTech in any private university along with the preparation for safer side. I am not advising you to do MTech from any private university as it is not worth but it is a better option than just to do GATE preparation.
Only PSUs and IITs are not the options in GATE. There are also some good options or opportunities apart from these if your GATE score is low. These include:
- MTech from NITs
- MTech from top state universities
- MTech or MS from foreign universities
- Research & development programmes in India or abroad
- MS from IITs (Apply in Winter session)
- PhD courses After BTech from IITs (Apply in Winter session)
- Project assistantship
- Interdisciplinary programmes from IITs
- Job opportunities in private companies if GATE qualified or appeared (varies from company to company)
Entrance Exams apart from GATE
There are various entrance exams apart from GATE to get admission to an MTech course from some good institutes. These include:
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| Entrance Exam |
Institute |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate Entrance Examination (PGEE) |
Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad |
| IIIT Delhi M.Tech Entrance Exam |
IIIT Delhi |
| IIIT Bangalore M.Tech Entrance Exam |
IIIT Bangalore |
| IIIT Bhubaneswar M.Tech Entrance Exam |
IIIT Bhubaneswar |
| Vellore Institute of Technology Master’s Entrance Exam (VITMEE) |
VIT University |
| SRM Graduate Engineering Test (SRMGEET) |
SRM University |
| BITSAT Entrance Exam |
Birla Institute of Technology & Science |
| DAIICT Entrance Exam |
Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT) |
| UPES Entrance Exam |
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) Dehradun |
| Calicut University M.Tech Entrance Exam |
Calicut University |
| Nirma University M.Tech Entrance Exam |
Nirma University |
| LPUNEST (M.Tech) |
Lovely Professional University (LPU) |
| Manipal Entrance Test PG (MET) |
Manipal University |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University Combined Entrance Examination for Biotechnology (JNU CEEB) |
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) |
Note: Apart from these entrance exams there are also state-wise M.Tech entrance exams of various states. Kindly go through the official websites of these institutes for detailed information like application form, dates & schedules and eligibility.
Don’t worry about a low score, there are many options mentioned above. Kindly go through all these options and make your decision wisely whether to choose any one option from these or to go for reattempt of GATE.
About the Author:
Kandarp Patel is a student at Nirma University, Ahemdabad, pursuing Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering (final year). He is also a campus representative with Shiksha.com since 2016.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 days ago
No, students cannot get admission in Dwarkadas J. Sanghvi College of Engineering M.Tech without GATE. Admission is entrance-based. Candidates are shortlisted for the M.Tech programme based on entrance scores in GATE. Candidates who qualify in the admission process are eligible to secure their seat i
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
Yes, Rajarshi Shahu College of Engineering does accept GATE for admission to its M.Tech programme. The college offers seats through both MHT CET and GATE scores. Students have to check and apply online for both. The college may reserve some of its intake for students having GATE score.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
At KIIT School of Electronics Engineering, GATE-qualified students follow the same general timeline for the M.Tech application. But, their selection process might move faster if they have a high GATE score, as they are then exempt from the entrance exam.
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 6 days ago
At KIIT School of Electronics Engineering, the M.Tech selection process gives strong preference to GATE-qualified candidates. If an applicant has a GATE score of 400 or higher, they are exempt from the entrance examination. This recognizes their national-level competency and simplifies admission jou
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 6 days ago
IIIT Ranchi considers the score of GATE exam for M.Tech admission. However, it is not compulsory. The M.Tech admission will be through online/offline counselling based on the GATE score and/or written test and/or interview by the respective departments at IIIT Ranchi.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, many private colleges like VIT, SRM, Manipal, Amity, and LPU offer M.Tech without GATEas they conduct their own entrance tests. BITS Pilani offers a work-integrated M.Tech for professionals.
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Candidates are offered seat in M.Tech based on GATE scores at NIT Goa. The seats are allotted via CCMT Counselling. In case the seats remain vacant, Non-GATE aspirants can also get admission by passing the written test conducted by the institute.
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered a week ago
If you are seeking admission in NIT Jamshedpur MTech, then GATE is mandatory. Students applying for non-MTech programmes do not need to appear for GATE. For M.Tech however, GATE followed by the centralised counselling is mandatory. Unless a student is applying through the self-financed/ sponsored ca
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Non-GATE candidates are offered admission in M.Tech based on institute-level examination. NIT Srinagar conducts an entrance test to fill up self-sponsored/ sponsored category and vacant seats after the CCMT Counselling is over. Such candidates have to apply on the institute's website and appear for
N
Guide-Level 15
Answered 2 weeks ago
According to topper's and experts, the ideal number of questions to attempt correctly is 50 to 55, to obtain a GATE rank under 1000.
B
Contributor-Level 7