GATE 2026 Counselling: Check Eligibility, Documents Required and Process

The GATE 2026 counselling is conducted separately on different platforms to offer admission to the qualified GATE applicants. The process takes place in different round based on the GATE cutoff score, branch and seat availability, along with other factors. 

• COAP, also known as Common Offer Acceptance Portal is used for admission to IITs. 
• CCMT, also known as Centralised Counselling for MTech/MArch/MPlan is used to offer admission to NITs, IIITs, and other GFTIs.

Also Read:

• How many candidates qualified in the GATE 2025 exam
• Top GATE branches and cutoff trends
• GATE 2025 Cutoff for NITs

Check GATE - 2025 CCMT seat matrix

The CCMT 2026 counselling dates will be released on its official website. The dates will be updated here. The CCMT will be conducted in three phases, followed by two special rounds (depending on the seat availability). The CCMT 2026 dates will comprise the registration, choice filling and locking, seat allotment, and reporting. 

Also read: GATE 2025 IIT Bombay Cutoff OUT

The GATE COAP registration 2026 will begin in the first or second week of May. Candidates have to register to generate an ID to participate in the IIT GATE counselling. The dates will be updated here once released. Candidates are advised to go through the website for frequent updates. Also, after the declaration of the result, many IITs like IIT Bombay and IISc Bangalore will release their cutoff, which can be helpful for students to strategise their college choices. 

To be eligible for the GATE counselling 2026 process, it is essential to meet the eligibility criteria, which can be checked below -

• Candidate must have a valid GATE scorecard
• Must hold a bachelor's degree from a recognised university.
• The applicant must have a minimum qualifying percentage of 60% marks. Relaxation applicable to reserved category.

While reporting to the allotted college, candidates must have the following documents ready for verification process -

• Provisional seat allotment letter
• GATE 2026 scorecard
• Valid photo ID proof
• Birth certificate
• All education marksheets (from class 12 to graduation)
• Category certificate (if applicable)
• Provisional certificate or degree certificate
• Passport size photograph
• Seat acceptance proof
• Printout of the registration form
• Migration and transfer certificate
• Self-attested photocopies of all the above documents

The COAP portal allows candidates to apply for IITs for MTech programmes. The portal conducts five main and five additional rounds of counselling for seat allotment. To participate, candidates have to register at COAP portal to receive an ID. 

GATE COAP 2026 Counselling Registration Process

• Visit the official website of COAP portal
• Register using GATE details
• Verify email and mobile number.
• Login to the portal and view seat allotments
• Perform activity for each round

COAP 2026 Seat Allotment Process

• Accept and Freeze: Confirm admission and exit the counselling process.

• Retain and Wait: Keep the allotted seat while waiting for a better offer.

• Reject and Wait: Decline the offer and wait for the next round.

CCMT counselling offers MTech admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. To participate, candidates need to meet the criteria for CCMT GATE counselling 2026. 

CCMT Eligibility

• Candidates must have a valid GATE score of 2024/2024/2023
• A minimum of 6.5 CGPA or 60% marks must be acquired in the qualifying exam (For General and OBC). 
• For SC/ST/PwD category candidates, the eligibility is set at a minimum of 6.0 CGPA or 55% marks.

CCMT Seat Allotment Process

CCMT offers different choices to candidates during seat allotment:

• Freeze: Accept the allotted seat and exit the counselling process.

• Float: Keep the seat while being considered for a better choice.

• Slide: Keep the seat in the same institute but opt for a better specialization.