GATE 2026 Counselling: Check Eligibility, Documents Required and Process
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2026 ( GATE )
Exam On - 7 Feb '26
GATE 2026 counselling will be start after announcement of results. As per official notification, GATE 2026 result date is March 19, 2026. GATE 2026 counselling process is done by CCMT and COAP and is held in several rounds. The process of GATE counselling 2026 comprises registration, choice filling and locking, depositing of fees, followed by seat allotment and reporting to institute. COAP counselling is for IITs admission, and CCMT for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs admission. GATE 2026 admission counselling is conducted by two major bodies- COAP (for admission to IITs) and CCMT (for admission to various universities and institutes, like NITs and IIITs). Read below to know more about GATE MTech counselling process.
- What is GATE 2026 Counselling?
- GATE 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
- GATE CCMT 2026 Counselling Dates
- GATE 2025 COAP Counselling Dates
- GATE 2026 Counselling Eligibility Criteria
- GATE 2026 Counselling Documents Required
- IIT MTech Admission through GATE 2026 COAP Counselling
- NIT, IIIT, CFTI MTech Admission Through GATE 2026 CCMT Counselling
- Tips for Successful GATE 2026 Counselling
- GATE Counselling 2026 FAQs
What is GATE 2026 Counselling?
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 exam
- Top GATE branches and cutoff trends
- GATE Cutoff for NITs
Check GATE - 2025 CCMT seat matrix
Commonly asked questions
The GATE counselling process starts after the announcement of results. The GATE counselling is conducted by COAP and CCMT. The COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal) is the counselling portal that offers admission to IITs. While CCMT (Centralised Counselling for MTech/M.Arch/M.Plan) is the counselling portal that offers admission to NITs, IIITs, and other GFTIs. The GATE CCMT/COAP counselling usually starts in the second or third week of May.
The GATE counselling is conducted online by CCMT and COAP. Authorities will announce GATE results 2026 on March 19. Qualified candidates can participate in counselling. COAP is done IIT and IISc admission and CCMT for NITs and other institutions.
GATE 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of GATE 2026 exam
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 19 Mar ' 26 | GATE 2026 results |
| 27 Mar ' 26 - 31 May ' 26 | GATE 2026 Scorecard (free download) |
| May ' 26 | COAP 2026 TENTATIVE |
| May ' 26 | CCMT 2026 TENTATIVE |
| 01 Jun ' 26 - 31 Dec ' 26 | GATE 2025 Scorecard by paying a fee of INR 500 per test paper |
GATE CCMT 2026 Counselling Dates
The CCMT 2026 counselling dates will be released on its official website. The dates will be updated here. It is conducted in three phases, followed by two special rounds (depending on the seat availability). The CCMT dates will comprise the registration, choice filling and locking, seat allotment, and reporting.
Also read: GATE IIT Bombay Cutoff
GATE 2025 COAP Counselling Dates
The GATE COAP registration 2026 is expected to start in the first or second week of May. Candidates have to register to generate a COAP ID to participate in the 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.
GATE 2026 Counselling Eligibility Criteria
The GATE counselling process is done after the result declaration. Respective IIT does not conduct admission counselling. It is done by COAP for IITs and CCMT for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. The mode of GATE MTech 2026 counselling is online and done in phases. Candidates must meet the eligibility to attend counselling, which are as follows - They must have qualified GATE and required educational qualification with a minimum passing mark of 60%. Relaxation is offered to reserved category students.
GATE 2026 Counselling Documents Required
While reporting to allotted college, candidates must keep following documents ready for verification
- 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
IIT MTech Admission through GATE 2026 COAP Counselling
COAP portal allows candidates to apply for IITs for MTech programmes. It conducts five main and five additional rounds of counselling for seat allotment.
GATE COAP 2026 Counselling Registration Process
- Visit official website of COAP portal and register using GATE details
- Verify email and mobile number.
- Login and fill details
- Fill and lock choices within deadline
- Wait for allotment results
NIT, IIIT, CFTI MTech Admission Through GATE 2026 CCMT Counselling
CCMT counselling offers MTech admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. To participate, candidates need to meet criteria for CCMT GATE counselling 2026.
Eligibility to participate in CCMT
- Candidates must have a valid GATE score of 2024/2024/2023
- A minimum of 6.5 CGPA or 60% marks for general and OBC
- For SC/ST/PwD category candidates, minimum qualifying mark is 6.0 CGPA or 55% marks.
CCMT Seat Allotment Process
Candidates have to perform following during CCMT GATE counselling process -
-
Freeze: Accept allotted seat and confirm submission
-
Float: Keep seat but open for better choices in upcoming rounds
-
Slide: Keep seat in same institute but opt for a better specialisation.
Tips for Successful GATE 2026 Counselling
GATE Counselling 2026 FAQs
Commonly asked questions
GATE counselling is done by CCMT and COAP to offer admission to MTech and research programmes. The mode of counselling is online. Stages of GATE counselling are as follows -
- Candidate registration
- Choice filling
- Choice locking and fee payment
- Seat acceptance and downloading the seat allotment letter
- Reporting to the allotted institute for document verification
The GATE 2025 cutoff of computer Science and information technology (category-wise) can be checked below -
- For general - 29.2
- OBC-NCL/EWS - 26.2
- SC/ST/PwD - 19.4
The cutoff is the minimum mark that is required for all candidates to qualify for the exam. IIT Guwahati will announce the GATE cutoff 2026 after the announcement of results.
As per past year cutoff trends and analysis, GATE 2026 cutoff can be around 25 to 50 marks for various disciplines/branches.
Candidates who have passed GATE exam can download scorecard. The validity of GATE exam scorecard is three years. It is available from March 27 at GOAPS portal. Candidates use their enrollment ID and password to download.
GATE Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 17 hours ago
Yes, if a student does not have a GATE exam 2026 score, chandigarh university provides an alternative admission pathway CUCET (Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test). CUCET allows non GATE candidates to demonstrate their academic aptitude and become eligble for admission as well as certain scho
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 20 hours ago
No, there is no upper age limit for GATE Exam 2026-qualified candidates applying for M.E. programs at Chandigarh University. The university follows an inclusive admission policy that focuses on academic eligibility rather than age criteria. As long as a candidate meets the required educational quali
Beginner-Level 4
Answered 21 hours ago
Students awarded GATE exam 2026 fellowship at Chandigarh University are required to take teaching assistantship duties as a mandatory condition for receiving and continuing fellowship. These responsibilities generally include assisting faculty with tutorials, lab sessions, evaluations and other acad
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 21 hours ago
Chandigarh University does not declare a fixed minimum GATE Exam 2026 score for Electrical Engineering or Electronics and Communication Engineering branches. However, higher GATE scores are generally preferred for fellowship allocation, especially due to limited availability. For competitive branche
Beginner-Level 2
Answered Yesterday
Yes, Chandigarh University allows PG engineering admission without GATE Exam 2026, and CUCET can be used as an optional pathway for scholarships, not as a replacement entrance exam. Admission is primarily granted after checking graduation eligibility. If you choose to appear for CUCET, it may help y
S
Beginner-Level 4
Answered Yesterday
Yes, GATE Exam 2026 qualified students at Chandigarh University often gain enhanced academic and industry exposure compared to regular M.E. students. Their involvement in teaching assistantship roles provides deeper academic interaction with faculty, which strenghthens conceptual clarity and profess
G
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
Yes, final-year B.Tech students are eligible to apply for M.E. admission at Chandigarh University, including those appearing for GATE Exam 2026. Students in their final year can begin the admission process provisionally, subject to successful completion of their undergraduate degree. At the time of
G
Beginner-Level 4
Answered Yesterday
The GATE Exam 2026 scorecard is not required by Chandigarh University for applying for M.E. admission. If students want to be considered for the fellowship, they can apply based on their academic qualifications and thereafter submit their GATE information. The scorecard is required at the fellowship
Beginner-Level 5
Answered Yesterday
Yes, Chandigarh University will definitely consider your profile if you have strong B.Tech marks, even if you are not appearing for GATE Exam 2026. GATE is not mandatory for M.E. admission, and academic performance plays a crucial role in eligibility assessment. Students with high graduation percent
p
Beginner-Level 1
Answered Yesterday
Yes, the ₹12,500 per month GATE Exam 2026 fellowship is applicable to all Master of Engineering programs offered at Chandigarh University. However, the fellowship is limited to a maximum of 10% of the total intake seats in each M.E. program. This means that while every M.E. specialisation is eligibl
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Beginner-Level 4
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Is there a separate entrance test for M.E. admission at Chandigarh University if I don't have GATE Exam 2026?