GATE 2027 Registration Date: GOAPS Portal to Open on August 14 — Check Eligibility, Documents & Full Schedule

IIT Madras, the organising institute for GATE 2027, has confirmed that registration through the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) will go live on August 14, 2026. This year's cycle brings several fresh changes for aspirants, following the release of the GATE 2027 Information Brochure (version 1.1) on July 23, 2026. Candidates planning to appear for the exam are advised to go through the brochure thoroughly, since a number of process-level updates have been introduced for this admission cycle. Here is a complete, easy-to-follow breakdown of dates, eligibility, documents, and the application process.

GATE 2027 Important Dates

Registration on GOAPS opens August 14, 2026, and the regular window (without late fee) closes on September 21, 2026. Candidates who miss this deadline get a second chance through the extended registration period, which runs with a late fee until September 30, 2026. Form submission on GOAPS is compulsory for anyone wishing to sit for the exam — there's no offline or alternate route.

The official website for all GATE 2027 activity is gate2027.iitm.ac.in. City allotment information is expected around early January 2027, and IIT Madras will conduct the exam itself across six days in February — February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21, 2027 — spread over two shifts per day to accommodate all 30 subject papers. Results are expected to be announced by mid-March 2027.

How to Apply for GATE 2027 via GOAPS

Applying for GATE 2027 starts with creating a new account on the GOAPS portal, where basic identity details — full name, active email ID, and mobile number — are mandatory at the sign-up stage. A few points worth keeping in mind:

• GOAPS remains the single portal for the entire GATE journey — registration, application editing, admit card download, and result access all happen here.

• This year, candidates must complete a facial identification step during registration. IIT Madras is also recommending that applicants complete DigiLocker verification beforehand, since it's expected to make document upload and validation noticeably smoother.

• Once basic sign-up is done, the system auto-generates an Enrolment ID and password — these become the primary login credentials for the rest of the process.

• Applicants must then complete the full form with personal information, academic background, and their preferred exam city, since city choices this year span over 300 test centres nationwide.

Documents Required for GATE 2027 Application Form

Before starting the form, keep the following ready in scanned digital format:

• A recent passport-size photograph, not older than three months

• A scanned signature in the specified format

• A valid photo ID proof (Aadhaar, passport, driving licence, or similar government ID)

• Category, PwD, or dyslexia certificate in PDF format, wherever applicable

GATE 2027 Eligibility Criteria

Candidates currently in their third year or final year of a relevant qualifying degree, or those who have already completed graduation from a recognised university, are eligible to apply. Importantly, there is no upper age limit for GATE, and no restriction on the number of attempts. This cycle, commerce graduates and final-year commerce students have also been confirmed as eligible for select papers, widening the applicant pool beyond the traditional engineering streams.

What's New in GATE 2027

A few notable changes separate this year's cycle from previous ones:

• A brand-new Robotics & Automation (RA) paper has been added to the list of 30 subjects.

• Paper codes under the XE, XH, and XL interdisciplinary streams have been revised.

• Live facial verification is now built into the registration flow.

• DigiLocker integration is being actively encouraged for faster document processing.

• The exam will be held across 300+ cities, an expansion from previous years.

GATE 2027 Application Fee

For General, OBC, and EWS category candidates, the fee stands at ₹2,000 per paper. SC, ST, PwD, and all female candidates pay a reduced fee of ₹1,000 per paper. Fees must be paid online through GOAPS at the time of registration; no offline payment mode is available.