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GATE 2027 Registration Begins: IIT Madras Announces New Robotics and Automation Paper, Exam Dates
Published on
04 September 2026
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras, which is organising GATE 2027, has started the registration process for the national-level examination.
Applications opened on September 2, 2026, following a revision to the earlier registration schedule. Candidates who want to appear for the examination can now complete the application process through the official GATE 2027 portal.
The regular application window will remain open until September 27, 2026, without a late fee. Candidates who miss this deadline will get an extended opportunity to apply until October 5, 2026, subject to payment of the applicable late fee.
Application rectification is scheduled from October 14 to October 21, 2026.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration begins | September 2, 2026 |
| Regular registration deadline | September 27, 2026 |
| Extended registration deadline with late fee | October 5, 2026 |
| Application rectification | October 14–21, 2026 |
| City allotment notification | January 4, 2027 |
| GATE 2027 examination | February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21, 2027 |
| Admit card | To be announced |
| GATE 2027 result | March 19, 2027 |
The examination will be conducted over three weekends in February 2027.
One of the biggest changes in GATE 2027 is the introduction of Robotics and Automation (RA) as a separate test paper.
With the addition of RA, the examination will now be conducted across 30 test papers. The new paper reflects the growing academic and industrial importance of robotics, automation and related interdisciplinary technologies.
Along with the new paper, IIT Madras has also announced syllabus-related revisions. Changes have been made to areas including the Biotechnology paper and sectional paper codes for Textile Engineering and Fibre Science, Engineering Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Life Sciences.
Candidates preparing with previous GATE syllabi should therefore compare their preparation plan with the official 2027 syllabus instead of assuming that last year's syllabus remains unchanged.
GATE 2027 will allow candidates to appear for one or up to two test papers.
However, candidates opting for two papers cannot choose combinations arbitrarily. The second paper must be selected from the permitted two-paper combinations specified by the examination authorities.
Students considering two papers should check the official combination list before finalising their application. Choosing a second paper simply because it appears related to their academic background may not be possible if the combination is not permitted.
Candidates currently studying in the third year or higher of an eligible undergraduate degree programme can apply for GATE 2027.
Candidates who have already completed an eligible government-approved degree in fields including:
can also appear, subject to the examination's eligibility requirements. Candidates pursuing or holding eligible degrees from institutions outside India may also apply under the specified conditions.
There is no general upper-age restriction highlighted in the current eligibility framework.
A significant application requirement for GATE 2027 is the use of DigiLocker.
IIT Madras has stated that registration through DigiLocker is mandatory for Indian nationals. Candidates have therefore been advised to create or update their verified DigiLocker accounts before starting the GATE application process.
Students who have not yet verified their DigiLocker account should complete the process early instead of waiting until the application deadline.
The examination will be conducted on six dates:
The exact paper and session allotted to a candidate will be communicated through the examination-related documents released by the organising institute.
The city allotment notification is scheduled to be released on January 4, 2027, while the admit-card download date has not yet been announced.
IIT Madras has scheduled the declaration of the GATE 2027 results for March 19, 2027.
Candidates should remember that qualifying GATE does not automatically guarantee admission to an IIT, IISc or another participating institution. Admission depends on the eligibility, cutoff, seat availability and selection process of the individual institute or programme.
Similarly, GATE qualification may be considered by certain public-sector organisations for recruitment, but a GATE score does not by itself guarantee a job.
Candidates who started preparation using older GATE material should review the revised syllabus carefully.
IIT Madras has specifically indicated changes involving:
These changes make syllabus verification particularly important for candidates who are preparing from previous-year notes, books or online courses.
Before submitting the GATE 2027 application, candidates should:
Applying early can also give candidates more time to identify and correct application-related issues during the rectification window.
The addition of Robotics and Automation is particularly relevant for students interested in emerging areas combining mechanical engineering, electronics, control systems, programming and intelligent systems.
At the same time, the availability of 30 papers provides candidates with a broader choice of examination disciplines. Students should nevertheless select their paper based on their academic preparation and the eligibility requirements of their target postgraduate programmes rather than choosing a paper solely because it is newly introduced.
