GATE 2027 Application Form: Dates, Fee & GOAPS Steps

The GATE 2027 application form opened on 2 September 2026 on GOAPS, the official GATE Online Application Processing System, which you reach from gate2027.iitm.ac.in. IIT Madras is the organizing institute for this cycle, and the whole process is online. Candidates must not send hard copies of the form or any documents (source: Official GATE 2027 Information Brochure, Sections 5.2 and 6, pp.5–9).

This guide is for GATE DA and GATE CS aspirants. It covers the official dates, eligibility, the documents GOAPS actually asked for, the fee structure, and the GOAPS steps as the brochure and the official website describe them.

GATE 2027 Important Dates

Source: GATE 2027 Important Dates, IIT Madras; Information Brochure (revised 17 Oct 2026), Section 3, p.3; GATE 2027 Notifications (launch date and reschedules). All dates are liable to change.

GATE 2027 Eligibility Criteria: Who Can Apply?

You can appear for GATE 2027 if you are in the third or higher year of any undergraduate degree programme, or if you have already completed any government-approved degree in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts or Humanities (source: Information Brochure, Section 6.1, p.9).

Degree and Year of Study (selected rows from Table 2)

• B.E./B.Tech./B.Pharm.: currently in the third year or higher, or already completed.
• B.Sc./B.A./B.Com./BCA (3-year): currently in the third year, or already completed.
• M.Sc./M.A./M.C.A. or equivalent: currently in the first year or higher, or already completed.
• Integrated M.E./M.Tech. or dual degree (5-year, after Diploma or 10+2): currently in the third, fourth or fifth year, or already completed.
• Integrated M.Sc. / 5-year B.S.-M.S.: currently in the third year or higher, or already completed.

Source: Information Brochure, Table 2, p.10. You do not need a provisional certificate to apply. GATE does not collect academic documents (GATE 2027 FAQs).

Age, Attempts and Degrees From Abroad

GATE 2027 has no age limit, and there is no cap on the number of attempts (GATE 2027 FAQs; Information Brochure, Section 2, p.2). If your degree is from outside India, you must be in the third or higher year of a Bachelor's degree of at least three years' duration, or have completed one (Section 6.1, pp.9–10; official eligibility page). There are no international exam centres for GATE 2027. Foreign nationals have to travel to India to take the test (Section 6.4.1, pp.13–14).

For a more detailed breakdown, see our GATE exam eligibility 2027 guide.

Documents and Data Required for the GATE 2027 Application

The official Required Documents page says registration through DigiLocker is mandatory for all Indian nationals. GOAPS fetches your name, date of birth, mobile number, email, profile picture, address and verified ID number from DigiLocker.

Official checklist

Photograph, signature and live photo:

• Photograph: colour, passport size (3.5 cm × 4.5 cm), white background, JPEG/JPG, face covering 60–70% of the image, aspect ratio 0.66–0.89, 200 × 260 to 530 × 690 pixels, 5 kB to 600 kB. Use a recent photo, not older than 3 months.
• Signature: JPEG/JPG, height:width ratio 1:R with R between 2.75 and 3.75, signature covering 70–80% of the image, black or dark blue ink, 250 × 80 to 580 × 180 pixels, 3 kB to 300 kB.
• A live photo is captured during registration, so you need a computer with a webcam or a phone with a front camera of at least 5 MP.

Source: GATE 2027 Photograph & Signature page; Required Documents page; Information Brochure, Sections 6.4.3 and 6.7, pp.15 and 18.

Photo ID: one of Aadhaar-UID (preferred), Aadhaar Virtual ID, Passport, PAN card, Voter ID, Driving License, or another valid photo ID issued by the Central or State Government. You must bring the same ID, in original, to the exam (Information Brochure, Sections 6.4 and 6.6, pp.13 and 17). A college ID card is not on the accepted list.

Category and PwD documents (only if they apply to you):

• SC/ST certificate in PDF, uploaded to a folder named "GATE2027" in your DigiLocker Drive and saved as CATEGORY.pdf
• UDID (preferred) or PwD certificate in PDF, saved as UDID_CERT.pdf or PWD_CERT.pdf. If you need Appendix B1 or B2 or a dyslexia certificate, combine it with the PwD certificate into a single PWD_CERT.pdf
• OBC-NCL and EWS candidates do not upload any category certificate

Source: Required Documents page; GATE 2027 FAQs; Information Brochure, Section 6.6, p.17. A 17 Sep 2026 notification says each DigiLocker Drive file should be between 10 KB and 600 KB.

What is NOT required: GATE 2027 does not ask you to upload 10th, 12th, UG or PG marksheets, degree certificates or bonafide certificates. The FAQ says academic documents are not required during the examination process (GATE 2027 FAQs). Admitting institutes check eligibility for admission separately.

GATE 2027 Application Fee

The fee was paid online through GOAPS, by internet banking, debit card, credit card, wallet or UPI (Information Brochure, Section 6.8, p.21).

Source: Information Brochure, Table 5, p.14; GATE 2027 Application Fees, IIT Madras. PwD means benchmark disability (40% or more).

For two papers, the brochure says the fee is twice the single-paper fee: ₹2,000 and ₹4,000 in the regular period, and ₹3,000 and ₹5,000 in the extended period and special window (Section 6.4.1). Note: the official Application Fees page lists ₹2,500 and ₹4,500 for two papers in the extended period, which differs from the brochure. Only allowed pairs can be chosen (see the official two-paper combinations page). The full breakdown is in our GATE 2027 application fees guide.

For what GATE DA preparation costs beyond the application fee, see our GATE DA course fees page.

Step-by-Step GATE 2027 Application Process on GOAPS

The steps below follow the brochure (Sections 6.4.2–6.4.3, 6.8, pp.14–15, 21) and the official Required Documents page.

Step 1: Register (via DigiLocker for Indian nationals)

Open the application portal from gate2027.iitm.ac.in and sign in through DigiLocker. You must consent to GATE 2027 accessing your DigiLocker data. A verified DigiLocker account (verified through e-KYC) is recommended. If you register with an unverified account, GATE may ask for more documents during scrutiny, and you must show the originals at the exam venue. Candidates who are not Indian nationals register with their full name as on their photo ID, an email address, a mobile number and a password. Each email address can be used by only one person, and email and mobile number cannot be changed later. Every registered candidate gets a unique Enrolment ID by email.

Step 2: Fill in personal and academic details

Your name, date of birth and address come from DigiLocker. The date of birth cannot be changed during the application process. You add your parent or guardian's name and mobile number, your degree details, and your college name and PIN code. Your name must match your photo ID exactly, without prefixes such as Mr./Dr. The scorecard is issued in the name fetched from DigiLocker.

Step 3: Select your GATE paper(s)

GATE 2027 has 30 test papers. For this audience, the relevant ones are DA (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence) and CS (Computer Science and Information Technology). These two can be taken together as a two-paper combination (Information Brochure, Table 4, p.13). If you are choosing DA, our GATE DA syllabus page breaks down what the exam covers.

Step 4: Choose exam cities

You choose three exam cities, all from the same GATE 2027 zone (Information Brochure, revised 17 Oct 2026, Section 6.3). Note: the official GATE 2027 Exam Cities page says candidates can opt for six cities, which differs from the brochure. GATE may add or remove cities and can allot a city you did not choose. Your zone is set by your first-choice city.

Step 5: Live photo and uploads

Capture your live photo, then upload your photograph and signature. SC/ST/PwD candidates also put their certificates in the "GATE2027" DigiLocker folder.

Step 6: Review, submit and pay

Click "Save and View Application" to check for errors. Once you click "Submit and Proceed to Payment", you cannot change the application. You also accept a declaration that the details are correct. Then pay through the gateway. Bank charges are shown before you confirm.

Step 7: Download the application PDF

After a successful payment you are sent back to GOAPS, where you can download a PDF of the submitted application. Do not post it to anyone, because GATE does not accept printed forms.

After Submission: Rectification vs. Paid Correction

These are two different windows:

• Application rectification (scrutiny defects): 14–31 October 2026. Zonal GATE offices check each application against the uploaded documents and the clarity of the photo and signature. If they find a defect, they email or SMS/WhatsApp you, and you fix it on GOAPS. The official home page says this costs nothing extra (Information Brochure, Section 6.9, p.21; GATE 2027 home page).
• Application data correction window (candidate request, with fee): TBA. According to the official FAQs, changes to the paper, exam city or category are accepted only after the application deadline, for an extra payment, on dates still to be announced.

Some details you cannot change. Email and mobile number cannot be changed (Section 6.4.2, p.14). Date of birth cannot be changed during the application process (Required Documents page). For a misspelt name, the FAQ says you can correct it later by furnishing supporting documents. More detail is in our application form correction guide.

Application Strategy for DA vs. CS Aspirants

This section is The ML Hub's analysis, not official guidance.

The paper you choose decides what you prepare for over the next few months. GATE leaves the choice entirely to you (GATE 2027 FAQs). Admitting institutes set their own rules about which GATE papers they accept for each programme, so check the programmes you are aiming for. If you want to work in machine learning, the DA syllabus is built around machine learning, probability and AI. The CS paper covers algorithms, operating systems, databases and theory in more depth. Our GATE exam syllabus guide covers both.

DA is growing quickly. It had 52,493 registered candidates in 2024 (GATE 2024 cut-off page, IISc, archived) and 91,764 in 2026 (GATE 2026 Statistical and Performance Report, IIT Guwahati).

Common Mistakes on the GATE Application

Each of these comes from an official FAQ or a defect scenario described in the brochure:

1. Photograph or signature not to specification: the application is marked DEFECTIVE and you must upload a new image before the deadline. If you don't, it may be treated as provisional or rejected.
2. Photo and photo ID swapped: marked DEFECTIVE until you upload the correct images.
3. Wrong ID number: for example, uploading Aadhaar but typing the PAN number. Marked DEFECTIVE until corrected.
4. Name changed after marriage: upload the photo ID in your old name together with an affidavit, and carry both to the exam hall.
5. Deleting your DigiLocker account after paying: IIT Madras says not to, because future communication is tied to that DigiLocker account.

Sources: GATE 2027 FAQs; Notifications (19 Sep 2026).

For DA aspirants, a clean application leaves more time for subject depth in areas like probability and statistics for GATE DA. The official DA pattern gives 15 marks to General Aptitude and 85 to the subject. It does not fix marks for individual subjects (Information Brochure, Section 4, p.4).

Key Takeaways

• The GATE 2027 application form opened on 2 September 2026 on GOAPS (IIT Madras). Registration is now closed.
• Regular registration closed on 5 October 2026, extended (late-fee) registration on 12 October 2026, and the special window on 16 October 2026, 10:29 AM.
• The rectification window for scrutiny defects runs from 14 to 31 October 2026. The paid data-correction window is TBA.
• DigiLocker registration is mandatory for Indian nationals. GOAPS needs a live photo, photograph, signature and photo ID, plus SC/ST/PwD certificates only where they apply. No marksheets or degree certificates are needed.
• Fees per paper: ₹1,000 (female/SC/ST/PwD) and ₹2,000 (all others) in the regular period, ₹500 more in the late periods.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did GATE 2027 registration open?

On 2 September 2026, through GOAPS on gate2027.iitm.ac.in. It had been announced first for 14 August and then for 27 August 2026. Source: GATE 2027 Important Dates and Notifications, IIT Madras.

What was the last date to apply for GATE 2027?

The regular deadline (no late fee) was 5 October 2026 and the late-fee deadline was 12 October 2026. A final special window with late fee ran from 10:30 AM on 15 October to 10:29 AM on 16 October 2026. Registration is now closed. Source: gate2027.iitm.ac.in/important_dates.

What are the eligibility criteria for GATE 2027?

You must be in the third or higher year of any undergraduate degree, or have completed a government-approved degree in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts or Humanities. M.Sc./M.A./MCA students are eligible from the first year. There is no age limit. Source: Information Brochure, Section 6.1 and Table 2.

What documents are needed for the GATE 2027 application form?

A photograph and signature that meet the specifications, a live photo captured during registration, and a valid photo ID (Aadhaar, Passport, PAN, Voter ID, Driving License or another government photo ID). SC/ST candidates add a category certificate and PwD candidates a UDID or PwD certificate, both through the DigiLocker "GATE2027" folder. You do not upload marksheets or degree certificates.

What is the GATE 2027 application fee?

In the regular period, ₹1,000 per paper for female, SC, ST and PwD candidates and ₹2,000 per paper for everyone else. In the extended period and the special window, it was ₹1,500 and ₹2,500 per paper. Payment was online by internet banking, card, wallet or UPI. Source: Information Brochure, Table 5.

What is the GOAPS portal?

GOAPS is the GATE Online Application Processing System. Candidates use it to register, upload documents, pay the fee, check application status, download the admit card, view answers, marks and score, and download the scorecard. Source: Information Brochure, Section 6.4.2.

Can I apply for two GATE papers in 2027?

Yes, but only in an allowed combination, and both papers go on a single form. CS and DA can be taken together. The brochure says the two-paper fee is twice the single-paper fee. Source: Information Brochure, Table 4; GATE 2027 FAQs.

Can I correct mistakes in my GATE 2027 application after submission?

Not straight after submission. Defects flagged during scrutiny can be fixed in the rectification window (14–31 October 2026). Changes to paper, city or category are possible only in a paid data-correction window, whose dates are TBA. Email and mobile number cannot be changed.

Sources

• GATE 2027 Information Brochure (revised version, 17 October 2026), IIT Madras: Sections 2–6.10, Tables 2, 4, 5
• GATE 2027 Important Dates, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 Notifications, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 Required Documents, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 Photograph & Signature, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 Application Fees, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 Exam Cities, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 Eligibility Criteria, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 FAQs, IIT Madras
• GATE 2027 Two Paper Combinations, IIT Madras
• GATE 2026 Statistical and Performance Report, IIT Guwahati
• GATE 2024 Cut-off Marks (archived), IISc Bangalore