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GATE answer key challenge
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The GATE answer key challenge is the window in which candidates can contest an answer in the provisional key. It runs on set dates and needs a fee. Responses appear first in the application portal, then the provisional keys are published, and you can contest them on the dates announced. The GATE 2027 information brochure does not state the fee amount.
The sequence
- Responses: your recorded answers appear in GOAPS. See the response sheet page.
- Provisional key: the organising institute publishes the provisional keys.
- Challenge window: you contest keys on payment of a fee during the set dates.
- Result: the GATE 2027 result is scheduled for 19 March 2027, liable to change.
None of the dates for steps 1 to 3 has been announced for GATE 2027 as of 9 October 2026, so ignore dates quoted by coaching sites.
Before you challenge
- Re-read the question and make sure you understood it as written.
- Check that the problem is the key, not your response. A response recorded wrongly is a different issue from a wrong key.
- Solve the question again from first principles.
- Find a reference, such as a standard textbook, that supports your answer.
- Decide whether the question is worth the fee.
What makes a challenge strong
- The question is ambiguous or has a clear error, and you can show where.
- More than one option fits a question that should have only one correct answer.
- The key marks an option that a standard result contradicts, and you can cite the result.
A challenge that says only "I think it is B" is weak. State your reasoning briefly and name the source. The same applies to MSQ and NAT disputes, where the exact set of options or the exact number matters.
After the key
Your marks follow the key as it finally stands, and for multi-session papers they are normalised before the GATE score is worked out. Use the answer key guide to compute your raw marks while you wait.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee to challenge the GATE answer key?
Yes. The brochure says candidates contest the key on payment of a fee, but it does not give the amount for 2027.
When are the GATE 2027 challenge dates?
They have not been announced as of 9 October 2026. Watch gate2027.iitm.ac.in.
Official sources
- GATE 2027 information brochure: the post-exam process.
- GATE 2027 website: announcements.
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- Response sheetThe GATE response sheet shows the answers recorded from your exam. See when it appears, how to compute raw marks with negative marking, and a worked example.
- GOAPSGOAPS is the GATE Online Application Processing System. See what it is used for, the GATE 2027 dates and fees, DigiLocker and photo rules, and documents.
- GATE scoreThe GATE score runs up to 1000 and is worked out from your marks, the qualifying mark and the top scorers' average. See the formula, an example, validity.
- GATE answer keyHow the GATE answer key works: viewing your response in GOAPS, provisional keys, challenging a key, and calculating raw marks with MCQ, MSQ and NAT rules.
- GATE resultThe GATE 2027 result is scheduled for 19 March 2027. See who gets a scorecard, the download fee and deadline, score validity and what to do after the result.
More in GATE
- CCMTCCMT is the centralised counselling for GATE-based M.Tech, M.Arch and M.Plan seats at NITs and IIITs. See how it differs from COAP and what to check.
- COAPCOAP is the portal where GATE candidates accept, retain or reject M.Tech offers from IITs and IISc. See how it works, what it is not, and who can register.
- GATE qualifying marksGATE qualifying marks are the minimum marks for a scorecard: max(25, min(40, mean + SD)) for General. See the OBC and SC/ST/PwD rules and 2026 values.
- GATE scorecardThe GATE scorecard goes only to qualified candidates. See the free window, the Rs.500 fee after it, the 31 December 2027 limit and the three-year validity.
- M.Tech stipendGATE qualifiers admitted to M.Tech can get Rs.12,400 a month, generally for 22 months. See the rules, the direct-PhD fellowship and why it is not automatic.
- MSQAn MSQ in GATE has four options with one or more correct answers, no negative marking and no partial credit. See how it is scored and how to attempt it.
- Multi-session paperA multi-session GATE paper is held in more than one session, and you sit only one. See how sessions are assigned, why marks are normalised and the key facts.
- NAT questionA NAT question in GATE has no options. You key in a number on a virtual keypad, with no negative marking. See how it is scored and how to attempt it well.