PrepMaticExam glossary · GATE
COAP: the Common Offer Acceptance Portal
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COAP is the Common Offer Acceptance Portal, where GATE candidates accept, retain or reject M.Tech offers made by participating institutes. It has run since 2017. COAP is not an application portal: you apply to each institute on its own form, and COAP then handles the offers that come back.
How COAP works
- You apply to each IIT, IISc or other participating institute separately. Institutes make the COAP registration number mandatory on their forms.
- You register on COAP. Registration is free.
- Institutes make offers in rounds, and you accept, retain or reject each one on the portal.
- Rounds run roughly from May to July. In 2026, Round 10 was extended to 13 July.
A public sector undertaking can also take part. NPCIL has.
Who runs it and who can register
COAP is run by the previous year's GATE organiser. COAP 2026 was run by IIT Roorkee, which organised GATE 2025. Check the GATE site and the portal for the 2027 organiser. See organising institute for the rotation.
Only Indian nationals with a GATE 2026, 2025 or 2024 score could register for COAP 2026.
Participating institutes
COAP 2026 had 24 participating institutes: IISc Bengaluru and 23 IITs, among them Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, Roorkee and Guwahati. The 2027 list will differ, so check the portal.
COAP versus CCMT
COAP covers offers from IITs, IISc and a few other bodies. CCMT is the centralised counselling for NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutions. They are separate, so a candidate can register on both. Details of admission, stipend and eligibility for each programme are set by the institute. Read the after GATE guide for the full picture, and the M.Tech stipend page for money.
Frequently asked questions
Do I apply to IITs through COAP?
No. You apply to each institute separately. COAP is for accepting or rejecting the offers.
Is COAP free?
Yes. COAP registration is free.
Official sources
- COAP 2026 portal: rules, rounds and the list of institutes.
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- 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.
- 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.
- Organising instituteEach year one of IISc or seven IITs acts as the GATE organising institute. See who ran 2024 to 2027, what it handles, and what it does not decide.
- After GATE: PSU and M.TechHow to use a GATE score: PSU recruitment (POWERGRID ET-2027 and the GATE 2026 list), M.Tech via COAP and CCMT, stipend, PhD fellowship and a checklist.
- 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
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- 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 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.