PrepMaticExam questions answered · GATE
Can BSc, BCA and BCom students write GATE?
On this page
Yes. GATE is not limited to engineering students. For GATE 2027, students of 3-year B.Sc., B.A., B.Com. and BCA degrees are eligible from the third year, and M.Sc., M.A. and MCA students from the first year. You can also apply after completing the degree.
Eligibility by degree
| Degree | Eligible from |
|---|---|
| B.Sc., B.A., B.Com., BCA (3-year) | 3rd year |
| B.Sc. (Research), B.S. | 3rd year |
| Integrated M.Sc., B.S.-M.S. | 3rd year |
| B.Sc. Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry (4-year) | 3rd year |
| M.Sc., M.A., MCA | 1st year |
| Pharm.D. | 3rd year |
A candidate who has completed any government-approved degree in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts or Humanities can apply. There is no age limit and no cap on attempts.
Choosing a paper outside engineering
GATE lets you choose a paper outside your own discipline. The admitting institute decides whether to accept it for its programme, so check the programme you are aiming at before you commit.
Papers that are built on non-engineering subjects include:
- MA (Mathematics), ST (Statistics), PH (Physics) and CY (Chemistry);
- XL (Life Sciences), EY (Ecology and Evolution) and BT (Biotechnology);
- XH (Humanities and Social Sciences), where you take a compulsory reasoning and comprehension section plus one subject: Economics, English, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology or Sociology;
- DA (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence) and CS (Computer Science), whose syllabi cover programming, data structures, databases and probability.
Possible fits: BCA and MCA students may look at CS and DA, B.Com. and B.A. students at XH, and B.Sc. students at the paper matching their major. That is a pointer, not a rule, so read each paper's syllabus first. See GATE data science and AI for the DA paper.
Pairing two papers
Some pairs fit science and computing backgrounds, such as MA with CS, DA or ST, or XH with ST. The allowed list is in can I write two GATE papers.
What you need to apply
Registration is online through DigiLocker for Indian nationals, with a live face photo. You do not need to upload marksheets. The fee for each paper is ₹1,000 or ₹2,000 in the regular period depending on category (GATE application fee).
If you are in your third year, read can third-year students write GATE. GATE 2027's late-fee registration window closes on 12 October 2026. For the list of papers, see how many papers are in GATE 2027.
Official source
GATE 2027 eligibility criteria, IIT Madras and the Information Brochure.
Turn the GATE syllabus into a plan you can finish
Take a free GATE assessment on PrepMatic. It shows where you stand in your branch, turns the syllabus into a plan around the hours you actually have, and builds mock tests focused on your weak subjects.
Start free assessment →Free forever plan · No credit card · 2-minute setupRelated
- Third-year students and GATEGATE 2027 is open from the third year of any undergraduate degree, not just final year. Which degrees qualify, from when, and the 12 October late-fee deadline.
- Number of GATE 2027 papersGATE 2027 has 30 papers. Robotics and Automation (RA) is new, and Textile Engineering (TF) is now section XE9 of Engineering Sciences. The list and new codes.
- Two GATE papersGATE 2027 lets you take one paper or two. The second must be on the allowed list for the first, in one application. Sample pairs, banned pairs and the rules.
- GATE Data Science and AIThe GATE DA 2027 paper: seven syllabus sections for 85 marks, who should pick DA over CS, Python and maths priorities, books, and a six-month order of study.
More in GATE
- Calculator in GATEGATE provides an on-screen virtual scientific calculator. Physical calculators, phones and watches mean disqualification. How to practise and other hall rules.
- Age limit for GATEGATE has no age limit and no cap on attempts. The age limits that matter come from PSUs, such as POWERGRID's 28 years for 2027, and from admitting institutes.
- Engineering maths in GATE papersNo. In GATE 2027, 17 papers have a separate 13-mark engineering mathematics block and XE has a 15-mark one. Others fold maths into subject sections. The list.
- GATE 2027 exam datesGATE 2027 is scheduled for 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027, in two sessions a day, with results on 19 March 2027. Timeline from registration to result.
- GATE 2027 organiserIIT Madras is the organising institute for GATE 2027, on behalf of the National Coordination Board. Recent organisers, the IISc and IIT system, and the site.
- GATE application feeThe GATE 2027 fee per paper is ₹1,000 for women, SC, ST and PwD and ₹2,000 for others, or ₹1,500 and ₹2,500 in the late window that closes 12 October 2026.
- GATE attempts allowedGATE has no limit on attempts, so you can sit every year. Each attempt needs a fresh application and fee, and a score stays valid for three years.
- GATE exam cities in Tamil NaduGATE 2027 lists 24 tentative exam cities in Tamil Nadu, from Chennai and Coimbatore to Ooty and Pollachi. How city choice and the 4 January 2027 allotment work.