The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering  is an all-India examination administered and conducted in eight zones across the country by the GATE Committee comprising faculty from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology on behalf of the National Coordinating Board – GATE, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), and Government of India.

Admission to post graduate programmes with MHRD and some other government scholarship /assistantship at engineering colleges/institutes in the country are open to those who qualify through GATE.

GATE qualified candidates with Bachelor degree in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/ Pharmacy or Master degree in any branch of Science/ Mathematics /Statistics /Computer Applications are eligible for Master /Doctoral programmes in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/Pharmacy as well as for Doctoral programmes in relevant branches of Science.

To avail the scholarship, the candidate must additionally secure admission to such a postgraduate programme, as per the prevailing procedure of the admitting institution. GATE qualification, however, is not required for candidates with Master degree in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/ Pharmacy who may be seeking scholarship/assistantship for relevant doctoral programmes.