GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test)

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE 2009) 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.

The overall coordination and responsibility of conducting GATE 2009 lies with Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, designated as the Organizing Institute for GATE 2009.

GATE 2009 Exam Date 08th February, 2009 [Sunday]

GATE 2009 Test Time: 09.30 hours to 12.30 hours

The zones and the corresponding administrative institutes are,

Zone 1 - Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
Zone 2 - Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Zone 3 - Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Zone 4 - Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Zone 5 - Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Zone 6 - Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Zone 7 - Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Zone 8 - Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Last date of issue of information brochure and application forms: by post from GATE Offices Friday 17 Oct 2008

GATE 2009 Eligibility

1. Bachelor's degree holders in Engineering/ Technology/ Architecture/Pharmacy (4 years after 10+2) and those who are in the final or pre-final year of such programmes.

2. Master's degree holders in any branch of Science/ Mathematics/ Statistics/ Computer Applications or equivalent and those who are in the final or pre-final year of such programmes.

3. Candidates in the second or higher year of the Four-year Integrated Master's degree programme (Post-B.Sc.) in Engineering/Technology or in the third or higher year of Five-year Integrated Master's degree programme and Dual Degree programme in Engineering/Technology.

4. Candidates with qualifications obtained through examinations conducted by professional societies recognized by UPSC/AICTE (e.g. AMIE by IE(I), AME by ICE(I)) as equivalent to B.E./B.Tech. Those who have completed section A or equivalent of such professional courses are also eligible.

Application fee

Application fee
	Off Line	On Line
General & OBC	Rs. 1000	Rs. 900
SC/ST/PD	Rs. 500	Rs. 400

Application form

There are two different ways by which candidates can apply for GATE 2009 examination. They are

Offline Application Submission Process:

Step. 1 Procurement of Application Form

Candidate can obtain a packet containing (i) OFFLINE Application Form (ii) Information Brochure (iii) Acknowledgment Card (iv) Envelope from:

Designated Bank Branches corresponding to each zone on cash payment.
Zonal GATE Office by sending a request letter and TWO self-addressed slips along with a Demand Draft for appropriate amount.
Zonal GATE Office after handing over Demand Draft for appropriate amount.
Step 2. Fill in the Application Form

Step 3. Obtain SC/ST/PD/OBC (non creamy layer) Certificate

SC/ST/OBC (non creamy layer) and Disability Certificate should be obtained from appropriate authority, if applicable.

Authorities who can issue SC/ST/OBC (non creamy layer) Certificates.

Step 4. Post/Submission

Duly filled-in Application Form with appropriate enclosures must be sent by Registered or Speed post to the Chairman, GATE of the Zone, where the candidate prefers (corresponding to the 1st Choice of Examination City) to appear for the examination, on or before Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Or

It can be handed over personally to respective Zonal GATE Office.

Online Application Submission Process:

Step 1: Obtain a Demand Draft

The candidates must obtain a Demand Draft, drawn on any nationalized bank in favor of Chairman of the corresponding zonal GATE Office, the website of which the candidate wishes to submit online Application.

Step 2: Online Application

Step 3: Take print out of Application Form

Save the PDF file, take a printout, Sign at appropriate places and paste photograph.

Step 4. Obtain SC/ST/PD/OBC (non creamy layer) Certificate

SC/ST/OBC (non creamy layer) and Disability Certificate should be obtained from appropriate authority, if applicable.

Authorities who can issue SC/ST/OBC (non creamy layer) Certificates.

Step 5. Post/Submission

Duly filled-in Application Form with appropriate enclosures must be sent by Registered or Speed post to the Chairman, GATE of the Zone, the website of which has been used for making ONLINE registration on or before Wednesday, October 29, 2008. OR

It can be handed over personally to respective Zonal GATE Office.

GATE 2009 Exam Pattern

The GATE examination consists of a single paper of 3 hours duration, which contains 60 questions carrying a maximum of 100 marks. The question paper will consist of only multiple choice objective questions. Each question will have four choices for the answer. Only one choice will be correct. Candidates have to mark the correct choice on an Optical Response Sheet (ORS) by darkening the appropriate bubble against each question.

There will be negative marking for wrong answers, as given in question paper pattern.

A candidate can choose any one of the papers listed below.

Paper	Code	Paper	Code
Aerospace Engineering	AE	Information Technology	IT
Agricultural Engineering	AG	Mathematics	MA
Architecture and Planning	AR	Mechanical Engineering	ME
Civil Engineering	CE	Mining Engineering	MN
Chemical Engineering	CH	Metallurgical Engineering	MT
Computer Science and Engineering	CS	Physics	PH
Chemistry	CY	Production and Industrial Engineering	PI
Electronics and Communication Engineering	EC	Pharmaceutical Sciences	PY
Electrical Engineering	EE	Textile Engineering and Fibre Science	TF
Geology and Geophysics	GG	Engineering Sciences	XE*
Instrumentation Engineering	IN	Life Sciences	XL*

#GG (Geology & Geophysics) paper will consist of two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A will be common to both Geology and Geophysics candidates. Part B will contain two sections: Section 1 (Geology) and Section 2 (Geophysics).

Geology candidates will attempt questions in Section 1 only. Geophysics candidates will attempt questions in Section 2 only.

*Papers XE and XL are of general nature and will comprise the following sections:

Engineering Sciences (XE)		Life Sciences (XL)
Section	Code	Section	Code
Engineering Mathematics (Compulsory)	A	Chemistry (Compulsory)	H
Fluid Mechanics	B	Biochemistry	I
Materials Science	C	Biotechnology	J
Solid Mechanics	D	Botany	K
Thermodynamics	E	Microbiology	L
Polymer Science and Engineering	F	Zoology	M
Food Technology	G

A candidate appearing in XE or XL paper will be required to answer three sections. Sections (A) and (H) are compulsory in XE and XL papers, respectively.

The candidate can choose any two out of the remaining sections listed against the respective papers.

The choice of the appropriate paper is the responsibility of the candidate. Some guidelines in this respect are suggested below:

Candidate is expected to appear in one of the papers, listed above appropriate to the discipline of his/her qualifying degree.
Candidate is, however, free to choose any paper according to his/her admission plan, keeping in mind the eligibility criteria of the institutions in which he/she wishes to seek admission.