GATE 2026 Exam Date: IIT Guwahati, Check Details Here

GATE 2026: Confirmed Exam Schedule & Key Dates

Exam Dates & Sessions

GATE 2026 will be conducted over four days: February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026.
Each day will have two sessions:

• Forenoon (FN): 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

• Afternoon (AN): 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM 

So depending on which paper(s) you choose, your exam slot can fall in either of these time windows.

Registration & Important Dates

Candidates should ensure they complete registration and all associated formalities within these windows to avoid complications.

Other Details

• GATE 2026 will have 30 test papers including both full and sectional papers. 

• A new sectional paper on Energy Science (XE-I) is being introduced under the Engineering Sciences (XE) category.

• Candidates can choose to take one or two test papers, subject to allowed combinations. 

• The GATE score (once published) will remain valid for three years. 1

Clash with UPSC ESE 2026 & IIT Guwahati’s Assurance

One major concern among exam aspirants was the potential clash between GATE 2026 and UPSC Engineering Services Examination (ESE) 2026, which is preliminarily scheduled on February 8, 2026 as per the official UPSC calendar. 

To address this, the GATE 2026 organizing committee at IIT Guwahati has taken a clear stand:

• The committee announced that core engineering papers — such as Civil (CE), Electronics & Communication (EC), Electrical (EE), Mechanical (ME), Geology & Geophysics (GG), Instrumentation (IN), Production & Industrial (PI), Geomatics (GE) — will not be scheduled on February 8. This ensures aspirants targeting both GATE and ESE aren’t forced to choose between two important exams on the same date. This move has been widely covered in education media. 

Essentially, the exams will be coordinated so that the most in-demand engineering branches’ GATE papers do not fall on the same day as ESE’s prelims, giving students flexibility.

How This Helps Aspirants

1. Better planning
   Knowing that there’s no direct overlap, you can confidently schedule your revision strategy across both exams.

2. Reduced stress
   The fear of missing out on one exam due to timing conflict is eliminated for core engineering aspirants.

3. More flexibility
   You may decide to attempt both exams (if syllabus overlaps or your preparation allows) without temporal constraints.

What You Should Do Next

1. Check Your Paper’s Schedule

Once IIT Guwahati releases the branch-wise GATE schedule, verify exactly on which date and session your chosen paper will be held. Even if your branch is not one of the “core papers,” double-check to avoid surprises.

2. Plan Revision Overlaps

For overlapping topics between GATE and ESE (like engineering core fundamentals), you can design revision sessions that serve both exams.

3. Time Management

Since you may have to manage two major exam preparations in parallel, make a daily timetable assigning slots to GATE, ESE, mock tests, and revision.

4. Monitor Official Announcements

Keep an eye on the official GATE 2026 website (gate2026.iitg.ac.in) for final announcements about scheduling, paper allocations, and changes. GATE 2026+1

5. Practice Mock Tests Strategically

Even in mocks, simulate the same date/time environment and test your adaptability — this is especially important if you juggle two exam prep streams.

Important Things to Keep in Mind

• The assurance from IIT Guwahati concerns core papers; it’s possible that non-core or interdisciplinary papersmay still be scheduled on February 8. Be vigilant.

• Schedules are subject to change, so keep checking updates.

• Don’t delay registering — missing the deadlines or paying late fees adds avoidable stress.

• Since the exams are a few months away, divide your focus between conceptual clarity, problem practice, and time management.

Summary

• GATE 2026 will be conducted in February 2026 (7, 8, 14, 15). 

• IIT Guwahati has assured that core engineering papers will not be scheduled on February 8, thus avoiding clash with UPSC ESE 2026 prelims scheduled for that day. 

• Candidates must verify their specific paper dates when the detailed schedule is out.

• With this assurance, aspirants can align their preparation strategies for both exams with more confidence.