The GATE exam or Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an examination conducted by the Gate Committee on behalf of the National Coordinating Board, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India. The GATE Committee comprises of faculty from 7 IIT’s and IISC, Bangalore and is conducted in 8 locations across the country.

A candidate is eligible to appear for the GATE examination if he/she holds a (i)bachelor’s degree in engineering/technology or architecture or in the final or pre-final those programs, (ii)holds a master’s degree in any of the following science branches namely any science discipline/mathematics/statistics/computer applications or in the final or pre-final year of such programs, (iii)candidate pursuing the 2nd or higher year of the four-year integrated masters program in the engineering or technology background or in the 3rd or higher year in the 5 year integrated masters degree program and dual degree program in engineering or technology, and finally (iv)candidates who have cleared section A of examinations held by professional societies which are recognized by the UPSC/AICTE namely AMIE, AMICE(I) etc. On clearing the GATE exam, candidates are eligible for scholarships for studying Masters or Doctoral programs in the field of engineering, technology, architecture or pharmacy as well as doctoral programs in the relevant science field.

The GATE exam follows a specific structure. The exam will go on for 3 hours and the number of questions to be answered is 60 questions out off 100 marks. All questions are multiple choice questions and there is negative marking for wrong answers. The candidate can select a total of 22 papers based on his/her graduation. The 22 papers are aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, architecture and planning, civil engineering, chemical engineering, computer science and information technology, chemistry, electronics and communication engineering, electrical engineering, geology and geophysics, instrumentation engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, mining engineering, metallurgical engineering, physics, production and industrial engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, textile engineering and fiber science, biotechnology, engineering sciences and life sciences. Among the last two options, a candidate has to compulsorily answer papers in engineering mathematics and chemistry respectively. But there are allied papers from which a candidate can choose two subjects namely, fluid mechanics, materials science, solid mechanics thermodynamics, polymer science and engineering or food technology under engineering sciences and biochemistry, botany, zoology or microbiology under the life sciences option.

The GATE exam 2010 is schedule on February 14, 2010. Applications can be acquired from select SBI branches or on-line application forms can be filled. Applications will be submitted till October 30th, 2009 and submission of forms should be done on or before November 3rd, 2009. In 2010, the mining engineering and textile engineering and fiber science examinations are going to be conducted on-line on February 7th, 2010 and the remaining subjects would be conducted off-line. Results would be announced on March 15th, 2010.