Frequently Asked Questions

Application Process                Admit Card                GATE 2012 Examination

Application Process

1. How do I apply ONLINE?

Go to the link "Apply Online". Register yourself by entering your name, date of birth, password and email id. You can then fill in your ONLINE application form, proceed to make the payment of application fee using Payment Gateway or Challan Payment options.

2. Should I attest the photograph for application form?

Do not attest the photograph for the application form.

3. Why should I choose two examination cities?

Generally, you will be allotted a centre in the examination city of your first choice. Only in cases where it becomes difficult to accommodate you in the examination city of your first choice, your second choice will be considered.

4. You are asking only the SC/ST/PD candidates to enclose the category certificate. What about the OBC (non-creamy layer) candidates? Do they have to enclose the category certificate too?

OBC (non-creamy layer) candidates do not have to enclose the category certificate since their application fee is same as that of the general category candidates. However, in the application, you can indicate the category to which you belong to. You need to produce the category certificate only to the admitting institute at the time of admission.

5. How do I make the fee payment for GATE 2012 examination?

You can make the payment during the ONLINE application process by choosing one of the following options:

• Payment Gateway: Netbanking through the payment Gateway of Bill Desk.
   
• Challan Payment: Payment by cash at any branch of ICICI Bank, Indian Bank and State Bank of India.

6. If I choose the Payment Gateway option, how do I submit the ONLINE Application?

After completing the ONLINE application, choose Payment Gateway option and proceed. At the end of this process, a pdf file will be generated with the following pages:

• Page-1: Instructions for the candidate
• Page-2: GATE 2012 Application - GATE Copy
• Page-3: GATE 2012 Application - Candidate Copy
• Page-4: Address Slip of respective zonal GATE office

Take a print out of the entire file. You can also save this pdf file for your future reference.

Paste your recent photograph (3 cm x 4 cm) in the designated place of Page-2.

Sign at the designated places of Page-2.

Paste Page-4 on top of a A4-size envelope

The GATE copy of the above Application (after pasting the photo and signing) with appropriate enclosures must be sent by Speed Post (preferably) or by Registered Post to The Chairman, GATE of the Zone, where the candidate prefers to appear for the examination (corresponding to the 1st Choice of Examination City), so as to reach on or before Monday, 24 October 2011 or it can be handed over personally to respective Zonal GATE Office.

7. If I choose the Bank Challan option, how do I submit the ONLINE Application?

After completing the ONLINE application process, a pdf file will be generated with the following pages:

• Page-1: Instructions for the candidate
• Page-2: GATE 2012 Application - GATE Copy
• Page-3: GATE 2012 Application - Candidate Copy
• Page-4: Address Slip of respective zonal GATE office
• Page-5: Bank Challan

Take a print out of the entire file. You can also save this pdf file for your future reference.

The bank challan (Page-5) will be printed in triplicate. Take it to any branch of ICICI Bank, Indian Bank or State Bank of India (as opted by the candidate) and pay the fee. Bank will retain a copy with them and will return two copies to you. Retain the Candidate's copy with you and attach the GATE Copy with the application form.

Paste your recent photograph (3 cm x 4 cm) in the designated place of Page-2.

Sign at the designated places of Page-2.

Paste Page-4 on top of an A4-size envelope

The GATE copy of the above Application Form (after pasting the photo and signing) with appropriate enclosures must be sent by Speed Post (preferably) or by Registered Post to The Chairman, GATE of the Zone, where the candidate prefers to appear for the examination (corresponding to the 1st Choice of Examination City), so as to reach on or before Monday, 24 October 2011 or it can be handed over personally to respective Zonal GATE Office.

8. Do I need to post my application and attachments?

Yes. As mentioned above in the answers to Questions 6 and 7.

9. When and how will I know the status of my application?

The status of your application will be put up on the zonal GATE website. Click on the link "Application Status" and follow the instructions. Generally, the status of your application will be put up within two days after the receipt of the application in the Zonal GATE offices.

10. After completing the ONLINE application process and generating a pdf file, will I be able to login again to change my application data?

No. After completing all the steps upto pdf application form generation in ONLINE application process, you can only download the application form and cannot modify the data. However, you can create a new application by registering once again if you are accessing the website on or before 17 Oct 2011.

11. I have missed to take a print of my ONLINE application at the end of my application process. How will I get access to it?

You can login with the same Login id and password and take a printout.

Admit Card

1. When will I receive my admit card?

Admit card can only be downloaded from the zonal GATE websites from 2nd January 2012. Sending Admit cards by post has been discontinued. Bring the admit card at the test center along with at least one original (not photocopied / scanned copy) and valid (not expired) photo identification. ONLY one of the following photo identifications is permitted: Driving license, Passport, PAN Card, Voter ID, College ID, Employee identification card, or a notarized Affidavit with Photo, Signature, Date of Birth and Residential Address. Photocopies of the original identification document are not acceptable. Candidates will not be permitted to take the test if original and valid photo identification is not presented.

GATE 2012 Examination

1. For how many GATE papers can I apply?

A candidate can apply for only ONE of the 21 papers listed in the GATE INFORMATION BROCHURE or GATE website.

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

The candidate is expected to appear in a paper appropriate to the discipline of his/her qualifying degree. The 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

2. After submission of application, am I permitted to change my GATE Examination Paper and Examination City?

Requests for change of GATE Examination paper after the submission of Application Form will not be considered.

Requests for change of examination city will be accepted till December 30, 2011 with a fee of 400/- to be paid in the form of demand draft (payment details).

3. Will I be provided with any white paper for rough work and calculations during the test?

For OFFLINE Examination, the question paper itself contains some blank sheets on which you can do the rough work. Rough work cannot be done on any other paper/sheet as no additional paper will be provided during the test.

For ONLINE Examination, a notepad provided to the candidate can be used to do the rough work.

4. Am I allowed to leave the examination hall during the test?

For OFFLINE Examination, candidate will not be allowed to leave the examination hall for any reason during the test. Candidates are allowed to leave the hall only after the Optical Response Sheet (ORS) from all the candidates in the examination hall have been collected and accounted for.

For ONLINE Examination, candidates will not be allowed to leave the examination lab for any reason during the test. Candidates are allowed to leave the lab only after the closure of the test at the scheduled end of examination in a session.

5. What items are not permitted to be brought with me inside the examination venue?

Electronic diary, mobile phone, and any such electronic gadgets, blank papers, clip boards and log-tables will not be allowed in the examination venue.

6. Can I use a calculator during the exam?

Yes. You are permitted to use a scientific calculator without data connectivity.

If you bring any item that is not permissible inside the examination venue, you will have to keep it at the test center at your own risk.

7. Will there be any arrangement at the test center for the safe keeping of my personal items such as my mobile phone?

No such arrangements will be possible at the test center.

8. Is the use of pencils to darken the bubbles in the answer sheet permitted?

The use of pencils to darken the bubbles in the answer sheet has been discontinued from this year. Candidates should use only black ink ball point pen for darkening of the bubbles in the answer sheet. Since bubbles darkened by the black ink ball point pen cannot be erased, candidates should darken the bubbles in the answer sheet very carefully.