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GATE Electrical Engineering (EE)

GATE Electrical Engineering (EE) is a national-level examination used for M.Tech/ME/PhD admissions with financial assistance at MoE-supported institutes, and it is a major recruitment filter for Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) across India.

At a glance
Conducted by IISc Bengaluru and seven IITs for NCB-GATE (IIT Madras organises GATE 2027)
Application window 2 September to 5 October 2026 (regular, without late fee); extended to 12 October 2026 (with late fee)
Last date for changes 21 October 2026 — category, paper and exam-city choices, adding a paper, and personal details (an extra fee may apply)
Exam dates 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 February 2027, in forenoon and afternoon sessions; paper-wise schedule on the official site
Result 19 March 2027
Who can apply Candidates in the 3rd or higher year of any government-approved undergraduate programme, or who have completed one, in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts/Humanities; no age limit
Score validity 3 years
Used for M.Tech/ME/PhD admission with financial assistance at MoE-supported institutes, and PSU recruitment

Official sources

Exam pattern

Section Marks
General Aptitude (GA) 15
Subject paper — Electrical Engineering (includes Engineering Mathematics, 13) 85
Total 100
  • Questions: 65 in total — 10 in General Aptitude and 55 in the EE paper. Engineering Mathematics is a paper-specific section of 13 marks inside the subject paper's 85; the Electrical Engineering questions are the remaining 72.
  • Duration: 3 hours (180 minutes). PwD candidates are allowed compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour.
  • Question types: MCQ (Multiple Choice Question), MSQ (Multiple Select Question) and NAT (Numerical Answer Type). Questions carry 1 or 2 marks.
  • Negative marking: Only for MCQs. 1/3 mark is deducted for a wrong 1-mark MCQ and 2/3 mark for a wrong 2-mark MCQ. There is no negative marking for MSQ or NAT.
  • No partial marking: There is no partial marking for any question — an MSQ is either fully correct or scores nothing.
  • Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT) in English; only the on-screen virtual calculator may be used for calculations.

Syllabus

The GATE 2027 syllabi have been revised. The official EE syllabus (Information Brochure, Appendix D) consists of 10 sections:

  1. Engineering Mathematics: Linear Algebra, Calculus, Differential Equations, Complex Variables, Probability and Statistics.
  2. Electric Circuits: Network elements, KCL, KVL, nodal and mesh analysis, network theorems (Thevenin's, Norton's, Superposition, Maximum Power Transfer), transient response, sinusoidal steady-state analysis, resonance, two-port networks, balanced three-phase circuits, star-delta transformation, complex power and power factor.
  3. Electromagnetic Fields: Coulomb's Law, Electric Field Intensity, Electric Flux Density, Gauss's Law, Divergence, field and potential of point, line, plane and spherical charge distributions, dielectrics, capacitance, Biot-Savart's law, Ampere's law, curl, Faraday's law, Lorentz force, inductance, magnetic circuits, self and mutual inductance.
  4. Signals and Systems: Continuous and discrete time signals, shifting and scaling, LTI and causal systems, Fourier series, sampling theorem, Fourier Transform applications, Laplace and Z-transforms, RMS and average values of periodic waveforms.
  5. Electrical Machines: Single-phase transformers (equivalent circuit, phasor diagram, tests, regulation, efficiency), three-phase transformers (connections, vector groups, parallel operation), auto-transformers, electromechanical energy conversion, DC machines (separately excited, series, shunt, characteristics, speed control), three-phase induction machines (principles, types, performance, torque-speed, tests, equivalent circuit, starting, speed control), single-phase induction motors, synchronous machines (cylindrical and salient pole, regulation, parallel operation, starting), losses and efficiency.
  6. Power Systems: Generation concepts, AC/DC transmission, line and cable models, economic load dispatch, series/shunt compensation, insulators, distribution systems, per-unit quantities, bus admittance matrix, load flow (Gauss-Seidel, Newton-Raphson), voltage and frequency control, power factor correction, symmetrical components, fault analysis, protection (over-current, differential, directional, distance), circuit breakers, stability, equal area criterion.
  7. Control Systems: Mathematical modeling, feedback principle, transfer function, block diagrams, signal flow graphs, transient and steady-state analysis, stability (Routh-Hurwitz, Nyquist), Bode plots, root loci, compensators, PID controllers, state space models.
  8. Electrical and Electronic Measurements: Bridges and potentiometers, measurement of voltage, current, power, energy, power factor, instrument transformers, DMMs, phase/time/frequency measurement, oscilloscopes, error analysis.
  9. Analog and Digital Electronics: Diode circuits (clipping, clamping, rectifiers), amplifiers, oscillators, feedback amplifiers, operational amplifiers (characteristics, applications), active filters, VCOs, timers, combinatorial and sequential logic, multiplexers, demultiplexers, Schmitt triggers, sample and hold, ADCs and DACs.
  10. Power Electronics: Thyristor, MOSFET, IGBT characteristics and firing/gating, DC-DC converters (buck, boost, buck-boost), uncontrolled rectifiers, commutated converters, AC-DC voltage source converters, harmonics, power factor, inverters (single and three-phase), SPWM.

For detailed topics, refer to the official GATE EE syllabus PDF.

What a GATE EE score opens up

A qualifying GATE score does more than unlock postgraduate admission. The official GATE 2027 Information Brochure notes that several Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) use GATE scores in recruitment, and it lists those that have done so in recent years — a long roll that includes NTPC, POWERGRID, NPCIL, NLC India, Coal India, DVC, IOCL, ONGC, GAIL, BHEL, SAIL, RINL, NALCO, AAI and NHAI. Direct recruitment to some central Group-A posts (for example Senior Field Officer (Tele) and Senior Research Officer) is now made on the GATE score as well.

Qualifying alone does not guarantee a job: each employer runs its own shortlisting, and often a group discussion and/or interview on top of the score. The PSU recruitment tracker records the current EE channel and advertisement for each PSU.

How to prepare (free, in order)

  1. Start from the syllabus: Work through the revised official syllabus section by section, so nothing is under-covered or over-studied.
  2. Foundations first: Master Engineering Mathematics and Electric Circuits; every other section is built on them.
  3. Transform-heavy pair: Take Signals and Systems and Control Systems together — both lean on Laplace, Fourier and Z-transforms.
  4. Machines and power: Study Electrical Machines before Power Systems, then keep Electrical and Electronic Measurements and Electromagnetic Fields as weekly blocks.
  5. Devices before converters: Cover Analog and Digital Electronics before Power Electronics.
  6. Practise past papers: Solve official GATE EE previous-year papers topic by topic using only the on-screen virtual calculator, and finish with full-length 3-hour CBT sessions.
  7. Think about the score, not just the cut-off: Since many PSUs shortlist on the GATE score, aim for a strong rank rather than merely qualifying.

Free resources