GATE CSE · Cutoff
GATE CSE Cutoff 2026 — expected score & rank bands
What does your score in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering — Computer Science actually get you? These bands map a mock/exam percentage to the rank window and outcomes that score range has typically achieved.
AI-curated from historic cutoff patterns — indicative, not official. Always verify with the latest official notification.
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Category-wise expected cutoff (indicative)
| Category | Expected Cutoff (indicative) |
|---|---|
| General | 25–28 marks out of 100 |
| EWS | 23–26 marks out of 100 |
| OBC-NCL | 22–25 marks out of 100 |
| SC | 16–19 marks out of 100 |
| ST | 14–17 marks out of 100 |
| PwD | 14–17 marks out of 100 |
- The General-to-OBC gap typically spans 3–4 marks, while SC/ST cutoffs sit 9–12 marks below General, reflecting reservation policy in qualifying thresholds. Year-to-year shifts depend on paper difficulty normalization (GATE uses multi-session score normalization), candidate pool strength, and available PSU/institute seats.
- These cutoffs represent minimum qualification marks only. Competitive admission to premier M.Tech programs (IITs, NITs, IIITs) or PSU recruitment demands scores in the 65–95 range depending on institute tier, with top IITs requiring 85+ for General candidates.
- Cutoffs may fluctuate ±2–3 marks annually based on overall paper difficulty post-normalization and the percentile distribution across sessions.
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Top 300 — Elite programs
95–100%rank ~1–300
- IIT Bombay M.Tech CSE — assured admission, rank ~1-300
- IIT Delhi M.Tech CSE — assured admission with choice of specialization (AI/ML, theory, systems)
- IIT Madras M.Tech CSE — assured admission, RA/TA fellowship opportunities
- IISc Direct PhD programs — CSA, CDS departments with fellowship (~rank 1-200)
- BARC OCES (CSE stream) — Officer 'C' grade, approximately top 100-200 ranks
- Full funding + stipend for research-oriented M.Tech/MS programs at top IITs
Top IITs — competitive branches
85–95%rank ~300–2,000
- IIT Bombay M.Tech CSE — cut-off approximately rank ~350-500 General category
- IIT Delhi M.Tech CSE — cut-off approximately rank ~400-600 General
- IIT Madras M.Tech CSE — cut-off approximately rank ~500-800 General
- IIT Kanpur M.Tech CSE — cut-off approximately rank ~600-1000 General
- IISc MTech CSE (direct) — rank typically ~300-1500
- Top PSUs — BARC OCES, ISRO Scientist/Engineer (rank ~300-1500 for CSE positions)
Tier 1 NITs & old IITs
70–85%rank ~2,000–10,000
- Top NITs M.Tech CSE — NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, NIT Surathkal (CSE/AI/Data Science)
- Older IITs M.Tech — IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad (CSE, cut-off approximately rank ~3000-8000 General)
- IISc MTech CSE — Research-oriented tracks (highly competitive, rank ~2000-5000)
- Premier PSUs — BARC, ISRO (Scientist/Engineer 'SC', rank typically ~2000-7000)
- IIIT Hyderabad M.Tech — CSE and related specializations
Good score — Tier 2 NITs
50–70%rank ~10,000–50,000
- Mid-tier NITs M.Tech — NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, NIT Surathkal (non-CSE branches like VLSI, embedded systems)
- IITs M.Tech — newer IITs like IIT Jodhpur, IIT Indore, IIT Ropar (interdisciplinary programs)
- PSU jobs — BHEL, ONGC, IOCL trainee positions (approximately rank ~15000-40000 range)
- IISc MTech — Computational & Data Sciences, Electronic Systems Engineering (cut-off varies, competitive)
- DRDO Scientist 'B' — opportunities in select labs
Qualified — Tier 3 options
25–50%rank ~50,000–1,50,000
- Lower-tier NITs M.Tech programs — branches like Information Security, Software Engineering at NIT Silchar, NIT Hamirpur
- State university M.Tech programs — Anna University, Jadavpur University (lower preference branches)
- Some PSU positions in GAIL, NTPC, IOCL — typically trainee/junior engineer roles with high competition
- Private sector M.Tech programs with GATE scholarships
Below qualifying threshold
0–25%
- Unlikely to meet GATE qualifying marks (~25-30 marks out of 100)
- Consider retaking after strengthening fundamentals
- May not receive a valid scorecard for M.Tech/PSU applications
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