GATE 2021: IIT Bombay gives important dates, fees, change in syllabus, relaxed eligibility criteria and examination centres

In case you missed it, IIT Bombay on August 7 released the information brochure for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2021 on its official website. It contained the important dates, the change in syllabus and relaxed eligibility criteria for GATE 2021.

GATES 2021 is one of the most awaited exams in India, It measures the students to get admission into a master's degree in premier technical colleges and jobs at public sector companies. Thus, here are the details that you need to know:

1. Important Dates

IIT Bombay will conduct exams from February 5-7 and February 12-14, 2021.

The GATES 2021 website will open on September 14. The last date to apply for registration will be September 30. Further with a late fee, you can apply till October 7. The last date for change of category, paper and examination city will be November 17. Here, IIT Bombay will take an additional fee. Finally, admit cards will be available 0n January 8.

It will be a Computer-based paper.

The GATE 2021 will happen in different cities across India as well as six cities outside India. But the official website has made it clear that GATE-2021 will be conducted only if the current COVID-19 situation eases and travel and other restrictions are relaxed. Else GATE-2021 in international centres will be "CANCELLED".

2. Fees for GATE 2021

For Examination Centres in India, the regular fees for Female candidates and SC/ST/PwD candidate is ₹ 750. The extended period fee is ₹ 1250. For all other candidates, the fee is ₹ 1500 for regular registration and late registration is ₹2000.

This fee is per paper. You can choose up to two papers. Further, the fee does not include service charges, processing fees and any other charges that the banks may levy.

3. Change in eligibility criteria and syllabus for GATE 2021

This year, IIT Bombay has added two news subjects taking the total to 27 subjects. The new subjects are ES (Environmental Science and Engineering) and XH (Humanities and Social Sciences).

Further, from this year onwards, students in the third year of undergraduate programme can appear for GATE. The new rule is opposed to previous rules which allowed only final year students to take the exam.

Also, from this year, applicants can club two allied papers together and follow their interests. Apart from social sciences, GATE 2021 will improve the research opportunities for Arts students. The paper will allow students to appear for two papers will help them follow their interests. They can also switch subjects if they wish and increase competition in all the subjects, which will filter out the best candidates.

Lastly, all Test Papers of GATE 2021 will be entirely objective type. They will include Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ); (ii) Multiple Select Questions (MSQ); and/or (iii) Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.

Candidates can check the information brochure for GATE 2021 online at gate.iitb.ac.in.