GATE CE 2026 : Exam Centres

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 is being conducted by IIT Guwahati. The exam will be held in eight different zonal centres across India, which will be managed by various IITs and IISc Bangalore.

Selection of the exam centre is an important step for the candidates during the application process as the centres are allotted on a first come, first served basis. Hence, it is very important to choose the right exam city while registering.

GATE 2026 Exam Centres and Zone Structure

GATE 2026 will have a total of eight zonal centres:

• IISc Bangalore
• IIT Bombay
• IIT Delhi
• IIT Guwahati
• IIT Kanpur
• IIT Kharagpur
• IIT Madras
• IIT Roorkee

Each zone covers several cities/towns. For example, the IIT Guwahati zone covers several exam cities in Northeast India and West Bengal, such as Guwahati, Patna, Shiliguri, Shillong, Dimapur, and Gangtok.

Exam center selection rules

Candidates can select up to three cities while applying for the exam.

• All selected cities should be from the same zone.
• If you choose a city from a zone as your first choice, your second and third choices will also be from the same zone.
• If seats are not available in the first choice city, the exam authorities may allot another city from the same zone.
• Under certain circumstances, a candidate may also be given a center outside the selected cities.

For International Candidates

GATE 2026 exam will be conducted only in Indian cities. No international exam centers will be available this time. In such a situation, foreign candidates will have to come to India and select an Indian exam center.

Importance of exam center selection

Exam city selection is very important for candidates because:

• Centers are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Early registration increases the chances of getting your preferred city.
• Organizers may also add or remove new exam cities from time to time.
• The final examination centre and its full address will be mentioned on the candidate's admit card, which has to be downloaded before the examination.