Updated on Jul 29, 2025
Amrita Das
GATE 2026 Answer Key: IIT Guwahati will release the GATE 2026 Answer Key on the official website after the commencement of the exam in February 2026. The answer key of GATE 2026 will be available on the official GOAPS Portal for download. Candidates will need to login using their GATE 2026 enrollment ID and password to access the answer key. The conducting authority will release both the provisional and final answer key of GATE 2026. However, test takers will only be able to raise objections against the provisional answer key by paying INR 500 per question. The final answer key will be prepared after the evaluation of the objections raised by the participants. The GATE 2026 Response Sheet will also be released along with the answer key on the GOAPS Portal. Lastly, the GATE 2026 Result will be released after calculating the final scores using the final answer key. Read further to know more about the GATE 2026 Answer Key in detail.
GATE 2026 Answer Key Date
The official dates of GATE 2026 are yet to be announced by IIT Guwahati. The GATE 2026 exam is expected to take place in February 2026 followed by the release of the answer key. Check the following table for important dates regarding GATE 2026 Answer Key.
Exam Event | Tentative Dates |
GATE 2026 Exam Date | February 2026 |
GATE 2026 Response Sheet Release | February 2026 |
GATE 2026 Answer Key Release Date | February 2026 |
GATE 2026 Raising Objection Window Opens | February 2026 |
GATE 2026 Final Answer Key Release Date | April 2026 |
GATE 2026 Result Release Date | March 2026 |
GATE 2026 Answer Key
The GATE 2026 Answer Key will be released on the official website by the exam authorities. It will help candidates to check their responses and calculate their expected GATE 2026 scores. The answer key will be available in PDF format along with the question paper. The GATE answer key will include correct answers for each question asked in the exam. Candidates can access it by logging into the GOAPS portal.
How to Download GATE 2026 Answer Key?
Follow the steps below to download the GATE 2026 Answer Key from the GOAPS Portal. The steps are as given below-
- Visit the official website of GATE 2026.
- Log in using the enrollment ID and password.
- Click on the “GATE Answer Key 2026” link.
- The answer key and question paper of GATE 2026 will be displayed.
- Download them in PDF format for future reference.
Score Calculation using GATE 2026 Answer Key
Candidates can use the GATE answer key to calculate their probable marks. They need to match their responses with the answers mentioned in the GATE 2026 Answer Key. For each correct answer, candidates can award themselves 1 or 2 marks as per the question. Negative marks must be deducted for wrong MCQ answers only. No negative marking is applicable for NAT (Numerical Answer Type) questions. The final score is the total of marks for correct answers minus the marks deducted for wrong ones.
Check GATE 2026 Result Here
How to Calculate Score Using GATE 2026 Answer Key?
Candidates can follow the given steps below to calculate their GATE Scores using the answer key of GATE 2026. The steps are as given below-
- Count the number of correct answers and award marks accordingly: 1 mark for each correct 1-mark MCQ & 2 marks for each correct 2-mark MCQ.
- Deduct negative marks for wrong MCQ answers: 1/3 mark deduction for each wrong 1-mark question & 2/3 mark deduction for each wrong 2-mark question.
- NAT questions carry no negative marks.
- Final Score = Total correct marks – Negative marks for wrong MCQs.
GATE 2026 Raising Objections
If candidates find errors in the provisional GATE 2026 answer key, they can challenge it. The objection facility will be available through the official GOAPS portal. Candidates will have to pay a fee of INR 500 per challenge. For international candidates, the fee for raising objections against the provisional answer key of GATE 2026 is US$10. A valid justification and supporting documents must be submitted while challenging the answer key. Candidates are advised to raise objections within the given deadline.
How to Raise Objection Against GATE 2026 Answer Key?
Follow the steps below to raise objections against the GATE 2026 Provisional Answer Key. The steps are as given below-
- Visit the GOAPS website.
- Click on the “Contest Answer Key” option.
- Pay the objection fee online.
- Enter the question number and provide justification (max 500 characters).
- Upload relevant supporting documents in the prescribed format.
- Submit the objection before the deadline.
Note: Candidates must ensure that the question number matches the official question paper and mention the section name clearly.
GATE 2026 Response Sheets
The response sheet of GATE 2026 will show the answers marked by candidates during the exam. IIT Guwahatiwill release the response sheets on the official GOAPS portal. It will help candidates to compare their responses with the GATE 2026 Answer Key. Candidates can use it to calculate their probable marks. The GATE 2026 Response Sheet will be available in PDF Format to download.
How to Download GATE 2026 Response Sheets?
Follow the steps below to download the GATE 2026 Response Sheets. The steps are as given follows-
- Visit the GOAPS login portal.
- Enter the login credentials to login.
- Click on the “View Response Sheet” button.
- The GATE 2026 Response Sheet will appear on the screen.
- Save or download the response sheet as a PDF for further use.
GATE 2026 Marks vs Ranks
GATE 2026 marks refer to the actual marks out of 100 obtained by a candidate. The GATE score is the normalized score out of 1000. The Normalization Process is used to ensure fairness as different papers may have different difficulty levels. The GATE rank is the All India Rank (AIR) which depends on the marks scored by other candidates. Higher marks usually result in a better & higher rank. Check the following table for GATE 2026 Marks vs Ranks.
GATE Marks (Out of 100) | GATE Rank |
85 – 90 | 1 – 10 |
82 – 87 | 10 – 50 |
80 – 85 | 50 – 100 |
78 – 83 | 100 – 200 |
76 – 81 | 200 – 500 |
74 – 79 | 500 – 1000 |
72 – 77 | 1000 – 2000 |
70 – 75 | 2000 – 5000 |
60 – 65 | 5000 – 10000 |
GATE 2026 Answer Key FAQs
When will the GATE 2026 Answer Key be released?
The GATE 2026 Answer Key will be released a few days after the exam on the official website. Candidates can expect the provisional key within a week of the exam date. It helps candidates estimate their scores before the results are announced.
How can I download the GATE 2026 Answer Key PDF?
Candidates can download the GATE 2026 Answer Key PDF from the official GATE website. They must log in using their credentials and click on the answer key link. The answer key and question paper will be available in PDF format.
Can I challenge the GATE 2026 Answer Key if I find errors?
Yes, candidates can challenge the GATE 2026 Answer Key if they find discrepancies. The challenge can be submitted through the GOAPS portal by paying a fee of INR 500 per question. At the time of submitting the objection, proper justification and supporting documents must be submitted by the candidate.
Is there any negative marking while calculating scores using GATE 2026 Answer Key?
Yes, negative marking is applicable only for multiple-choice questions (MCQs) in GATE 2026. There is no negative marking for NAT (Numerical Answer Type) questions. Candidates must deduct 1/3 or 2/3 marks for wrong MCQ answers while calculating scores.
What is the use of the GATE 2026 Answer Key?
The GATE 2026 Answer Key helps candidates verify their responses and calculate expected marks. It provides transparency in the evaluation process. Candidates can also challenge the key if they find incorrect answers.
Will the GATE 2026 Answer Key be available for all papers?
Yes, the GATE 2026 Answer Key will be released for all 30 subject papers. Each paper will have its own answer key and corresponding question paper. Candidates must check the answer key for their specific paper code.
How is the GATE 2026 score calculated using the answer key?
The GATE 2026 score is calculated by matching responses with the official answer key. Marks are awarded for correct answers and deducted for incorrect MCQs. The total score is obtained after applying the marking scheme.
What is the difference between GATE 2026 Answer Key and GATE 2026 Result?
The GATE 2026 Answer Key is a provisional document used to estimate scores. The GATE 2026 Result is the final outcome, including the normalized score and All India Rank. The result is declared after reviewing all objections raised on the answer key.
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