The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) will be held online on January 20 and offline on February 10 across the country. The national-level examination primarily tests the comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and technology. The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, is organising this test. The GATE score is used for admission to M.Tech. and Ph.D. programmes, and those who have it get financial assistance from the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and other government agencies. Public sector undertakings use the score for employment screening.

Some reforms have been introduced in GATE this time. Fifteen subject papers will be conducted by an online test. Women are exempted from paying the application fee. A new formula will be used for calculating the score. Soft copies of photograph and signature must be uploaded during online application. Biometric information may be captured on the day of the examination for randomly selected candidates and all candidate-related information and grievance redress will be available in a single online interface.Candidates need to register and fill the application online only by accessing the zone-level GATE websites of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and seven IITs. Online applications will be accepted from September 1 to 30. Follow guidelines given on the website http://gateapp.iitb.ac.in. Upload photograph, signature and supporting documents, pay application fee through Net banking, check the status of application, download admit card and so on. The application fee is Rs. 1,200 (Rs. 600 for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and persons with disabilities). The printed version of the online application will be received at the respective GATE offices till October 8.GATE will be conducted in 21 papers — Aerospace Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Architecture and Planning, Biotechnology, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology, Chemistry, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geology and Geophysics, Instrumentation Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Physics, Production and Industrial Engineering, Textile Engineering and Fibre Science, Engineering Sciences and Life Sciences. Engineering Mathematics and Chemistry papers are compulsory for certain categories. A candidate should appear for only one paper. All papers will contain a few questions that test general aptitude (language and analytical skills, including verbal and numerical ability), apart from the core subject of the paper. The three-hour test will have objective-type questions.

The centres for the online examination are different those of the offline examination. In Kerala, the online examination centres are at Kanjirapally, Kannur, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and offline centres are at Alappuzha, Chengannur, Kanjirapally, Kannur, Kollam, Kothamangalam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram. Admit card can be downloaded from the website from December 5. GATE results will be announced on March 15.Those with a professional degree in engineering, technology or architecture or having equivalent qualification and those in the final year of the degree course may apply online from September 1. Also eligible are those with a Master’s degree in any branch of science, statistics or computer applications or those who are in the final year of such programmes; those in the second or higher year of the four-year integrated Master’s programme in engineering or technology; and those in the fourth or higher year of the five-year integrated Master’s or dual-degree programme in these subjects.


M.Pharm. admission

The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations has invited applications for an entrance examination to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on September 15 for admission to M.Pharm. and Pharm.D. (post-Baccalaureate) courses. The specialties available for the M.Pharm. course are Pharmaceutical Analysis; Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry; Pharmaceutics; Pharmacology; Pharmacy Practice; and Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

Only Indian citizens of Kerala origin are eligible for admission. Those who have a B.Pharm. degree with minimum 50 per cent marks are eligible to apply. Application fee is Rs. 800. Apply online before August 23 through www.cee.kerala.gov.in. Send by registered post or take in person the printout of the online application, along with documents, to the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations, V Floor, Housing Board Buildings, Santinagar, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 001 before August 24. Admit card can be downloaded from September 10. Visit www.cee-kerala.org for details.