The GAT-B 2026 minimum qualifying cutoff for General category students is expected to be between 130 and 148 marks out of 240, based on confirmed cutoffs of 145 in 2025 and 127 in 2024.
| Direct Link GAT-B 2026 Result and Cutoff (CHECK OFFICIAL PORTAL) |
Students wanting to take admission should note that some specialised biotechnology courses are usually less competitive than core Biotechnology programs. Courses like Marine Biotechnology, Agricultural Biotechnology, and Veterinary Biotechnology often have lower cutoff scores, making them comparatively easier to get admission into.
- General category cutoff expected between 130 and 148 marks out of 240.
- ST and PwBD candidates are likely to have the lowest qualifying marks.
- Marine Biotechnology usually records the lowest admission cutoffs.
- Agricultural Biotechnology is relatively less competitive than core Biotechnology.
- Veterinary Biotechnology often offers admission at lower score thresholds.
- Official category-wise cutoff will be released by NTA and DBT after the result declaration.
- Candidates can download the cutoff PDF from the GAT-B & BET candidate portal.
Note: The GAT-B 2026 result has been declared by NTA on June 9, 2026, at exams.nta.nic.in/gat-bet/.
Related Links:
- GAT-B 2026 Result Declared: Next Steps for DBT JRF Fellowship
- GAT-B 2026 Result Login Not Working: Recover Application Number and Scorecard
GAT-B 2026 Category-wise Expected Cutoff
The table below compares the confirmed cutoffs from 2024 and 2025 with the expected range for GAT-B 2026. NTA releases the official cutoff alongside the scorecard on the official portal.
| Category | GAT-B 2024 Cutoff (out of 240) | GAT-B 2025 Cutoff (out of 240) | GAT-B 2026 Expected Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / EWS | 127 (52.92%) | 145 (60.42%) | 130–148 (expected) |
| OBC-NCL | 90 (37.5%) | 104.5 (43.54%) | 95–112 (expected) |
| EWS | 90 (37.5%) | 103.5 (43.13%) | 93–110 (expected) |
| SC | 65 (27.08%) | 80 (33.33%) | 72–85 (expected) |
| ST | 60 (25%) | 60.5 (25.21%) | 58–65 (expected) |
| PwBD | 62 (25.83%) | 62 (25.83%) | 60–68 (expected) |
The 18-mark jump in the General cutoff between 2024 and 2025 reflected an easier Part B paper in 2025, where Molecular Biology and Biochemistry questions were reportedly more accessible. If GAT-B 2026 Part B returns to moderate-to-high difficulty, the General cutoff is expected to settle closer to 130–138 marks rather than matching the 2025 peak. ST and PwBD cutoffs have remained stable at approximately 25% across both years.
Check this Video to know more about the expected category-wise cutoff
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Stream-wise Admission Cutoff Trends
GAT-B uses a single uniform paper for all biotechnology streams — there are no separate papers per specialization. The stream cutoff is the minimum GAT-B score or rank a participating DBT institute requires for admission to a particular M.Sc. program. Programs with fewer applicants or a larger seat pool consistently close at lower scores.
| Biotechnology Stream | Competition Level | Approx. Admission Score Band — General (out of 240) | Key Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Biotechnology at premier DBT centres | Very High | 160–200+ | High applicant-to-seat ratio; brand-name institutions attract the most competition |
| Bioinformatics / Computational Biology | High | 150–185 | Limited seats; rising interest from both life science and CS graduates |
| Medical / Pharmaceutical Biotechnology | High to Moderate | 145–175 | Strong career linkage drives high application volume |
| Agricultural Biotechnology | Moderate | 120–155 | Wider institutional base including state agricultural universities; more total seats |
| Industrial Biotechnology | Moderate | 118–150 | Industry-linked programs with moderate seat intake; less oversubscribed |
| Food Biotechnology | Moderate to Low | 112–145 | Niche specialization; seats spread across a broader range of institutions |
| Environmental Biotechnology | Low to Moderate | 108–140 | Emerging field; seat intake growing but applicant base still limited |
| Marine Biotechnology | Low | 100–135 | Programs concentrated at coastal institutes; smaller national applicant pool |
| Veterinary Biotechnology | Low | 100–130 | Highly specialised stream; very few institutions offer the program nationally |
Score bands above are based on 2024–2025 admission trends and represent expected estimates. Actual closing scores vary by institution, seat matrix, and annual applicant volume.
Marine Biotechnology and Veterinary Biotechnology had the lowest admission score bands among GAT-B streams in 2024–2025, making them accessible to General category students scoring in the 100–135 range. Agricultural and Industrial Biotechnology programs represent a practical middle ground, particularly at state-level DBT participating universities where students securing approximately 118–130 marks obtained seats based on 2024 trends.
Ques. What is a good score on the GAT-B?
Ans. A good score in GAT-B generally falls between 150 and 190+ marks out of 240. Such a score can improve your chances of securing admission to top DBT-supported M.Sc. and M.Tech Biotechnology programs. However, the score considered "good" may vary depending on your category, preferred institute, and the level of competition in a particular year.
Paper Structure and Low-Scoring Sections
Understanding which parts of the GAT-B paper are harder helps explain why aggregate cutoffs shift year to year and where students typically lose marks.
| Section | Questions | Total Marks | Negative Marking | Typically Hard Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A (Compulsory) | 60 (all mandatory) | 60 (1 mark each) | –0.5 per wrong answer | Physics and Chemistry at 10+2 level; Mathematical reasoning |
| Part B (Selective) | 100 (attempt any 60) | 180 (3 marks each) | –1 per wrong answer | Structural Biology, Bioinformatics algorithms, Molecular Genetics |
Part B carries 75% of the total marks, so the choice of which 60 questions to attempt is critical. Students from a pure Biology background often skip quantitative and bioinformatics-heavy questions in Part B, leaving them with a narrower pool to choose from. Students who strategically selected Plant Biotechnology, Microbiology, and Immunology questions in Part B consistently scored higher than those who attempted topics familiar to them but objectively harder in that year’s paper.
Ques. What is the qualifying marks for Gat B?
Ans. The expected minimum qualifying marks for GAT-B are around 121 marks out of 240 for General category candidates. Scoring at or above this cutoff makes candidates eligible for admission consideration to DBT-supported M.Sc. Biotechnology and related postgraduate programs. However, admission to top institutes generally requires a score significantly higher than the minimum qualifying marks.
Factors Affecting GAT-B 2026 Cutoff
Four variables will determine whether the 2026 cutoff lands at the high or low end of the expected range:
- Part B difficulty: A harder Part B pulls aggregate scores down and lowers the qualifying cutoff. An easier Part B (as seen in 2025) pushes it up sharply.
- Number of registered students: Higher registrations raise competitive pressure and can push the qualifying cutoff upward even without a change in paper difficulty.
- Seat matrix at participating institutions: An expansion in DBT-approved M.Sc. seats lowers effective admission cutoffs even when the qualifying cutoff remains unchanged.
- Score normalization across shifts: GAT-B 2026 was held in two shifts on May 17. NTA’s normalization process adjusts for shift difficulty, which can slightly elevate final marks for students who attempted the harder shift and narrow the overall cutoff range.
Check: GAT B 2025 Participating Institutes
GAT-B 2026 Cutoff: Easiest Streams and Category-wise Qualifying Marks FAQs
Ques. What is the expected GAT-B 2026 qualifying cutoff for General category?
Ans. Based on 2024–2025 trends, the General category qualifying cutoff for GAT-B 2026 is expected between 130 and 148 marks out of 240. The 2025 cutoff was 145 (60.42%) and the 2024 cutoff was 127 (52.92%). The official cutoff is released with the scorecard on the NTA portal.
Ques. Which biotechnology stream has the lowest admission cutoff through GAT-B?
Ans. Based on 2024–2025 trends, Marine Biotechnology and Veterinary Biotechnology have the lowest admission score bands among GAT-B streams — roughly 100 to 135 out of 240 for General category students. These are niche programs with smaller national applicant pools compared to General Biotechnology at premier DBT centres.
Ques. What are the total marks for GAT-B 2026?
Ans. GAT-B 2026 is out of 240 marks. Part A has 60 compulsory questions worth 1 mark each (60 marks total; –0.5 for wrong answers). Part B has 100 questions from which students must attempt any 60, each worth 3 marks (180 marks total; –1 for wrong answers).
Ques. What marks do SC and ST students need to qualify GAT-B 2026?
Ans. Based on previous year cutoffs, SC students are expected to need approximately 72–85 marks out of 240, and ST students approximately 58–65 marks. In 2025, the confirmed cutoffs were 80 marks for SC (33.33%) and 60.5 marks for ST (25.21%). These 2026 figures are expected estimates; official cutoffs are released with the result.
Ques. Is the GAT-B qualifying cutoff the same as the BET cutoff?
Ans. No. GAT-B and BET use the same question paper but serve different purposes. The GAT-B qualifying cutoff is for M.Sc. Biotechnology admissions at DBT-participating institutes. The BET cutoff is for DBT JRF and SRF fellowship eligibility and is set considerably higher, as it filters a smaller pool of research fellowship candidates.
Ques. Why did the GAT-B General cutoff jump 18 marks between 2024 and 2025?
Ans. The jump from 127 in 2024 to 145 in 2025 for General category reflects a relatively easier Part B in 2025, where Molecular Biology and Biochemistry questions were reportedly more straightforward. Stronger average preparation across the student pool also contributed. If GAT-B 2026 Part B difficulty is moderate to high, the cutoff is expected closer to 130–138 marks based on these trends.
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