It is expected that roughly 78,536 students will register, and then roughly 63,640 students will likely appear for GATE 2026 EE. There is no official data on students appearing in GATE 2026 EE (Electrical Engineering) because the registration for GATE 2026 is yet to be completed. But if we go by the last year's data of 2025, out of 83,344 registered candidates, 67,701 students appeared for GATE 2025 EE.
If we compare it with GATE 2024 of 73,728 registered students, 59,599 students had appeared for GATE 2024 EE. Hence, the average appearing rate becomes 81.3% both for 2025 and 2024.
If we assume the same appearing rate, then it will answer: How many students appeared in GATE 2026 EE:
| Year | Registered Candidates | Appeared Candidates | Appearance Rate % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Expected) | 78,536 | 63,640 | 81.1% |
| 2025 | 83,355 | 67,701 | 81.2% |
| 2024 | 73,728 | 59,599 | 80.8% |
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Key Summary
- GATE 2026 EE is a core engineering paper that has a large number of candidates from India.
- It is expected that roughly 78,536 students will be registered (avg. of 2024 & 2025), then roughly 63,640 students will likely appear in GATE 2026 EE
- In EE, the number of registered candidates varies yearly, corresponding to job trends, PSU recruitment, and demand for postgraduate admissions.
- The year-wise trend of participation levels helps to analyse the degree of competition and cut-off variations.
- The GATE 2025 data by branch can provide useful guidance to estimate candidate participation levels for GATE 2026 EE.
- The level of competition in EE remains fairly intense owing to the overlap between opportunities for PSUs, M.Tech, and research programs.
GATE 2026 Overview
The GATE 2026 examination is a national-level test held for engineering & science graduates seeking admission to postgraduate educational institutions or PSU jobs. IIT Guwahati is going to organise the examination in a computer-based mode across multiple sessions.
Important note:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Dates | February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026 |
| Mode | Computer-Based Testing (CBT) |
| Papers | Thirty disciplines, including EE, CSE, ME, CE |
| Eligibility | Final-year undergraduate students or graduates in relevant fields |
| Score Validity | 3 years |
Source: GATE 2026 Official Website
Branches like GATE 2026 EE and GATE 2026 CSE will be highly competitive, with thousands of candidates every year applying for the same. Scores are accepted in postgraduate admissions, recruitment into PSUs, and scholarships.
How many students had appeared for GATE 2025 Branch-Wise?
In GATE 2025, 67,701 candidates appeared for the EE paper. It continues to good numbers in terms of registration, second to Computer Science and Electronics. The large number of candidates suggests a sustained, working demand for EE professionals in power systems, electronics, or research. Using this historical pattern, you can have an idea about how many students appeared for GATE 2026 EE:
| GATE 2025 Paper | No. Candidates Appeared |
|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | 67701 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 2624 |
| Architecture and Planning | 8501 |
| Biomedical Engineering | 2165 |
| Biotechnology | 20048 |
| Civil Engineering | 79951 |
| Chemical Engineering | 14843 |
| Computer Science and Information Technology | 170825 |
| Chemistry | 25698 |
| Data Science and Artificial Intelligence | 57054 |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering | 81475 |
| Environmental Science and Engineering | 6631 |
| Ecology and Evolution | 2713 |
| Geomatics Engineering | 2726 |
| Geology and Geophysics (Geology) | 5352 |
| Geology and Geophysics (Geophysics) | 684 |
| Instrumentation Engineering | 11935 |
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Check the Number of Candidates Appearing in GATE 2024, 2023, 2022, Branch-wiseYear-wise Trend on EE Registrations/Appearances
In GATE 2025, Electrical Engineering got 83,355 registrations, while 67,701 candidates appeared, an obvious increase from previous years; thus, competition continues to grow, as well as students interest in Electrical Engineering.
| Year | Registered Candidates | Appeared Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 96,850 | 69,734 |
| 2023 | 58,342 | 55,292 |
| 2024 | 73,728 | 59,599 |
| 2025 | 83,355 | 67,701 |
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How Many Students Qualified for GATE?GATE Exam Pattern 2026
The GATE exam pattern 2026 consists of two sections.
- The General Aptitude section (15 marks) tests analytical and reasoning skills.
- The Subject-specific section is of 85 marks.
| Particulars | Details |
| Mode of Examination | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Language of Examination | English |
| Duration | 3 Hours* |
| Number of Papers (Subjects) | 30 test papers |
| Sections | General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate's Selected Subject(s) |
| Type of Questions | (a) Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) (b) Multiple Select Question (MSQ) (c) Numerical Answer Type (NAT) |
| Testing of Abilities | (a) Recall (b) Comprehension (c) Application (d) Analysis & Synthesis |
| Distribution of Marks in all Papers (EXCEPT AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, XL) | General Aptitude: 15 marks, Engineering Mathematics**: 13 marks, Subject Questions: 72 marks Total: 100 marks (**XE includes Engineering Mathematics section XE-A of 15 marks) |
| Distribution of Marks in Papers (AR, CY, DA, EY, GE, GG, MA, PH, ST, XH, XL) | General Aptitude: 15 marks Subject Questions: 85 marks Total: 100 marks |
| Marking Scheme | Questions carry either 1 mark or 2 marks |
| Negative Marking | • For wrong answer in MCQ: for 1-mark MCQ, 1/3 mark deducted, for 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark deducted • No negative marking for MSQ & NAT questions • No partial marking in MSQ |
How Many Students Appeared for GATE 2026 EE: Quora Discussion
The exact figure for how many students appeared for GATE 2026 EE will be revealed after the exam is conducted. The expected range for the number of candidates is expected to be between 60,000 and 70,000, following the trends of GATE 2024 and the years before that.
You can discuss these figures in detail on Quora.
How Many Students Appeared for GATE 2026 EE: Competition Level Analysis
- GATE EE 2026 is anticipated to have high competition, with students interested in knowing how many appeared for GATE 2026 EE.
- Nearly 67,701 candidates appeared for the EE paper in GATE 2025, while how many appeared for GATE 2025 branch-wise statistics reveal more details.
- Fewer seats in reputed institutes and recruitment in PSUs further add to the challenge.
- The rise in the number of candidates further escalates cut-off scores, assuredly motivating aspirants to prepare competitively.
- One has to master concepts and problem-solving, with time management, to rank well against their fellow aspirants.
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GATE Exam Preparation StrategyHow many students appeared in GATE 2026 EE FAQs
Ques. What is the difficulty level of EE in GATE 2025?
Ans. The EE question paper assessed in GATE 2025 can be classified as moderately complicated; students' conceptual clarity and problem-solving abilities were tested for Power Systems, Control Systems, Electrical Machines, and Electronics. For some questions, the candidates could use direct answers, whilst many of the questions required a more profound application and analytical reasoning.
- The numerical and application-based questions were considered the toughest by the majority of candidates.
- The majority of candidates who engaged with the theory-based questions from the basic EE topics found these generally easier to engage with.
Ques. Is EE more difficult than CS?
Ans. The level of difficulty of EE and CS in GATE will highly depend on their background and preparation. EE topics cover Power Systems, Control Systems, Electrical Machines, and Electronics, while CS topics focus on Programming, Data Structures, Algorithms, and Theory of Computation. Candidates find the subject they are stronger at easier. E.g., some EE candidates may find CS easier than EE courses, and vice versa.
- One way to compare the difficulty of EE and CS is based on the individual student.
- Your preparation strategies and subject familiarity have an impact on your perceptions of difficulty.
Ques. Which is tougher, EE or ECE?
Ans. Electrical Engineering (EE) or Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) are both challenging fields, but the individual's point of view will determine which is harder. Electrical Engineering emphasises power generation, electrical machines, and distribution, whereas Electronics and Communication Engineering emphasises circuits, signals, and communication systems. Which branch is harder will vary from person to person according to strengths and preferences.
Electrical Engineering students need to focus more on solving numerical problems, whereas ECE students should spend more time on conceptual problems. Both branches attract many candidates consistently because of the relevant career options.
- ECE requires a greater level of conceptual understanding of topics related to electronics and communications.
- EE requires a strong proficiency in power systems, especially with machines and numeric problem-solving.
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