GATE 2026: Computer Science draws record numbers between 2023 and 2025, trends over the years

GATE 2026 will be held from February 7 to 17. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) data from 2023 to 2025 shows that a small set of disciplines consistently dominate the exam in terms of scale both in registrations and actual participation while also accounting for the bulk of qualifiers.

Computer Science (CS) has emerged as the single largest GATE paper across all three years. Registrations rose sharply from 99,555 in 2023 to 1.52 lakh in 2024, before peaking at 2.07 lakh in 2025, the highest for any paper in GATE history. CS also recorded the maximum number of appearances, with 1.70 lakh candidates appearing in 2025 alone.

In terms of qualification, CS topped the list each year, with 14,797 qualifiers in 2023, 21,949 in 2024, and 27,518 in 2025, making it the paper with the highest absolute number of successful candidates despite intense competition.

Civil Engineering (CE) consistently ranked second in scale. Registrations remained above the one-lakh mark in 2023 and 2024, before slightly declining to 1.01 lakh in 2025. CE also saw high appearance numbers over 83,000 in 2023, 85,869 in 2024, and nearly 80,000 in 2025.

Mechanical Engineering (ME) formed the third major pillar of GATE participation. Registrations hovered between 79,000 and 83,000 across the three years, with appearances consistently above 62,000. ME also ranked among the top five papers in terms of students clearing the exam, with 11,401 qualifiers in 2023, 11,922 in 2024, and 10,664 in 2025, indicating steady outcomes despite a marginal decline in recent years.

Electrical Engineering (EE) and Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) alternated between fourth and fifth positions across years. EE registrations climbed from 58,342 in 2023 to 83,355 in 2025, while EC registrations increased from 70,361 to 97,394 over the same period.

In 2025, EE recorded 67,701 appearances and 11,902 qualifiers, while EC saw 81,475 appearances and 14,112 qualifiers, placing EC among the top five papers by successful candidates. Together, these five papers CS, CE, ME, EE and EC accounted for well over 60 per cent of total GATE registrations, appearances and qualifiers each year.