Candidates who appeared for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 can finally quantify their performance. IIT Guwahati, the organizing institute, has released the tentative answer key and individual response sheets for the national-level entrance exam conducted on February 7, 8, 14, and 15 across 30 subjects.
This release allows aspirants to cross-reference their marked answers against the official master key to estimate their probable scores. With the results expected on March 19, this “correction window” is the only opportunity for candidates to flag technical errors in the question paper or the key itself.
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How to Download: A Step-by-Step Guide
To access your documents, follow these steps through the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS):
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Visit the official website: gate2026.iitg.ac.in.
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Log in using your Enrolment ID/Email Address and Password.
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Locate the ‘View Response’ button to see your marked answers.
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Click on ‘GATE Master Question Paper and Answer Key’ to download the official PDF for your specific subject.
The Objection Protocol: ₹500 per Challenge
Discrepancies in technical exams are rare but possible. If you find an error, you can submit a challenge through the portal.
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The Cost: Each objection requires a non-refundable fee of ₹500.
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The Review: A panel of subject experts will review every challenge. If an objection is upheld, the answer key will be revised for all candidates, though the fee remains non-refundable.
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Scoring and Question Formats
GATE 2026 utilized a mix of question types, each with its own scoring logic:
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MCQs (Multiple Choice): Carry negative marking for wrong answers.
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MSQs (Multiple Select): Require all correct options to be selected; no partial credit and no negative marking.
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NAT (Numerical Answer Type): Candidates enter a real number; no negative marking.
Reality Check
The “provisional” key is exactly that—provisional. Still, it is extremely rare for more than one or two questions per paper to be successfully challenged. Therefore, the score you calculate today is likely within 1–2% of your final result. In fact, most student “discrepancies” turn out to be misunderstandings of the MSQ logic or rounding errors in NAT questions.
The Loopholes
The ₹500 fee is “non-refundable.” In fact, unlike many other national exams where a successful challenge results in a fee refund, IIT Guwahati maintains a strict no-refund policy. Therefore, the “financial deterrent” is high, ensuring that only students with significant proof (textbook citations or peer-reviewed data) submit objections. Still, the “Revised Key Loophole” is the most important; if a question is found to be technically flawed, the marks are usually awarded to all candidates who attempted it (Marks to All – MTA).
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What This Means for You
If you are aiming for a PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) recruitment or an M.Tech seat at an IIT, every half-mark counts. First, calculate your raw score and then check the Previous Year Cutoffs for your category. Then, if you are planning to challenge a question, collaborate with your peers in online forums to ensure your “justification document” is robust and mathematically sound.
Finally, realize that the GATE 2026 Scorecard will be valid for three years. You should download and save your response sheet now, as it will be removed from the portal once the final results are declared on March 19. Before you submit an objection, ensure you are referencing the Master Question Paper, as question sequences in your individual response sheet may differ from the official key.
What’s Next
The objection window is expected to close within the next 48–72 hours. Then, the expert panel will sit to finalize the Revised Answer Key. Finally, on March 19, 2026, the final results and qualifying cutoffs for all 30 papers will be released, followed by the availability of scorecards for download on March 26.
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