Changes in recent years

2009

• The IT and CS papers were merged  there was no separate IT paper.
• The GATE score was valid only for one year but later the GATE committee made it valid for two years in 2010.

2010

• Pharmacy was no longer on the GATE subject papers list, with GPAT as the replacement. Also, the Biotechnology section of the XL GATE paper had been removed and replaced by a separate Biotechnology paper (paper code BT).
• An additional section of General Aptitude was introduced in GATE. A total of ten questions carrying 15 marks makes up this last section of GATE.

2011

• Based on a trouble-free pilot project in 2010, four of the GATE papers in GATE 2011 were run using computer based online mode. The four online papers for 2011 are Aerospace Engineering (paper code AE), Geology and Geophysics (paper code GG), Mining Engineering (paper code MN) and Textile Engineering (paper code TF) and Fiber Science.
• GATE was held in morning (9-12) session for some papers and afternoon (2-5) session for others. Also, the computer based tests was held on a different date.

2012

• Only final year students and passed-out candidates were declared eligible to take GATE. Pre-final year students, which were eligible till 2011, were no longer eligible.
• The application process was made completely online. Candidates could view their responses of the ORS and also GATE Office released official solutions for GATE papers.
• The admit card was made downloadable from the application website. Sending admit cards by post was discontinued.
• The exam mode was changed from paper-based to "online" (i.e. computer-based) for 2 additional subjects: Agricultural Engineering (AG) and Architecture and Planning (AR).
• The use of pencils to darken the bubbles in the answer sheet was discontinued. Candidates could use only black ink ball point pens for darkening of the bubbles in the answer sheet.

2013

• Female candidates were exempted from paying the application fee.
• Candidates were required to upload scanned copy of photograph and signature. Print-out of the completed application form was to be mailed to the institute by post.
• The Application fee was increased from  1000 to  1200.
• The GATE score formula was changed. Scores calculated using the old formula were effective during the year 2013-14. Scores calculated using the new formula were effective during the year 2014-15.

2014

• A new paper of "Ecology and Evolution" is introduced.
• Examinations for all the 22 papers will be conducted by an online Computer-Based Test (CBT). The online examination paper will contain some questions for which numerical answers must be keyed in by the candidate using the "virtual" (i.e. on-screen) keypad. Rest of the questions shall be of Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) type.
• Female candidates are required to pay some fee for application, a change introduced due to many raising complaints about a large portion of female candidates who registered but did not appear for the exam in 2013.
• Application fee is increased from  1200 to  1500 for general category, OBC male/other candidates, and  750 for all female candidates and SC, ST male/other candidates.
• Examinations will be held during forenoon and afternoon sessions on alternate weekends (Saturday and Sunday) between 1 February 2014 and 2 March 2014. Examination for some of the papers in GATE 2014 will be held in multiple sessions