A candidate who is currently studying in the 3rd year or higher of any undergraduate degree program or has already completed any government-approved degree program in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Science, Commerce, Arts, or Humanities is eligible to appear for the GATE 2026 examination. There is no minimum percentage required to apply for the exam itself, although individual institutes or PSUs may have their own cut-off criteria (typically around 55-60% or 5.5-6.0 CGPA) for admissions or recruitment.