GATE 2026 Objection Window Active; IIT Guwahati Accepts Challenges to Provisional Answer Keys via GOAPS Until February 28

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has reached the midway point of the GATE 2026 Answer Key Challenge phase. The portal, hosted on the GATE Online Application Processing System (GOAPS) at gate2026.iitg.ac.in, was activated yesterday and is witnessing heavy traffic from candidates across all 30 papers.

This year, the process of raising objections has been further streamlined, but the criteria for "valid evidence" remain stringent. Candidates have until February 28, 2026, to contest any answer they believe is incorrect. Following this, the expert committees will convene to finalize the keys that will determine the GATE scores for nearly 8 lakh aspirants.

To stay updated on the "Subject-wise MTA (Marks to All)" announcements for 2026, follow Only Education News.

GATE 2026: Challenge Timeline and Fee Structure

Aspirants must keep a close eye on the clock, as the portal will close precisely at the end of the month.

Protocol for Raising Objections: The Proof is Paramount

IIT Guwahati has emphasized that objections submitted without a technical justification or based on unofficial coaching materials will be summarily rejected.

1. Identify the Question ID: Do not use the serial number from your individual response sheet. You must use the Question ID from the master question paper published on the official website.
2. The Justification PDF: You must upload a clear, concise justification. The experts recommend citing standard reference textbooks (e.g., Korth for DBMS, Grewal for Engineering Mathematics) rather than handwritten notes.
3. Fee Payment: A fee of ₹500 is applicable for each question challenged. If the challenge is accepted by the IIT committee, the fee for that specific question will be refunded to the candidate’s original payment source.

Impact on Normalization and Percentiles

For multi-session papers like Computer Science (CS), Civil (CE), and Mechanical (ME), the answer key challenge is even more significant. If a question is found to have two correct options or is technically flawed, it may be marked as "MTA" (Marks to All). This change affects the raw scores of every student in that session, which then ripples through the normalization formula used to calculate the final GATE Score and All India Rank (AIR).

What’s Next for GATE Aspirants?

Once the challenge window closes on February 28, IIT Guwahati will take approximately two weeks to review the thousands of submissions. The Final Answer Key will be released in early March. For those expecting a score above the 2025 cut-offs, this is the ideal time to start preparing for COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal) and CCMT (Centralized Counseling for M.Tech/M.Arch/M.Plan), which facilitate admissions into IITs and NITs respectively.

For a specialized list of "Top PSUs Recruiting Without an Interview via GATE 2026," follow Only Education News.