GATE 2026 Objection Window: Start Date, How to Raise Challenges & Fee

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• Updated on 24 Feb, 2026, 12:42 AM, by Disha Yadav

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has released the GATE 2026 provisional answer key and response sheet for all papers at the official portal gate2026.iitg.ac.in. Candidates can raise objections against the provisional key during the objection window from 25 to 28 February 2026. A fee of INR 500 per question is required for each challenge. Final results based on the revised answer key are expected on 19 March 2026.

GATE 2026 Objection Window Opens — How to Challenge Answer Key, Fees & Result Timeline brings key updates for aspiring postgraduate engineering and science candidates who appeared for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati. The provisional answer key and response sheets have been released, and candidates now have a limited opportunity to raise concerns about any discrepancies.

Objection Window Start & Last Date for GATE 2026

After releasing the provisional answer key and candidate response sheets, the official objection window for GATE 2026 will be active from 25 February to 28 February 2026. During this period, candidates can submit formal challenges against any answers they believe are incorrect. The window is time‑bound, and objections must be submitted within the specified dates to be considered. Once the objection period closes, experts will review all valid submissions before the final answer key is prepared, which will then be used to compile the official results.

How to Raise Objections Against the GATE 2026 Answer Key?

To challenge the GATE 2026 provisional answer key, candidates must complete the process online through the official portal gate2026.iitg.ac.in. The general steps include:

Visit the official GOAPS portal at gate2026.iitg.ac.in and log in using your Enrollment ID/Email and Password.
Navigate to the “Answer Key Challenge” or “Contest Answer Key” section on your dashboard.
Identify the question ID (as per the master question paper) that you want to challenge.
Upload valid supporting evidence (such as a clear PDF reference from standard textbooks or academic material) to justify your objection.
Pay the required fee for each question challenge before submitting the objection.
Review and submit the objection within the objection window.

Incomplete or unsupported objections may not be accepted, so it is recommended to carefully prepare your submissions before filing them.

Objection Fee & Refund Policy

For GATE 2026, candidates are required to pay a non‑refundable fee of INR 500 per question challenged. This fee must be paid online during the objection submission process. If a question challenge is upheld by the review panel, authorities may adjust the answer key entries accordingly; however, the objection fee typically remains non‑refundable per official procedures unless otherwise notified.

What Happens After Objections?

Once the objection window closes on 28 February 2026, IIT Guwahati and appointed experts will review all submitted challenges. Based on this evaluation:

A final answer key will be released, incorporating any valid corrections.
The GATE 2026 result is expected to be declared on 19 March 2026, based on the final revised key.
Following the result announcement, candidates can download their scorecards and use them for post‑graduate admissions and PSU recruitment processes.