IISc Through GATE: Routes, Cut-offs and Stipends
Through GATE, IISc has two main routes. For the M.Tech and M.Des, each of its 25 programmes states its own selection rule for 2026-27: 8 select on 100% of the GATE score, and the rest combine 70% of a GATE score (for one programme, a CEED, GATE or CAT score) with 30% for an interview, a written test or both (for Mobility Engineering, IISc prints “selection through an aptitude test & interview process”). For the PhD, IISc says a B.E./B.Tech. graduate applies with GATE or NET JRF, or without either after a course of at least four years at a CFTI with a CGPA of at least 8.0/10; for the M.Tech (Research), a non-CFTI B.E./B.Tech. graduate needs a valid GATE score. Research applicants are shortlisted for an in-person interview on the entrance test and/or the qualifying degree, with the number called depending on each department's vacancies, and selection is on the interview — in some departments after an aptitude test or preliminary interview. In 2026 the research interview cut-off for the seven papers IAE teaches ranged from 400 to 900 (UR), depending on department and paper. The January 2027 intake for the PhD and M.Tech (Research) takes applications from 6 to 26 October 2026.
Updated 23 September 2026 · Valid until 28 February 2027
| GATE paper | M.Tech programmes open to it | Seats in those programmes | Research departments with a 2026 cut-off | 2026 research interview cut-off (UR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EC — Electronics and Communication Engineering | 18 | 271 | 29 | 500–820 |
| EE — Electrical Engineering | 19 | 295 | 22 | 450–820 |
| IN — Instrumentation Engineering | 13 | 178 | 22 | 400–820 |
| CS — Computer Science and Information Technology | 14 | 268 | 32 | 400–900 |
| DA — Data Science and Artificial Intelligence | 11 | 191 | 33 | 500–900 |
| BT — Biotechnology | 6 | 82 | 26 | 400–900 |
| CE — Civil Engineering | 11 | 161 | 22 | 440–820 |
Source: Computed from IISc's M.Tech/M.Des admission page and its "Cut Off Report for Research Programmes" for 2026-27 (https://www.iisc.ac.in/admissions/cut-off-report-and-gate-score-of-previous-years/), as on 23 September 2026. A programme counts when its qualification line names the paper or accepts any GATE paper; seats are IISc's stated intake for those programmes, which other papers also compete for. The last column is the range across departments. Each row links to that paper's page with every figure: the M.Tech interview- or test-call cut-offs and the lowest and highest scores at which M.Tech offers were made, by programme, and the research interview cut-offs by department, for 2026 in each category IISc prints (UR, OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST, PwD; its KM and WQ columns are not reproduced), and UR for 2025 and 2024.
| Selection, as IISc states it | Programmes | Which |
|---|---|---|
| 100% of the GATE score, with no interview or test | 8 |
|
| 70% of the GATE score + 30% interview | 12 |
|
| 70% of the GATE score + 30% written test | 2 |
|
| 70% of the GATE score + 30% written test and interview | 2 |
|
| 70% of a CEED, GATE or CAT score + 30% interview | 1 | Product Design, Development and Management |
Source: IISc's M.Tech/M.Des admission page (iisc.ac.in/admissions/m-tech-m-des/), as on 23 September 2026, for the 2026-27 admissions: each programme's printed selection process, grouped. 25 programmes in all. The same page states: “We will use the Common Offer Acceptance Portal (COAP) to make the offer for admission into the M.Tech. Programmes and M.Des. Programme through GATE qualification.” IISc's 2026 M.Tech/M.Des cut-off report (dated 03-04-2026, iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/MTech_MDes_cutoff_2026.pdf) opens: “Applicants who applied for M.Tech/ M.Des programmes, , and has secured a score higher than the cut-off indicated, and has not received a call letter on the applicant home page/ dashboard of admission portal for interview/ written test (as applicable), may send an e-mail to admission office at admission.acad@iisc.ac.in or ar.acad3@iisc.ac.in on or before 8th April 2026 [17:00hrs] along with the following documents: i) Application form, ii) GATE/ CEED/ CAT (as applicable) Scorecard.”
| Question | What IISc says | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Can a B.E./B.Tech. graduate apply straight to the PhD or M.Tech (Research)? | “graduates with a B.E./B.Tech. degree along with GATE/ NET JRF are eligible to apply directly for the Ph.D. programme or to the M Tech(Res) programme.” | iisc.ac.in/admissions/faq/ |
| Can I be considered for both? | “Students with a B.E./B.Tech. degree and a GATE score who meet the basic qualification for eligibility for the relevant engineering departments are eligible to be considered both for the Ph.D. program as well as the M.Tech.(Research) program. The candidates may communicate this to the department at the time of interview.” | iisc.ac.in/admissions/research-programmes/ |
| Can I apply for the PhD without GATE? | “graduates of CFTI institutions with a minimumCGPA of 8.0/10.0 and a course duration of at least 4 years can apply for Ph.D. without a national entrance test.” | iisc.ac.in/admissions/faq/ |
| And for the M.Tech (Research)? | “All BE/ B Tech/ B Sc (Engg.) (non- CFTI) candidates need to have a valid GATE score to apply for M Tech(Res) programme.” | iisc.ac.in/admissions/faq/ |
| How are research applicants selected? | “Candidates are shortlisted for an in-person interview based on their performance in the National Entrance Test and/or the qualifying degree as detailed in the above table. The selection is based on the performance in the interview (in some of the departments, an aptitude test/ preliminary interview will precede the interview/ final Interview).” | iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Admission-Notice_2026-27.pdf |
| How many are called? | “The number of candidates called for interview will depend on the number of vacancies available in each department.” | iisc.ac.in/admissions/research-programmes/ |
| What if I clear the cut-off but get no call? (the 2026 research report, dated 21-04-2026) | “Applicants who applied for PhD/M.Tech (Res) programmes, and has secured a score higher than the cut-off indicated, and has not received a call letter on the applicant home page/ dashboard of admission portal for interview, may send an e-mail to admission office at admission.acad@iisc.ac.in or ar.acad3@iisc.ac.in on or before 30th April 2026 [1700hrs] along with the following documents: i. Application form, ii. NET JRF/ GATE etc. (as applicable) Rank/ Score card.” | iisc.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Cutoff-res-2026.pdf |
Source: Each sentence is quoted from the IISc page named beside it, as on 24 September 2026.
| Route | Scholarship or fellowship, per month | First-year fees, GN/OBC/EWS | First-year fees, SC/ST/PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | JRF ₹37,000 · SRF ₹42,000 | ₹40,800 | ₹20,800 |
| M.Tech (Research) | ₹12,400 | ₹35,800 | ₹20,800 |
| M.Tech / M.Des (through GATE) | ₹12,400 | ₹35,800 | ₹20,800 |
| M.Tech through CFTI mode (no GATE) | None from the Institute, as a rule, see note | ₹35,800 | ₹20,800 |
Source: IISc "Fee Structure and Scholarships/Fellowships" page (iisc.ac.in/admissions/fees-and-scholarships/), as on 23 September 2026. First-year totals include ₹15,000 of refundable deposits (statutory and library, ₹7,500 each) that are paid in the first year only; tuition is fully waived for SC/ST/PwD. IISc states that tuition and other charges, excluding refundable deposits, "will increase uniformly at a rate of 5% annually". Scholarships run up to 2 years for M.Tech, M.Des and M.Tech (Research) and 5 years for the PhD; students on a salary from an employer are not eligible. The same page also still prints an older table with JRF ₹31,000 and SRF ₹35,000; the figures here are from the table IISc lists first. CFTI mode: IISc's CFTI page says those students "are not eligible for scholarship", while its fees page adds that IIT graduates with a CGPA of 8.0 or above admitted through CFTI mode "may be considered" for ₹12,400 a month.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Online applications open | 6 October 2026 |
| Last date for applications (the portal closes at 23:59) | 26 October 2026 |
| Interviews | 16–19 November 2026 |
| Reporting at IISc for document verification | 29 December 2026 |
| Session begins | 1 January 2027 |
Source: IISc "Important Dates" page (iisc.ac.in/admissions/important-dates/), as on 23 September 2026, rows for Research/ERP; IISc also posted a "Mid-year Admission Notice for Ph.D. Programmes" for 2026-27 in September 2026. Times are IST. The same page still carries a 2020 interview schedule further down, which is out of date and is not reproduced. Dates for the main 2027-28 intake had not been published on 23 September 2026.
About this resource
IISc Bengaluru publishes a good deal about how it chooses. For its research departments, and for the M.Tech and M.Des programmes that hold an interview or test, it publishes the GATE score above which it says applicants should have been called, category by category (8 of its 25 M.Tech and M.Des programmes select on the GATE score alone and call no one); for M.Tech it also publishes the scores at which it made offers. This overview sets out the routes, how the GATE and research routes select, the money, and the dates for the January 2027 PhD and M.Tech (Research) intake; the first table links to a page for each paper IAE teaches, with every figure for that paper from 2024 to 2026.
IAE Academy students have made this journey. Debrupendu Gupta (GATE 2025, Biotechnology, All India Rank 8) and Mandisa De (GATE 2025, Biotechnology, All India Rank 83) both went to IISc Bengaluru, Mandisa for its PhD programme.
There are two doors for a GATE-qualified engineer. For the M.Tech and M.Des, IISc's page gives each of its 25 programmes a selection rule for 2026-27, grouped in the second table: 8 on 100% of the GATE score alone, 12 on 70% of the GATE score + 30% interview (for Mobility Engineering, IISc prints “selection through an aptitude test & interview process”), 2 on 70% of the GATE score + 30% written test, 2 on 70% of the GATE score + 30% written test and interview, 1 on 70% of a CEED, GATE or CAT score + 30% interview. IISc makes its offers through COAP. For the PhD and M.Tech (Research), the third table quotes IISc: a B.E./B.Tech. graduate with GATE or NET JRF can apply directly, though a non-CFTI B.E./B.Tech. candidate needs a valid GATE score for the M.Tech (Research); one with a GATE score who meets the relevant engineering department's basic eligibility can be considered for both programmes and may say so at the interview; and a CFTI graduate with a CGPA of at least 8.0/10 from a course of at least four years can apply for the PhD without a national entrance test. IISc's fees table also lists an M.Tech through CFTI mode, without GATE, which as a rule carries no scholarship from the Institute, though its fees page says IIT graduates with a CGPA of 8.0 or above admitted this way “may be considered” for ₹12,400 a month.
Read the numbers for what they are. A cut-off is the score above which IISc says an applicant should have been called for an interview or test, not the score that brought a seat. IISc's 2026 cut-off reports told applicants who scored above the cut-off and got no call letter to e-mail the admission office, with their application form and scorecard, by 17:00 on 8 April 2026 for M.Tech/M.Des and 30 April 2026 for the PhD and M.Tech (Research); both notes are quoted under the tables. The scores at which M.Tech offers were made are on each paper's page. For research programmes IISc says the number of candidates called for interview depends on the vacancies in each department; none of this predicts 2027.
The money, from IISc's fees page for 2026-27. First-year fees for an M.Tech or M.Tech (Research) are ₹35,800 for GN/OBC/EWS and ₹20,800 for SC/ST/PwD, whose tuition is waived, and ₹15,000 of the first-year sum is refundable deposits; IISc says its other charges rise 5% a year. Admitted through GATE, an M.Tech or M.Tech (Research) student is paid ₹12,400 a month for up to two years. A PhD student's first-year fees are ₹40,800 for GN/OBC/EWS, and the fellowship is ₹37,000 a month as JRF and ₹42,000 as SRF, for up to five years. Students on a salary from an employer are not eligible for these payments, and CFTI-mode M.Tech students are not, as a rule, though IISc's fees page says IIT graduates with a CGPA of 8.0 or above admitted that way “may be considered” for ₹12,400 a month.
What's included
- ✓How each of IISc's M.Tech and M.Des programmes selects, and the PhD and M.Tech (Research) routes for a B.E./B.Tech. graduate in IISc's words
- ✓A table of where each paper taught at IAE can take you, linking to a full page per paper
- ✓What each route pays and costs in 2026-27, from IISc's fees page
- ✓The dates for the January 2027 PhD and M.Tech (Research) intake
- ✓What a cut-off does and does not mean, from IISc's own reports
How to use this resource
Find your paper in the first table and open its page for every programme's cut-offs and offer scores.
Check the selection rule for each programme you want (100% GATE score, or GATE plus an interview or written test) before you decide how to prepare.
If you already hold a valid GATE score and want a PhD or M.Tech (Research), the January 2027 intake is open to applications from 6 to 26 October 2026.
Confirm every date and rule on IISc's admission pages before you apply; this guide follows IISc's pages as they stood on 23 September 2026, and IISc publishes its 2027-28 pages in the new year.
Frequently asked questions
Is IISc's cut-off the score I need for admission?+
No. IISc's cut-off is the score above which it says an applicant should have been called for an interview or test. Its 2026 reports told applicants who scored above the cut-off and got no call letter to e-mail the admission office, with their application form and scorecard, by 17:00 on 8 April 2026 for M.Tech/M.Des and 30 April 2026 for the PhD and M.Tech (Research). After the call, research programmes select on the interview, which in some departments follows an aptitude test or preliminary interview. For the M.Tech and M.Des, 17 of the 25 programmes weigh an interview, a written test or both at 30% against 70% of the entrance score, and the rest select on 100% of the GATE score with no such stage. The scores at which M.Tech offers were made are on each paper's page.
Does an IISc M.Tech pay a stipend?+
Yes, for GATE admissions: ₹12,400 a month for up to two years, per IISc's fees page for 2026-27. Students on a salary from an employer are not eligible, and students admitted through CFTI mode are, as a rule, not eligible either, though IISc's fees page says IIT graduates with a CGPA of 8.0 or above admitted that way “may be considered” for ₹12,400 a month. First-year fees for 2026-27 are ₹35,800 for GN/OBC/EWS and ₹20,800 for SC/ST/PwD, including ₹15,000 of refundable deposits, and IISc says its other charges rise 5% a year.
What does a PhD at IISc pay?+
IISc's fees page lists the PhD fellowship as JRF ₹37,000 and SRF ₹42,000 a month, for up to five years; students on a salary from an employer are not eligible. The same page still prints an older table at ₹31,000 and ₹35,000 further down; the figures here are from the table it lists first. PhD first-year fees for 2026-27 are ₹40,800 for GN/OBC/EWS and ₹20,800 for SC/ST/PwD.
Can I apply to IISc for a PhD now?+
Yes, for the January 2027 intake of PhD and M.Tech (Research). IISc's Important Dates page gives applications from 6 October 2026, closing at 23:59 on 26 October 2026, interviews on 16 to 19 November, reporting for document verification on 29 December 2026, and the session starting on 1 January 2027. IISc says a B.E./B.Tech. graduate applies with GATE or NET JRF, though a non-CFTI graduate needs a valid GATE score for the M.Tech (Research); for the PhD, a CFTI graduate with a CGPA of at least 8.0/10 from a course of at least four years can apply without a national entrance test.
Can I get into IISc without GATE?+
For the PhD, IISc says graduates of CFTI institutions with a CGPA of at least 8.0 out of 10 and a course of at least four years can apply without a national entrance test. Its FAQ also says a B.E./B.Tech. graduate with GATE or NET JRF can apply directly to the PhD or the M.Tech (Research), but the same FAQ says all non-CFTI B.E./B.Tech./B.Sc. (Engg.) candidates need a valid GATE score for the M.Tech (Research). Both sentences are quoted in the third table, so if you hold NET JRF and no GATE score, check with IISc before applying for the M.Tech (Research). IISc's fees table also lists an M.Tech through CFTI mode, without GATE. As a rule it carries no scholarship from the Institute: IISc's fees page says only that IIT graduates with a CGPA of 8.0 or above admitted this way “may be considered” for ₹12,400 a month. Its admission pages set out who is eligible. And on the M.Tech/M.Des list, Product Design, Development and Management accepts a CEED or CAT score as well as GATE: 70% of the score plus a 30% interview.
Has IAE Academy had students go to IISc?+
Yes. Debrupendu Gupta (GATE 2025, Biotechnology, All India Rank 8) and Mandisa De (GATE 2025, Biotechnology, All India Rank 83, PhD) joined IISc Bengaluru.
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