Checked 29 September 2026. From each recruiter’s own advertisements, shortlists, cut-off notices and results, 2024–2026, and the GAIL, NTPC and NSPCL notices for 2027. Recruiters change disciplines, papers and vacancies every year; read the current advertisement before relying on any row.
Six recruiters were verified, from their own 2024–2026 documents, as taking a GATE IN score: GAIL, NTPC, NPCIL, DVC, NLC India and BARC (which is not a PSU but runs the OCES/DGFS training scheme). Three of them published an IN cut-off — NTPC as an All India Rank, NPCIL as a GATE score, DVC as raw marks — so the numbers below sit on three different scales. Just as useful is the negative list: POWERGRID, Grid-India, NHPC and Coal India have no Instrumentation discipline at all, and IOCL, ONGC, BHEL and HPCL recruit Instrumentation graduates through their own tests.
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GAIL advertisement 20.02.2026; NTPC notice 27.07.2026; NPCIL advertisement and notice 19.05.2026.
Where other pages get this wrong
NPCIL’s 2026 Executive Trainee drive had an Instrumentation discipline with 15 posts and a published GATE-score cut-off (UR 440); ONGC’s 2026 drive used its own computer-based test, not GATE.
Commonly published instead: PW’s “GATE Cut Off for PSU Recruitment” lists NPCIL’s disciplines as “ME, CH, EE, EC and CE” (no Instrumentation) and gives GATE Instrumentation cut-offs for ONGC.
NPCIL Advt NPCIL/HQ/HRM/ET/2026/02 and cut-off notice 19.05.2026; ONGC Advt 2/2026.
Who takes GATE IN
| Recruiter | GATE year | Posts | Key terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAIL ET (Instrumentation) 2026 | 2026 only | 21 (UR 9, EWS 2, OBC 6, SC 3, ST 1) of 70 | ≥65% (60% SC/ST/PwBD); only 2025 graduates or final-year 2025-26; age ≤26 on 18.03.2026; E2 ₹60,000–1,80,000; group discussion and/or interview |
| GAIL ET (Instrumentation) 2025 | 2025 only | 17 (UR 9, EWS 1, OBC 4, SC 2, ST 1) | Only 2024 graduates or final-year 2024-25; age ≤26 on 18.03.2025 |
| GAIL ET 2027 | 2027 only | Detailed advert due Feb 2027; online link 17.02–18.03.2027 (first advertisement 01.09.2026, para 5.5) | Only 2026 graduates or final-year 2026-27; age ≤26 on 18.03.2027 (paras 2.9 and 3.1) |
| NTPC EET-2025 | 2025 only | 125 for Electronics and Instrumentation combined (UR 61, EWS 12, OBC 34, SC 13, ST 5) | ≥65% (55% SC/ST/PwBD); age ≤27; E1 ₹40,000–1,40,000; bond ₹5 lakh (₹2.5 lakh SC/ST/PwBD) |
| NTPC EET-2024 | 2024 only | 85 for Electronics and Instrumentation combined (UR 35, EWS 8, OBC 27, SC 15, ST 0) | ≥65% (55% SC/ST/PwBD); age ≤27; E1 ₹40,000–1,40,000; bond ₹5 lakh (₹2.5 lakh SC/ST/PwBD) |
| NTPC EET-2027 | 2027 only | Detailed advert to follow | “Instrumentation (IN)” listed |
| NSPCL EET-2027 (02A/2026) | 2027 only | Not stated yet; detailed advert after GATE-2027 | “Instrumentation (IN)” listed with ME, EE, EC and CE; previous years’ GATE marks not accepted |
| NPCIL ET-2026 | 2024, 2025 or 2026 | 15 (UR 6, EWS 1, SC 2, ST 2, OBC 4) of 330 | ≥60%; age 26 / 29 / 31 on 30.04.2026; stipend ₹74,000/month, then Level 10; indemnity bond ₹9,18,000; shortlist on GATE score, selection on interview only |
| DVC ET (C&I), backlog special drive | 2025 | 5 (OBC 2, SC 2, ST 1) | ≥65% OBC, 60% SC/ST/PwD; Level 10 ₹56,100–1,77,500; selection on GATE marks only; bond ₹5 lakh / ₹2.5 lakh |
| NLC India GET (Control & Instrumentation) | 2024 | 10 | ≥60% (50% SC/ST); E2 ₹50,000–1,60,000; GATE 80% + interview 20%; bond ₹3 lakh |
| BARC OCES/DGFS-2026 (not a PSU) | Best of 2024–2026, or BARC’s own test | Not stated | ≥60% or CGPA 6.0; age 26 / 29 / 31 on 01.08.2026; stipend ₹74,000 + ₹30,000 book allowance; selection on interview |
Each recruiter’s own advertisement (sources below). NPCIL asks for “a valid GATE score in Instrumentation”; I&C graduates must use it, E&I graduates may choose Instrumentation or Electronics.
The published cut-offs
| Notice (NTPC, Instrumentation) | UR | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EET-2024 (GATE-2024), 02.07.2025 | 1,498 | NA | 1,908 | 3,189 | NA |
| EET-2025 list 1, 16.04.2026 | 976 | 1,678 | 1,915 | 1,276 | 1,368 |
| EET-2025 “Replacement LOI”, 05.06.2026 | 1,322 | 1,678 | 2,363 | 3,151 | 2,167 |
| EET-2025 as on 07.07.2026 and 27.07.2026 | 1,481 | 1,678 | 2,363 | 3,151 | 2,167 |
NTPC cut-off notices for document verification — GATE All India Ranks, not scores. NTPC advertised Electronics and Instrumentation as one 125-post line but published separate Instrumentation cut-offs.
NTPC works down the rank list as offers are declined: the UR bar moved from rank 976 to 1,481 in 2026. On the GATE-2025 IN tables below, rank 976 sat in the 400–500 score band and at about 30 raw marks, with 1,021 appeared candidates at or above 30 (our reading). For EET-2027 NTPC will use GATE 2027 marks only. So will NSPCL, the NTPC-SAIL joint venture that runs power plants at Bhilai, Durgapur and Rourkela: its Advertisement 02A/2026 (which supersedes 02/2026) lists Instrumentation (IN) among five disciplines for EET-2027 and leaves posts, eligibility and dates to a detailed advertisement after the exam.
| NPCIL ET-2026, Instrumentation | UR | EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GATE-score cut-off for interview (19.05.2026) | 440 | 316 | 298 | 257 | 170 |
| Interview marks — selected (03.07.2026) | 72.250 | — | 65.625 | 65.750 | 64.000 |
| Interview marks — after waitlist 2 (25.08.2026) | 70.000 | — | 60.857 | 65.750 | 63.375 |
NPCIL notices (the 19.05.2026 sheet is a scan; values read from the image). Any of GATE 2024, 2025 or 2026 counted. Instrumentation had the lowest UR score cut-off of NPCIL’s six disciplines (Electronics 698). No EWS candidate was selected. 14 Instrumentation selections on 03.07.2026 (our count from application numbers).
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | GATE IN inputs (official) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32.7 | 25.6 | 39.8 | Qualifying mark (GEN) |
| 76.07 | 59.31 | 79.87 | Mean of top 0.1% (M̄t) |
| about 39.8 | about 31.1 | about 46.4 | Marks for a score of 440 (our arithmetic) |
| 564–1,111 | 504–1,172 | 919–1,626 | Score 400–500 band, ranks |
| 1,907 | 1,021 | 3,898 | Appeared candidates with 30 marks or more |
GATE statistical reports 2024–2026; conversions ours with score = 350 + 550 × (marks − qualifying mark) ÷ (M̄t − qualifying mark).
NPCIL’s 440 is a filter, not a ranking: it only decides who is interviewed, and “no weightage will be given to GATE Score” in the final selection. Because any of three GATE years counts, the same bar meant about 31 marks in the hard 2025 paper and about 46 in 2026 — a candidate with a strong 2025 score kept it.
| Recruiter | Published figures |
|---|---|
| DVC ET (C&I), GATE-2025 raw marks for document verification | OBC-NCL 24 · SC 19 · ST 17 (PwBD 18); 39 called, 5 selected |
| GAIL ET (Instrumentation) | No marks cut-off. GATE-2025 cycle: 79 shortlisted, 13 selected (17 posts); GATE-2026: 135 shortlisted, 13 selected (21 posts) |
| NLC GET (C&I), GATE-2024 | No cut-off; 7 selected (UR 4, OBC 2, EWS 1) against 10 posts |
| BARC OCES-2026, Instrumentation | 100 shortlisted for interview (GATE or BARC test not stated); 9 selected; screening cut-off behind login |
DVC notices 10.01.2026 and result 12.02.2026; GAIL ET (Instrumentation) shortlists 28.07.2025 and 02.06.2026 and final results (2026: 16.07.2026); NLC result 10.09.2025; BARC shortlist 09.04.2026 and final list 22.06.2026. Shortlisted and selected counts are ours, counted from those lists.
Who does not take GATE IN
| Recruiter | Why not |
|---|---|
| POWERGRID ET-2026/2027 | Disciplines EE, CE, CS and EC only |
| Grid-India ET-2025/2027 | Electrical and Computer Science only |
| NHPC 2026 special drive | Civil, Electrical and Mechanical only |
| Coal India MT 01/2026 | Mining only (GATE MN) |
| IOCL 2025, 2026 | Own computer-based test; Instrumentation graduates eligible |
| ONGC 2/2026 | Own CBT; 2 Instrumentation posts |
| BHEL 03/2025 | Own CBE; Instrumentation/C&I degrees eligible under “Electronics” |
| HPCL 3/2025-26 | Own selection process |
Each organisation’s own advertisement. BPCL, EIL, BEL, Oil India, HAL, SJVN, THDC and ISRO were checked without finding a current GATE-IN recruitment document — do not assume they take GATE IN.
One practical trap: GAIL takes Electronics and Electrical & Electronics graduates on the IN paper — an ECE student who wants GAIL must write IN, not EC. At NPCIL, I&C graduates must use an Instrumentation score and E&I graduates may choose Instrumentation or Electronics. And GAIL recruits only fresh graduates — the 2027 drive is open to 2026 graduates and final-year students only.
Practise it, don't just read it
Apart from DVC’s backlog drive (raw marks 17–24), the recruiter bars above sit within roughly the top 1,500 ranks or a score near 440. The GATE IN quizzes target the core subjects that get there.
The ProSyllabus GATE IN library has topic quizzes on measurements, control systems, analytical and optical instrumentation, process control, signal conditioning, ADCs, transducers, op-amps, PID control and signals — the first quiz is free.
Which PSUs recruit through GATE Instrumentation?
Verified from their own documents: GAIL, NTPC, NPCIL, DVC (C&I) and NLC (GATE-2024), plus BARC OCES. For GATE-2027, NSPCL (the NTPC-SAIL joint venture) has also announced an Instrumentation intake in Advertisement 02A/2026.
Does POWERGRID take GATE IN?
No — POWERGRID’s disciplines are EE, CE, CS and EC.
What was the NTPC GATE IN cut-off?
For EET-2025 the UR All India Rank called went from 976 to 1,481; for EET-2024 it was 1,498.
What is the NPCIL GATE score cut-off for Instrumentation?
440 (UR) in 2026; selection was then on interview only.
How many GAIL Instrumentation posts were there?
17 through GATE 2025 and 21 through GATE 2026.
Can ECE students apply to GAIL through GATE IN?
Yes — GAIL accepts Electronics graduates for ET (Instrumentation) on the IN paper.
Does ONGC recruit through GATE IN?
Not in 2026 — it used its own computer-based test.
Does BARC accept GATE IN?
Yes — OCES/DGFS-2026 accepted the best GATE IN score of 2024–2026, or BARC’s own test.
More in this series
Sources
- official — GAIL — Executive Trainee through GATE 2025, detailed advertisement (17.02.2025)
- official — GAIL — Executive Trainee through GATE 2026, detailed advertisement (20.02.2026)
- official — GAIL — Executive Trainee through GATE 2027, first advertisement (01.09.2026)
- official — GAIL — online recruitment: ET (Instrumentation) shortlists 28.07.2025 and 02.06.2026, final results (2026: 16.07.2026)
- official — NTPC — careers: Advts 19/23 (EET-2024 through GATE-2024) and 14/24 (EET-2025 through GATE-2025) and their AIR cut-off notices
- official — NTPC — Advt 11/26, Engineering Executive Trainees-2027 through GATE-2027 (CE, ME, EE, EC, IN, CS; GATE-2027 marks only), on the careers page
- official — NSPCL (NTPC-SAIL Power Company) — Advertisement 02A/2026, supersedes 02/2026: Engineering Executive Trainees-2027 through GATE-2027, incl. Instrumentation (advance advertisement; undated, PDF of 18.09.2026)
- official — NPCIL — Executive Trainee 2026 detailed advertisement NPCIL/HQ/HRM/ET/2026/02
- official — NPCIL — ET 2026 GATE-score and interview-marks cut-off notices (May–Aug 2026)
- official — DVC — GATE 2025 special drive: DV instructions and cut-off marks (10.01.2026)
- official — DVC — result, ETs Mech/Elect/Civil/C&I through GATE 2025 special drive (12.02.2026)
- official — NLC India — Advt 19/2024, Graduate Executive Trainees through GATE 2024
- official — NLC India — result, GET (Control & Instrumentation) (10.09.2025)
- official — BARC — OCES/DGFS-2026 Information Brochure
- official — BARC — OCES-2026 Instrumentation interview shortlist (09.04.2026) and final selection (22.06.2026)
- official — POWERGRID — Engineer Trainee 2027 through GATE 2027, CC/03/2026 (no Instrumentation)
- official — Grid-India — ET through GATE 2027, CC/26/2026
- official — ONGC — Advt 2/2026 (R&P), Engineers and Geologists through CBT
- official — IOCL — latest job openings (own CBT, 2025 and 2026)
- official — BHEL — ET & ST Advt 03/2025 (own CBE)
- official — GATE 2026 Statistical and Performance Report (IIT Guwahati, PDF)
- official — GATE 2025 Statistical and Performance Report (IIT Roorkee, PDF)
- official — GATE 2024 Statistical and Performance Report (IISc, PDF; archived copy)
- reported — PW — GATE cut off for PSU recruitment (reported; see corrections)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
