Checked 28 September 2026. From institute documents for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 admission cycles (IISc cut-off reports, IIT Bombay minimum cut-offs and brochure, IIT Madras cut-offs, IIT Kharagpur eligibility, IIT Guwahati, IIT (ISM) and IIT Palakkad pages) and CCMT 2026. The 2027 code mapping is ours. Institutes publish 2027-28 rules after the GATE result.
Most advice on choosing GATE XE sections starts from marks: which pair is easiest to score in. For many M.Tech programmes that is the right question, because they accept an XE score whatever sections produced it. But a growing list of programmes name the section they want. IIT Bombay’s Ocean Engineering asks for XE “with B&H”, which is Fluid Mechanics plus Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Its Energy Science programme asks for XE-I. IIT Kharagpur’s Thermal and Fluids programme takes XE only with Fluid Mechanics or Thermodynamics. A strong XE score in the wrong pair does not open those doors. This guide collects every section rule we found in the institutes’ own documents, maps the old letters to the 2027 numbers, and sets out the cut-offs that go with them.
Institute documents listed below; CCMT 2026 seat mapping.
Where other pages get this wrong
IIT Bombay’s “XE (with B&H)” is the rule for CE5 Ocean Engineering. In GATE 2026 lettering B was Fluid Mechanics and H was Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, so in 2027 codes it means XE1 + XE7.
Commonly published instead: Reading “B&H” as Fluid plus Solid Mechanics, or treating it as a general IIT Bombay Civil rule. Solid Mechanics was XE-D, and the other Civil specialisations (CE1–CE4, CE6, CE7) do not take XE at all.
IIT Bombay M.Tech brochure 2026-27 (eligibility table, CE5) and minimum qualifying cut-off 2026.
The old letters and the new numbers
Every institute rule below was written for GATE 2025 or 2026, so it uses the letters. The 2027 brochure renumbers them. Until institutes reissue their rules, you have to translate.
| Old letter | Section | 2027 code |
|---|---|---|
| XE-A | Engineering Mathematics (compulsory) | XE0 |
| XE-B | Fluid Mechanics | XE1 |
| XE-C | Materials Science | XE2 |
| XE-D | Solid Mechanics | XE3 |
| XE-E | Thermodynamics | XE4 |
| XE-F | Polymer Science and Engineering | XE5 |
| XE-G | Food Technology | XE6 |
| XE-H | Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences | XE7 |
| XE-I | Energy Science | XE8 |
| TF (separate paper) | Textile Engineering and Fibre Science | XE9 |
GATE 2027 brochure code table and exam-papers page.
Programmes that name a section
| Programme (institute document) | Wording in the document | In 2027 codes (ours) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIT Bombay CE5 Ocean Engineering | “XE (with B&H)” | XE1 Fluid + XE7 Atmospheric and Oceanic | 2026-27 |
| IIT Bombay Energy Science and Engineering | “XE-I” | XE8 Energy Science | 2026-27 |
| IIT Bombay GNR Geoinformatics | “ES + XEH” | XE7 Atmospheric and Oceanic | 2026-27 |
| IIT Bombay Metallurgical Engg and Materials Science | “XE” for listed degree disciplines only (incl. TC, TF) | Any sections; degree decides | 2026-27 |
| IISc Smart Manufacturing | Separate rows: XE 900; XE-B, XE-D, XE-E 700 each (GN) | XE1, XE3 or XE4 at the lower cut-off | 2026 |
| IIT Kharagpur ME2 Thermal and Fluids | “XE-B, XE-E” | XE1 or XE4 | 2025 |
| IIT Kharagpur Food Process Engineering (AG3) | “XE-G” | XE6 Food | 2025 |
| IIT Kharagpur Cryogenic Engineering | “XE-C” (and XE-E) | XE2 or XE4 | 2025 |
| IIT Kharagpur Materials Science | “XE-C, XE-F” | XE2 or XE5 | 2025 |
| IIT Kharagpur Metallurgical (MT1) | “XE-C” | XE2 Materials | 2025 |
| IIT Kharagpur Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture | “XE-B, XE-D, XE-E” (with AE, CE, ME, NM, PI) | XE1, XE3 or XE4 | 2025 |
| IIT Guwahati Food Science and Technology | “XE with G: Food Technology” | XE6 Food | current page |
| IIT (ISM) Environmental Science and Engineering | “XE (with Section H)” | XE7 Atmospheric and Oceanic | current page |
| IIT Palakkad Design and Automation | “XE-D” | XE3 Solid | 2026-27 |
| IIT Palakkad Thermofluids Engineering | “XE-B/XE-E” | XE1 or XE4 | 2026-27 |
Wording as printed in each institute’s document; the 2027 translation is ours. IIT Kharagpur’s 2026 text extraction shows the same ME2 rule (“AE, XE_B, XE_E”); its other 2026 rows were not legible enough to re-check, so the 2025 wording is shown.
Three patterns run through that table. Thermal and fluids programmes want XE1 or XE4 (IIT Kharagpur ME2, IIT Palakkad); IISc Smart Manufacturing’s lower cut-off also admits XE3 (XE1, XE3 or XE4). Earth-science and ocean programmes want XE7 (IIT Bombay GNR and Ocean Engineering, IIT (ISM) Environmental). Food programmes want XE6 (IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati). Materials programmes accept XE2, but most of them also take MT, and for a metallurgy graduate the choice between the MT and XE papers matters as much as the section.
Which XE sections does your target need?
IISc: a separate cut-off for every GATE paper
IISc prints a separate cut-off for each GATE paper (IIT Bombay also prints section-specific XE routes, below), so its XE rows are genuinely XE numbers rather than a pool. They are minimums to be considered; the scores actually offered (next table) were much higher for the popular programmes.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | IISc programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 | 800 | 800 | Product Design and Manufacturing / PDDM (M.Des) |
| 665 | 690 (all papers) | 600 | Mechanical Engineering |
| 640 | 630 (all papers) | 575 | Mobility Engineering |
| 500 | 500 | 500 | Instrumentation Systems |
| 650 | 700 | 700 | Quantum Technology |
| 600 | 675 | 600 | Bioengineering |
| 600 | 700 | XE 900; XE-B, XE-D, XE-E 700 | Smart Manufacturing |
| — | 500 | 550 | Smart Mobility and Logistics Systems |
| 750 | 750 | — (no XE row) | Robotics and Autonomous Systems |
IISc M.Tech/M.Des cut-off reports 2024, 2025 and 2026, XE rows, general (GN/UR) column. The 2026 report is dated 3 April 2026. “All papers” means the 2025 report gave one figure for every paper.
From the table above.
| IISc programme (2025, round 1) | XE score range offered (UR) |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | 842–904 |
| Earth and Climate Sciences | 807 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 806–1000 |
| Mobility Engineering | 648–828 |
| Quantum Technology | 714 |
| Materials Engineering | 689 |
IISc M.Tech/M.Des 2025 “Operated GATE score” (lowest–highest score offered, UR, XE). A single figure means one offer.
The gap between those two tables is the useful part. IISc Mechanical’s published 2025 minimum was 690, but the XE candidates it actually offered in round 1 scored 806 to 1000. Using the 2025 marks-to-score conversion (in our marks-vs-rank guide), 806 was about 70 marks. Treat the published minimum as the door, and the operated score as the queue behind it.
| IISc research programme (PhD / M.Tech Research), 2026 | XE cut-off (UR) |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineering | 900 |
| Artificial Intelligence | 820 |
| Physics | 800 |
| Design and Manufacturing | 800 |
| Automation | 750 |
| Mathematics | 685 |
| Materials Research | 650 |
| Aerospace | 500 |
| Energy | 400 |
IISc research-programme cut-off report 2026, XE rows. The same report also prints section-specific rows (for example Materials Engineering “XE- Solid Mechanics” 850 and “XE- Materials Science” 550); check the PDF for your department before relying on a single figure.
IIT Bombay: minimum cut-offs where XE is listed
| IIT Bombay programme | XE route | GN-EWS / OBC-NC / SC-ST (2026-27) |
|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Engineering | XE | 400 / 360 / 267 |
| CE5 Ocean Engineering | XE (with B&H) | 475 / 428 / 317 |
| Energy Science and Engineering | XE-I | 500 / 450 / 333 |
| GNR Geoinformatics | ES + XEH | 350 / 315 / 233 |
| IE and OR | PE, PH, TF, XE and others | 650 / 585 / 433 |
| Metallurgical Engg and Materials Science | XE for listed degree disciplines | 400 / 360 / 267 |
IIT Bombay minimum qualifying GATE cut-off 2026 and M.Tech brochure 2026-27. These are minimums to apply, pooled across the papers in each row, not closing scores. The Metallurgy XE footnote lists degree disciplines CG, CM, EN, MD, MN, MR, MS, MT, PL, PO, PP, PT, RT, TC, TF, ZE and ZS.
IIT Madras: pooled cut-offs for programmes that take XE
| IIT Madras code | Programme | GEN cut-off, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AE1Y | Aerospace | 750 |
| AM1Y | Computational and Experimental Mechanics | 660 |
| AM2Y | Biomedical | 811 |
| ME3Y | Manufacturing | 622 |
| ME4Y | Computational Engineering for Mechanical Systems | 656 |
| MM1Y | Metallurgical and Materials | 688 (MT/XE); 608 (broader list) |
| MM2Y | Semiconductor Materials | 660 / 717 |
| CE4Y | Hydraulic and Water Resources | 815 |
IIT Madras M.Tech 2026 cut-offs; programme names from its M.Tech information brochure. IIT Madras sets separate cut-offs by qualifying degree; each figure here is from the row whose accepted GATE papers include XE, and it is shared by every paper in that row, so these are not XE-only numbers. A core-degree row can be lower: for Aerospace and for Hydraulics, the core-degree rows are well below the figures shown.
NITs and other CCMT institutes
CCMT, which fills M.Tech seats at NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutes, does not distinguish XE sections at all. In 2026 XE was admissible to 189 programmes at 48 institutes. Largest families by row count included chemical engineering, materials and manufacturing, CAD-CAM and automation, mechatronics, atmospheric and climate sciences, thermal, and VLSI and IC design. Opening and closing scores are pooled across every paper a group admits.
| Institute · programme | Round 1, 2026, OPEN (max–min score) |
|---|---|
| NIT Rourkela · Atmosphere and Ocean Science | 552–430 |
| NIT Rourkela · Energy and Environmental | 527–459 |
| NIT Rourkela · Metallurgical and Materials | 432 |
| NIT Trichy · Materials Science and Engineering | 547–443 |
| NIT Calicut · Thermal Sciences | 559–416 |
| NIT Calicut · Materials Science and Engineering | 497–416 |
| MNNIT Allahabad · Thermal Engineering | 547–421 |
| NIT Karnataka · Materials Engineering | 435–351 |
| NIT Warangal · Materials Science and Technology | 515–466 |
CCMT 2026 round-1 opening and closing GATE scores (NIC), OPEN category, for groups that list XE. Pooled across all admissible papers; later rounds close lower.
Read against the 2026 XE conversion, a score of 430 was about 42 marks and 550 about 52 (our arithmetic from the marks-for-score table in the companion guide). A mark in the low-to-mid 40s kept most of these NIT options open in round 1 of 2026; the IITs and IISc sit higher.
| Score | Marks needed, 2025 (ours) | Marks needed, 2026 (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| 430 | 41.5 | 41.9 |
| 550 | 50.6 | 51.9 |
| 600 | 54.4 | 56.1 |
| 700 | 61.9 | 64.5 |
| 806 | 70.0 | 73.3 |
| 900 | 77.1 | 81.2 |
Our arithmetic: the official GATE score formula inverted with each year’s published qualifying marks and top-0.1% mean (GATE XE reports 2025 and 2026). Use it to translate any score cut-off on this page into marks.
A practical order of decisions
Our recommendation, not an institute rule. First, list the five programmes you would actually join and read each one’s eligibility line for a named XE section. If any names one, that section is compulsory for you in practice, whatever it does to your expected marks. Second, check your degree discipline: IIT Bombay’s materials rows accept XE only from the disciplines listed in its footnote. Third, if nothing is named, choose on marks and comfort. Fourth, prepare up to two sections and select them in the exam; the brochure lets you de-select a section in the hall, but that deletes its answers.
Your XE admission checklist
Tick each once done. Applications are expected after the GATE result (scheduled for 19 March 2027); dates vary by institute and counselling portal.
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Practise it, don't just read it
If your target names Fluid Mechanics, its pipe-flow block is one of the two biggest in XE1. Our Bernoulli Equation and Pipe Flow quiz is a quick check.
The ProSyllabus GATE XE library has ten topic quizzes today: four on XE0 Engineering Mathematics (Vector differentiation identities, Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors, Numerical Root Finding Methods, Probability Distributions), Bernoulli Equation and Pipe Flow (XE1), Iron-Carbon Phase Diagram (XE2), Stress strain relations and Bending of Beams (XE3), and First law closed systems and Entropy and the Second Law (XE4), each with a worked explanation for every option.
Which IITs accept GATE XE for M.Tech?
Many do. The documents we checked include IIT Bombay (Biomedical, Ocean Engineering, Energy Science, Geoinformatics, IE and OR, Metallurgy and Materials), IIT Madras (Aerospace, Applied Mechanics, Manufacturing, Metallurgy and others), IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati, IIT (ISM) and IIT Palakkad. Several name the section they require.
Which XE sections does IIT Bombay Ocean Engineering require?
XE “with B&H”: in 2026 lettering, B was Fluid Mechanics and H Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, which are XE1 and XE7 in 2027. The 2026-27 minimum was 475 (GN and EWS), 428 (OBC-NC) and 317 (SC and ST).
What is the IISc cut-off for GATE XE?
It depends on the programme. In 2026 the XE cut-off (GN) was 800 for PDDM, 700 for Quantum Technology, 600 for Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, 575 for Mobility Engineering and 500 for Instrumentation Systems. Smart Manufacturing had 900 for XE generally and 700 for XE-B, XE-D or XE-E.
Can I get into a food technology M.Tech with GATE XE?
Yes, with the Food Technology section: IIT Kharagpur Food Process Engineering names XE-G and IIT Guwahati Food Science names XE with G. In 2027 that section is XE6.
Does CCMT care which XE sections I chose?
No. CCMT treats XE as one paper; 189 programmes at 48 institutes admitted it in 2026, and scores are pooled across all admissible papers.
Do institute rules use the new XE0–XE9 codes?
Not yet. The rules available on 28 September 2026 were written for GATE 2025 or 2026 and use XE-A to XE-I. XE-B is now XE1, XE-D XE3, XE-E XE4, XE-G XE6, XE-H XE7 and XE-I XE8.
More in this series
- GATE XE 2027 syllabus: XE0 to XE9, every change
- GATE XE marks vs score vs rank + calculator
- GATE XE PYQ weightage by section, 2023–2026
- Jobs through GATE XE: what the adverts actually say
- GATE 2027 Textile: TF becomes XE9
- GATE XE notice board — official updates
- GATE Engineering Sciences (XE): paper choice guide
- GATE XE 2026 paper analysis
- GATE XE cut-off, colleges and placements
Sources
- official — IIT Bombay — minimum qualifying GATE cut-off 2026 (PDF)
- official — IIT Bombay — minimum qualifying GATE cut-off 2025 (PDF)
- official — GATE 2026 — All India Rank 1 list (sections attempted)
- official — IISc — cut-off reports and GATE scores of previous years (M.Tech/M.Des 2024–2026, operated scores 2025, research programmes)
- official — IIT Madras — M.Tech 2026 cut-offs (PDF)
- official — IIT Madras — M.Tech 2026 information brochure (PDF)
- official — IIT Kharagpur — M.Tech eligibility criteria 2026 (PDF; 2025 edition names XE sections)
- official — IIT Guwahati — M.Tech eligibility
- official — IIT (ISM) Dhanbad — programme-wise M.Tech eligibility
- official — IIT Palakkad — M.Tech GATE cut-off, AY 2026-27 (PDF)
- official — CCMT 2026 — seat mapping and round-wise opening/closing scores (NIC)
- official — GATE 2027 Information Brochure, IIT Madras (§7.3.6 XE rules; code table; Table 4 combinations)
- official — GATE 2025 Statistical and Performance Report (IIT Roorkee, PDF)
- official — GATE 2026 Statistical and Performance Report (IIT Guwahati, PDF)
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.
