2 min readNew DelhiJul 28, 2026 09:26 AM IST
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has revised the information brochure for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2027, introducing changes to the Biotechnology (BT) syllabus and the list of permitted two-paper combinations. The updated brochure has been published on the official GATE 2027 website. The institute clarified that there is no change in the examination schedule, eligibility criteria or other admission-related provisions.
The GATE 2027 examination will continue to be conducted as notified earlier. The exam will comprise 30 test papers, with each paper carrying 100 marks and being held in English. One of the key revisions relates to the two-paper combinations available to candidates.
Under the updated scheme, applicants opting for the Robotics and Automation (RA) paper can now choose Computer Science and Information Technology (CS), Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA), Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC), Electrical Engineering (EE), Instrumentation Engineering (IN), or Mechanical Engineering (ME) as their second paper. Earlier, the available combinations were limited to EE, ME, DA and CS.
Similarly, the Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC) paper now includes Robotics and Automation (RA) as an additional second-paper option alongside CS, DA, EE, IN and PH. Candidates appearing for Instrumentation Engineering (IN) can also now combine it with RA, in addition to the existing options of Biomedical Engineering (BM), EC, EE and ME.
IIT Madras has also revised the Biotechnology (BT) syllabus. As per the updated brochure, two existing sections have been merged into a new section titled “Fundamentals of Biological Engineering”, while standalone topics such as material and energy balances, thermodynamics, and transport processes have been reorganised.
The revised syllabus also introduces new topics, including Bayesian statistics and vector calculus under Engineering Mathematics. In General Biology, greater emphasis has been placed on metabolism, immunology and microbiology. Additional topics such as recombination-based cloning, biosensors and omics tools have also been included under recombinant DNA technology and related tools.
Candidates have been advised to refer to the revised GATE 2027 brochure and updated subject-wise syllabus before beginning their preparation.