What is the GATE PE syllabus?

GATE PE covers Petroleum Exploration; Oil and Gas Well Drilling Technology; Reservoir Engineering; Petroleum Production Operations — including offshore drilling and completion, transport and storage, and HSE — plus Engineering Mathematics and General Aptitude.

Which companies recruit through GATE PE?

ONGC, Oil India Limited, GAIL, HPCL, and upstream private operators recruit via GATE PE. ONGC's AEE (Drilling/Reservoir) posts are the most sought-after, and global oilfield-service companies also value high GATE PE scores.

What is the GATE PE qualifying cutoff?

General qualifying marks: 40 (2026), 31.1 (2025) and 42.6 (2024). PE cutoffs are volatile because the applicant pool is small and paper difficulty swings year to year.

Can chemical or mechanical engineers take GATE PE?

Yes — both are eligible. Chemical engineers typically find reservoir fluid properties and refinery topics familiar; mechanical engineers adapt quickly to drilling machinery and production equipment. The exploration and reservoir-specific material needs dedicated study either way.

What MTech programmes accept GATE PE?

Petroleum Engineering at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, IIT Madras (Petroleum Engineering programme), IIT Bombay (geo-science wing) and specialised private universities. IIT (ISM) Dhanbad is the historic centre of Indian petroleum education.

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GATE PE Preparation Guide

IIT Madras (organising institute for GATE 2027)

Your Complete Preparation Guide for GATE PE 2027 — strategy, study plan, tips & more.

DifficultyModerate

Total Marks100

Duration180 min

Start Practising Now →Free Mock Tests

Exam Overview

Mode

Online (CBT)

Frequency

Annual (February)

Next Exam Date

6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21 Feb 2027

EEligibility Criteria

BTech/BE in Petroleum, Chemical, Mechanical or equivalent engineering

ANumber of Attempts

No limit

Study Plan by Subject

Petroleum Engineering

Week 1-4: Foundation

Core concepts & basics

Week 5-8: Deep Practice

Advanced problems & revision

Week 9-12: Mock Tests + Revision

Full-length tests & weak-area focus

Refer to official syllabus for complete topic list

Engineering Mathematics

Week 1-4: Foundation

Core concepts & basics

Week 5-8: Deep Practice

Advanced problems & revision

Week 9-12: Mock Tests + Revision

Full-length tests & weak-area focus

Refer to official syllabus for complete topic list

General Aptitude

Week 1-4: Foundation

Core concepts & basics

Week 5-8: Deep Practice

Advanced problems & revision

Week 9-12: Mock Tests + Revision

Full-length tests & weak-area focus

Refer to official syllabus for complete topic list

Expert Preparation Tips

Reservoir engineering (material balance, Darcy flow, well testing) carries the most marks — start here

Drilling mud calculations (mud weight, hydrostatic pressure, ECD) are formula-driven and repeat every year

Learn PVT relationships (Z-factor, formation volume factor) with a solved-numericals approach

Solve previous GATE PE papers (2016-2026); many numericals recycle with fresh numbers

Map the Indian sedimentary basins and major fields — exploration questions frequently reference them

Exam Pattern at a Glance

Section	Questions	Marks	Duration (est.)
Petroleum Engineering	22	33	60 min
Engineering Mathematics	22	33	60 min
General Aptitude	22	33	60 min
Total	65	100	180 min

Important Dates

Registration Opens

2 Sep - 5 Oct 2026 (late fee until 12 Oct 2026)

Next Exam Date

6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21 Feb 2027

Conducted By

IIT Madras (organising institute for GATE 2027)

Frequently Asked Questions

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