IIT Bombay will re-open the GATE 2021 online application processing system i.e. GOAPS tomorrow, October 28, 2020. This will be done for the explicit purpose of allowing registered candidates to change certain details in the application form.
Only 3 fields can be edited during the correction window – category, exam city, exam paper. Other than these, no other details will be allowed to be edited.
In order to make corrections in the form, candidates need to go to the GOAPS at appsgate.iitb.ac.in. Then login with their email id or user id, and password. Upon logging in, they can edit the relevant fields during the correction window.
It is important to note that candidates who edit categories or paper will have to pay an additional fee of Rs 500. But the change of city will be free of cost. This is a positive step taken by IITB, as until last year, correction window carried a fee for changing the city as well.
The last date to change category, city, exam paper is November 13, 2020. Thereafter the GATE 2021 admit card will be released on January 8, 2021. Thereafter GATE 2021 exam will be held on February 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14, 2021. Before issuing admit cards, IITB will also publish the paper wise exam schedule.
In this limited time period where corrections are allowed, candidates should wisely chose their exam cities. Each candidate can select 4 cities in order of preference. That is the city where they wish most to appear in should be the first preference, then second, and so on.
The GATE committee will try to allot exam centers to each candidate at their first preference. However if seats are filled, then they will allot to a center in the second preference, and so on.
Yesterday was the last date of intimation to registered candidates after the first round of scrutiny by zonal offices. Candidates were informed of issues in their documents and images, and given a chance to edit them. Those who have made the relevant changes can now see the status upon login as “You have taken an action to rectify the defect. Your application is under process.”
Fate of international exam centers of GATE 2021 to be known after November
The international cities where there are supposed to be exam centers outside India are – Addis Ababa [Ethiopia], Colombo [Sri Lanka], Dhaka [Bangladesh], Dubai [UAE], Kathmandu [Nepal], Singapore (6 International Cities). However whether GATE international shall happen or not will depend on whether travel and infrastructural issues normalize in light of the pandemic. If not, then these centers will be cancelled.
