GAT-B 2027: Graduate Aptitude Test – Biotechnology
Complete guide to GAT-B: official exam pattern, Section A & B syllabus, DBT monthly stipends, category-wise cutoffs, participating universities, seat counts, and preparation strategy.
WRITTEN BYShabab Anwar and Sabiha ParveenGAT-B is for Master's admissions. DBT-JRF now comes through the joint CSIR-UGC NET
GAT-B admits students to DBT-supported MSc, MTech and MVSc programmes with a monthly DBT stipend (2026 rates: MSc ₹5,000, MSc Agricultural Biotechnology ₹7,500, MTech and MVSc ₹12,000). DBT-BET, which shared GAT-B's portal until 2026, is merged into the Joint CSIR-UGC NET from the December 2026 cycle (Life Sciences and Bio-Technology). GAT-B itself continues as the Master's entrance test.
What is GAT-B (Graduate Aptitude Test - Biotechnology)?
The Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) coordinates programme data, while individual universities admit students based on their GAT-B rank.
| Field | GAT-B 2026 Official Baseline |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Admission to specified DBT-supported PG programmes in biotechnology and allied areas |
| Conducting agency | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Coordinating DBT PG portal | Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Sections | Section A (10+2 foundation) and Section B (Graduate Biotechnology) |
| Questions shown | 160 questions (60 in Section A + 100 in Section B) |
| Questions to attempt | 120 questions (60 in Section A + 60 in Section B) |
| Maximum marks | 240 marks |
| Score validity | Valid for admission during the relevant academic year only (2026-27 for GAT-B 2026) |
Programme categories in the 2026 bulletin
MSc Biotechnology and allied areas
MSc Agricultural Biotechnology
MTech Biotechnology and allied areas
MVSc Animal Biotechnology
DBT-BET has merged into the Joint CSIR-UGC NET
DBT-BET has merged into the Joint CSIR-UGC NET (Life Sciences and Bio-Technology) from December 2026. GAT-B is only for admission to DBT-supported PG programmes.
Eligibility criteria for GAT-B
GAT-B has a two-tier eligibility framework: national examination eligibility and programme-specific admission criteria.
| Dimension | Official Rule & Guidance |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Bona fide Indian nationals only for GAT-B 2026. |
| Qualifying degree | Determined by each participating programme or institution. There is no single universal degree requirement. |
| Minimum marks | Determined by each participating programme or institution. Requirements differ across universities. |
| Final-year or result-awaited candidates | Eligible to apply under the Result Awaited category with the prescribed certified undertaking or attestation. |
| Admission eligibility check | Must be verified against the current programme notice before applying, even after qualifying GAT-B. |
Qualifying degree note:
Because participating programmes range from MSc Biotechnology to MSc Agricultural Biotechnology, MTech and MVSc, qualifying degree titles and percentage cutoffs vary widely. Always review the specific participating university circular for the exact programme you wish to join.
Latest official exam pattern
GAT-B is a 180-minute computer-based test consisting of two distinct sections with separate marking rules, syllabus scopes and question attempt structures.
| Section | Syllabus Scope | Questions Shown | Attempts | Marking | Negative | Max Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A | 10+2 Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology | 60 | 60 (compulsory) | +1 | -0.5 | 60 |
| Section B | Graduate-level Basic Biology, Life Sciences, Biotechnology and allied areas | 100 | 60 (attempt any 60) | +3 | -1.0 | 180 |
| Total GAT-B Paper | 160 shown | 120 attempts | 180 minutes | 240 marks |
Time Management Rule
With 180 minutes for 120 questions, candidates have an average of 1.5 minutes per question. Because Section A is compulsory, dedicating 45 to 50 minutes to Section A leaves 130 minutes for Section B question evaluation and 60 deliberate attempts.
Negative Marking Disparity
A wrong Section A response loses 0.5 mark from a 1.0 mark reward (a 50% penalty ratio). A wrong Section B response loses 1.0 mark from a 3.0 mark reward (a 33.3% penalty ratio). Section A requires extreme caution against wild guessing.
Complete latest official syllabus
The syllabus consists of Section A (10+2 foundation in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology) and Section B (graduate-level Basic Biology, Life Sciences, Biotechnology and allied areas, grouped by PsiGenei into 12 core clusters).
GAT-B syllabus PDF
Section A and all 13 Section B topics from the official GAT-B syllabus, with tick boxes. Free, no sign-up.
Biomolecules and Membrane Transport
- •Structure and function of biomolecules.
- •Biological membranes and their structure.
- •Action potential and membrane transport processes.
Enzymes and Cellular Metabolism
- •Enzyme classification, kinetics and mechanism of action.
- •Metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids and nucleic acids.
- •Photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
- •Electron transport chain and bioenergetics.
Microbial Diversity and Structure
- •Virus structure and classification.
- •Classification and diversity of bacteria, algae and fungi.
- •Methods in microbiology, microscopy and staining.
Microbial Physiology and Diseases
- •Microbial growth and nutrition.
- •Aerobic and anaerobic respiration in microorganisms.
- •Biological nitrogen fixation.
- •Microbial diseases and host-pathogen interactions.
Cell Organisation and Cycle
- •Structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
- •Cell cycle stages and control of cell growth.
Cell Signalling
- •Cell-cell communication and extracellular matrix interactions.
- •Cell signalling and signal transduction cascades.
Molecular Biology Mechanisms
- •Gene and chromosome structure.
- •Mutation and mutagenesis mechanisms.
- •DNA replication, transcription, translation and regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
- •RNA interference and noncoding RNAs.
- •DNA damage and repair pathways.
Transmission and Bacterial Genetics
- •Mendelian inheritance and gene interactions.
- •Complementation, linkage and genetic mapping.
- •Plasmids, transformation, transduction and conjugation.
- •Horizontal gene transfer and transposable elements.
- •Chromosomal variation and molecular basis of genetic diseases.
Microscopy and Spectroscopy
- •Light, electron, fluorescence and confocal microscopy.
- •High-speed and ultracentrifugation techniques.
- •UV-visible, circular dichroism, infrared, FTIR, Raman, mass and NMR spectroscopy.
Separation and Analysis
- •Ion-exchange, gel-filtration, hydrophobic-interaction and affinity chromatography.
- •Gas chromatography, HPLC and FPLC.
- •Electrophoresis techniques.
- •Microarray analysis.
Immune System and Components
- •Historical development of immunology.
- •Innate, humoral and cell-mediated immunity.
- •Antigens, antibodies and antigen-antibody reactions.
- •Antibody structure, function, diversity, synthesis and secretion.
- •Complement system.
- •Primary and secondary lymphoid organs.
- •B cells, T cells and macrophages.
Immune Regulation and Pathology
- •Major histocompatibility complex (MHC).
- •Antigen processing and presentation.
- •Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies.
- •Regulation of the immune response and immunological tolerance.
- •Hypersensitivity and autoimmunity.
- •Graft-versus-host reactions.
Databases and Sequence Analysis
- •Bioinformatics resources and search tools.
- •Sequence and structure databases.
- •Sequence formats, scoring matrices and alignment algorithms.
- •Phylogenetic analysis.
- •Data mining and genomic and proteomic tools.
Structure and Dynamics
- •Basic molecular dynamics and simulation.
- •Force fields.
- •Protein-protein, protein-nucleic-acid and protein-ligand interactions.
Enzymes, Vectors and Libraries
- •Restriction and modification enzymes.
- •Plasmid, phage, viral, cosmid, Ti and YAC vectors.
- •Mammalian and plant expression vectors.
- •cDNA and genomic libraries.
- •Isolation, cloning and expression of genes.
- •Transposons and gene targeting.
Molecular Techniques and Applications
- •DNA labelling and sequencing methods.
- •Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA fingerprinting.
- •Southern and Northern blotting.
- •In situ hybridisation.
- •RAPD and RFLP markers.
- •Site-directed mutagenesis.
- •Gene transfer and gene therapy.
Plant Biotechnology
- •Cellular totipotency and plant regeneration.
- •Plant growth regulators and elicitors.
- •Plant tissue culture and cell-suspension culture.
- •Growth kinetics and nutrient optimisation.
- •Production of secondary metabolites.
- •Hairy-root culture.
- •Transgenic plants and industrially useful plant products.
Animal Biotechnology
- •Animal cell-culture media and growth requirements.
- •Preservation of animal cells.
- •Anchorage-dependent and non-anchorage-dependent cultures.
- •Cell-growth kinetics.
- •Microcarrier and macrocarrier culture.
- •Hybridoma technology and monoclonal antibodies.
- •Stem-cell technology.
- •Animal cloning and transgenic animals.
Kinetics and Bioreactor Design
- •Application of chemical-engineering principles to biological systems.
- •Bioreactor design, ideal and non-ideal multiphase reactors.
- •Mass transfer and heat transfer.
- •Rheology, aeration and agitation.
- •Media formulation and sterilisation of media and air.
- •Growth, substrate-utilisation and product-formation kinetics.
Operations and Control
- •Batch, fed-batch and continuous processes.
- •Microbial and enzyme reactors.
- •Instrumentation, measurement and process control.
- •Process optimisation and scale-up.
- •Solid-liquid separation and liquid-liquid extraction.
- •Process economics and feasibility.
Industrial Bioprocessing
- •Upstream and downstream processing.
- •Process design from laboratory to industrial scale.
- •Microbial, animal and plant production platforms.
- •Biomass and primary and secondary metabolites.
- •Biofuels and bioplastics.
- •Industrial enzymes and antibiotics.
- •Recombinant proteins.
Purification and Bioremediation
- •Chromatographic and membrane-based separation.
- •Immobilisation of biocatalysts.
- •Aerobic and anaerobic bioremediation.
Tissue Culture Specialisations
- •Plant-tissue culture and micropropagation.
- •Meristem culture and production of virus-free plants.
- •Anther and microspore culture.
- •Embryo and ovary culture.
- •Protoplast isolation and fusion.
- •Somatic hybrids and cybrids.
- •Somaclonal variation and synthetic seeds.
- •Germplasm conservation and cryopreservation.
Agricultural Genetic Engineering
- •Organelle DNA, satellite and repetitive DNA.
- •DNA repair and regulation of gene expression in plants.
- •Plant recombinant DNA technology and gene-transfer methods.
- •Genetic engineering in agriculture.
- •Transgenic plants for biotic and abiotic stress.
- •Bioethics and terminator technology.
- •Nanotechnology in plant biotechnology.
- •DNA fingerprinting and gene silencing in plants.
FOUNDATION · COMPULSORY
Section A: 10+2 Foundation
60 Marks · Compulsory
The official scope covers senior-secondary foundations across four disciplines:
Preparation guidance:
The official information bulletin states only the four subjects at 10+2 level without publishing a granular chapter list. Do not rely on speculative chapter lists as official. Candidates should use current senior-secondary textbooks (NCERT or equivalent) and past GAT-B papers to diagnose specific gaps in formulas, reactions, calculations and core biology.
GRADUATE LEVEL · 12 CLUSTERS
Section B: Biotechnology & Allied Sciences
GAT-B previous year papers
6 papers from 2020 to 2025, each retyped from the official paper and checked question by question against the official answer key. Fill one short form once, and every paper is yours.
| Paper | Practice | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025Newest | Get the PDF | Free mock test → |
| 2024 | Get the PDF | Free mock test → |
| 2023 | Get the PDF | Free mock test → |
DBT-supported programmes, seats and stipend
In the official GAT-B 2026 bulletin, the Department of Biotechnology sanctioned 1,316 seats across 79 postgraduate programmes at premier universities and research institutes across India.
Sample participating institutions and seat allocations
Representative list of programmes from the official 2026 bulletin. Check the 2027 bulletin when published for the final updated list.
| Participating Institution | Prescribed DBT Programme | DBT Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Banaras Hindu University | MSc Biotechnology | 30 |
| Banaras Hindu University | MSc Molecular and Human Genetics | 30 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | MSc Biotechnology | 30 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | MSc Computational and Integrative Sciences | 15 |
| University of Hyderabad | MSc Biotechnology | 30 |
| University of Delhi | MSc Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology | 10 |
| Assam Agricultural University | MVSc Veterinary Biotechnology | 10 |
Monthly stipend in the 2026 bulletin
Admitted students in prescribed DBT-supported seats receive a monthly student fellowship funded by the Department of Biotechnology.
| Programme Category | Monthly Stipend |
|---|---|
| MSc Biotechnology and allied areas | ₹5,000 |
| MSc Agricultural Biotechnology | ₹7,500 |
| MTech or MVSc programme | ₹12,000 |
Mandatory stipend qualifier:
The stipend applies to qualified candidates admitted to prescribed DBT-supported programmes. It is disbursed through the participating institution after verification. Continuation for the second year is subject to satisfactory academic progress certified by the institution. The stipend is not an automatic cash award for merely qualifying GAT-B and does not guarantee full financial coverage of living or tuition costs.
How admission works after GAT-B qualification
Unlike single-window engineering counselling, GAT-B admissions are decentralised. Understanding the division of responsibility between NTA, RCB and participating universities is essential.
Examination and Results
NTA conducts the test and publishes notices, question challenge portals, answer keys and candidate scorecards.
National Merit List
RCB issues the official category-wise qualified candidate merit list under Government of India reservation policy.
Institutional Admission Notices
Participating institutions publish their own individual admission notices and opening dates for GAT-B qualified candidates.
Separate Institutional Applications
Candidates must apply individually to each university programme they are eligible for before that university's specific deadline.
Institutional Selection & Verification
Each institution applies its own selection rules, documents checks, seat conversion, cancellation and refund policies.
Verification & Stipend Disbursement
The university verifies admission to the prescribed DBT-supported programme before initiating the monthly student stipend.
Important decentralised admission notice:
RCB and DBT do not run one universal central counselling process for every participating programme. A GAT-B-qualified candidate can completely miss admission by overlooking institution-specific application deadlines or eligibility notices.
Candidate admission tracking checklist
Maintain an active tracker during the admission window recording the following fields for every prospective university:
Institution and programme
Degree and subject eligibility
Minimum marks & relaxation
Opening and closing dates
Institutional application fee
Required score or rank document
Selection method (merit/interview)
Document-verification dates
Stipend confirmation & contact
Recent qualifying cutoffs
Official qualifying marks out of 240 announced by Regional Centre for Biotechnology for the two most recent cycles.
| Category | GAT-B 2026 (Max 240) | GAT-B 2025 (Max 240) | Marks | Percentage | Marks | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unreserved (UR) | 128 | 53.33% | 145 | 60.42% | |||
| EWS | 91 | 37.92% | 103.5 | 43.13% | |||
| OBC-NCL | 93.5 | 38.96% | 104.5 | 43.54% | |||
| SC | 65 | 27.08% | 80 | 33.33% | |||
| ST | 60 | 25.00% | 60.5 | 25.21% | |||
| Differently-Abled (PwD) | 60 | 25.00% | 62 | 25.83% |
Key observations on cutoff trends
- • The Unreserved qualifying cutoff dropped by 17 marks in 2026 (from 145 down to 128), reflecting paper difficulty variations.
- • Qualifying cutoffs establish national eligibility only. Highly competitive programmes (such as JNU, BHU, or UoH) often require significantly higher ranks or scores for admission.
GAT-B 2027 dates and application status
Official GAT-B 2027 dates and fees have not been released. The tables below represent the completed GAT-B 2026 cycle for orientation only.
GAT-B 2026 examination timeline (orientation baseline)
| GAT-B 2026 Event | Official Date / Time |
|---|---|
| Registration opened | 19 March 2026 |
| Registration closed | 9 April 2026 at 5:00 PM |
| Fee-payment deadline | 9 April 2026 at 11:50 PM |
| Correction window | 11 to 13 April 2026 |
| Examination | 17 May 2026, 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon |
| NTA result notice | 10 June 2026 |
| RCB qualifying-list notice | 9 June 2026 (date on the notice) |
GAT-B 2026 examination fee (baseline)
| Candidate Category | Examination Fee |
|---|---|
| General (UR), OBC-NCL and EWS | ₹1,300 |
| SC, ST and PwD | ₹650 |
Applicable service charges and GST were additional. These are 2026 fees, not confirmed GAT-B 2027 fees.
Application guidance when the 2027 form opens
- Use only the official NTA GAT-B/BET portal linked from this page.
- Read the 2027 information bulletin before filling the form.
- Confirm that you meet at least one current participating programme's eligibility.
- Enter your name, date of birth and category exactly as supported by your documents.
- If applying as result-awaited, use the prescribed current-cycle undertaking or attestation format.
- Review the photograph, signature, certificates, exam choice and payment status before final submission.
- Save the confirmation page and fee receipt.
- Monitor both the NTA portal and the RCB DBT PG portal through the result and admission period.
Frequently asked questions
Direct, verified answers to common questions regarding GAT-B 2027, eligibility, DBT programmes, stipend and decentralised admissions.
No official GAT-B 2027 notification had been released as of 15 October 2026. GAT-B 2026 is the latest official baseline. Dates, fees, programmes and seats must be rechecked when the new bulletin appears.
GAT-B is an entrance examination for admission to specified DBT-supported postgraduate programmes in biotechnology and allied areas at participating Indian institutions.
No. GAT-B is a postgraduate admission examination. BET was the Biotechnology Eligibility Test for DBT-JRF fellowship eligibility. From the December 2026 cycle, DBT-JRF selection is through the Joint CSIR-UGC NET (Life Sciences and Bio-Technology).
GAT-B 2026 had 60 compulsory one-mark questions in Section A and 100 three-mark questions in Section B, of which 60 had to be attempted. The maximum was 240 marks in 180 minutes.
No. All 60 Section A questions were compulsory in the 2026 pattern.
No. The 2026 pattern required 60 attempts from the 100 Section B questions.
Yes. In 2026, a wrong Section A answer lost 0.5 mark and a wrong Section B answer lost 1 mark. Recheck the 2027 bulletin when published.
For 2026, applicants had to be bona fide Indian nationals and meet the eligibility of at least one participating institution or programme. Degree and minimum-marks requirements varied by programme.
Final-year or result-awaited candidates could apply in 2026 with the prescribed certified undertaking or attestation. Use the 2027 form and document rule once released.
No. Participating institutions advertise and conduct their own admissions. Selection depends on programme eligibility, score or rank, category, seats and the institution's current process.
The 2026 bulletin required participating institutions to advertise admissions separately under their own norms. Candidates had to track and apply to institutions individually.
The official 2026 bulletin listed 79 DBT-supported postgraduate programmes with 1,316 sanctioned seats. That does not mean 79 separate universities.
No. The stipend applies after a qualified candidate is admitted to a prescribed DBT-supported programme and the institution verifies the student. Second-year continuation is subject to satisfactory progress.
The GAT-B 2026 score was valid only for admission during academic year 2026-27. Use the cycle-specific validity in the GAT-B 2027 bulletin when it is released.
No. The national cutoff determines GAT-B qualification for that cycle. A programme may have limited seats and its final admitted score or rank can differ.
Create the exact test you need.
Start practising for your GAT-B postgraduate entrance exam today.