Published: Monday, August 25, 2025
GATE 2026 Registration Opens with Enhanced Features
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 online registration process began today, August 25, 2025, conducted by IIT Guwahati at gate2026.iitg.ac.in. This national-level entrance examination serves as the gateway for postgraduate Master's and direct Doctoral programs in India, recruitment opportunities in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), and applications to certain international universities.
Key Timeline and Registration Details
The examination is scheduled across four days - February 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2026, with two sessions per day. The Forenoon session runs from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, while the Afternoon session is conducted from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Each session lasts three hours, accommodating the comprehensive assessment format.
Major highlights for GATE 2026 include updated two-paper combinations for candidates opting for dual subjects and minor modifications in eligibility criteria clarifications for candidates from international universities. The examination will be conducted across multiple centres grouped under eight zonal coordinating institutes: IISc Bengaluru, and IITs Bombay, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras, and Roorkee.
Eligibility and Documentation Requirements
Eligibility criteria remain broad to ensure participation from students across academic streams. General criteria include candidates currently studying in the 3rd year or higher of any undergraduate degree program or those who have completed government-approved degrees in Engineering/Technology/Architecture/Science/Commerce/Arts/Humanities.
Professional society exam candidates must ensure their certifications are recognised by MoE/AICTE/UGC/UPSC as equivalent to standard undergraduate programs. Foreign degree holders who have completed or are pursuing a minimum three-year Bachelor's degree in relevant disciplines from universities outside India are also eligible.
Required documents include high-quality photographs and signatures, scanned copies of valid Photo ID, category certificates (SC/ST), PwD/UDID certificates, dyslexic certificates, and other relevant annexures as applicable. Candidates can select three cities for examination within the same GATE 2026 zone.
UK Government Launches Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK has opened applications for its Commonwealth Shared Scholarships programme, offering postgraduate students from developing nations opportunities to pursue Master's degrees in the United Kingdom. This initiative represents the UK government's commitment to international development and educational equity across the Commonwealth.
Comprehensive Coverage and Eligibility
The scholarships typically cover one-year Master's programmes and include full tuition fees, airfare, and living allowances. India is among the 45 eligible countries, alongside Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and others across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific regions.
Applicants must be citizens of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country and be permanently resident in these countries. They should be available to commence academic studies in the UK by September 2025. Academic requirements include holding a first degree with at least upper second-class (2:1) honours, or alternatively, a lower second-class degree accompanied by a relevant postgraduate qualification.
Application Process and Financial Need
Candidates must not have studied or worked in high-income countries for more than one academic year and must demonstrate financial need, confirming inability to pursue UK studies without scholarship support. Applications are submitted through participating UK universities, which conduct initial candidate selection before final CSC approval.
The scholarships are available for any approved course offered by participating UK universities, intended solely for pursuing one specific degree. Recipients must undertake full-time study and cannot enrol in concurrent academic programmes. Funding will not be extended to support additional qualifications beyond the awarded level.
IIT Council Reconvenes After Two Years for Major Reforms
The IIT Council, the apex coordination body of 23 premier engineering institutes, reconvened today after a two-year gap to discuss crucial issues, including credit sharing amongst IITs and making JEE Advanced less coaching-dependent. The council last held its meeting in April 2023.
Credit Transfer and Academic Framework Integration
The council will focus on credit sharing among the 23 IITs within the National Credit Framework (NCrF), along with establishing intensive and outcome-oriented peer review processes. Currently, IITs don't follow the NCrF system, making this integration a significant policy shift.
Discussions will include necessary changes in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessments responding to artificial intelligence. The agenda encompasses IIT education as the driving force for "Atmanirbhar and Samriddha Bharat," reforms and accountability in PhD education, research commercialisation in higher education institutes, and bridging discovery and impact.
Accreditation and Student Support Measures
The accreditation of premier engineering institutes will be discussed during the meeting. In May 2023, the Radhakrishnan Committee recommended bringing IITs under the national accreditation and assessment framework proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The council will also address mental health and wellness measures, enhancement of merit-cum-means scholarships and pocket allowances for SC and ST students, and initiatives to overcome language barriers through regional languages. These discussions reflect comprehensive institutional reform addressing academic, financial, and social aspects of IIT education.
IIT Madras Develops Revolutionary Antibiotic Resistance Testing Device
IIT Madras researchers have created a low-cost microfluidic chip that detects bacterial resistance to antibiotics within three hours, compared to conventional antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods requiring 48 to 72 hours. The innovation, published in Nature Scientific Reports, offers faster and more accessible alternatives to traditional testing methods.
Technical Innovation and Global Health Impact
The device, called μ-D, uses screen-printed carbon electrodes embedded in a simple lab-on-chip design. By avoiding costly metals and complex fabrication processes, the device is economical and easy to use, making it particularly valuable for smaller clinics and rural healthcare centres.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a global health challenge, with the World Health Organisation identifying it among the top ten threats to human health. Nearly 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019 were linked to bacterial AMR, with the highest burden in low- and middle-income countries where advanced diagnostics are limited.
Electrochemical Detection Methodology
The IIT Madras team designed μ-D using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. As bacteria grow, they alter the electrical properties of specially prepared nutrient solutions, which the system measures to determine resistance. Professor S Pushpavanam explained that their specially prepared nutrient solution serves dual purposes: supporting bacterial growth essential for testing and enhancing the sensitivity of electrical signals used for detection.
Dr. Richa Karmakar added that the device monitors electrical signal changes over time to determine whether bacteria continue growing in antibiotic presence. A metric called 'Normalised Impedance Signal' enables clear differentiation between resistant and non-resistant strains within hours.
Clinical Application and Commercialisation
Researchers tested the device on gram-negative E. coli and gram-positive B. subtilis using antibiotics ampicillin and tetracycline. The μ-D successfully identified resistance profiles within three hours and worked on urine samples spiked with E. coli, confirming clinical potential.
Professor Pushpavanam highlighted the device's life-saving potential for intensive care unit patients. Clinical validation is ongoing at IIT Madras Institute Hospital, with commercialisation plans through startup Kaappon Analytics India Pvt Ltd. The research marks significant progress in making rapid antibiotic testing more accessible and affordable across healthcare systems.
Sources
- The Indian Express. (2025, August 25). GATE 2026 Registration Begins on August 25: Dates, steps to register, subject combination & more. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/education/iit-guwahati-gate-2026-online-registration-begins-gate2026-iitg-ac-in-dates-subject-code-paper-combination-steps-to-register-10207241/
- The Indian Express. (2025, August 25). UK govt opens applications for masters courses under Commonwealth Shared Scholarships. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/education/study-abroad/uk-govt-opens-applications-for-masters-courses-under-commonwealth-shared-scholarships-10210553/
- The Indian Express. (2025, August 25). IIT council to reconvene after two years: Credit transfer and JEE Advanced reforms on agenda. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/education/jee-main-advanced-2026-iit-council-convenes-inter-institute-credit-transfer-entrance-exam-reforms-nep-mental-health-aspirants-10210272/
- India Today. (2025, August 25). IIT Madras builds chip-based device to detect antibiotic resistance in hours. Retrieved from https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/iit-madras-develops-chip-bas
