Students who have cleared Graduate Aptitude Test (GATE) in engineering can now apply for the University Grants Commission to go for their post graduate studies. After the meeting on February 27 of the UGC executive body, it was decided that UGC will be re-implementing scholarship grants for engineering students who have successfully cleared GATE exam for masters of engineering and masters of technology.
The meeting also resolved that scholarships for other courses might also be released very soon. Dean of University of Pune's engineering faculty, Gajanan Kharate, told TOI, "The move may have been spurred by the Supreme Court judgment of April 2013 that has taken away much of the regulatory powers of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), in favour of the UGC."
GATE is the qualifying exam for leading engineering colleges in their post graduate programmes. It is jointly conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science.
To obtain financial aid for master's programs and direct doctoral programs in engineering, technology, architecture and doctoral programs in relevant branches of science in institutes supported by the HRD ministry and other government agencies, a good GATE score is necessary.
The success rate of students qualifying GATE exam is 13.88%. The online 'GATE 2014' was conducted from February 2 and March 2. The results will be declared on March 28.
