GATE 2022: Over 23,000 candidates demand postponement of exam due to Covid-19 third wave

New Delhi: Over 23,000 candidates appearing for the GATE examination in February have joined a petition demanding the exam be postponed in view of the third wave of COVID-19. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an examination that primarily tests the comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and science for admission to the master's programme and recruitment by some public sector companies.

This year the exam is being conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur from February 4-13.

"With the current third wave, COVID-19 due to its new variant Omicron has spread severely in several states, cities. Several studies including one done by IIT Kanpur predict that the peak of the 3rd wave is expected in early February and the wave will end by April. Therefore, the peak is most likely to coincide with the usual exam dates of GATE," the petition read.

"If the exam dates are not postponed, the candidates appearing for GATE 2022 run an imminent risk of getting infected and spreading it thereby getting threat to their life as well as their family member's lives," it added. There was no response from the IIT Kharagpur on the issue. The result of the exam is scheduled to be declared on March, 17.

Meanwhile, IIT Kharagpur has released the GATE 2022 admit card on January 15. The GATE admit card 2022 download link is updated at gate.iitkgp.ac.in 2022. Following the release of IIT GOAPS hall ticket, the institute has also released the GATE 2022 exam day instructions.

The GATE 2022 exam day instructions in the admit card include the Covid-19 guidelines, list of documents to be carried to the exam centre, dos and don'ts for the exam day, items allowed inside the exam hall and more.

(With inputs from PTI)