The qualifying marks for the GATE exam vary every year depending on factors such as the difficulty level of the paper and the number of candidates appearing for the exam. Separate qualifying marks are announced for different categories such as General, OBC-NCL, and SC/ST/PwD. Generally, the cutoff for the General category is higher than that for reserved categories. Only candidates who score equal to or above the qualifying marks in their respective categories are considered qualified and receive a valid GATE scorecard.