Compress PDF for GATE Application (Under 1MB – Free 2026)

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is the gateway to M.Tech admissions in IITs, NITs, and IIITs, as well as PSU recruitment. The GATE application process requires uploading multiple documents — and the size limits are stricter than most exams.

With limits as low as 480KB for photographs and 1MB for certificates, even a single scanned page can exceed the limit. This guide shows every engineering aspirant how to compress documents precisely using PDFOdimel's free tools.

Here are the typical GATE application document requirements:

• Photograph: 240KB-480KB (JPEG)
• Signature: 80KB-160KB (JPEG)
• Category/PwD Certificate: Up to 1MB (PDF)
• Degree Certificate/Marksheet: Up to 1MB (PDF)
• Qualifying Degree Certificate: Up to 1MB (PDF)

The 1MB limit is particularly challenging because engineering degree certificates often contain color college seals, watermarks, and high-resolution printing that results in 3-5MB scanned files.

Step 1: Scan Smart

Scan your certificates at 200 DPI in grayscale. The GATE portal needs the document to be readable, not print-quality. Grayscale 200 DPI is the sweet spot between quality and file size.

Step 2: Upload to PDFOdimel

Open PDFOdimel Compress PDF tool and upload your scanned document. The tool shows you the current file size immediately.

Step 3: Choose Compression Level

For GATE documents with the 1MB limit, start with Medium compression. If the result is still over 1MB, switch to High compression. PDFOdimel's smart algorithm maintains text readability even at high compression.

Step 4: Verify and Download

Check the compressed file size and preview the quality. Download when satisfied and you are ready to upload to the GATE portal.

Beyond form submission, PDFOdimel helps GATE aspirants organize their preparation materials:

• Merge subject notes: Combine all your Engineering Mathematics, subject-specific, and aptitude notes into organized master PDFs using the Merge tool.
• Extract important chapters: Use the Split tool to extract specific chapters from large textbook PDFs for focused study sessions.
• Compress coaching material: Coaching institute PDFs can be huge. Compress them for offline storage on your tablet or phone without running out of space.
• Add page numbers: Add page numbers to your compiled notes for easy reference during revision.

After qualifying GATE, you will need compressed documents for M.Tech counseling and admission:

• COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal): Upload compressed certificates for IIT admissions
• CCMT (Centralized Counselling for M.Tech): Submit compressed documents for NIT/IIIT admissions
• Individual institute portals: Each IIT/NIT has its own upload requirements

Keep your PDFOdimel-compressed files ready in a dedicated folder so you can quickly upload during the time-sensitive counseling process.