Ultimate guide to prepare for GATE

Completed your B. Tech/BE degree? What’s next? While some of you may plan to join a reputed MNC to give a head-start to your career, some of you may still prefer continuing your higher education at postgraduate level. If you are among the later ones, GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) can be your next level to come across. Conducted by the National Coordinating Board, Department of Education, MHRD, GATE is a national-level entrance examination organized every year by the GATE committee (including IISc, Bangalore and all the IITs).

Also read: Engineering entrance exams: Important dates to remember

Must know facts about GATE

Today, the GATE scores have become an essential condition for students to qualify for admission to ME, MS, M. Tech or direct PhD courses at IITs, IISc, NITs and other PSUs. Thus, it becomes very important for them to be aware of the following important facts about the examination –

The GATE examination is conducted for 23 papers such as Aerospace Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Architecture and Planning, Civil Engineering, Computer Science & Information Technology, Life Science, Mechanical Engineering etc. out of which a candidate can apply for only one paper.

The examination date for 2018 are 3 February 2018, 4 February 2018, 10 February 2018 and 11 February 2018.

The applications for GATE 2019 are expected to begin in the month of September 2018.

The examination is conducted in 9 GATE zones.

It is an online computer-based test that involves students to answer 65 questions carrying 100 marks within a time duration of 3 hours.

All question in the test are multiple-choice type carrying 1 or 2 marks each. Also, there is a provision of negative marking (1/3 of the marks allotted to the question) for every incorrect answer.

Also read: Top colleges in India to study Engineering

Understanding the syllabus

The GATE examination paper majorly categorises in two sections that include –

General Aptitude – This is a common section for all 23 papers comprising 5 questions carrying 1 marks each and 5 questions carrying 2 marks each.

Technical + Engineering Mathematics – The questions in this section may vary depending on the paper you are applying for. Under this section, the students have to answer 25 questions carrying 1-mark each and 30 questions of 2-marks each (comprising both multiple-choice and numeric answer type questions).

Preparation tips to crack GATE

Now, when the students are clear of what needs to be prepared, here are some more preparation tips that they can follow to obtain better scores in the examination –

Begin the preparation early.

Prepare a study plan and time-table to follow.

Get to know about the exam pattern by analysing the past years’ papers.

Prefer renowned study material and resources for studies.

Lay significant emphasis on general aptitude and engineering mathematics.

Hold a strong command over calculations and concepts.

Keep on continuous revision and evaluation through mock tests.

Work on managing the time efficiently.

Lastly, stay focused!

Also read: 5 scholarships for Engineering students