How to get success in cracking GATE Exam?

For all engineering graduates, GATE is a dream examination which opens a lot of doors for a bright future. Being a national level examination it is a tough nut to crack, but not an impossible one. Lots of students clear the examination every year, but just clearing the GATE examination is of no use, until you get a good rank. A good rank can either get you a seat in the post-graduation course in one of the most reputed institutes in India or a good position in one of the best PSUs in India. While both are a great catch, it is important to know the secret to crack the GATE Examination.

GATE is a national level exam, which is conducted in India for the post-graduation. Students from various science and engineering streams appear for the examination to open new avenues and future opportunities for themselves. Apart from fur5er studies, GATE is also the exam which helps you get a job in PSUs and also research scholarship. Some international colleges too take it o consideration the GATE score for admission.

This year, 2020 the GATE exam was conducted by IIT Delhi and the features for the exam is as follows:

 

Exam features	Description
Exam Duration	3 hours (180 minutes)
Number of Question	65
Total marks	100
Question Type	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions
Numbers sections	3 sections ((General Aptitude, Engineering Mathematics* and Subject Specification Section) *In place of Engineering Mathematics, Chemistry will be compulsory for Life Science (XL) Paper
General Aptitude	The GA section consists of 10 questions. 5 of questions among 10 will carry 1 mark and the rest 5 will carry 2 marks each. Therefore, the total marks for this section is 15 marks.
Marking scheme	MCQs carrying 1 mark each– 1/3 mark will be cut for every wrong answer. MCQs carrying 2 marks – 2/3 marks will be cut for every incorrect response. There is no negative marking for Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions

So now you know the exam features for GATE 2020, so we shall discuss how one can get success in the GATE exam.

Get success in cracking the GATE exam:

There is not one special ingredient which will act as magic for you to crack the GATE exam, instead there are a lot of things that you must keep in mind right from the planning to the preparation and finally the examination phase. The success tips thus will be divided into three phases which will clearly show what is needed where, depending on which phase you are in, you can decide what to take back home.

Starting Phase:

Diagnostic test: Before you begin, take a diagnostic test to determine how much you know right now and how much you are required to study. A diagnostic test will give you a brief about where you are presently and how far you have to travel. So based on your present knowledge pick up a previous year paper or any mock test by some good institute to get a good idea of your knowledge and accordingly make a plan for the future and set your goals.

Know the Syllabus: The diagnostic test will give you a little idea about the syllabus, and after that you must download the syllabus for the GATE exam. The syllabus is extremely important to know what is to be studied, and which topics need to be paid special attention. Along with the technical part, there is also the non-technical part of the GATE syllabus which requires attention. SO make sure you go through the entire syllabus and try to align your studies with the syllabus. You can place the syllabus in front of your desk and whenever you are reading any subject you can just check on the topics you have to read.

Finalise the books: There are hundreds of books available for each subject; different students prefer different books based on their understanding and comfort. Make a list of all the books that are available and choose the ones that you want to read during the preparation. You must finalise on the books, or you may end up just switching books from time to time. You can also use the coaching study material as an addition, as it will give you a summary of all the books.

Set Your Goal: Nothing is impossible; everything can be achieved with just a goal in front and a plan in mind. Similarly for the GATE exam too all you are required to do is set a goal and make a plan on how to achieve those goals. You can either make goals related to individual topics or the complete subject, whichever suits you.  Your plan must clearly all the pointers and topics that you need to do, along with the practise of previous year papers and the mock papers that you have to do with respect to that particular topic or subject.

Early start: If you are planning to give the GATE examination, an early start is always great. So whether you are in your college or done your graduation, you must start as soon as possible. The more time you have in mind, the more you can learn, practise and revise, thus an early start is always a great option.

Preparation Phase:

While the start phase is important, the preparation phase is the most crucial as it determines what you do and how you cover the syllabus. All the planning of the start phase actually comes to light in the preparation phase .So some things that one must follow in the preparation phase in order to ensure success in the GATE examination are:

Have a plan: At this stage you are aware of the start and end point; all you have to do is make a path for the same. This path will be determined on your plan of action that you prepare for the examination. Your plan should be very intricate and practical yet not very rigid.

1. Intricate: This would mean that you must plan everything to the tiniest bit, like solving questions, revising any topic. When your plan is so intricate you will be able to clearly see what all needs to be done and thus will find it easier to go about the preparation.
2. Practical: A practical plan would mean that it should have enough time for your sleep, breaks, lunch and other daily chores. A plan with just time to study is impractical and though you may be able to follow it a week or two , for the long run it will be of no gain to you. SO have a plan which gives you enough time for both studies and leisure, thus a flexible plan.
3. Not Rigid: Do not be very rigid with your plan, a plan is important but you can always amend those plans based on your comfort and requirement. So make a plan which is open to change and do try different plans, so that you can find the best one which suits you. You may listen to toppers and other seniors and make a plan based on their reference, but remember that what worked for them may not work for you, so do not have a rigid plan and keep space for change.

Notes: While studying make sure you make proper notes of everything. Using 10 types of pens is not the trick to make good notes, instead proper knowledge of the concept, explained in your own words is the appropriate way of making notes. During your first reading, just read the concept, in the second and third time you can actually start making notes once you understand the concept.

The notes only make sense if you write them in your own language, as then you will be better be able to relate to those notes, when you re read them. If you only copy the book language in your notes then it is of no use at all. So learn the art of note making and then ensure you make notes of everything that you are reading including the mock papers and previous year papers you attempt.

Clear Concepts: GATE exam is all about concepts and their application, maximum question test how much one understands the concepts, so it is extremely necessary that all the topics are crisp and clear in your head and all the concepts are on your tips. This will give you an edge over all the candidates who will only mug up the concepts and formulae and thus will not be able to perform very well in the examination.

Practise: Practise makes a man perfect and without it all your learning will be in vain. Practise helps you put what you have learnt into application and thus remember it all even better. Through practise one ensures that what they are reading and understanding is correct.

Analyse: No matter how much you read and practise, never forget to analyse if you are heading in the right direction or not. Through analysis, you will be able to better understand your preparation and make necessary amendments to your plan as and when required.

Time Management: In an examination like GATE where you have to attempt 100 questions in 3 hours, time is a great factor. For the preparation phase too it is necessary that you manage your time well so that your syllabus is completed on time and you have enough time for learning, practise and revision.

No procrastination: With a lot of time in hand for preparation students tend to procrastinate everything and leave it for later. Well, avoid doing that completely as tomorrow or later will never come. If you have made plans than you will have things planned for everyday so keeping something for later will cost you marks if you leave it now.

Take Guidance: A good guidance will always act as a blessing during your preparation phase. You can either take guidance from previous year toppers or you can join some coaching for guidance. A good guidance will help you know which books to read, which material to refer, what subjects are important and which topics require special attention.

Stay away from negativity: Negativity is a cruel thing that can play with your mind and disturb you completely. So make sure to stay away from all the negative energy and concentrate on thee am at hand.

After preparation

 This is the phase when the preparation phase is done and the students are very close to giving the main GATE examination. In this phase picking up anything new is a waste of time, so one should concentrate on revision and practise .

1. Revision: All the note making, and paper-solving that was done in the second phase will bear fruits in the third phase where one has to revise everything. If you do not make notes than this phase will be difficult for you will have to read the books all over again. Revise all that you have read through the notes and if possible re attempts the question papers that you solved previously.
2. Stay calm: This is the most critical phase so it is important to maintain your calm and not panic at all. Meet friends with whom you can discuss, watch the inspiring video in your free time and make sure you keep yourself positive.

Success is the GATE examination is a tough task but not an impossible one. If you are still in college, be the early bird and start preparing now, however, if you are done with graduation, you have lesser time for preparation so get going from today and give your full dedication and concentration to the exam. Dedication and concentration are small words but if taken seriously can get you anything in the world you aim for. So instead of dreaming of success, be a success story teller and wear your preparation shoes.

We wish you all the very best for your exam and hope that you achieve all you dream for. Feel free to us if you have any queries related to the exam.

 

 

Dear Aspirants,

Take your GATE exam, ESE exam, and PSUs Interviews preparation to the next level with the MADE EASY YouTube channel. This popular YouTube channel comprises a lot of content for exam aspirants preparing for the ESE and GATE exams with PSUs interviews. It includes Current Affairs, Previous Years’ Questions (PYQs), GATE through Questions (GTQs), Toppers Talk (ESE & GATE), Tips and Tricks, and Job Notifications (Job Box).

So, hurry up, subscribe to the MADE EASY: ESE, GATE, and PSUs YouTube channel now, and never miss an update on new videos.