GATE Preparation Tips: Do's & Don’ts For Cracking GATE
GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is one of the most prestigious competitive entrance exams in India for aspirants who wish to enrol in post-graduate courses in the engineering or science field. This entrance exam offers you opportunities in masters programmes like Master of Engineering, Master of Technology, Doctor of Philosophy, or jobs in public sector companies.
GATE is administered by the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institutes of Technology of Roorkee, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Chennai, and Mumbai. Aspirants who wish to excel in the field of engineering or secure jobs in the public sector should appear for GATE. A good score in GATE can assure you of admissions to prestigious institutes like IIT, IISC, NIT, or any other renowned college across the country.
In spite of being labelled as one of the toughest entrance exams, a huge number of candidates apply for GATE. To sail through this passionate competition and score well in this entrance exam, you must ensure that you leave no stone unturned in your GATE preparation. It is a lot of work, but sincerity and discipline can help you get closer to your dreams.
No amount of preparation can be enough if you are not strategic about it. Here are some do’s and don’ts to follow throughout your GATE preparation that can help you perform your best.
Do’s for the GATE exam
1. Be thorough with the syllabus and exam pattern
One of the most important GATE preparation tips is to first understand what you are preparing for. Knowing the syllabus gives you direction to plan your studies. The GATE 2022 examination has 29 subjects in total, out of which you can choose one to two subjects that are relevant to your interests. If you want to pick two subjects, then you have to choose from the combinations available.
This is a 3-hour long online examination, which comes in two sections: general aptitude and your chosen subject. The questions are designed to test your abilities like problem-solving, analytical thinking, comprehension, and application. There will be a total of 65 questions, and each question may carry a weightage of either one to two marks. It is important that you check the syllabus and pattern on the official website and keep up with their updates.
2. Start preparing early
Everybody learns at their own pace. If this is your first attempt at the GATE examination, it is hard to gauge the amount of time it will take you for preparation. It is best to start preparing months before your examination date. Build a schedule for yourself and follow through with it. This will give you enough time to learn and revise.
3. Focus on strengths and weaknesses
The prime GATE preparation strategy is to focus on both your strengths and weaknesses. If you are good at one subject or certain concepts, that’s a great booster for you. But at the same time, if you are falling short of learning some other parts of your syllabus, it is important that you stay focused and confident. You will have enough time to work on weaknesses, but what’s necessary is to be aware of them and work towards getting better.
4. Pick your subjects wisely
Picking one of two subjects out of a total of 29 subjects can be overwhelming. But you can make a calculated decision by going through the syllabus and understanding the weightage and difficulty level of each paper. Above all of this, make sure that you choose a subject that you are inclined towards and that you want to master.
Don’ts for the GATE exam
1. Don’t study mindlessly
GATE preparation will involve you learning concepts, theories, formulas, etc. and working on your recall skills. Hence, it is important that you go through each section of your paper, study them meticulously, and not just mug up the entire syllabus. Critical thinking is an important part of excelling in your GATE scores.
2. Don’t skip revisions
One of the prime reasons for starting early GATE preparations is so that you have enough time to revise. But know that revisions should occur on a regular basis and should not be saved for the day before your exam. You can revise the concepts and formulas on a daily basis, solve old question papers after you have finished with your syllabus, or even just skim through the entire syllabus once.
3. Don’t skip last-minute preparations
When we talk about last-minute preparations, the focus is on brushing up on your knowledge till the last moment, instead of saving everything to learn at the last moment. Appearing for online mock tests is the best way to do your last-minute preparations. They are timed, come with a unique set of questions, and the quick results give you enough time to reflect on your performance.
4. Don’t look for multiple study materials
GATE preparation books should be definite and you should not go looking for multiple study materials as that might distract you. You can definitely use online resources to help you clarify your concepts, but keep them limited and precise.
Pearson’s GATE books can be your reliable source throughout your preparation. They have detailed explanations of concepts and use illustrations for impactful learning. The books also include question banks to help you revise and test your abilities. They also have a collection of question papers from previous years. This is your one-stop destination when it comes to GATE preparation.