Practice makes one perfect, but only if done in the right manner. Practicing mock tests, based on the pattern of the GATE exam should form an essential part of your preparation because it shows you how much more you need to prepare and which topics need more attention.
Ideally, you should start by going through the concepts well, which is of course incomplete without practicing the related questions. This is where mock tests come to play. Mock tests can help you simulate giving the real exam. It helps you feel the same amount of pressure, which helps increase your confidence level. Mock tests help you in evaluating the following:
- The right kind of practice – Practice is the key to success therefore solving mock tests is one of the best ways of doing well in the exam. Choosing a test series with the right pattern and appropriate graded level papers is what matters.
- Identify your weak areas – Tricky questions and tedious calculations are the parts where you can mess up. For that, mock tests can help you identify the weak areas that you need to work on and find out which subtopics need your attention.
- Timing is everything – There is a time limit of 3 hours for completing the GATE exam. During this time, each question requires you to think, apply the right concept, do the proper calculations and arrive at the correct answer. Time management is very important and online mock tests are the best choice for practice to answer the maximum number of questions within the stipulated time.
Mock test series offer multiple chances to improve your scores and perform well in the tests. You can keep giving the mock tests until you are satisfied. Mock tests give you your actual score along with the percentile, which informs you of your relative position among all the other test takers around the country. Make sure that each test increases your score, as this will boost your confidence when you give the GATE exam.
Good Luck for GATE 2017!
The author is an alumnus of IIM, Ahmedabad and IIT, Bombay, and the CEO and MD of Thinkcell Learning Solutions Pvt. Ltd., formerly Gateforum Educational Services Pvt. Ltd. He has more than 15 years’ experience in the field of education, in designing, coordinating, marketing and executing classroom-based training programmes.