GATE or Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an exam conducted for candidates seeking admission in research and engineering. The total number of subjects offered is 24 and candidates are eligible to apply for one at a time. However, a big question creeping in minds of all candidates is how to prepare for GATE exam? Some tell to prepare on a strict schedule with intense learning methods while others have their own tips and tricks.
But the strength, dedication and determination of self are the key aspects in achieving this goal. GATE syllabus 2019 is similar to that of respective undergraduate courses. So in order to attain full preparation, the candidate has to be regular and thorough with his concepts.
Let us know about certain tips and tricks to follow while GATE preparation.
Tips for preparation
Starting with preparation
Before getting started with actual preparation, the candidate has to know if he/she is eligible to apply for the exam. After checking the eligibility, the candidate needs to develop a sense of self confidence and dedication for his goal. Also start preparing as early as possible and be regular with your studies in undergraduate course as the syllabus is the same.
Knowledge of exam pattern and syllabus
Like while playing a game you need to know a set of rules to gain victory. Similarly it is very important to know the pattern and syllabus of the exam you are preparing for. The full exam syllabus is all available on the official website topic wise for each of the 24 papers.
GATE Exam pattern 2019: A total of 65 questions are asked for 100 marks. The question paper contains MCQ and numerical questions. There is negative marking for multiple choice questions so the candidate should choose carefully.
However, there is no negative marking for numerical questions. The best way to know the pattern is to solve previous years question papers to get a perfect idea of the type of questions asked.
Weightage of Topics
Knowing the weightage is very important exercise in knowing which topic or type of question is more important than the other. This can be done by going through previous years question papers. Go through each question and mark from which topic or section it belongs to. In this way, you can get a fair idea of which topic covers more weightage.
Planning
Like any other entrance exam, GATE is very tough to crack and requires a lot of effort and time. So it is very important to have a proper time table to acquire effective results. The planning might include going through question papers, mark the weightage of each topic, keeping daily or monthly targets and making notes for each topic.
The best way to learn important formulae is to make notes. Also, one important point is not to depend on just topics with more weightage and prepare even the topics with less weightage.
Study Material
The most important part of GATE preparation is study material from which a candidate studies. Check books to refer and prepare from them. Many of the toppers have blogs and Facebook pages sharing their preparation experiences. There are also various closed groups on Facebook through which you can ask queries and read various experiences of toppers.
Focus on other sections
Apart from subject specific section, there are two more sections which constitutes of 30 marks. The two sections are engineering mathematics and general aptitude. Engineering mathematics is as per graduate or qualifying level course and General Aptitude can be prepared by practicing CAT paper.
Focus on concepts
Conceptual knowledge is very important for the preparation of GATE exam as most questions are concept based. Also, it is important to master calculations when it comes to solving numerical questions.
Time Management
Divide your course according to the time left for preparation. Also make targets and try to achieve them in stipulated time. It is also very important to relax and take rest. So, give some time to extra-curricular activities to ensure more effective learning.
Revision
One more thing which is as important as preparation is revision. Make notes while preparing and save them for later to revise easily especially various formulas and equations. Also try to evaluate yourself after studying each topic to get an understanding of the level of your preparation.
You can sure achieve your goal of cracking GATE by determination and right methods of preparation.