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Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is one of the toughest exams in the world which is taken by Science graduates and is conducted by one of the IITs and IISCs every year. Every year, lakhs of students apply for the GATE entrance exam to apply for M.Tech and PhD courses at IITs and IISCs. It is a national-level exam and is also taken by international students from adjacent countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh. With the GATE scores, one can apply for varied engineering courses in India as well as for fellowships and academic programs abroad. Through this blog, we aim to bring a comprehensive list of GATE preparation tips that can help you ace the exam successfully and get shortlisted into your dream course and university!
This Blog Includes:
GATE Preparation Tips: An Overview
Before imparting you with some useful GATE preparation tips and tricks, it is important that you know the exam structure and pattern to get an idea of how to begin the preparation and how much time students have to devote for each topic. Take a look at the table below that denotes the major details of the GATE exam pattern:
| Particulars | Details for GATE Exam |
| Duration of Exam | 3 hours |
| Number of Sections | 1. General Aptitude 2. Engineering Mathematics (Chemistry for XL Exams) 3. Stream Specific |
| Types of Questions | MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) & NATs (Numerical Answer Types) |
| Number of Questions | 65 |
| Exam Mode | Online |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Sectional Cutoff | None |
GATE Exam Pattern 2021- Section Wise Breakdown
GATE Exam contains 3 sections- General Aptitude, Engineering Maths and Subject Specific Section. The marking scheme for the GATE exam 2021 was changed and here is the new marks breakdown.
For Paper Codes- AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, XH and XL
| Section | Marks Breakdown |
| General Aptitude | 15% |
| Mathematical Engineering | 13% |
| Subject Specific | 72% |
For Paper Codes- AR, CY, EY, GG, MA, PH, XH, and XL
| Section | Marks Breakdown |
| General Aptitude | 15% |
| Subject Specific | 85% |
Scroll down to check the subjects and paper codes for GATE Exam 2022!
Types of Questions
The GATE exam contains three types of questions- Multiple Choice Questions, Numerical Answer Type and Multiple Select Questions
MCQ
| Questions | Marks Per Question | Negative Marking |
| For 1 markers questions | 1 | 1/3 |
| For 2 markers questions | 2 | 2/3 |
NAT
| Questions | Marks Per Question | Negative Marking |
| 1 or 2 marker questions | 1 or 2 | None |
MSQ
| Question | Marks |
| Questions have 1 to 4 correct answers | – |
Check out the following blogs to understand the syllabus of this exam and formulate your GATE preparations accordingly:
Helpful Tips & Tricks
Now that you know the pattern of the test, start gearing yourself for the exam. Below we have listed down some of the major GATE preparation tips that can assist you in successfully cracking the exam:
[optin-monster-shortcode id=”xf2mlnjiouddzrshykdb”]Start Your Preparations Early
Rather than kicking off your preparations hurriedly within a few months before the exam, it is always good to begin early and sort out the different subjects and topics that you need to cover. Segregate the topics you need to strengthen and those in which you have to start from the basics. Then, create a preparation chart that will assist you in preparing a strategy for the exam.
Know the Topic-wise Weightage
Knowledge about topic distribution in the question paper can be extremely helpful in forming a good strategy. One of the key GATE preparation tips given by those who have aced this exam with good scores, you need to go through previous years question papers to get an idea about weightage and the type of questions asked from each topic and subject.
Create a Time-Table
Amongst the important GATE preparation tips, preparing a time table bifurcating the strategy for different sections is extremely significant. You can divide it as per hours and the topics you will be covering each day. Try to bring a suitable combination of subjects in a balanced way so that you can efficiently prepare for the varied sections.
Take Help from Preparation Books
Another significant thing you need to keep in mind is to explore the best books for GATE that can assist you in studying the different sections of the exam. Generally, these competitive exam books have detailed explanation along with analysis of different sections to help students grasp the concepts easily. So, while exploring the list of GATE preparation tips, make sure that you check out the different books, reference and online study material available for it.
Find your Strong & Weak Concepts
Once you are aware of the weightage and ready with the preparation material, locate those sections of the exam where you might need to devote more time and those where you just need revision. It is another key trick in our list of GATE preparation tips as you will able to comprehend your strengths and weaknesses and how they can be utilised and worked upon.
Revise, Revise, Revise!
The mantra of revision is an essential one amongst all the other GATE preparation tips. For every topic you complete, revise it thoroughly in between those days when you are working on other concepts. Don’t put it aside for long as the long syllabus can make you forget those concepts that you have strengthened in a hurry. So, it is always good to come back to those subjects that you begin with and revise them in a timely manner.
Take Mock Tests
The list of GATE preparation tips will surely be incomplete without mentioning how important mock tests are. While revising those concepts that you have covered, you can test your knowledge through the sample papers and mock exams provided in the preparation books and you can find them online as well. While taking a mock test, make sure that you time yourself and assess how many minutes you are devoting to each section. This way, you will be able to locate those concepts that you need to buckle up for and the sections that only require revision.
Best Books for GATE Preparation
The GATE exam will be conducted in 2022 and the best study strategy is to start your preparation early. The GATE exam is conducted for 27 subjects and the syllabus and study material for every exam is different. Courses like Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Here is a list of books for the major courses under GATE exam- Click Here
Tips from GATE 2021 Topper – Amit Gupta AIR 1
GATE Subjects and Paper Codes
| Aerospace Engineering | AE |
| Agricultural Engineering | AG |
| Architecture and Planning | AR |
| Biomedical | BM |
| Biotechnology | BT |
| Civil Engineering | CE |
| Chemical Engineering | CE |
| Computer Science & information Technology | CS |
| Chemistry | CY |
| Electronics & Communication Engineering | EC |
| Electrical Engineering | EE |
| Environmental Science & Engineering | ES |
| Ecology and Evolution | EY |
| Geology and Geophysics | GG |
| Instrumentation Engineering | IN |
| Mathematics | MA |
| Mechanical Engineering | ME |
| Mining Engineering | MN |
| Metallurgical Engineering | MT |
| Petroleum Engineering | PE |
| Physics | PH |
| Production and Industrial Engineering | PI |
| Statistics | ST |
| Textile Engineering and Fibre Science | TF |
| Engineering Sciences | XE |
| Humanities and Social Sciences | XH |
| Life Sciences | XL |
Check out: GATE vs GRE
FAQs
Starting GATE preparation is early is the best study strategy for cracking one of the toughest exams in India. Starting early, making a time table, studying the weightage and questions are some preparation tips for GATE 2022.
Candidates generally devote 5-6 hours daily to prepare for the exam.
GATE and JEE are considered amongst the hardest exams in India. Candidates often take gap years to prepare for GATE and JEE exams.
Yes, candidates can sit for 2 different subject papers covered under the GATE exam.
GATE is a online computer based exam conducted at a national level for candidates interested in pursuing post-graduation and doctoral programmes at top engineering colleges.
Yes, there is negative marking in GATE.
Thus, we hope that you found the above-mentioned GATE preparation tips useful. If you are gearing up for any such competitive exam and want professional guidance, reach out to our Leverage Edu experts and we’ll equip you with essential tips and tricks that can assist you in qualifying your test with flying colours.
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