Tips-How to Prepare for GATE 2014?

The Graduate Admission Test in Engineering (GATE) is an All-India level examination for aspirants who are interested in pursuing Masters/Direct PhD in India or Abroad. More than 12 Lac students had applied for GATE 2013. These figures send the message clear and loud that if you are aspiring for admission in top institutes like IIT, NIT, IISC etc. or a high paying job in Public Secor Undertakings (PSU) you need to work hard.
ut before we start, here are 3 Mantras for you to keep in mind:

• If you are a student who has studied in an average rated engineering college in your undergraduation (BE/BTech) and always criticized and cribbed about your college, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY! Give it a good shot and prove your worth by cracking GATE 2014!
  

• Unlike CAT, where your previous academic and non academic performance matters along with work experience, GATE is based on scoring well in a single exam and provides you an open ground to compete. You can beat the students from top engineering colleges like IITs/NITs etc. with your efforts.

• Don't feel depressed if near and dear ones don’t consider you worthy of cracking GATE.  If you really want to do it, DO IT. And if you doubt yourself please drop the plan to appear in GATE and find some other option that fascinates you.

1.The First Leap!
Firstly, start believing that GATE 2014 is your goal. Till the time you don’t really believe that GATE 2014 is your GOAL all the planning and management will turn up to be waste.
The first step would be to ensure that you have read all the information about the exam, its pattern, eligibility, syllabus etc.
Make up your mind for the preparation. This seems like a light statement but merely reading the preparation strategies would get the exam modalities clear for you. What we are discussing with you here in this article has to be implemented with whole hearted efforts.
If you are currently pursuing your qualifying degree/recently completed it, you are already in touch with the study environment and concepts & topics. Use it to your advantage.
Click Here for all you need to know about GATE 2014. Bookmark this page and visit for all the latest updates related to GATE 2014.


2. Use Proper Resources and Books
Selection of books is very crucial. Ensure you have opted for the right books and material. Consult with the faculty at your coaching institute or college for the same as well.
Buy previous year question papers with solutions so that you have a proper understanding about the paper pattern. Ensure that you completely solve the previous year questions properly. Since GATE 2014 comes with the new online pattern for the first time, you need to refer to the old pattern resources at the moment for previous year analysis.

3. Plan your study well
GATE covers the syllabus of roughly 3-4 years of Engineering (Considering the subjects and concepts of First year comes as part of the application) so some subjects have a higher weight age than the others.
Analyze the focus area subjects as per your branch and the level of command you have on the subjects. Keep the syllabus of GATE 2014 handy and plan your timetable as per the syllabus only. Keep in mind that even if a subject has lower weight age compared to others, it also contributes to the question paper.

4. Manage the syllabus and topics
Never have the mindset of ignoring some specific subjects completely. The moment you build this negative mindset you will not be able to cover these subjects till the end. Do a realistic allocation of time for each subject. You need to cover each topic thoroughly because the syllabus is huge and questions can be asked from anywhere.




5. Make concise notes and ready to revise material
Always keep short notes of each chapter which you can revise often. They will be very helpful in the last 30 days when revising directly from the book would be difficult.
You may follow it the way you want- underlining the important details, highlighting the key points, having a separate notebook for key information and formulae, making flash cards for formulae and key points, short forms or remembering the details with the initials of a song or any other new way which makes you learn the topics well!

6. Test yourself frequently!
Once you cover a topic/subject, refer to the GATE previous year papers and check your level to know where you stand. Don’t refer to solutions after one failed attempt. Give 2-3 attempts before you decide to refer to the solutions.
If you feel some topics are still weak and can be improved with revision don’t ignore it. Prepare yourself in the best way for those tough 3 hours in the exam hall.


7. Analyze where you stand-Mock Tests
If you have enrolled for some Test Series, it will help you to have a regular check mechanism of where you stand. This will be self analysis and will help you to know the areas that demand more efforts.
If you have not enrolled for any test series with an institute you may apply for the same online or purchase a book/CD/DVD for self practice. Be honest to yourself because if you are doing it at home you are not being proctored. You may ask your parents to ensure you have a peaceful silent environment for the test.
Analyze your performance in mock tests such that you  understand the topics you were not able to attempt or those that consumed a lot of your time.
Since GATE 2014 would be online from 2014, ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ATTEMPTED SOME SAMPLE TESTS ONLINE.

8. Complete the preparation on time
One of the very important things is to ensure that you complete your syllabus on time. Avoid being in a situation where you miss some chapters or a subject completely. Plan your studies accordingly and time it well.
Ensure that you complete your syllabus at least 45 days before. Start solving sample papers and appearing in Mock Examination frequently in this period. Ensure you revise all your topics in the first 30 days of this 45 Day timeline.
In the last 15 days solve GATE previous year questions and attempt more mock papers.

9. Time Management-The Success Mantra
Time Management sounds like an easy task but is very complex. Have you made timetables in the past? And how many times did you strictly followed them?
If your answer is NO, given below are some points to understand how to do plan properly for GATE 2014.
Make a month-wise plan on what topics you will be covering and when. If you have joined some coaching institute, they will give you a schedule as well. You can plan as per the same too.
If you have not joined any classes, there is nothing to panic. Make your own plan. If you want to ensure you are doing it right or just to make yourself feel better, discuss it with friends who have joined some coaching and compare the same.
Make a daily timetable. And paste it on the wall exactly in front of the table you study. Now that you have made a timetable, ensure you follow it.

10. Cut off time from less important activities
Figure out the less needed activities. They may be sleeping overtime, TV, internet, partying etc. It’s okay to skip these activities or reduce the time you invest in them for the goal you are working for.

Stop using the internet beyond the limit. 2 hours are more than sufficient to track any exam updates, surf internet, use Facebook or for other recreational activities. Also, It’s not a rule to watch a movie every weekend! If you have that habit, put a pause on  it for this year. It will give you proper time to manage your studies.

Mark the words: It is not tough to crack GATE! All you need is a certain level of commitment and dedication. Give GATE 2014 Preparation your best attempt. We wish you good luck.

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