Only three months are left for the GATE 2020 exam. AS Pandit tells aspirants what they can do to secure a seat in institutes like IITs and NITs

It’s a crucial period for the aspirants of the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2020 scheduled on February 1, 2, 8 and 9. Conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of India (IITs) headed by one institute every year, candidates who end up qualifying the exam are not just eligible to secure a seat in IISc/IITs/NITs for higher education courses like MTech and PhD but can also get hired by various Public Sector Undertakings for high-paying engineering-related jobs.

No wonder, the competitive exam is gaining popularity among the students day by day. However, with just 3 months left for the exam, many of you might have started panicking over how to crack GATE 2020 exam with a good rank. Fret not.

Here is a preparation strategy you must follow to ace the GATE:

Focus on the syllabus

 While you all must be familiar with the syllabus of the exam and the subjects involved, make sure you are thoroughly aware of the latest one and the topics being covered. All questions asked in the examination are directly related to the topics mentioned in the syllabus.

Subject and topic weightage

 Analyse the question papers from the previous 10 years and research on the marks distribution of each subject.This will give you an idea about the core topics to prepare as in the GATE exam,questions are generally asked from the core area of the syllabus, which has to be prepared well.

Keep the fundamentals clear

Unlike other competitive examinations, while preparing for GATE, it is important to clear your basic concepts rather than cramming the formulas. Since simple questions are asked in a tricky format, be thorough with your concepts in order to understand and solve the questions.

Solving previous years’ papers

Now that you have understood the pattern of the questions, start with solving as many mock test papers as possible, followed by the previous year’s question papers. This will help in adapting to the online pattern and assess your preparation.

Based on the test analysis, you can focus on their weak areas. However, keep in mind that the pattern of the examination has changed for the next year.

Focus on high return and easy questions

During preparations, lay emphasis on topics like Engineering Mathematics and General Ability as they carry 30 per cent of the total marks and are fairly easier to score in. You could look at some online lectures to prepare for these topics.

Attempt the easier questions first

You should go through all questions and try solving those questions first, which you find easy and require less time to score qualifying marks.Beware of attempting questions you are not confident of as there is negative marking too. 

Unwind before the exam

When it's just one day left before GATE, stop bothering much about it. Go out for a drive or do anything that relaxes you. Sit for the exam with a rejuvenated mind.

With 90 days in your hand, follow the aforementioned strategy and start your preparation for GATE 2020 exam considering it as your only attempt. However, remember this isn't the end of the world. So, go ahead and give your best shot.