COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GATE. IT IS NOT ONLY FOR IITIANS

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Common Misconceptions about GATE. It is not only for IITians. GATE is a computer-based national aptitude test. It is jointly conducted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). The exam is conducted on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB)-GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE), and the Government of India. The test measures your knowledge of not only how much you have learnt but also how well you can think on your feet. GATE is that lesser-known backdoor access to IITs that is arguably as important as any other exam. The exam comes as another opportunity for those students who failed to get into IITs and NITs through JEE. Many students aim to fulfil their aspirations by acing GATE Exam. The exam score has validity for 3 years i.e. you can take admission in MTech in IITs or NITs in 2023, 2024, and 2025 based on your score if you scored well in the 2023 GATE exam. Since you have read this far, you’ve decided to take the plunge and crack the GATE examination. That’s awesome as you have landed on the right page. We have got you covered. In today’s blog, we would acquaint you with the basic exam details and would demystify all the misconceptions related to it. This would leave no place for doubts or fears. At the end of the blog, we have also listed a few tips for you that would help you succeed.

Key Highlights of GATE 2023

• Mode of Application- Online

• Mode of Exam- Computer-based

• Duration- 3 hours

• Type of Exam- Objective

• Number of Subject Papers- 29

• Organizing body- IIT Kanpur

• Question Patterns - MCQ, MSQ, and NAT

• Number of Questions- 10 (GA) + 55 (subject) = 65 Questions

• Score Validity- Three years

• Age Limit- NO

• Marking Scheme- Questions carry 1 mark and 2 marks

• Negative Marking- Yes( 33.33 percent negative marking)

• Maximum Number of subject papers allowed- 2

[A candidate can appear in ANY ONE or UP TO TWO papers of the GATE examination. However, note that the combination of TWO papers in which a candidate can appear MUST be selected from the pre-defined list as given in the brochure for GATE. Even if a candidate is appearing for TWO papers, the candidate should fill ONLY ONE application form.]

List of GATE 2023 Papers and Corresponding Codes

GATE Paper- Corresponding Code

• Aerospace Engineering AE

• Agricultural Engineering AG 

• Architecture and Planning AR 

• Biomedical Engineering BM 

• Biotechnology BT 

• Civil Engineering CE 

• Chemical Engineering CH 

• Computer Science and Information Technology CS 

• Chemistry CY

• Electronics and Communication Engineering EC

• Electrical Engineering EE 

• Environmental Science & Engineering ES 

• Geomatics Engineering GE 

• Geology and Geophysics GG

• Instrumentation Engineering IN

• Mathematics MA

• Mechanical Engineering ME

• Mining Engineering MN

• Metallurgical Engineering MT

• Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering NM

• Petroleum Engineering PE

• Physics PH

• Production and Industrial Engineering PI

• Statistics ST

• Textile Engineering and Fibre Science TF

• Engineering Sciences XE*

• Ecology and Evolution EY 

• Humanities & Social Sciences XH**

• Life Sciences XL***

Demystifying common myths related to GATE

1. Myth: It is only for IITians

Fact: Any candidate who has already completed any government-approved degree program in Engineering / Technology / Architecture / Science / Commerce / Arts or is currently studying in the 3rd or higher years of any undergraduate degree program is eligible to appear for the GATE 2022 examination. Although there are no such eligibility criteria which state that this examination is only for IITians, there is a misconception among students that only those from IITs can clear it. Every student has an equal chance of clearing this exam. With a good amount of practice and preparation, you can crack this exam from any background.

2. Myth: Qualifying it means guaranteed admissions

Fact: Admission to any institute even through GATE scores is fully dependent on the respective institute’s criteria for educational qualification. It is not an admission-ensuring examination.

3.Myth: Qualifying for the examination means assured recruitment at PSU jobs

Fact: It is clearly mentioned in the brochure for 2022 that the GATE committee is not liable for any legal obligations related to admission/job. It completely depends on the recruitment procedure of the concerned PSU(Public Sector Undertaking) you are taking into consideration.

4. Myth: All topics of graduation must be prepared, only then can one confidently appear for the paper

Fact: It is not required to study all the subjects and topics of graduation in order to ace in the exam. The exam requires smart preparation and planning. Being familiar with the syllabus is the first step towards it. Not all the topics you have studied during your graduation are a part of the syllabus. You can also analyze the previous year papers and can priorities learning the topics that have frequently come in the examination. The topics from which no or limited questions are asked could be less prioritized if you have less time for preparation.

5. Myth: In order to crack the exam, one must start the GATE preparation right from college

Fact: You should start preparing for the exam as soon as you decide to give it. If you are sure you want to give the exam right from college, then you must start preparing. In case you decide to prepare for the exam after you leave college, you can do it. There is no age restriction for the examination. So as long as you are eligible for an admission or a PSU recruitment, you have an equal probability of success as that of a fresher from college.

6. Myth: Success in the exam comes to those who are lucky

Fact: There is no luck without perspiration. While luck is not in your hands, hard work is. Sincerely prepare for your goal and you would be able to draw luck like any other successful person.

7. Myth: The more questions you attempt, the more marks you fetch

Fact: For each wrong answer that you attempt, there is a negative marking. Carefully answer all the questions. It’s okay to miss a few questions than make a wild guess. Every wrong answer will penalize you by taking a fraction of marks from the marks you have gained by answering the other questions correctly. For a wrong answer chosen in a MCQ, there will be negative marking. For 1-mark MCQ, 1/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer. Likewise, for 2-mark MCQ, 2/3 mark will be deducted for a wrong answer. Avoid attempting questions which are alien to your understanding with calculated guesswork.

8. Myth: Since lakhs of aspirants give this exam, the competition is mad

Fact: It is true that Lakhs of aspirants give the GATE exam but only few get good results in GATE. This is because the real competition is really between those 2k-3k serious aspirants who study systematically and consistently. You can easily compete with them if you keep your fears aside and prepare diligently to get clarity of concepts with systematic planning and consistency in learning.

Tips for Clearing the GATE examination

Here are a few tips that can help you prepare well:

1. Structure an effective study plan such that it is realistic and productive. By keeping in mind your syllabus, make a plan with sufficient time for every subject. Set daily, weekly and monthly targets and keep track of them. 

2. Use your time judiciously while taking breaks. Also include separate time-slots for revision and breaks. Your breaks should not make you feel more tired. Instead, they should help you feel refreshed.

3. Make a list of formulas and concepts in brief form. This would help you to revise your concepts quickly.

4. Take mock tests and evaluate your preparation. Also attempt previous year questions regularly. Learning how to effectively manage time while answering with accuracy is the key to ace this exam.

5. Use Virtual Calculators while solving questions. Being able to seamlessly use the virtual calculator would increase your chances of fetching a good score.

Conclusion

We tried to clear all the misconceptions we knew students had made in their minds. Hopefully, having cleared these misconceptions would boost your confidence and would give you the much needed self-motivation.