As the exam date approaches for GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) 2017, PaGaLGuY spoke to an expert, Dr Indrani Kelkar, Assistant Vice President of Academics, GateForum, for tips which will help candidates perform better.
Here are her top 10 tips:
1. Avoid starting new topics. Focus only on topics that you are confident with.
2. Solve as many previous year GATE question papers as far as possible during this period.
3. Revise only important formulae now.
4. Revise important concepts sub-topic wise and read through solutions of previous GATE questions on those concepts.
5. Time management during the last few days and during the three hours of paper time is the key for best results. Don’t waste too much time on a single question; attempt only known questions. The penalty for a wrong answer (for the Multiple-Choice Questions) is a severe 33 per cent and hence candidates should answer questions carefully to maximize their marks.
6. Check your schedule and visit your allotted centre to avoid searching for the venue on the test day.
7. Avoid overnight preparations especially the night before your GATE exam.
8. Solve a few General Ability Questions to refresh between core topics study.
9. One day before GATE, stop thinking about it. Read your favorite book or just sleep a few hours; do anything that relaxes you. Appear for the exam with a fresh mind.
10. Don’t get distracted with things happening around you with regards to friends and family.
While some candidates started their GATE 2017 preparations way back in June 2016, some candidates may be starting their preparation this close to the exam date. Dr Kelkar also shared a couple of tips for candidates who will take GATE in February, 2017, but have not studied for it at all.
– Go through all the instructions given before starting the exam. Have a look at all the questions given in the question paper. This will be basic training for your attempt next year.
– Remember that GATE is not the end of the world: Put your best foot forward and do not worry excessively about the results as you have studied basic concepts. Attempt questions on Engineering, Math, and General Ability. Sometimes, qualifying marks can make you chose a better career.
Click here to read “GATE preparation itself makes students better engineers,” says Dr Indrani Kelkar, GateForum