HOW TO PRPARE GATE (MECHANICAL ENGINEER) EXAMINATION

Question: What should be the strategy?If you are aiming for IIT or any PSU your fundamentals should be strong enough. In our branch basic subjects are SOM, TOM, THERMODYNAMICS, FLUID, HMT, PRODUCTION PROCESS, and MATERIAL SCIENCE. Basic subject will cover 60 to 70% of the paper. If you have a strong command over your basic subject it will take less time cover other application based subjects like RAC, ICE, MD etc. For an example u may heard that RAC is a tough subject. But I am telling you that if you have a good command over THERMODYNAMICS u will cover GATE syllabus of RAC in only 2 weeks. Same thing is also applicable with MD and SOM. All question of GATE are not same level but these are mixed some easy and some conceptual. After all scoring max marks is our prime target.

Question: Should I Join Coaching?                                                                                

Coaching is a helpful supplement only & it is useless without self-discipline. It contributes to 20% for your study preparation rest 80% you have to do your own. But yes you can  do it without coaching by taking the Question Paper/ Model Paper. But yes I will suggest   you should join any test series from any coaching institute to self-analyze yourself. Coaching will simply support you to achieve your target. Without your personal dedicated effort it is impossible to achieve it (unless you’re lucky enough). Study plan is a very crucial part of preparation. A strategy depends on your target, resources available, time available & your internal qualities like your strength & weakness. So, you can understand everybody should have their own strategy. It is not necessary that the strategy given success to me, will also give u the same result. Make your own study plan and don't copy other

Question: How many hours I should Study to get a good score in GATE?

Answer: Frankly speaking I don’t know answer of this question. This is the toughest question to answer and I think there cannot be direct answer to this question. It varies for individual to individual and from time to time. But for sure following rules apply:

Regular studies give better results

Follow a time table

Practice Last year question From GATE exam

Have good gaps in between for recreation/sports.

Try puzzles quizzes to sharpen your brain.

Test yourself regularly to see where you stand and plan accordingly.

MORE OR LESS STICK TO BASICS IT WILL BE GOOD

Have a contact with Gate Qualified candidates those can guide about basic trend.

Notes making is a very good practice. Make notes short and concise. Maintain formulas, short-cuts and tips/tricks in notes. This will help you set your targets and get ready for the big day. Take practice tests and solve previous year questions to get an idea where do you stand. If you are getting fewer score put a little more extra effort. Just don’t give it. Believe me IITs are worth giving a hard try you will enjoy you success later.

GATE-180 minute-100 Marks. It is not like a semester exam in which chance of scoring good marks (i.e greater than 70) is very few. Frankly speaking don’t aim for too high because 2011 year gate topper got 87.67 marks and cutoff was around 30 (last year was one of the easiest papers in gate past 10 years ) This year 2012 topper marks was 92 but cut off down to 27 around. So don’t expect to higher marks. Soon after giving the paper try to attempt the questions known to u. so, you will get confidence after attempting so you can attempt remaining. Don’t give fluke answers. It’s going to cost too much. Last year one of my friend has attempted for 42 marks and he is very sure that max attempted will be correct but last in half hour he has put some guess of 10-15 questions and at last he got 29 marks. Don’t depend upon your luck. If your effort is 70% and the remaining 25% depend upon your time management and exam conditions and the remaining is your luck. So be cool and confident in the exam.

Don’t think about the composition and how the paper will be? If it is tough it will be tough to all.

Prefer combined study because u can share the information easily and it will save your time. But group must not be more than 3 including you. And follow group study after 2-3 days of your revision.

Don’t leave any topic at least have an idea about that because he can give easy one in which u haven’t studied. So try to remember the formulae.

Analyze you the distribution of marks by seeing the last year’s papers.

Instead of studying of a single subject in a single day. Divide the day for two subjects apart and u will get interest if you study like that.

Practice well don’t follow the books which only for gate. Use those books for practicing purpose..

Prefer studying text books which you have followed in u r curriculum.

Memory techniques:

Learn from the general to the specific: Scan through the whole book and get an idea of the course content. Then start learning chapter by chapter or section by section.

Make it meaningful

Create associations: Think of something related to the topic and create associations with it. This helps the memory process.

Learn it once, actively: Involve your body the first time you learn something. Sit up, sit on the edge of your chair or walk while studying. Some believe that the brain works better in a standing position.

Relax: When we are relaxed, we absorb new information quicker and recall it with greater accuracy.

Create pictures: Use diagrams and cartoons to connect facts and illustrate relationships.

Recite and repeat: When you recite something aloud, you anchor the information by hearing and by seeing. The combined result is synergetic. When you repeat something, you create a trail through the pathways of your brain, making the information easier to find

Write it down: Writing a note to yourself helps you to remember an idea, even if you never look at the note again.

Reduce interference: Don’t sit near a TV or a refrigerator while studying. These may distract you.

Escape the short term memory gap: A short review within minutes or hours of a study session can move material from the short term memory to the long term memory.

Distribute learning: Marathon study sessions are not very effective. You can get far more done in three one hour sessions than in one three hour session. Change subject of study after one hour to a new subject.

Use daylight for study: Study the most difficult subjects during day hours. The early morning hours can be more productive for most people.

Overlearn: Learn more than what is needed. Do the assigned problems and then do more problems.

Choose what not to store in memory: Decide what is essential to remember from a reading assignment or lecture Extract the core concepts. Then apply the memory techniques to those concepts.

And remember you never forget: Develop a strong belief that you will never forget it.  Keep saying “my memory serves    me well” or even “I never forget.”