How should we prepare for GATE Exam 2021?

GATE Exam 2021 is one of the most prestigious exam in the engineering domain, witnessing several candidates every year. With tough competition, one of the most asked questions is “How to Prepare for GATE Exam 2021?” For this very reason, GATEFLIX presents a whole blog on “How to Prepare for GATE Exam 2021”, which is a compilation of factors to help you boost your preparation and aid in cracking the GATE Examination. The tips have been compiled after referring to the advice given by previous GATE Exam toppers and experts. Read the full article to know more about ‘How to Prepare for GATE Exam 2020’. GATE is conducted annually and acts as an entrance examination for M.Tech. from IITs, NITs, etc. GATE Exam 2021 scores are also taken into consideration for recruitment in some PSUs.

1. Start as early as possible

The initiative of starting early to prepare for GATE Exam 2021 should be undertaken. By beginning the preparation process early, you will be able to plan your studies and collect the materials which you’ll be needing to study. Just by starting the preparation beforehand, you have won half the war. This will ensure that you have enough time to strategize and to study the various concepts and topics present in the GATE Exam syllabus for 2021. Ensure that no day is wasted and time is utilized to its fullest, parallelly prioritizing your health and sleep.

2. Get thorough with the GATE Exam 2021 Syllabus and GATE Exam Pattern

One of the most important things to make sure while starting your preparation for any GATE exam, is to know the syllabus thoroughly such that you can strategize efficiently.

3. Another important tip is to be familiar with the exam pattern of GATE exam 2021

A good understanding of the GATE Exam pattern will let you know how to go ahead on the path of GATE Exam preparation process. It is very essential to know the GATE Exam pattern since the GATE Exam has many types of questions and also consists of compulsory sections. The knowledge of the GATE Exam pattern will give good clarity to the candidates on how to prepare for GATE Exam 2021.

GATE Exam Pattern for GATE 2021 is as below:

4. Note the weightage of your strong subjects in GATE Exam 2021:

Knowledge about the topic distribution in the GATE Exam question paper is a good strategy to be adapted during GATE Exam preparation purposes. You can go through the previous year’s GATE Exam question papers to see how the topics and concepts were divided for the examination. By getting a rough idea of the weightage, you can concentrate on those topics which seem to have more questions and weighs more marks in the question paper. Knowing topic-wise distribution is a great way to start your preparation for the GATE exam 2021.

5. Personalised study plan is a must for GATE exam preparation:

The next step after checking the GATE Exam syllabus and topic weightage is to draft an individual study plan. A customised GATE Exam study plan helps in dividing the study timetable subject-wise according to your preferences. By preparing a study plan, you will be able to equally give your time to an allotted chapter or topic while squeezing in time for mock tests, sample paper practice and also some rest. The following points can be remembered while preparing the GATE Exam study plan:

• Set targets, on daily – weekly and monthly basis.
• Remember to evenly divide GATE Exam topics into difficult, moderate and easy sections.
• Schedule your GATE Exam topics in a way that it doesn’t look too repetitive.
• Give more importance to the topics which have the highest possibilities of being asked in the GATE Exam 2021.
• Make sure you solve enough number of mock tests and sample papers of GATE Exam and also keep a track of all your scores checking your graph.
• Break time and its duration should be slotted in a way that you remain fresh even during long study hours.

Similarly, the following points should be avoided while the study plan is being prepared for GATE Exam 2021:

• Do not overcrowd a single slot with too many tough or difficult topics of GATE Exam, either way round, take only a couple at a time.
• Do not forget to arrange revision time after finishing every single chapter.
• Do not follow anyone else’s schedule. Make your study plan for GATE Exam 2021 Preparations it shall fit best to your taste and help you in a better way.

6. Usage of GATE Exam Reference books is necessary.

A lot of books are often named for references by previous year toppers, which would help in GATE Exam 2021 preparation. While the textbooks can be used for studying, it is recommended that extra books should also be looked into to get that extra boost.

7. Focus on Engineering Mathematics and Aptitude Test

If prepared well, you can score well in these two compulsory sections of GATE Exam 2021 paper. Since these two sections are said to constitute of basic topics, you can prepare well and raise your scores. While Mathematics can be studied along the lines of Engineering, the section of general aptitude can be prepared through newspapers and the past papers of other competitive exams such as CAT and more. The following books can be referred to for Engineering Mathematics:

• Engineering Mathematics – Erwin Kreyszig
• Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications – Kenneth Rosen
• Engineering Mathematics – BS Garewal

8. Importance of Clear-Headed Concepts

There is a high need for clear-headed concepts while attempting GATE Exam 2021. A good conceptual understanding will be able to help you during the GATE examination as it will make the questions explanatory which may eventually lead to a correct answer. By having a clear understanding of the concepts, you will be able to apply the concepts accordingly to the questions and solve them instead of relying on rote memory. If there are any doubts about the GATE Exam concepts, you can always approach your teachers and fellow students to understand it. Social media groups dedicated to GATE Exam preparation can also be very helpful in clearing doubts.

Along with understanding the concepts, there is also a need to improve the calculation skills for the GATE examination. While a virtual calculator will be provided at the GATE Exam centre, it is a bit more complicated than a regular calculator and so it is advised that it should not be fully relied upon.

9. Revision for GATE Exam Preparation

Revision is one of the major factors of how to prepare for GATE Exam 2021. It is very important to assign enough time for revision during preparation for GATE Exam 2021. After studying and learning any particular topics or concepts, revision should always be done frequently to not forget what was learned. The revision will aid in the understanding of the topics or concepts and make you more knowledgeable. This will also act as an evaluation to check how much of the studied topics have you retained. During revision, you can create small notes which you can later refer to in case you have difficulty remembering it.

10. Time Management is Essential

“Time waits for none”. This quote holds for GATE Exam preparation. One of the major factors to focus on during preparation for GATE Exam 2021 is time management. Division of time for studying, revision, practising sample papers and attempting mock test should be done earlier and systematically. While planning the time management, personal abilities, strengths and weaknesses should be considered. Enough time should be given to oneself to properly prepare for the exam while leaving out time for the essential revision.

Here are some more tips which can be followed to prepare for GATE Exam 2021:

• Analyse your preparation. After completing every mock test or solving sample papers, it is important to check and try to correct all of the wrong answers marked by you. This will ensure that you will not wrongly answer the same question next time.
• It is important to take care of your health. Make sure to eat healthy food and to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep will just make it hard for you to study.
• Do not give up on co-curricular activities. It is important to indulge in things other than studies for a while to refresh the mind.

Keep being motivated and focus on your preparation.