Here is how you can prepare for GATE 2021 in 3 months!

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, commonly known as GATE, is scheduled to be held across the country in the month of February 2021 and while there still is time to prepare for the said examination, every minute must be used judiciously to ace the test. The exam tests the knowledge of candidates in a variety of domains and judges them on their comprehensive understanding of undergraduate subjects in engineering and technology. 

So, it is advised to have a well-planned strategy in place to ensure that you do not miss out on anything. But if you don’t already have that, worry not! Your messiah is here. Read on to learn the crucial tips and tricks that answer the most important and critical question of today’s article - how to prepare for GATE in 3 months? 

General exam pattern - GATE 2021

To give you an idea of the exam pattern, we have listed below a few details that you must be aware of. 

Know the syllabus and pattern of examination

The very first step of preparation involves having a thorough knowledge of the ocean you’re stepping into. In other words, you must have an in-depth understanding of the syllabus of the examination as well as the pattern of the test, especially one that’s been followed in the last five years. Once you’re familiar with the syllabus and the pattern, you’ll know which topics to study and the schedule you must follow to crack the test with ease. The pattern will also give you a fair idea of how the exam is conducted and the necessary steps you must take to prepare for GATE in the coming months. 

Fix a schedule to study

The next step is to prepare a personalized schedule that keeps into account the number of subjects and the hours devoted to each topic amongst other things. Divide the units and topics as per your choice and keep a track of your progress. Often, having a fixed study schedule pulls you away from diversion of all sorts. 

Pro tip: When preparing your schedule, keep in mind that the units and topics must be divided in a manner such that the study hours do not become monotonous. Also, devote more time to subjects that you find difficult. 

Clear doubts and confusions as and when you face them

Once you start your preparation, there will be instances where you will find yourself in a fix. This happens when you either get stuck in a topic or are unable to solve questions. The best way out is to resolve your doubts and queries before you keep that subject or topic aside. The sooner you clear your doubts, the more they will stick with you and the better your preparation will be. Reach out to your fellow students and professors and have healthy discussions on the topic of concern. You can also try joining various online study groups; they will help you maintain a steady pace for preparation. 

Revise. Revise. Revise

Mugging up the entire syllabus and solving questions is necessary. But what’s equally important when discussing how you can prepare for GATE is revision. You must essentially devote at least a couple of hours for revision to make sure that you do not forget what you have learnt thus far. Revision helps you judge your progress and also sheds light upon your weak areas. Keep the topics fresh in your mind by adding as much time for revision as possible in your daily schedule.

Sit for mock tests and solve previous year papers

The key to acing GATE lies in learning the art of solving maximum problems in the given time frame of 3 hours. You must be well hydrated to sit for the exam so that you aren’t sleepy during the test. Proper preparation for this can be done by giving mock tests that are based entirely on the GATE pattern. The more papers you solve, the better you will get at solving questions quickly. In addition, try building a strategy for solving the paper which covers how you will go about solving the questions in the actual paper and the questions you’d like to solve first. 

Previous year questions also come in handy. Sit with papers from the last three years and analyze them thoroughly to understand the topics and subjects that have more weightage. Prepare for them well to score better. 

Learn the art of time management

Time management is a skill that you must have your grip on before you sit for GATE. You must have an idea of the amount of time you must spend on every question when the time limit is set for 3 hours. There will be questions that would need more time than others. Figure that out. Give as many mock test papers as possible to learn the skill of solving questions within the given time frame. 

With this, we have come to an end of the basic tips that are required to score well in GATE. While these tips and tricks may or may not come in handy, it is crucial to understand that preparation is one thing that varies from one person to the other. So, even though we can tell you how to prepare for GATE, you must devise a strategy that keeps your strengths and weaknesses in perspective before heading into the game. Believe in yourself and in your ability to achieve anything that comes your way and you’ll nail the examination. All the best!