1. Was it your first attempt? If no, then share experience of your previous GATE attempts.
Aashish says: Yeah , It was my first attempt
2. What was your strategy for attempting the paper? Which section did you attempt first? How did you distribute time among various sections?
Aashish says: According to me, there is no single perfect strategy and it varies from individual to individual. During the first 80 minutes I attempted almost all single marks questions and a few 2 marks questions. In the next 20 minutes, I attempted English and Aptitude questions to give my brain some ease. In the remaining 80 minutes, I attempted the 2 marks questions that were left. I would suggest not to try and do the entire paper in a single attempt. I suggest that the time consuming questions should be attempted at the end.
3. A lot of questions asked in GATE are numerical answer type questions. According to you, what can help aspirants in improving accuracy in NAT questions?
Aashish says: Confidence developed by practicing lots of question from various source like Previous year GATE, IES & Famous author books can help a lot to solve these kind of question.
4. What was your motive behind appearing for GATE?
Aashish says: I wish to work in wish to work in the public sector and GATE is the best avenue to go through for me. Many leading PSUs have announced their recruitment through GATE so I made up my mind and started focusing on fulfilling my wish. The public sector and GATE is the best avenue to go through for me. Many leading PSUs have announced their recruitment through GATE so I made up my mind and started focusing on fulfilling my wish.
5. Which study material and standard books would you recommend for GATE aspirants in each subject?
Aashish says: The best study material for major subjects like SOM , FM ,TD etc is OWN notes that has been made by thorough study of best books available , but for subjects like MD, MS, which have less weightage, I prefer books from coaching institutes.
6. How many months did you take to prepare for GATE? When did you start you GATE preparation and in which month were you able to complete the course once?
Aashish says: I started preparation in feb 2016. It was finished a week before Diwali. So roughly 6-7 months
7. Syllabus for GATE is really vast. What was your revision strategy for GATE while preparations?
Aashish says: I prepared a formula notebook in which all the formulas and short concepts were written. I only revised using that notebook and I helped me a lot and saved my time.
8. What do you think is the role of solving previous year GATE questions in GATE preparations?
Aashish says: Solving previous years twice , once chapter wise and in the other time, exam wise , was the best decision that I have made. I not only told me about the hot topics but also helped me in time management.
If you solve the question papers of GATE previous years with sincerity, then you will be able to score at least 60 marks. However, if you analyze the questions and have good conceptual clarity, then you will definitely crack GATE.
9. What is the role of mock tests in your success in GATE exam? How many mock tests did you attempt? When did you start attempting mock tests?
Aashish says: I gave about 15 Mock tests and started in November and Mock test taught me how to attempt the final exam !
10. How did you used to score in Mock Tests? According to you, is there any correlation between mock test score and actual GATE score?
Aashish says: Mock tests form the most important part of preparation for GATE exam as they will help you to know your weak and strong areas. One will get to know the kind of questions that are asked in GATE and you can devise a strategy to solve the questions on the exam day as well as manage your time. Do not get upset if you are not able to score well in the mock tests as they consist of questions of great difficulty level and such type of questions are seldom asked in the actual exam.
11. What was your biggest motivation for GATE? What kept you going?
I didn’t sit in the college placement procedure and that fact that I didn’t have had any backup plan kept me going forward
Aashish says: Getting a good rank in an exam like GATE is a really emotional moment. How was it like for you? Whom would you link to dedicate this success to?
Yeah , the moment you realize that your all hardships have paid off is a emotional moment. I was in my college and was preparing for my sessional exam when my mom rang the bell and told my rank! At first I didn’t believe her and wanted to see the result myself. My whole success is dedicated to my family. Their never ending motivational talks and endless support was the only reason that I was able to climb the ladder of success.
12. Any success mantra in particular for GATE aspirants?
Aashish says: GATE exam tests the aptitude level and the learning power of an individual. Before starting GATE preparation, you must be motivated enough or else a half-hearted effort will not yield the desired result. Study as much as you can and do not aim for ranks. The objective should be to attempt correctly all the questions that you know.
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