All You Need To Know About GATE Exam

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is an online-based exam conducted yearly with the aim of testing a candidate’s knowledge in Undergraduate subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, etc). It is a national level exam conducted by seven IITs (Delhi, Bombay, Roorkee, Guwahati, Madras, Kharagpur, Kanpur) and IISc (Indian Institute of Science). This exam is held on behalf of the National Coordination Board, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, and Department of Higher Education by IITs and IISc. Gate attracts many candidates per year (around 8.5 lakhs) with the goal of getting admissions in esteemed Post Graduate programs in the IITs and IISc which includes M.Tech, M.E, and Doctor of Philosophy. 

Gate is also open to International candidates since 2017 from countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Ethiopia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The primary reason for making this exam available to foreign students is to bring more diversity and talent into the Indian culture. The combination of this would in turn make room for a better learning environment for the students. 

Why Appear For GATE Exams? / Benefits Of GATE Exam:

Apart from getting admissions into various PG programs in IIT and IISc, Gate provides more benefits to a candidate as follows-

1. They are eligible for Public Sector Undertakings Job which is highly in demand with a high salary.

1. After clearing the exam, a candidate can get into foreign universities and are also eligible for scholarships. Some foreign universities that accept candidates through gate scores are the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technology University (Singapore), Technical University of Munich, and RWTH Aachen (Germany). 

1. A candidate is eligible for a Fellowship Program in IIMs. They can specialize in subjects such as Economics, Business Policy, Marketing, Information Systems, Human Resource Management, Finance & Accounting, etc. The fellowship programs offer an attractive stipend 

Eligibility Criteria For GATE Exam:

Students who are in their final year (Bachelor program) in Engineering, Technology or Architecture (10+2 with 4-year course). Also, students who are in their final year (Master program) in Science, Computer Application, Statistics, Mathematics or so. Note that there is no age limit for appearing in the Gate exam. The same eligibility is applicable to foreign candidates. 

GATE Exam Syllabus:

it has 25 disciples which includes questions such as Logical Reasoning, Computational skills, Analytical, Engineering mathematics, Streamwise questions, etc. The paper will cover MCQs and NAT type of questions (65 questions) with a total duration of 3 hours.    

GATE Exam Total Subjects Covered

Gate has a total of 25 disciples with each subject having its own paper code. 

GATE Exam Application Process

The gate exam is normally conducted at the end of January or the start of February

The Application process starts by making the application form available to the candidates 5 months before i.e. around in August. 

Candidates have to start by registering themselves by entering their personal details such as name, contact no, address, email id, etc. After registering, each candidate is given a unique enrollment ID which they should preserve for logging in further. 

After successfully logging in, the candidates should fill in the exam details like choosing their examination country, subject, three choices for exam centers, etc.

The candidates should then upload their personal scanned photograph, signature, and attaching caste certificate if any. 

The last step is to pay the application form fees. Note that, the application fees vary as per the caste. For SC/ST/PWD/Women Rs 750, for male (all categories) is Rs 1500 and for foreign candidates, it is Rs $50.

The application closes after 2 months and the admit cards are released a month before the examination. The final results are declared in the first or second week of March. 

GATE Exam Study Materials & Preparation:

Preparing for the exam takes a lot of effort and dedication hence the preparation should be started early. The study material for the exam can be easily obtained online where candidates can check previous year's papers and practice. Also, various mock tests are being held which can be used by the candidates. Planning early and making a timetable will help the candidates to score good marks in the exam. 

GATE Exam Cut-offs: 

The Cut-offs for each subject is different for the gate exam and are decided by the corresponding IITs. The cut-offs also vary according to the caste-like SC, ST, OBC, General, etc. The overall gate score result is determined taking into consideration the gate scores, marks, no of candidates who appeared for the exam, qualifying marks based on their caste, and All India Rank. A gate score is calculated out of 1000 whereas gate marks are calculated out of 100. 

GATE is an exam that provides tons of opportunities to individuals who want to either get into PG programs or pursue jobs or fellowship programs. It provides attractive salary packages to individuals, tests their knowledge, chance to study abroad, etc. An important thing to remember is that the gate scores are valid for up to 3 years and an individual can attempt the exam anytime in the coming years as there is no age limit. Proper planning, execution, efforts, and focus will help a candidate to get closer to scoring good marks in GATE.