Its almost END of the DECEMBER now. Its time to change the strategy now. From Now onwards one should solve and try out more and more objectives. And i suggest that one should try out objectives from different subjects at a time. It means that one should now start to solve the previous years GATE papers or any paper which covers the total syllabus.
Remember GATE is not Descriptive kind of exam. So if one will go on just reading and reading that will not work. This kind of preparation can help one to crack university exams or IES kind of exams. But this is logical exam. So its preparation is also different.
And one should not write paper just to check how much he is knowing and he is correct. One should solve the paper as one of the learning tool.
Here i am giving one technique that one can follow.
Everyday try to complete at least half paper. And remaining time devote for the subjects which are still to prepare or to revise.
Now its how to solve the paper?
Look at the objective. If you know the logic then solve it out and check your answer. Now if the answer is wrong see where you are lacking. These objectives are the only tools to make your fundamentals clear and strong. Only reading will not help in any way. Now if your answer is correct then go to next question. Now it is possible that you have done this subject before 2 or 3 months. SO you are having some faint idea about it. But you are actually not knowing the formula or logic. Then just stretch your mind. Try to recall. Don't look at the reference book or answer. let your mind work and recollect the information. Now after trying for some times if you can't remember it then please go through the reference and learn it again. Make a note in a separate diary or on the test paper only.
Now another condition can happen that you don't know anything about the question. So don't worry at all. And open the reference book. Prepare that topic from it.
In this way you can learn 30 different logic in one day if you are solving say 35 or 40 questions. And along with that you are testing your prepared topics too. And you are also analysing that where you can make silly mistakes. SO this is very useful method.
And in a week write at least one paper in a 3 hour time limit and preferably at the time of actually GATE paper. So that you can check the coolness of your mind at the time of exam.
And please don't tick the questions for which you are not sure. Don't take risk. Never bluff.
ALL WILL BE WELL. :)
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Its December and nothing is lost!
For all those who believe that if they have not prepared very well until now then they have lost the chance i must inform one thing that we have well around 60 days to go and nothing is lost. Now the only thing required is single minded dedication for your final aim. Even if you can give 7 to 8 hours a day, you still have a chance. So if you have worked hard, but not hard enough then this is the month you should start pushing cause after this it would be hard. As per my personal opinion 2 months is good enough a time for you to take the situation back in control. You may start with few areas that you think you are weak in and pick up on them fast, after that you may start your refreshing of every subject cause that is very important. Writing paper's during this period is also very important, you should atleast have the habit to sit around for 3 hours without getting bored and with full concentration. So try giving practice test's as much as possible.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Strategy for GATE 2010
Well the detailed brochure for GATE 2010 is out and this is my personal strategy that i might have employeed if i was going to appear for GATE 2010.
1) Concentrate on Mathematics:- Mathematics is 15 marks section and it is not important only from the view of GATE but also after that because most of the studies that we face in masters is related to differential equations and advanced engineering mathematics so it is good time that you prepare your Math section throughly and gain enough confindence in it cause that will take you a long way.
2) Prepare the General Aptitude:- Whenever i would not have been in a mood to study technical i would have picked up the book for General aptitude cause its fun reading and solving those questions gives your brain some work out and refreshes you, my preference during the time of day when i feel bored like during after noon or night. This covers your 15 marks.
3) Prepare the most basic of the subjects first:- Everyone agrees that the tough and the important subjects are nothing but extension of the basic subjects so if you have your basics in place that would give you extra comfort and make you feel confident and then you might attack the final tough subjects. And if you have prepared well in your college exams then they are also not that difficult. So in a way you have dealt with all of them.
4) Write some papers:- I would have written atleast one paper in 15 days and for that i might have joined any one of the test series because the pattern has changed and you need to get accustomed with the change. Still the previous year's paper are not obsolete you can always go through them for technical questions.
Addition of a General Aptitude section.
This might come as a surprise to many but it should not be that big a deal, A common component of General Aptitude has been added to all the papers from GATE 2010, although some may argue why is it required in a technical test, then well they might have their own reasons and looking at past performance only they might have added this. But its not a thing to Panic just prepare some basic aptitude and as one may see that it holds a healthy weightage of 15 marks its important that this part should not be ignored because during final ranking even 1 mark means a difference of 100 ranks so its important. Those who do not yet have a first hand experience of solving any aptitude questions should sit down and do that. One reason i feel it should not be something to panic for is because as such everyone is going to solve advanced engineering mathematics and the general aptitude might have some questions related to school level maths so its not something to panic for. My advice would be that if one does not have material for General aptitude then they might start with solving books like R.K.Aggrawal or they may borrow material from their friends who are preparing for GRE or CAT. Try to acquire the question paper set or some basic booklets from your friends who have joined various CAT coaching institute, that might serve the purpose. Although this being the first time many speculations may come up and it seems the organising committee wants to move away from a completely technical test and do some balancing act. The underlying statement being that they want people who are not only technically sound but also have great aptitude. (But i still do not feel personally there should be the General aptitude component, its just a personal feeling).
INFORMATION GIVEN IN THE BROCHURE
Verbal Ability: English grammar, sentence completion, verbal analogies, word groups, instructions, critical reasoning and verbal
deduction.
Numerical Ability: Numerical computation, numerical estimation, numerical reasoning and data interpretation.
As we can see that the course is something similar to that has been asked in CAT but i do not think that the level should be same as that of questions asked in CAT so if you prepare from the material for CAT then it should be sufficient. But do not ignore this part its a very important part and will help you a lot in scoring well over-all.
The detailed site has been launched and its address is
Myth about time for Perparation.
There exist a gross misunderstanding about the time it takes for preparation. Time for preparation is a personal thing. I have my room mate who had prepared in 25 days and got AIR 62 where as other people had an year or two years coaching and they also ended up at the same place so its more personal.
Several Reasons for this difference.
1) Preparation during college exams:- If you have prepared very well during your college exams it becomes very easy for you to refresh it and you can prepare early. As was the case with my room mate who was the class topper and had his basic worked out very well.
2) Level of understanding:- Some people read things and they understand it in first go while others need to give it enough time before they can assimilate it and understand it. Well that's up to to everyone and that's one of the reason that people take time.
3) The extent of the course you are aiming at:- Well its quite evident that selective study is the way to go, you need to choose the syllabus you are going to give your full energy on. Cause its but natural that even if you have one complete year you wont be able to finish course if you are trying to go in utter depth and trying to do everything so that's one more factor.
4) Confidence in the level of preparedness:- Some people are confident on whatever they have prepared and need not to go through it again and again. While other need to go back and keep looking at it so they take time, this factor is also quite personal.
Well these are few factor which determine how much time you would take for preparation. So its up to you.
And on a lighter note all of us are Engineers and we are famous for doing things in whatever time frame we decide so its not difficult.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Preparation Besides Core Preparation.
Any competitive exam, whether it is of defined (GATE) or undefined syllabus (CAT) have some common peculiarities. We should keep these in our mind while writing and preparing such exams.
I am trying to cover some of these in my post.
1. GATE contains negative marking system. So attempt the questions about whose answer you are 100% sure/confident. If you are in two minds for any question please don’t attempt.
Read the question very carefully. Carefully reading the question is as much important as you know the answer of any question. They use complicated language for a simple logic. So comprehending the question is the most important point.
Never take a chance as you don’t know how much this will cost to you. For example in my case I had taken a chance for a one 2marks question. Unfortunately it had gone wrong. So it has cost me 0.66 marks only if we see. But 0.66 means 25 people had gone ahead of me. And unfortunately it has cost me a seat at IIT Bombay. So you can imagine how dangerous it is.
2. Don’t count the number of questions attempted while writing an exam. As you never know how hard or easy paper is for others. Some times only 35 to 40 marks out of 150 are enough to score above 98 and sometimes 45 out of 100 are also insufficient. So just play your natural game. Don’t be greedy for marks or attempts.
3. Peace of mind while writing any competitive examination is the most important point. So I suggest you that don’t read anything on the day of exam. Don’t read till late nights before the day of exam. Have a sound sleep of 8 hours.
Take a deep breath before few minutes of exam in the examination hall. Just try to become cool and calm. And don’t think about the topics which you have not prepared on that day. Be confident enough.
And my personal advice is to try to recall all the formulae once before the final day. Just go on recalling all the topics and if you can’t remember some topics then don’t worry, just have a look at it from your books and note books. I promise you that you will surely remember those in exam.
On 2 days before exam write one of the previous years GATE paper at the same time of GATE. This will help in boosting your confidence. This will let you know what mistakes you can do in GATE. Write it as sincerely as you are writing the actual GATE.
And in the last days try to solve more and more objectives only as your mind should be habituated for objective kind of exam. You don’t have to write subjective answers so there is no meaning of reading only theory part in last days. And if you have joined any test series then please see the mistakes you have done in those papers.
4. Another question comes in mind of every aspirant that what should be attempted first and what at the last.
This is the matter of choice. But I have done in this way.
First I had attempted 1 mark questions, as they contain only simple logic or one formula.
Then I had attempted last 10 questions, as they are linked questions. So if you know the logic then you can score 4 marks on the basis of that question.
Then I used to attempt the questions like matching and all first in 2 marks questions.
This is what I have done. You can have different strategy also.
So that is it for this post. Now if you have any queries then please ask. We are trying our best to cover all the important points but we can’t come to know about what are the difficulties other than these a GATE aspirant is facing.
I am trying to cover some of these in my post.
1. GATE contains negative marking system. So attempt the questions about whose answer you are 100% sure/confident. If you are in two minds for any question please don’t attempt.
Read the question very carefully. Carefully reading the question is as much important as you know the answer of any question. They use complicated language for a simple logic. So comprehending the question is the most important point.
Never take a chance as you don’t know how much this will cost to you. For example in my case I had taken a chance for a one 2marks question. Unfortunately it had gone wrong. So it has cost me 0.66 marks only if we see. But 0.66 means 25 people had gone ahead of me. And unfortunately it has cost me a seat at IIT Bombay. So you can imagine how dangerous it is.
2. Don’t count the number of questions attempted while writing an exam. As you never know how hard or easy paper is for others. Some times only 35 to 40 marks out of 150 are enough to score above 98 and sometimes 45 out of 100 are also insufficient. So just play your natural game. Don’t be greedy for marks or attempts.
3. Peace of mind while writing any competitive examination is the most important point. So I suggest you that don’t read anything on the day of exam. Don’t read till late nights before the day of exam. Have a sound sleep of 8 hours.
Take a deep breath before few minutes of exam in the examination hall. Just try to become cool and calm. And don’t think about the topics which you have not prepared on that day. Be confident enough.
And my personal advice is to try to recall all the formulae once before the final day. Just go on recalling all the topics and if you can’t remember some topics then don’t worry, just have a look at it from your books and note books. I promise you that you will surely remember those in exam.
On 2 days before exam write one of the previous years GATE paper at the same time of GATE. This will help in boosting your confidence. This will let you know what mistakes you can do in GATE. Write it as sincerely as you are writing the actual GATE.
And in the last days try to solve more and more objectives only as your mind should be habituated for objective kind of exam. You don’t have to write subjective answers so there is no meaning of reading only theory part in last days. And if you have joined any test series then please see the mistakes you have done in those papers.
4. Another question comes in mind of every aspirant that what should be attempted first and what at the last.
This is the matter of choice. But I have done in this way.
First I had attempted 1 mark questions, as they contain only simple logic or one formula.
Then I had attempted last 10 questions, as they are linked questions. So if you know the logic then you can score 4 marks on the basis of that question.
Then I used to attempt the questions like matching and all first in 2 marks questions.
This is what I have done. You can have different strategy also.
So that is it for this post. Now if you have any queries then please ask. We are trying our best to cover all the important points but we can’t come to know about what are the difficulties other than these a GATE aspirant is facing.
Friday, July 17, 2009
National Programme for Technology Enhanced Learning
This is a special post for all the students who want to prepare for themselves or clarify their doubts on various subjects. The link http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/index.php will guide you to the lectures and presentations by the best faculties in India. It's an initiative by IIT themselves to enhance the quality of education in India and it has been backed by Human resource ministry, although during our preparation we were not able to go through this or refer this but for those students who want to have structured instructional study can surely go through this. Also for those students like me who did not study in IIT during our bachelors program have a great opportunity to study courses here which would clarify our basics and help us very much in preparation.
For my first and second year friends i would strongly recommend them to go through this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)