How do I start preparation for GATE 2020 (Mechanical) from now onwards?

Engineering life, to me, is one of the best phases of life. It provides you a platform to develop yourself in many spheres of personal and professional life. Starting serious GATE preparation straight away from the 1st year would be too harsh to me. It is not required too- I believe most of the toppers would agree to this. So, use this opportunity and four years of your life to experience the many “feel good” things that one might have missed out. This includes personality development and leadership skills (by registering as member of various clubs), pursuing one’s hobby (may be singing or playing guitar or even body building), playing sports-developing good health and physique, learn coding, etc. Trust me it will help you in the long run. No company or organization wants to recruit a severely introvert and oddball person. 

Now, coming back to the GATE preparation, I would suggest one not to be too anxious about it from the 1st year and just focus on your semester courses. Develop a very good understanding of the subjects, solve problems- you may also refer to GATE questions for the subjects that you have in the respective semesters. Also, ensure that all the books, study materials and notes whatsoever you have referred to throughout the semesters are in safe custody. Continue this till the end of 5th semester (should end by Dec-Jan) and you will have one long year before GATE.

From now onwards, if you are entirely relying on GATE and believe that PSU or M.Tech. is the only thing that you want, then minimize the extra-curriculars that you have been attached to throughout the years and follow the plan given below (detailed article on GATE preparation in about one year)

How do I start preparation for GATE 2020 (Mechanical) from now onwards?

GATE is an exam which, according to me, requires six months to one year of serious preparation (provided you have had a little to moderate background in graduation). Smart work is the key here with a bit of hard work and luck (no success is without a bit of luck).

Now, coming back to the question- Assuming you have more than one long year, here is what I feel you should do -

Two things are really important for GATE :

1. Solving previous years paper from 2000 (say) around 5–6 times in such a manner that by seeing the question, you know the approach.

2. Make short notes but in the last two months only- in such a manner that it is very concise but covers theories, formulas and questions in short. For example- you entire thermodynamics part should be covered in 10–15 A4 papers depending on your writing. 

Check the Picture above - 

I have attached only two pics to just give an illustration. You may use your method but short notes is must to revise at the last moment. 

Now coming to how to cover topics of mechanical engineering - two methods can be highlighted-

1. With coaching (for GATE I feel coaching is not mandatory- In my batch, AIR 1 did without coaching): Just join a good coaching like Made easy or Ace or any other as per your choice and follow religiously. You need to attend classes, solve their work books, HWs, assignments throughout the period (6 months to one year). It will be hectic with long classes but please try not to get out of the race. Don’t overload yourself by referring to extra books, materials- refer only when concepts are not clear in class. Alternatively, nowadays you can watch YouTube videos as well when you have doubt in any concept. Limiting source is very important in any exam. This you should follow till you have coaching classes. I will tell about revision later on.

2. Without coaching: If you have done courses in your engineering well, then half of the problem is solved. Follow those books which you had referred in each semesters (no more proliferation of sources). For ex: Common sources are S S Rattan for TOM, Ganeshan for IC Engine. If you bunked all the classes in your semesters, don’t worry but you need to put a bit of extra efforts to complete the syllabus. In both the cases, don’t sit like Buddha or Mahavira with all the books trying to finish each and every subject. It will take you years to attain enlightenment (no offense please :) ). What you should do is open the previous years questions from 2000 (say) and start attempting. In that process, refer to concepts which are there in question and you are unable to solve from standard books or any materials like Arihant or Made Easy or even coaching notes or any other source as per your choice. Since you are on your own (without coaching), there is high chance that you would be bored sometimes and without direction. It’s completely normal- you are not a terminator- just keep pushing and keep doing the aforementioned. It’s your climb and the climb is very short and steep. Try to finish all the questions and topics in this manner within six months by making suitable timetable with daily, weekly and monthly targets with some cushion. 

Now, comes the revision part. Suppose the exam is two months away. 

Pre-requisite: The standard preparation with or without coaching should be over by this time. You have underlined or highlighted all the important concepts in standard source or coaching material/notes and solved previous years paper two to three times and marked tough questions for more revision, etc. 

Two month Revision: Short note making will start now along with revision and you should take about a month to finish leaving in your hand one more month for final revision. Make a good time table now (very important). And by this time, coaching should get over or at the verge of completion. 

For example : For the first 1-1.5 month: Monday-Start with thermodynamics revision and make short notes in A4 papers with multi color pens to make it attractive and easy to revise. Write concepts, formulas and short problems to support (picture already attached above). Depending on your speed, it will take a day or two or may be three to finish each subject along with short notes. Suppose you finish it by Wednesday. Start TOM (say) from Thursday and finish it similarly by Friday (say). Take a break on Saturday and jump back to thermo short notes and revise- this time you will need only 8–10 hrs. to revise entire thermo. And trust me, this revision time will go on decreasing exponentially with time and number of revisions. Follow this approach to finish short notes by one month and revise in between by taking one day break after every 3–4 days of short notes making. 

Last one month or 20 days: Your short notes are done. Now, take a subject and revise. Then, take the second subject and revise. Follow this with three or four subjects. Suddenly, break and go back to the first subject that you had already revised and revise it again. Follow this in a cyclical manner so as to revise “n” number of times. I hope you are getting me. REVISE REVISE REVISE is the key in the last 20 days. REVISE short notes, REVISE previous years questions, REVISE workbook problems, etc. Don't let any concept escape your mind by following the cyclical approach as mentioned. 

Last but not the least: Test Series! Well, I personally joined Made Easy test series and have attempted 4–5 tests only at the end as I felt that the questions were really tough and way above GATE standard. But, then it was way back in 2014- they might have improved by now. I cannot comment on that. But, I would suggest to write a few test series so as to feel confident about the exam temperament/environment. Don’t over stress yourself. You may join any test series. What I feel is also important is to take test on GATE papers- say for example: take the 2017 paper and attempt it in exam like environment at home by fixing time limit. See your score, analyze, check where did you miss out. Is it the silly mistake? Try meditating then for a few days before exam. 

Expressing the entire preparation plan in one go is not possible as it carries a lot of emotion along with the hard and smart work. Try to get the spirit out of it. 

The main intent is to jump to the actual/active preparation mode only one year before GATE. This will ensure that you don’t get bored by starting GATE preparation from the 1st year. Remember, it is very difficult to sustain a high pitched activity for a long period of time- History proves so. Make your preparation a “Sustainable preparation”. So, be serious only when it is really required to be. At the end, I would like to quote-Life is not only about getting into a PSU or an IIT. Having good experiences and a temperate lifestyle is what we should dream of. Good Luck my brothers and sisters! 

For any further query, you may write to me at riddlesofabhi@gmail.com.

Sat Jul 1, 2023