Ameya Dravid, secured an All India Rank of 2 in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE 2017) Biotechnology. Ameya who is a final year student of B.Tech at VIT University feels that one should not give up when the chips are down. He scored 948 points and his GATE marks out of 100 is 84.02.
1.How important is the role of the GATE exam in the lives of engineering students and particularly in yours?
The GATE exam allows the opportunity to study at the premier institutes in the country like the IITs and IISc, Bangalore. I understand technology very well and I felt that I had a good chance of clearing GATE exam as compared to GRE. So I appeared for the exam.
2.When did you decide to write GATE Exam and when did you begin?
I started my GATE preparation towards the end of the second year of my B.Tech. Initially, I was not very organized then. So my study for four hours per day was not very productive. It was later that I started preparing on a very serious note and put in more efforts to understand the concepts. A week before the GATE 2017 exam, I was studying for almost fifteen hours.
3. Who helped in your preparations with the prestigious exam you sat for and how did you prioritize the syllabus?
I did not join any coaching for the GATE exam. My teachers at VIT mentored me throughout the period of my GATE preparation and I felt that was enough for me. However, I had registered for practice tests from GateForum. I like studying at night, I used to schedule four hours before going to bed for GATE preparation.
4. The importance of mock tests paper and the previous years sample papers according to you?
It is equally important to take up mock tests and solve the GATE question papers from previous years. Mock tests help you stay focused and help you push your limits. The mock tests are normally tougher as compared to the actual papers. Solving GATE sample papers will help you to gauge the pattern of the actual GATE paper. The trick to crack the paper is no secret. One must take up the mock exams at regular intervals to know the level of one’s preparation.
5. What was the conquering strategy that you followed for GATE?
The strategy that I followed for cracking the GATE exam is mentioned below :
1. Two marks questions on Numerical Answer Type (NAT)– Firstly, I solved these questions as they are scoring and there is no negative marking
2. Match the columns: If you are able to find answers to even 2 fields, you will be able to get the answer and one field if you are lucky.
3. One mark questions on NAT: It is the same reason as the first one as the objective is to score maximum marks
4. Multiple Choice Questions: I attempted both 1 and 2 marks questions.
6. What will be your message for the future GATE aspirants?
There will be times during your preparation when you will feel you have reached your saturation point as you are multitasking and juggling college, GATE preparation, all at one go. You also must win the battle between laziness and hard work. The choice is always up to the you. It depends on how badly you want to accomplish your goal. Once you are able to achieve your goal, you can enjoy other aspects which you had missed. All the best!
