GATE

The GATE or the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an exam conducted by IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee and IISC Bangalore on a rotational basis on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB-GATE) for admission to the M.Tech/ME and direct Ph.D admissions. Candidates who are successful in GATE can seek admission/financial assistance in the Master’s and Doctoral Programs in engineering.

The eligibility criteria for GATE are as follows:

• Candidates from any age group can apply for GATE
• Applicants must be from India. Candidates from outside India who fulfill the eligibility criteria can also apply.
• Candidates must have secured a Bachelor’s degree after (10 + 2) in BE/B.Tech, B.Sc, B.Arch from an institution recognized by the state/central government.
• The candidate must have secured a minimum aggregate of 45% in the qualifying degree exam.
• Candidates who are in the final year of their graduation can also appear in GATE.

GATE is an online, objective type exam. The number of questions asked is 65. The marks are divided as follows:

• 15% of the total marks are for General Aptitude.
• 15% of the total marks is for Engineering Aptitude.
• The remaining 70% of the marks are for the subject discipline opted for the candidate. This subject is usually the one in which the candidate has majored in his engineering degree.

General Aptitude usually involves verbal reasoning, quantitative aptitude and non-verbal reasoning. The GATE is a very coveted examination for students aspiring for a post graduate degree in an engineering discipline. The authority which conducts the exam will release mock tests for GATE separate mock tests are released for the various streams of Engineering and Technology which a candidate can opt for. By attempting the mock tests the candidates can get a very good idea of what the actual test would be like.

The cut-off mark in GATE would depend upon the following:

• The total number of candidates appearing in the exam.
• Number of seats available.
• The difficulty level of the paper.

The GATE is a highly competitive examination as engineering graduates all over the country interested in pursuing post graduation would be attempting it. There is negative marking for incorrect answers which makes it important to be highly accurate. It is extremely important for candidates to prepare thoroughly and attempt as many mock tests as possible. Candidates have to master the subject for which they have opted. Thorough and early preparation is a must.