Success Mantras of GATE Toppers For GATE 2016

Success Mantras of
GATE Toppers for
GATE 2016
Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016
Contents
Foreword
Ravi Shankar Mishra AIR 1 in Computer Science Engineering!
Pradeep Seervi AIR 1 in Electrical Engineering
10
Saurav Gupta AIR 5 in Electronics and Communication Engineering
14
Aditya Narayan Nanda AIR 10 In Instrumentation Engineering
18
Souradeep Sinha AIR 9 In Chemical Engineering
22
Sharada Prasad Panda AIR 6 in Biotechnology
25
GATE Expert Opinion
28
Useful Links for GATE 2016
29
GATE 2016 Correspondence Program Premium
31
Complete GATE Online Test Series
32
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Foreword
ATE 2016 will be held on January 30 & 31, 2016 as well as February 6 & 7, 2016
in multiple sessions of two per day. Some of the most popular branches which
have the maximum number of aspirants like CSE, ME, ECE and such will be
held in two to three sessions while others with a lesser number of applicants
may have just one session.
Careers360 has endeavoured to bring all aspects of GATE preparation to the hands of
all aspirants over the past few years. One of them has been a series of interviews with the
GATE toppers each year. We have tried to delve into the preparation efforts, study schedules, books, and mind-sets of these toppers to bring all future GATE aspirants an idea of
the effort behind success in GATE.
Each year, there have been some new surprising elements to these interviews with some
aspirants being more inspiring than many. One such topper that comes to mind and whom
we have talked to in his book is Ravi Shankar Mishra who being a mechanical engineering
graduate planned and prepared his way to top the GATE 2015 exam for Computer Science. There are many such students who have beaten the odds and worked success into
their favour.
The one common thing that has been a consistent factor in these candidates is their
never say die attitude combined with tremendous hard work, smart planning and plenty
of practice.
A small step taken in the right direction will be the key to success!
Start your preparation now, take a leaf out of the books of these toppers and work your
way to crack the GATE 2016 exam successfully. We hope to see many more of you in our
future books sharing your inspiring stories with other hopeful future aspirants of GATE.
All the Best!
Team Careers360
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Ravi Shankar Mishra

AIR 1 in Computer Science Engineering
avi Shankar Mishra who secured AIR 1 in Computer Science Engineering in GATE 2015 is a
Mechanical Engineer of the 2014 batch from IIT
Kanpur. Driven by a passion for computers, he
opted to appear for GATE 2015 in CSE to secure admission in M.Tech at one of the reputed Indian colleges. With a
determined and dedicated approach, Ravi Shankar Mishra
prepared with a single minded focus on scoring well and
ended up securing AIR 1 for Computer Science Engineering
in GATE 2015.
Careers360: Tell us something about yourself; where
have you done your engineering from and in which

branch?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: My name is Ravi Shankar Mishra.
I belong to a middle class family from Bokaro Steel City,
Jharkhand. My father is an Ex-Airman, my mother a housewife and my elder sister is an employee of Konylabs Software Company, Hyderabad. I have completed my B Tech in
Mechanical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in the year 2014.
Careers360: what was the GATE Paper you appeared
in? What rank did you get in GATE 2015? What is your
GATE score and how many marks did you secure out of
100 in GATE paper?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: I appeared for Computer Science
and Information Technology (CS) paper and secured AIR-1
in GATE 2015. My score is 1000, normalized mark is 85.85
and actual mark is 79.00.
Careers360: What was the reason you appeared for
GATE 2015? PSU or further studies? Please elaborate

Ravi Shankar Mishra: I wanted to make a career in Computer Science but my Bachelors degree is in Mechanical
Engineering, so I appeared for GATE 2015 with an intention
of doing M.Tech in CSE from a reputed Indian college.
Careers360: Have you also applied to any PSUs and
which ones?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: Right now, I have no intention to

join a PSU. I am passionate about pursuing my Masters in
Computer Science now that I have scored well.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
2. Phase 2 (105 days, 12 hours/day) - Studying Books &

Solving previous year papers:
I listed the chapters covered in GATE Syllabus and allotted time to each accordingly.

Careers360: When did you start your preparation?
How did you prepare? How many hours did you put in
per day as per the stage of preparation?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: My preparation started 150 days
before the GATE exam. I planned my preparation in three
major phases and followed it to a tee, I am elaborating the
plan in details phase wise:
1. Phase 1 (15 days, 5 hours/day) Understanding the

GATE Syllabus, Preparation Plan, Books
This phase started when I decided to appear for the
GATE 2015 examination in CSE. The first thing I did
was to go through the blogs written by previous year
GATE toppers. I tried to gauge a pattern in their preparation and to understand the bare minimum preparation
techniques they did correctly to be successful. I found
a repetitive theme in their preparation -most of them
followed standard books, solved previous year GATE
papers, planned their study well, did proper revision in
last months and enrolled in some good online Test Series.

After this my quest for good standard books started.

Some criteria I followed here are:
l The book should be simple enough so that a
Mechanical graduate can understand them
l It must be broad enough to cover the entire GATE
syllabus.
l Fortunately, I did get some good books which I have
listed below. Next, I planned the order in which I
should study the given topics and the time I needed
to devote for each topic.
Important Topics with heavy weightage like Data Structures and Algorithm got around 14 days for preparation
while lesser important topics like Digital Logic got 6
days.
My focus was to study all the relevant topics from all the
books I had chosen such that no question could escape
me. I also did the relevant exercises from each chapter
for better practice.
My study schedule went like study a particular topic
and attempt the past 10 years question papers for that
topic only.
Here I must say that I used the question bank from
MadeEasy but trust me, there is no book in the market
which doesnt have some errors and therefore, the internet is your only friend. I found solutions at the GATEOverflow website to be very good.
Most important - I didnt leave any topic untouched in
the prescribed GATE syllabus. I even studied for Software Engineering, Web Technology and Verbal ability.
3. Phase 3 (30 days, 14 hours/day) - Revision & Test

Series:
This is a crucial phase which I used to recall what I had
learnt in the last four months and to push my score further by 5-10 marks.

But I found myself in big trouble. The reason was that I

did not make any notes during my self-study. That was
because of two reasons. First, I dont know the art of making good notes and second, if I had made notes, I would
have required 2 more months to study the book chapters.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
numerical questions. The only thing that I made sure was not
to commit any silly mistake while attempting them.
Careers360: Can you share any preparation strategies
Three things came to my rescue here and they not only

gave me revision but also introduced me to some subtopics that I unintentionally skipped - Made Easy study
material, Ankur Gupta Notes and Standard book power
point slides. I hurried through all of them.
Next was the turn of Test Series and I appeared for four
full length tests by MadeEasy.
Careers360: Have you taken any coaching? If yesFrom where? How did it help?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: No, I have not taken any formal
coaching but I took the correspondence course of MadeEasy.

The study material that they provided helped me to filter out
unnecessary book chapters and it was also useful for revision in the final stage of my preparation as I hadnt made any
notes of my own during my self-study.
Careers360: GATE 2015 saw a substantial amount of
numerical questions asked when compared to previous

years. Were you prepared for this eventuality? How did
you prepare for the numerical questions considering
that they require speed in calculating the solutions?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: I feel the reason for introducing
large number of numerical questions in GATE is to discourage the guessing tendency of students. One bad thing about
this question type is that it requires very high accuracy. One
small calculation mistake and you lose your marks as well
as precious time in the exam. The good thing is that these
questions come with no negative marks, so you can answer
them no matter what. There was no special preparation for
with our readers? How to schedule study time and make

timetables?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: I kept my preparation strategy as
simple as possible. It was just five steps:
(1) Plan
(2) Study Books
(3) Solve previous year papers
(4) Revise
(5) Give Mock Test.
I feel that the major stress comes during step-2 and that
required quite a lot of planning and time on my end. I am
sharing my 105 days timetable with the future GATE aspirants. I would advise them to scale it according to the time that
is available to them.
The order in which I covered GATE topics was inspired
by two factors- one was the weightage of the topics and
other was the pre-requisite subject to be studied before the
advanced subject part.
I have given the order in which I studied the topics along
with average weightage (from years 2010-2015) and days
devoted in the table.
GATE Syllabus Topics
Weightage
(marks)
Days Devoted
by me
Engineering Mathematics
15
20
Digital Logic
Programming
Data Structures and

Algorithms
14
14
Theory of Computation
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
GATE Syllabus Topics
Weightage
(marks)
Days Devoted
by me
Computer Networks
10
Computer Organization and

Architecture
Operating System
14
Databases
12
Compiler Design
Software Engineering &

Web Technologies
Verbal/Numerical Ability
15
Total
100
105
Careers360: How should one schedule answering the

GATE exam which section to attempt first and which
next?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: Start with the easiest section as
this will give you confidence and help you shed away your
nervousness.
I attempted the paper in following order:
1) Numerical ability
2) One mark CS questions
3) Verbal ability
4) Two marks CS question.
I attempted the verbal ability section late as I was not very
confident about it.
One crucial point to keep in mind is to never get stuck on
one question for too long. If a question has a lengthy description or is taking more than 2 minutes, skip it and come back
to it later.
Careers360: Name some important Topics that you feel
are a must read for any student attempting GATE exam

in Computer Science Engineering?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: The must read topics are the one
with weightage 5 marks or above. Not so important topics
that students generally skip are Compiler Design, Software
Engineering, Web technology and Verbal Ability. But I would
recommend that aspirants read them also if they have time.
GATE 2015 paper was a little bit of surprise as these neglected topics were given considerable weightage.
Careers360: Since all the GATE exams are online now,
how mandatory is it for students to practice online and

how frequently?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: It is very important to appear for
some online mock tests so that a student gets comfortable
with the GATE exam interface and instructions that will be
useful to save valuable time in the actual GATE exam. I will
recommend appearing for at least 3 full length mock tests.
Careers360: What did you feel was a tough thing in the
GATE exam?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: A tough thing about GATE 2015

CS paper was that many questions were asked from unconventional topics that students generally skip during their
preparation. I was surprised that in session-1 paper, questions were asked from software engineering (alpha testing),
compiler design (viable prefix, live variable, static single
assignment), html/xml and LU decomposition.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Please note that the rank you get in mock tests do not
reflect your actual gate rank. So dont feel disappointed or
less confident about your abilities. I never got in the Top10
ranks in any of the mock tests I appeared for and I never let
it undermine my confidence.
Solving previous year papers is a very important phase and
a must for getting a good rank in the GATE exam. It gives
three benefits:The second thing - I found the two marks CS question to
be lengthy, I never took more than 135 minutes during mock
tests to complete my paper but in the actual exam it took me
160 minutes, so keep this fact in mind while you plan for the
time required for attempting various sections of the GATE
paper.
Careers360: How important do you feel mock tests are
and why? Is it true that if one solves the previous year

question papers, there is a good chance of cracking the
exam successfully?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: Mock tests serve three important
purposes:(1) Introduces you to the interface and instructions of the
GATE exam, this will be crucial to save time in actual
exam as you already know basic navigation and answering methods.
(2) Teaches you time management. Without proper time
management, there is no way that you can put up a good
performance. You must learn where to save time and
where to use it.
(3) Helps you identify your weak areas and recurring mistakes. This is crucial to help you to fill the loopholes in
your preparation and also to teach you how to avoid silly
mistakes in the actual exam.
(1) Since, most questions come from similar topics year

after year in the GATE exam; you will get acquainted with
common gate questions
(2) You will feel confident that you can crack GATE.
(3) You will able to gauge whether you have completed all
the sub-topics given in the GATE syllabus
I would like to point out that solving only GATE papers is
not going to help. The actual study plan should comprise of Read Topic, Solve Gate Questions,Analyze your problematic
areas and then Re-Read the topic. Also read the left-over
sub-topics.
Careers360: Which books did you follow for GATE
preparation?
Ravi Shankar Mishra: I have listed below the book name,

author name, edition and relevant chapters of the books that
I followed. The edition of books are the latest ones (updated
till Dec. 2014) and freely downloadable on the internet. I
would recommend all the future GATE aspirants to read
only the latest edition of the books.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
GATE Syllabus
Book Name
Author Name
Ed.
Engineering Mathematics
Discrete Mathematics and Its

Applications
Kenneth Rosen
1,2,6-11
Digital Logic
Digital Design
Morris Mano
1-6
Programming
The C Programming language
Dennis Richie
1-6
Data Structures and

Algorithms
Introduction to Algorithms
Cormen
1-4, 6-8, 10-12, 15, 16,

22-24, 34
Theory of Computation
An Introduction to Formal Languages

and Automata
Peter Linz
1-12
Computer Networks
Computer Networking: A Top-Down

Approach
Kurose & Ross
1-5,8
Computer Organization
and Architecture
Computer Organization and

Embedded systems
Carl Hamacher
1-3,5,6,8,9
Operating System
Operating System Concepts
Galvin
1-15
Databases
Database System Concepts
Korth
1-4,6-8,10,11,14,15
Compiler Design
Compilers: Principles, Techniques and

Tools
Aho& Ullman
1-9
Software Engineering
Software Engineering: A Practitioners

Approach
Pressman
Read slides only
Web technologies
w3schools (html/xml tutorial)
Website Link
Careers360: .Any advice for the future aspirants?

Ravi Shankar Mishra: Believe in yourself. Dont let
anyone tell you what you can achieve and what you cant.
Nobody thought that I could even get a rank in the Top 500 in
the GATE 2015 CS paper as I was a Mechanical Engineering
graduate but I backed myself.
Relevant Chapters
even more time than what I had. Forget about everything

and just dedicate quality time over your preparation. Dont
worry about what the others think about you; you are not
doing this for them. You are doing this for yourself and your
family. It is your dream, go get it! Nobody is stopping you
except yourself.
Just think that if a guy with zero knowledge of computer

science with just 5 months of dedicated study and determination could bring his knowledge up to the level of the
GATE exam and go on to score the First Rank, why cant
you? All of you who will appear for GATE 2016 will have
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Pradeep Seervi
AIR 1 in Electrical Engineering
ATE 2015 Topper Interview- Pradeep Seervi

who is studying his B.Tech at IIT Mandi has successfully cracked the GATE 2015 exam securing
an All India Rank of 1 in Electrical Engineering.
Talking to Careers360, Pradeep elaborates on his GATE
2015 preparation and Examination Strategies that he used
to taste success in GATE 2015..
Careers360: Tell us something about yourself; Where

branch?
Pradeep Seervi: My name is Pradeep Seervi. I am currently studying at IIT Mandi and am in the final year of
B.Tech in Electrical Engineering.

in? What rank did you get in GATE 2015?
Pradeep Seervi: I appeared in Electrical Engineering
GATE 2015?
Pradeep Seervi: I have always wanted to work in some
core electrical company and PSUs are the best options for
that. So I decided to appear for GATE 2015.
Careers360: Which PSUs have you applied for?

Pradeep Seervi: I have applied to PGCIL, NTPC, BPCL,
IOCL and HPCL but I am most interested in joining PGCIL.

Pradeep Seervi: I started my preparations after the third
year of my engineering. I prepared a rough study plan which
gave sufficient time for each subject and then tried to strictly
follow it.
paper and secured AIR 1 in GATE 2015. My score is 1000

and my marks are 75.96
10
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
I could not set any fixed time for preparation. As I was in

still in my final year of college, I had to find time for GATE
amidst all the assignments, projects and quizzes. But I tried
to strictly follow my study plan. I studied with full concentration whenever I got time to get the most out of it.
I actually started in August 2014 with my GATE study. I
merged both my GATE preparation and college work till
December 2014 depending upon the need of the hour. But I
completely devoted all my time during the months of December and January for GATE 2015 Preparation.
Pradeep Seervi: No, I didnt take proper coaching or such.

Instead, I joined an online program Krash 2015 by Kreatryx. The K-notes and the questions provided by Kreatryx
were really very good and helped me during the final stages
of my preparation. This was a crash course to fine tune my
initial preparation
I also joined the online test series of MADE EASY. The
test series helped me a lot in planning the correct strategy
for attempting the GATE exam. It also helped me identify
sections where I was weak and improved my problem solving ability.
11

Pradeep Seervi: Yes I was prepared for the numerical
questions. Actually it is a myth that the numerical questions
are hard or so. Numerical questions require speed and accuracy which can be enhanced by practicing as many questions
as possible. I improved my speed by giving a lot of online
tests. Solving questions within a certain time limit definitely
improved my problem solving speed.
The formulas are pretty basic. If you are conversant with
them, calculate carefully, you are good to go. The key is a cool
head with practice and more practice.

timetables?
Pradeep Seervi: The first step is to get to know the exact
syllabus of GATE. By this I mean, what exactly you should
study, which topics to focus more on and so on. Time is
always a crucial factor for GATE so it is imperative that we
should be clear about what we will have to study and how. To
know the GATE syllabus for preparation, I would suggest
checking the syllabus prescribed by many coaching centres
and the GATE exam papers for the past 10 years. We can then
be clear about the topics and subjects to focus on.
The second step is to prepare a rough study schedule based
thus and try to strictly adhere to it. The basic requirement is
to complete the theory part and then start with the tests. This
way you have covered the syllabus and now you just need to
practice and fine tune your preparation. An important part
is to prepare short notes for each subject. These will be very
useful to revise the subject.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
l
l
l
l
l
Control System
Network Theory
Power system
Electrical Machines
Analog and Digital electronics
Start with each subject wise test. Analyse after you are done
with it. Revise to cover your problem areas and prepare to
strengthen your weak points. Once you are fine with each
subject/topic, start with the full GATE tests. Focus on giving
as many tests as you can. Getting familiarized with a variety
of questions attempted during mock tests will definitely help
you during your GATE exam.
Last, Revise your short notes in the week before the exam

next?
Pradeep Seervi: I feel this depends upon the student
himself. One can attempt the paper in any way one likes. But
it is important to finalize a good strategy before the exam
like how much time must be devoted to each section. This
strategy can only be built by giving several mock tests. When
you do so many tests, you realize the strategy that works for
you best.
in Electrical Engineering?
Pradeep Seervi: All topics are important but I feel the
following ones carry more weightage and one should compulsorily cover them.
12

how frequently?
Pradeep Seervi: It is really important to practice online
for GATE. It will help you track your performance and
improve your time management skills. One must solve as
many online tests as possible. If you depends only on theory
and dont appear for any online test, your chances for cracking GATE greatly reduces.

GATE 2015 exam?
Pradeep Seervi: Some of the theory questions were really
tough. Some of the numerical questions were very easy but
too lengthy. When it comes to numerical questions, I strongly feel that one must solve them with great care. Avoid making silly mistakes in calculation and try reading the question
properly. Normally many mistakes are made by not reading
and understanding the question properly. One must attempt
the paper with a calm mind.

exam successfully?
Pradeep Seervi: I would say that mock tests are very
important. One gets familiar with the GATE online platform by solving as many mock tests as possible. It also helps
improve your problem solving skills and speed.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Anyway, some of the great books which were useful are:

Signals and Systems by Oppenheim
l Control Systems by Nagrath Gopal
l Advanced Engg Maths by Kreyszig
l Digital Design by Morris Mano
l Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Boylestad
l
Solving the previous year GATE papers gives you an idea

about the type of questions which are generally asked in the
GATE exam. So, one must go through at least previous 5
years papers to avail the benefit of being better prepared for
GATE exam..
Careers360: Any advice for the future aspirants?

Pradeep Seervi: Never lose hope during your preparation.
Have faith in God. Work hard and give your best. GATE exam
is not that difficult as people say; you will find it very easy if
your preparation is very good. So work hard and BEST OF
LUCK!
preparation?
Pradeep Seervi: For concept building, the books in the UG
Curriculum were sufficient. Truly speaking, I used to read the

handwritten notes of various subjects issued by some coaching institute. These notes were very vast and covered every
inch of GATE Syllabus.
13
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Saurav Gupta
AIR 5 in Electronics and Communication Engineering
aurav Gupta, a final year student of Electronics and

Telecommunication Engineering at Jadavpur University, Kolkata has secured AIR 5 in EC in GATE
2015. Speaking to Careers360, Saurav elaborates
on his Preparation Strategies for GATE 2015 and discuss
how he managed to taste success in GATE while juggling his
final year studies.
are you doing your engineering from and in which

branch?
Saurav Gupta: I come from a middle class family from a
small town, Naihati, in West Bengal. My father is a businessman while my mother is a housewife and I have an elder
brother who is a doctor. I am a 4th year student at Jadavpur
University, Kolkata, currently pursuing my B.E degree in
Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering.
14
100 in GATE paper?
Saurav Gupta: I appeared for EC in GATE 2015. I got an
All India Rank of 5. My GATE Score is 1000 and GATE
Marks are 82.21 (normalized).
GATE 2015?
Saurav Gupta: I wanted to pursue M. Tech at one of the
premier institutions of our country so that I can get a deeper

insight of the subjects especially VLSI and Communication
related ones. B.E provides comparatively superficial knowledge in these subjects and hence I feel that a Master degree
is a must to succeed in these fields
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Saurav Gupta: Though there was no specific timeline, the
preparations were started mainly after 2nd year during the
semester break. Since GATE syllabus is a subset of our academic course, I didnt have to dedicate extra time to it during
my semesters. However, I kept doing my revisions at regular
intervals at the end of every semester during the summer and
winter vacations, along with some extra portions which were
missed during the semester course.
I have a habit of making notes of every subject I study and
this proved to be very helpful during revisions. The subjects that were common in GATE and my academic course
however received extra impetus and attention. As I have
mentioned already, I used to prepare especially during the
semester breaks when I used to allocate around 3-4 hours on
an average. But after the first semester exam of my 4th year
was over, I had only 45 days left before the D Day. So I put
in extra efforts then there by increasing my study hours to 8
hours a day. During this period, I had prepared a gist of all the
important formulas, tips and tricks which reduced the entire
syllabus to around 50 pages and with its help I started giving
online Mock Tests regularly.
Saurav Gupta: No. I havent taken any coaching. But I
had enrolled myself into THE GATE ACADEMYs Online
Mock Tests.
15

Saurav Gupta: No it was not much of an obstacle as my
basic concepts were clear. Rather, it was a blessing in disguise
as I believe that some MCQs sometimes tend to be quite
ambiguous thereby confusing the student. Numerical questions, on the other hand, have a definite answer and hence are
more deterministic.
As I had already said that I had prepared a gist of formulas, tips and tricks which came in handy in reducing time.
Besides, I feel there is no special preparation required for
numerical type questions as long as you have a clear concept
of the subjects.

timetables?
Saurav Gupta: Everyone should make their own notes
from the standard books and this will aid them during revisions. Moreover, if you make your own notes, remembering
and understanding things becomes much easier.
I believe that every student has his/her own pace of learning and thus the number of hours that they put in does not
matter much as long as they ensure that the time spent is
qualitative rather than quantitative. Summer and winter
breaks should however be utilized efficiently as it will not
mess with their semester studies.

next?
Saurav Gupta: One should always start with the sections
that they are more comfortable with. The first few minutes
are very crucial from the psychological point of view as it
might either boost your confidence or even ruin it completely. Moreover, if one is stuck at some question, one should
learn to let it go rather than wasting time on it.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
GATE exam?
Saurav Gupta: The syllabus of GATE is quite huge com-
pared to most other competitive exams. However, there is

sufficient time if one can manage it along with his/her academic coursework.

in Electronics and Communications Engineering?
Saurav Gupta: There is no such important topic. All topics are equally important. However one should go through
GATE syllabus thoroughly and solve all the previous year
papers which will give a fair idea of what kind of questions
are asked.

how frequently?
Saurav Gupta: Enrolling in any standard Online Mock
Test series will suffice. Once a unit is completed, one should
give the corresponding Unit Test to find out ones strengths
and weaknesses.

exam successfully?
Saurav Gupta: Giving Mock Tests is the key thing in any
entrance exam. It will expose the areas in which you are
weak, thereby needing extra attention. It will also improve
your speed.Solving previous year question papers will give
you a fair idea of the GATE exam pattern but there will
always be some surprises. Moreover, GATE exams are
organized by different IITs/IISC each year so it will not be a
good idea to rely completely on previous year patterns.
preparation?
Saurav Gupta: One should follow the books prescribed in
their coursework. However the books which I followed are

as follows:
Topics
Books
Electronic Devices
1. Semiconductor Physics And Devices by Donald A. Neamen

2. Solid state electronic devices by Ben G. Streetman and Sanjay Banerjee
3. Electronic Devices and Circuits by Millman & Halkias
Analog Circuits
1. Microelectronics Circuits by Sedra & Smith

2. Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Robert L Boylestad & Nashelsky
3. Pulse and Digital Electronics by Millman and Taub
Control System
1. Control Systems by Nagarath and Gopal

2. NPTEL Video lectures by M. Gopal
Digital System
1. Digital circuits and design by Salivahanan or Fundamentals of digital systems by Anandkumar

2. Digital Logic and Computer Design by M.Morris Mano
16
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Topics
Books
Communication System
1.
2.
3.
4.
Electromagnetics
1. Elements of Electromagnetics by Matthew N.O. Sadiku

2. Network lines and fields by J.D ryder (Transmission lines part)
3. Electromagnetic waves and Radiating Systems by Jordon and ballmain
4. Antenna Theory by Balanis
5. NPTEL Lectures by Prof. R. Shevgaonkar
Network
1. Circuit Theory by A.Chakraborty

2. Network Analysis by Van Valkenburg
Signal Systems
1. Modern digital and analog Communications system by BP Lathi

2. Digital Signal Processing by S.K Mitra
Maths
Higher Engineering mathematics by Dr. B.S Grewal
General Aptitude
1. Quantitative Aptitude by R.S Agarwal

2. Quantitative Aptitude by CAT by Arun Sharma
MCQ book
Gate ECE by R.K Kanodia
Analog and Digital Communication System by Simon Haykin

Principle of Communication System by Taub& Schillings
Modern digital and analog Communications system by BP Lathi
Electronic Communication Systems by Kennedy and Davis (just the Noise chapter)
Careers360: .Any advice for the future aspirants?

Saurav Gupta: GATE exams are a golden opportunity even
for an average student to shine. So dont be disheartened if
you have fairly low CGPA. Personally, even I was an average
student with a rank of around 30 in my class (part of which
can also be attributed to the tough competition in Jadavpur
University, ETCE dept), but I was determined enough to
come out with flying colors, thereby making full use of this
opportunity.
17
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Aditya Narayan Nanda

AIR 10 In Instrumentation Engineering
ditya Narayan Nanda who secured AIT 10 in

GATE 2015 in Instrumentation Engineering did
his B.Tech in Instrumentation and Electronics
Engineering from CET, Bhubaneswar. Currently
employed with NTPC, Aditya shares his GATE 2015 Preparation Strategies with the GATE aspirants in this article and
credits his success to hard work, practice and the blessings
from his elders.
GATE 2015? PSU or further studies? Pls elaborate your

reasons.
Aditya Narayan Nanda: Actually I was confused about
whether to join a PSU or do M.Tech. I didnt keep that in
mind though and therefore during my GATE 2015 preparation my only focus was to get a good rank.

branch?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: My name is Aditya Narayan
Nanda. I am from Bhubaneswar, Odisha and I have completed my BTech in Instrumentation and Electronics Engineering from CET, Bhubaneswar in 2015.
18
100 in GATE paper?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: I appeared GATE-2015 in
Instrumentation (IN) paper and secured AIR 10. My GATE
score was 871 and my GATE marks were 67.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
An important Thing I would like to tell all aspirants is that

CGPA plays an important role in PSU selection procedure.
So dont neglect your semester exams.
Careers360: If PSU, have you applied to any and which

ones?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: Yes I had applied to NTPC,

IOCL, ONGC, HPCL, BPCL, BARC and OPGC.
Aditya Narayan Nanda: I started my preparation during
my 7th semester. I used to follow standard text books for all
the subjects and make short notes for each subject. As I was
in my final year and we had many projects, seminars, semester exams etc. to cope up with, I opted to devote 3-4 hrs every
day for GATE. In addition to that, I used to study for 6-7 hrs
and revise the short notes on holidays
Careers360: Have you taken any coaching? If yes-
From where? How did it help?

Aditya Narayan Nanda: Yes I took Classroom coaching
from MADEEASY, Bhubaneswar. Apart from that I also
took postal coaching from ACE and GATEFORUM. I used
to solve MCQs whenever possible. I believe that solving
questions from materials of different coaching institutes
increases your speed, accuracy while allowing you access to
a wide range of questions and question papers.

Aditya Narayan Nanda: Mock tests and Online Tests
helped me a lot to prepare for numerical questions. What
I found in in the actual GATE 2015 exam was that numerical type questions were relatively easier than the 2 marks
MCQs.
19

timetables?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: I sum them up below:
l Always follow standard text books and make short notes.
l Choose 2 subjects every day,
l 1st subject should be your favourite and 2nd may be a less
favourite one.
l Practice a lot of questions and try to solve the problems
yourself, dont jump to the solution section directly.
l I considered GA part as a very easy topic and did not
practice it, so in GATE I scored only 3 out of 15 in
General Aptitude section.. So dont neglect even GA,
Instead practice GA for at least 10-15 mins everyday.

next?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: I think answering questions in
a serial order saves time. You can mark the difficult questions for review and always came back later to solve it. Never
waste your valuable time in solving difficult questions. You
can learn time management skills and attempt plans during
mock tests.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium

are a must read for any student attempting GATE exam?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: If you really want to get into good
colleges and any PSUs then you need a good rank. And for a
good rank you have to study everything. Every topic is important and matters. GATE is unpredictable so you cant take a
chance. Study every topic in the syllabus and create interest
in the topics which seems dry and boring to you.

how frequently?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: Yes, online test practice is a must.
In the paper based tests you can solve on the given diagrams
(e.g. circuits etc. which takes additional time) but in online
exams you have to draw it on your rough paper. Sometimes
you have to think of a smart approach. So speed is the most
important factor in the online exam.
Therefore practice with online tests as much as possible
especially during the last months of preparation.
GATE exam?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: As I pointed out earlier, I hadnt

exam successfully?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: The fact is that you can actually
get almost all important concepts from previous year questions. I feel that solving previous year questions helps you to
understand the level of questions asked in the GATE exam.
But you cant guarantee a good rank just by solving previous papers. It is important to be prepared for unexpected
questions and rarely asked topics too. My advice - Solve
new questions from standard text books then only you can
exercise your grey matter and be prepared to face some
unexpected and new questions in the GATE exam if asked.
concentrated and prepared well for the General Aptitude

section. So General Aptitude questions seemed really difficult to me. Hence, my suggestion is that one should cover
each and every topic during preparation.
20
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
preparation?
Aditya Narayan Nanda: Some books I have followed are:
SNo
Subject
Books and Author
Mathematics
Advanced Engineering Mathematics by Erwin Kreyszig Gate Engineering

Mathematics by MADE EASY
Network Theory
Engineering Circuit Analysis by Steven M. Durbin , Jack E. Kemmerly , William

H. Hayt
Analog Electronics
Fundamentals of Microelectronics by BEHZAD RAZAVI (Must Read

Recommended by Aditya) GATE - Electronics & Communication (Analog Circuits
Volume 5 Of 10) by R K Kanodia
Digital Electronics
Solved previous year questions from EC and IN streams
Signals and Systems
Signals And Systems (Schaums Outline Series) by H P HSU Signals & Systems
by Alan V. Oppenheim
Communication Systems
Modern Digital and Analog Communication System by B P LATHI
Electrical and Electronic Measurements
A Course In Electrical And Electronic Measurements And Instrumentation by A

K SAWHNEY
Control System
Automatic Control Systems by B C KUO
Process Control
Process Control: Modeling, Design, And Simulation by B. Wayne Bequette
10
Transducers
Introduction to Measurements and Instrumentation by ARUN K GHOSH
Careers360:.Any advice for the future aspirants?

Aditya Narayan Nanda: Be positive and dream big.
Always help others and share your knowledge in that process you can amplify your knowledge. Respect your parents
and elders as their blessings can bring miracles in your life.
All the best!
21
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Souradeep Sinha
AIR 9 In Chemical Engineering
Careers360: What was the GATE Paper you appeared
ouradeep Sinha who scored an all India Rank of 9 in

GATE 2015 Chemical Engineering his preparation
strategies for GATE exam. A Chemical Engineering graduate from Jadavpur University, Kolkata,
Souradeep believes that his hard working nature and proper
time management skills have contributed to his success in
GATE 2015.
100 in GATE paper?
Souradeep Sinha: I appeared for GATE 2015 in Chemical Engineering where I secured the 9th position. My GATE
score and marks were 895 and 62.33/100 respectively.

branch?
Souradeep Sinha: I have pursued my bachelor's degree in
Chemical Engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
I am a hard working independent individual knowing well
enough how to manage time between family duties, leisure
and assigned work. I believe completing the assigned work
on time with honesty and dedication is the need of the hour.
22

reasons.
Souradeep Sinha: My first choice was always to be in a
profession connected with the course I study currently. By
giving GATE, one stands a chance to be part of the prestigious IITs or IISC for research-oriented activities that helps
develop almost all the things we use in our daily life. GATE
provides a platform to be in touch with the institutes where
a part of the world's best innovative research is done with
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
near infinite funds and latest technology. Also, to be in a core

Chemical Engineering government job, one needs to give
the GATE exam to qualify for their recruitments. It was just
compulsory to succeed in GATE to qualify for their recruitment process. In addition, the job profile, pay package and
perquisites they offer are the reason of choosing a Public
Sector company.
Careers360: If PSU, have you applied to any and which

ones?
Souradeep Sinha: Yes, I have applied in BPCL, HPCL and

Indian Oil.
Souradeep Sinha: I started preparing from March 2014,
i.e., from the middle of the 6th Semester. Ideally, if a person is
preparing for GATE while studying in the final year or while
working for an organization, he/she should start at least 10
months prior to the exam. If the candidate is not busy with
something, then he/she can prepare the same course in 4 to
5 months only.
One of our alumnus Dr. Debasish Sarkar, a professor from
Calcutta University, taught me along with others. The teaching part from Dr. Debasish Sarkar and his counselling was
extremely effective and helpful.
Careers360: Have you taken any coaching? If yes-
From where? How did it help?

Souradeep Sinha: Yes, I enrolled with Gateforum for their
all India test series. The test series did not help much except
for a few attractive gifts.

23
Souradeep Sinha: The GATE 2015 paper was a bit tough-
er than the recent years and a bit more technical and conceptual. In addition, the GATE paper had almost 60% Numerical Type Answer questions that made it difficult for people to
guess/eliminate options. I wasn't prepared for this but went
on solving the questions with accuracy as there was sufficient
time for each question.

timetables?
Souradeep Sinha: No strategy is required as such, as one
already has covered all the subjects at least once during their
college curriculum. However, understanding the basic concepts and regular practice are very important.

next?
Souradeep Sinha: The main attempt should be to at least
see all the questions in the paper by 150 minutes. Speed and
accuracy were both required simultaneously. And since in
my paper there were many numerical answer type questions
without negative marking, there was an attempt to at least try
the question once. One should attempt sequentially as the
questions are normally jumbled.
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium

Souradeep Sinha: Mass Transfer, Heat Transfer, Fluid
Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Process Control, Chemical
Industries, Mathematics.

how frequently?
Souradeep Sinha: From 2015, GATE authorities have
allowed scientific calculators. So, as of now one doesnt need
much of an online practice session. It however depends on
the individual. If you feel better having practiced online, do
so by all means. I didnt feel the need for it though.
GATE exam?
Souradeep Sinha: Numerical Type Questions. They con-
stituted 60% of the papers and require accuracy in calculations. One needs to be highly alert for this.

exam successfully?
Souradeep Sinha: Mock tests are an important part as
they help us in practicing new types of question. However,
for Chemical Engineering, there are no good test series available.
24
One can certainly say that solving previous years question

papers will not make it easier for you to crack GATE as no
question is repeated. You have to try various new types of
questions and increase your diverse problem solving abilities.
preparation?
Souradeep Sinha: Notes given by Dr. Debasish Sarkar.
They were enough to enhance and hone my preparation.
Careers360: Any advice for the future aspirants?

Souradeep Sinha: Strengthen your basics and practice
a lot. Manage your time well an important aspect to take
care of. All the Best!
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Sharada Prasad Panda

AIR 6 in Biotechnology
harada Prasad Panda has secured an AIR 6 in Biotechnology in GATE 2015. Sharada Prasad shares
his preparation experiences here and states that lots
of practice, hard work and self-confidence are some
of the keys to success in GATE.

branch?
Sharada Prasad Panda: My name is, Sharada Prasad
Panda and I belong to Bhubaneswar, Odisha. I did my B.Tech
in Biotechnology from College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar.
Careers360: What was the GATE Paper you appeared

100 in GATE paper?
25
Sharada Prasad Panda: I appeared in GATE BT paper in
2015.I got an AIR of 6 in general category.My gate score was

863 and I secured 58.67 marks out of 100.

reasons.
Sharada Prasad Panda: I appeared GATE for pursuing
higher studies namely my masters. I want to work only after
doing masters.
Sharada Prasad Panda: I started my preparation from
7th semester. I tried to solve the previous year papers. I
bought GATE preparation books and tried to solve chapter
wise questions. I divided subjects into weeks. Every week I
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
would focus on one subject and once the week was over, I
would do problems pertaining to what I learnt. I would focus
on what I knew and tried to solidify the concepts rather than
trying to learn new things. Initially (the first 2 months) I used
to put in approximately 3-4 hours per day. Later I studied
approximately 5-6 hours every day till the day of exam.
Sharada Prasad Panda: No, I just took an online test
series of GATEFORUM. The tests helped me with speed

management during exam and also in showing the areas in
which I was weak.

Sharada Prasad Panda: Actually, I was prepared for this.
A good way to remember formulae for the numerical questions is to write the formulae again and again. And every
week practise the numerical questions. Mark the difficult one
and practise them again and again regularly till you get them
right. The test series helped with speed. I also gave many
mock tests and part tests. The level of questions in these
mock tests is a bit harder than GATE, so trying to solve them
helped. In GATE paper, I first attempted simple numerical
questions which required simple application of formulae.
Difficult numerical questions I attempted later.

timetables?
Sharada Prasad Panda: Set aside time every day for
preparing for GATE besides the regular studies. Initially
have a look at the previous year papers to get an idea of the
distribution of marks by subject in the paper. Then focus on
the important subjects from which a majority of questions
may come. Study each subject for a week and then the next
26
subject in the next week. After all the subjects are done once,
revise them again starting from the first subject, and go on
like this in cycles. Take breaks in between.

next?
Sharada Prasad Panda: Attempt the aptitude section
first. Then go through the paper in the subject section and
mark the level of difficulty of questions. Answer all the easy
questions first, then attempt the harder questions later. This
was my strategy for GATE 2015.

Sharada Prasad Panda: I feel that we should concentrate
on the General Aptitude and Engineering Maths sections in
addition to our chosen subject. These sections if done well
allow us to score better thus increasing our overall marks.
For BT, I fell all topics are important and one study study the
whole syllabus. For the others:
1. General aptitude: Problems on Time and Distance, Alligations and mixtures, Time and work are must
2. Engineering Maths: Matrices and Determinants, Probability, System of linear equations, Permutations and
combinations are must
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium

how frequently?
Sharada Prasad Panda: It is important. Online environment is much different than offline exams .I think giving
online test series is enough for any student. Give mock tests
every two weeks and subject tests twice/thrice every week.
If you are completely new to the online testing environment,
then it will take some time to get accustomed to it. With
practice you can avoid the surprise element on the day of
the actual exam. The more you practise giving online tests,
the more your speed will increase as the crux is to solve the
paper in a limited time frame. You will also get clear about
your time management while solving the questions. This will
definitely help during GATE exam.
preparation?
Sharada Prasad Panda: These books helped a lot:

l
GATE exam?
Sharada Prasad Panda: The numerical questions seemed
a bit tough. They require careful calculations and even if

we dont have negative marking for these, getting the right
answer is important in a limited time.

exam successfully?
Sharada Prasad Panda: Mock tests are important
because they help with getting you accustomed to the online
environment and teach you time management. Yes, it is true
that if one solves the previous year papers then there is a good
chance of cracking the exam. Previous year papers allow us
to have an idea about the most important topics and subjects
that carry a good amount of questions. We get a morale boost
when we are able to solve some questions knowing that there
is a good chance of answering more questions if the preparation is right.
27
GK Publishers- GATE Biotechnology, GATE General

Aptitude and Mathematics,
Pathfinder publications: Life Science part 1 and 2.
Careers360: Any advice for the GATE 2016 aspirants?

Sharada Prasad Panda: Dont lose hope when you find
the questions tough at the beginning of your preparation.

Just keep practising. Even when you attempt the test series
dont be disheartened if you dont do well. Instead look at
your weak points to improve and score well the next time.
If you get good results, then dont be too overconfident. Be
happy that you are improving. It will seem difficult at first,
but it is not that tough. Trust yourself, work hard and leave
the rest to god....... :)
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Expert Opinion
GATE 2016 Expert Interview

Mr. Aniruddh Pratap Singh
(Faculty, Made Easy Group)
28
GATE 216 Expert Interview

Mr. B.Singh (CMD, Made Easy Group)
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Useful Links for GATE 2016
GATE 2016
Whats New in GATE
GATE 2016
Changes in Syllabus
29
GATE 2016 Syllabus
IIT M.Tech Admissions 2016
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
GATE 2016
Sample Papers
GATE 2016 Mock Test
GATE 2016
Official Website
30
PSU Recruitment
Through GATE 2016
Follow us on Facebook for

all the latest updates
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
GATE 2016 Correspondence Program Premium

A Complete GATE Preparation Package for your success in GATE
Highlights of the Package:
Study Material Package:
Quick Refresher Guide
E-Lectures
All India Mock Tests
Full Length Test
Sectional Tests
Subject Wise Tests
Post GATE Guidance information
31
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium
Complete GATE Online Test Series

Highlights of the Package
50+ Test papers.
Previous 4 years' papers.
40+ Engg Mathematics Tests.
08 Mock Tests.
32
GATE 2016
Correspondence
Program Premium

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers For GATE 2016

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Descrição original:

Título original

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers For GATE 2016

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

Success Mantras of

GATE Toppers for

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

Ravi Shankar Mishra AIR 1 in Computer Science Engineering!

Pradeep Seervi AIR 1 in Electrical Engineering

Saurav Gupta AIR 5 in Electronics and Communication Engineering

Aditya Narayan Nanda AIR 10 In Instrumentation Engineering

Souradeep Sinha AIR 9 In Chemical Engineering

Sharada Prasad Panda AIR 6 in Biotechnology

GATE Expert Opinion

Useful Links for GATE 2016

GATE 2016 Correspondence Program Premium

Complete GATE Online Test Series

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

Ravi Shankar Mishra

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself; where

have you done your engineering from and in which

Careers360: what was the GATE Paper you appeared

Careers360: What was the reason you appeared for

GATE 2015? PSU or further studies? Please elaborate

Careers360: Have you also applied to any PSUs and

Ravi Shankar Mishra: Right now, I have no intention to

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

2. Phase 2 (105 days, 12 hours/day) - Studying Books &

Careers360: When did you start your preparation?

1. Phase 1 (15 days, 5 hours/day) Understanding the

After this my quest for good standard books started.

3. Phase 3 (30 days, 14 hours/day) - Revision & Test

But I found myself in big trouble. The reason was that I

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

Careers360: Can you share any preparation strategies

Three things came to my rescue here and they not only

Ravi Shankar Mishra: No, I have not taken any formal

coaching but I took the correspondence course of MadeEasy.

Careers360: GATE 2015 saw a substantial amount of

numerical questions asked when compared to previous

with our readers? How to schedule study time and make

GATE Syllabus Topics

Data Structures and

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

GATE Syllabus Topics

Computer Organization and

Software Engineering &

Careers360: How should one schedule answering the

Careers360: Name some important Topics that you feel

are a must read for any student attempting GATE exam

Careers360: Since all the GATE exams are online now,

how mandatory is it for students to practice online and

Careers360: What did you feel was a tough thing in the

Ravi Shankar Mishra: A tough thing about GATE 2015

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

Careers360: How important do you feel mock tests are

and why? Is it true that if one solves the previous year

(1) Since, most questions come from similar topics year

Careers360: Which books did you follow for GATE

Ravi Shankar Mishra: I have listed below the book name,

Success Mantras of GATE Toppers for GATE 2016

Discrete Mathematics and Its

The C Programming language

Data Structures and

1-4, 6-8, 10-12, 15, 16,

2. Phase 2 (105 days, 12 hours/day) - Studying Books &