GATE Preparation | 7 Months GATE Exam Preparation Strategy

GATE Exam Key Highlights

GATE exam preparation is considered a tough task, but not because of its syllabus. It is largely due to the huge number of aspirants, between 9-12 lakh every year, who appear for this exam. However, if you follow the right strategy and build a strong foundation, you can definitely clear the exam with just 7 months of preparation. 

Most importantly, remember that your preparation strategy determines whether an exam is hard to crack or not. Given below is the 7-month preparation strategy you need to follow religiously if you want to crack GATE 2023. 

Let’s get started. 

Detailed 7-month preparation strategy to crack GATE 2023

GATE Preparation Strategy - First 3 Months

Step 1 Keep the GATE Syllabus in Front of You

Take out a large-size print-out of the GATE 2023 syllabus and put it in front of your study table so that you see it every day. 

Why is this important? This acts as a constant reminder of the subjects you have finished, the ones you have yet to complete, and the time you have left remaining to complete your subjects and your syllabus. 

It may sound unnecessary but this is a tried and tested method for every competitive exam. It works. 

Also read: Even With A Low GATE Score, IIT is a Dream Come True

Step 2 Get GATE Previous Year Question Papers

Once you are fully aware of the GATE syllabus and know what to study, the next important thing you need to do is get a hold of the previous years' question banks. These are going to help you throughout your GATE preparation and maybe even for upcoming exams. You can access all the GATE PYQs on the PrepLadder app. 

Step 3 Divide Your Time Between the Major and Minor Subjects 

Here you need to divide your time between the subjects that carry the most weight vs the subjects that carry the least. How will find it that out? By looking at the previous year questions given at the beginning of every subject. 

If a subject has at least 10-15 marks weightage in the GATE exam, then classify that as an important subject or a major one. 

Similarly, if a subject has just 2-4 marks weightage in the exam, classify that as a minor subject and keep it aside. Following this strategy helps you manage your time and divide subject-wise preparation according to importance. 

Another reason you should follow this strategy is, that the subjects with the most weightage are usually the foundational subjects. They are taught in the first and second semesters of college. 

And the ones with the least weightage are the application-based subjects. Therefore, following this strategy also helps you build your foundation alongside your preparation and proceed to application-based concepts and questions once you are done with the foundational syllabus. 

Step 4 Start GATE Exam Preparation 

Since you are starting your GATE preparation fresh, begin with your favourite subject or one that you are most comfortable with. This will help you to get the momentum going and ease you into the preparation process. 

Following this process, you should be able to finish the major or foundational subjects in the first three months of your GATE exam preparation. 

GATE Preparation Strategy - Next 3 Months

Step 1 Start With the Minor Subjects

Once you have completed the major subjects it is time to start the minor ones. Follow the same strategy you used to study the major subjects. Complete all previous year's questions after every chapter to avoid any backlog and gain conceptual clarity. 

Step 2 Start Maths and Aptitude Preparation

Once you are in the fourth month of preparation, you can start your maths preparation. Start General Aptitude preparation from the next month onwards. This should be parallel to your minor subject preparation. 

This is just a strategy to give your GATE preparation a boost if Maths is not a comfortable subject for you. It is not mandatory to start your maths preparation from the fourth month onwards.  

If you love maths and find crunching numbers easy, then feel free to start early! 

Keep the 6th month as a buffer month. This is necessary because no study plan is perfect and deadlines are bound to get extended. By keeping a buffer month in between, you allow yourself some breathing room. 

The Final Month

Test Series | Revision | Practice

The last month of your GATE exam preparation should be devoted to attempting as many test series as possible along with revision. More than theory, you should concentrate on practicing questions to clear your concepts. 

Revision is a critical part of your 7-month GATE exam preparation strategy. You do not have the luxury of spending 1-2 months of revision alone. Therefore, you have to start your revision parallel to your preparation. 

For best results, start your revision immediately after you complete the first subject. For example, once you complete your first subject, start studying the second subject while simultaneously revising the first subject. 

This will ensure that you complete your subjects and remember everything you studied. 

Pro tips to boost your GATE exam preparation

Note-making

If you are in your pre-final or final years of college, make notes after every class lecture and go through them once at the end of the day. If you have passed out of college, make notes after you complete a chapter and go through them before bed. It acts as a daily revision for your benefit.

Keep revision time for Notes short

For best results, revise your notes in less than half the time it took you to complete the chapter or attend the class lecture. Underline or highlight the important parts, and formulae with a different colour ink. This makes it easier for you to revise the notes again the next month. 

Complete all PYQs on the same day you finish a chapter

Complete the previous year's questions after you finish a chapter. This will help you understand the topic better and give you better conceptual clarity. GATE questions can be tricky and only with a clear understanding of concepts will you be able to tackle all the questions. 

This is also important to avoid any backlog during the revision process later on. 

Tackling Tricky Questions in the GATE exam

During your revision, attempt as many objective questions as possible. This will help you develop fundamental knowledge of concepts and give you the confidence to tackle the trickiest questions. 

If cracking GATE 2023 is your ultimate goal, then look no further. PrepLadder is here to turn your dream into reality with India’s leading GATE Faculty onboard. 

PrepLadder is India’s leading e-learning platform that has helped many students in qualifying for the GATE examination. Give an extra edge to your preparation with an extensive QBank, Past Year Question Papers, Mock Tests, PrepLab, Treasures, and many other valuable features which will help you to crack GATE with much ease. 

For more exam-related news, exam strategies, and the latest information about the GATE exam, keep following our blog and our Telegram channel. 

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