GATE preparation: Tips and strategies from research student

DIMAPUR — Growing up, Tiamenla L Ozukum wanted a career path in medicine but things took an unexpected turn in 2016 when faced with the choice of taking a year gap or pursuing B.Sc while preparing for NEET. She took admission in engineering at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Nagaland, despite knowing little about it, and there was no stopping since.

She appeared for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) and went on to do Masters in Civil Engineering (Environmental engineering) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad. Currently a research student at the University of Tokyo, she is looking forward to joining as a doctoral fellow in the spring intake.

“I could not see myself in an office, be it corporate or government. For me, learning and growing had to be in academia. It is challenging, but I relish this form of learning and growth,” she said, adding that she had learned over the years that ‘the grass is greener where you water it, not the other side’.

In an exclusive interview with Eastern Mirror, Ozukum, who enjoys reading in her free time, gave insights into GATE, which is considered to be one of the toughest examinations, conducted to screen candidates for admission into PG programmes at IITs and other institutes.

Can you share us your thoughts on the GATE, and how would you define an ideal preparation strategy for it?

Personally, GATE was not easy. But I won’t say it is the most difficult either. Depending on how prepared you are, the difficulty varies, like most other exams. If you go in with no preparation whatsoever, then it would be tough and I would say, don’t waste your time there. GATE also opens avenues for recruitment into PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings). So, graduate engineering students searching for placement opportunities or planning to go for higher studies can look into GATE.

For GATE beginners, where should one start with in terms of resources and study materials?

There are a lot of coaching institutes now that provide resources and lectures to students that are preparing for GATE. I was very fortunate because for my batch, coaching for GATE was introduced at NIT Nagaland, although I was unable to sit through the end, this gave me a head start. But I do understand it is not feasible for everyone, especially if you are paying out of your pocket, so some tips from what I learned are:

i) If you know anyone, seniors or friends who have sat for the exam, or are preparing for it, reach out to them. Ask for help. Ask a lot of questions. This can help you strategize your preparation.

ii) Know your syllabus and marks distribution. Get it printed on paper.

iii) Once you have mapped out your plan, start making notes and learning the concepts simultaneously. Let me emphasize, ‘make notes’- this is very helpful. There are plenty of lecture series on YouTube for GATE preparation. So many resources are at our disposal at the click of a button. (Unlimited internet) Use your tools productively.

iv) Keep practicing a lot of questions (get a booklet of all previous years’ questions) and giving mock tests.

v) Covering the entire syllabus is not an easy feat, especially if you are short of time. What I did was set a target score and planned what all to study around that target. Example, Math and aptitude alone carry quite a lot of marks, so these two were fixed and then from the core subjects, according to my interests and the marks distribution, I chose what to prepare. I left out some subjects which were very vast but had very little weightage. I don’t know if this would work for everyone but putting it out in case someone might find it useful.

How did you manage revision and handle exam stress effectively?

I think no amount of mental preparation is ever enough to calm down the nerves. And I for one, am not the best at stress management. I would really just tell myself to breathe. “You have done whatever you could, just breathe and trust God” would repeatedly play on loop in my head.

Towards the end of preparation, I tried not to study anything new or extra. Just kept revising some concepts and practicing questions till the last day. Also, getting proper and enough sleep!

Any specific mistake or pitfall you encountered that students should be cautious about?

Yes, please know your syllabus! You would not want to end up wasting your time on topics not included in the syllabus. Keep going back and checking what is included and what isn’t as you study. I wasted quite a lot of my time because of this. And giving mock tests. I would suggest not skipping this part, another thing I did not give much attention to.

How did you decide between pursuing further studies, like a PhD and entering the job market?

Weighing the benefits of long-term advanced education against immediate career opportunities had been quite the task that helped me in deciding between further studies and entering the job market. Passion for research, my ultimate career goals, and the specific requirements of the field were compasses that helped me navigate through this.

I suppose it all boils down to finding the right balance between academic pursuit and real-world application that best suits one’s interests, and aspirations. Academia is where I found my purpose. I am still figuring things out and learning as I go. Maybe some years down the line, I might have a different perspective but right now, I can’t picture myself in another setting and that was how I came to this decision.

Do you have any advice regarding the counselling procedures for admissions after clearing GATE?

First and foremost, keep checking dates and notifications of counselling processes. For those looking for admission into IITs for M.Tech or placement opportunities in PSUs, COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal) is a platform through which the institutes/PSUs offer seats/placement to the registered candidates. Also, note that the students must apply to the institutes separately. COAP is not an application portal for admission, rather like a middle ground for the institutes/PSUs and candidates to meet. So successful candidates should register with COAP and apply separately to the institutes/PSUs of their choice. NITs, IIEST Shibpur, IIITs and GFTIs also offer M.Tech admissions through gate. The counselling process for which is conducted through CCMT. Depending on the eligibility criteria, successful candidates may apply to whichever fits.

How did you choose your area of specialization?

Turns out, Civil Engineering is more than just building roads, bridges, and buildings. During undergrad, I was able to get familiarized with the different branches and sub disciplines of the field, each of these areas with different challenges, focus, and applications. Some of which are structural, geotechnical, environmental, water resource engineering, and some more.

I went on to pursue a specialization in environmental engineering. How I came to this decision was quite simple, more or less. Where do my interests lie? How do I want my interest to make an impact, a difference? These were what I asked myself and found myself leaning towards environmental engineering.

Environmental engineering is where I found a bridge between the environment and its inhabitants, and I can do my small bit as a mediator to help balance the scale.

My friends and I, who were also enrolled for the same specialization, would often say this, “There are enough human and animal doctors in the world, so we choose to treat the earth instead.”

Tips for improving GATE scores for future attempts or for applying to institutes with higher cutoffs

In my opinion, if someone has already gotten a hang of the exam pattern, then I suppose all that is left to do now is re-evaluate the strategies from previous attempts, tie up loose ends, and consistently review the materials and practice a lot more and simultaneously making sure concepts are getting smooth finishes with each review.

How did you secure a full scholarship at the University of Tokyo, and any advice for similar opportunities?

Each institute would have a separate help desk or office of international relations. If someone is looking for scholarship opportunities, I think inquiring here would be a good start.

Application for universities and application for scholarship is done separately.

For the universities, I checked some laboratories, their current research work, what aligned with my interests and sent in my resume, research proposal to the professors and the university, depending on their criteria, some might conduct exams or interviews. For the scholarship, I had to submit a separate application to the scholarship funding agency/foundation. Both have a separate screening process. I got selected for the IITH-Japan FRIENDSHIP scholarship. This scheme is exclusive for students for IIT Hyderabad.

For students from other universities, there are other scholarship opportunities they may check, like the MEXT Scholarship offered by the Japanese government. The Indian government also offers scholarships; I could list down a few like National Overseas Scholarship, PMRF, MHRD scholarships etc. GATE qualified candidates who enrol through CCMT and COAP into NITs, IITs and other participating institutes are also entitled to MHRD scholarship.

What advice would you give to students who don’t succeed in the GATE?

I hope no one lets their lives revolve around an exam. Your capabilities, your worth is not defined by that. You bring so much more to the table than just getting through an exam. So, know where to stop. Learning to draw the line for yourself after a certain point is as important as drawing the same line with those around you when preparing for the exam.

RAPID INSIGHTS

A book that left a lasting impact on you

‘Glorious Mess’ by Mike Howerton

If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be?

otsu.pottery by Lipok Esther on Instagram. I love what she is doing, so much so that I wouldn’t mind changing my career plans (laughs). Pottery it is.

Three things that you can’t live without

Pork momo, flowers, sunscreen