Gate CSE Preparation (ECE Background)

About Myself

Hi everyone, I am a final year Electronics and Communication Engineering Student at a tier 3 college.

I am a very average student. Didn’t achieve anything great in my engineering life academically till this GATE exam (AIR 784, GATE)
. Till last year i.e in the second, and third years, I was preparing for GATE ECE subjects, I prepared Network Theory, Signals and Systems, Digital Electronics, Analog Electronics, etc. but I was not confident whether I will be able to do it or not since my lack of interest MarchECE subjects and lack of self-confidence as my other classmates are taking either online courses or coaching. I was just doing it because all others are doing it and I knew from my heart I will not be able to do it. And I am sure if my life didn’t take a turn as it did you will not be reading this blog.

How My Journey Started

On March 5, 2020, I arrived at my hometown Alwar( in Rajasthan) for the festival of Holi, but that 7-day vacation soon got converted into my life-changing journey toward GATE. Until 22 March when PM Modi came on TV a announced the Janata Curfew I was chilling. But then soon I realized I was wasting a lot of time just watching American TV shows and Web Series. Soon I started to explore new things which I was not able to explore my entire life, I learned Web Dev(HTML, CSS, JavaScript), then I learned ReactJS, Arduino, Raspberry pie, and Android Development and now September is here and till now I have no idea about GATE.

Then on 13 September my friend called me and told me the GATE forms are out then I casually told him I want to give GATE from CSE since I got interested in CS till then, he told me to follow the GATE ACADEMY crash course. As they are doing it free on youtube I thought let’s give it a try. 

It was started on October 1, 2020, and I started following it. But at that time I just wanted to qualify for the GATE exam as I knew I am very late. My friends completed their syllabus by that time and when I see the guidance video I found them telling me to give test series and revise. But here I didn’t know the subject’s name properly. Then I follow each lecture and made notes but my mistake was I made notes of two subjects in one notebook (Mistake 1) as I was too lazy to buy new notebooks for each subject and I thought 1 notebook is sufficient since it is a crash course.

I Started Preparing

The one thing which helped me a lotaking Up early (Advice 1), I started waking up at 4 AM since I noticed that I was able to do more work more efficiently. Soon I started writing down what to on the next day before sleeping on my whiteboard (Advice 2), This really helped me being on track because it helps to avoid the struggle of thinking about what to do next and wasting time on that. Soon I bought a test series but didn’t use it till November. Then I also started to revise subjects every 7 days or more (Mistake 2), making a strict schedule of revisions that is very important (Advice 3).  Then I came across Unacademy Computer Science Channel and Unacademy’s Let’s crack it CSE channel and I started seeing PYQ videos in those channels. Then I bought the PYQ book and start solving that too.

In November I started to get tense because I didn’t start the test series till then, I might say it was a mistake but it turned out to be a good one. Soon I decided I will start giving the test, On the same day that after Diwali a made schedule about how I will give my 54 Tests. and I calculated there is not sufficient time to give 2 days time to one test so I made the schedule something like this:

If that day I procrastinated on making the schedule I would not be able to complete my test series (Advice 4: Never Procrastinate) and as you can see it failed soon. But I noticed those days were the most efficient when I followed a strict schedule. So I made a Schedule and start following it. when I gave OS subject Test I got 8.7/50 and the next day I gave COA  and got 9.02/50 and I got very demotivated as I was very confident in these two subjects. (Fact 1:Ups and Downs will definitely come, you must overcome them and move ahead).

I didn’t give any tests for 1 week or so I prepared COA and OS again. and then started giving tests again

I set my target to completer my whole syllabus for the first time by 31 December and it was 15 December already and I didn’t know anything about compiler design not even studied a single topic of it ever. so I started it on 19 December (after 3 days of procrastination, which u should avoid). and I gave four whole days to it and completed it on 23 December. Then I gave its topic-wise and subject-wise tests and I gave my last subject-wise test on the evening of 31 December 2020 and completed all topic-wise and subject-wise tests along with my entire syllabus with it.

Last Month’s Strategy:

I again make a schedule for giving the full Syllabus and Mock test in January along with my 5 times revision plan. But as you can guess It failed in the last week of January and I made a schedule again for February.

I made my short notes for all subjects in the first week of January. Then tried to follow the schedule as much as I can.

In the last month, the important thing is being mentally strong every day you feel like giving up. Don’t ever think of giving up. You will never know what you are capable of if you give up. (Advice 5)

Last Week’s Strategy:

I Revise 3-4 subjects a day for the first 5 days along with 1 previous year’s test which I gave every day in the last 15 days. and on the 6th day of the week, I revised all subjects(not in-depth) just saw all topics for the last time

Last Day Strategy:

I slept, meditated, and relaxed the whole day and I read all exam Instructions and arranged all needed items for the exam day.

Last Hour Strategy:

Watched Saurabh sir’s video which made me very motivated. And I got into my Exam hall and start relaxing and motivating myself to do my best without taking pressure. By saying to myself “This is the day I worked hard for I will do my best”.

Last Minute Strategy:

I took a deep breath and Thank God for making me capable to do this. I felt very happy at that time when I realize I changed my whole trajectory in the last 4 months. and I was very grateful for that at the moment.

and Started My Exam…

Most Crucial things to remember:

1. Wake up early if you can instead of studying late at night
2. Make an Every Day Schedule before sleeping and tick what you are able to do on that day. It will boost your confidence
3. Make small targets for starting and increase them with time, if you make a big target and not be able to achieve them you will feel demotivated.
4. Made a Test Series schedule of your own, if u are not able to follow their schedule(Test Series Schedule).
5. If you feel you are tired of doing it every day take the whole daybreak, not more than 2 days I recommend it.
6. Join Gate Academy, Made Easy, and other telegram groups and try to take part in doubt solving even if you are not sure you are right it will clear your concepts.
7. Question-solving is a must, at least solve the last 10-year questions twice. Once with topics, second at last, if possible don’t solve the GATE 2021 paper and keep it for last week.
8. complete all tests before last week avoid solving the test series in the last week just solve the previous year’s questions paper-wise.
9. Don’t compare your marks with anyone you will get what you deserve just keep working hard. Try to give your best every day.
10. Don’t study any new topic in the last 10-15 days until it’s very important
11. Relax on the last day don’t revise or study anything
12. You did great efforts to keep your morale up, mental stability is most important in those 3 hours. you will do better than you expect.

Resources I Used and Followed:

1. To prepare subjects
2. C and Data Structure: Pankaj Sharma Sir( Gate Academy)
3. Algorithm: Pankaj Sharma Sir( Gate Academy)
4. Computer Organization and Architecture: Vishvadeep Sir (Unacademy Computer Science)
5. Operating Systems: I followed Gate Academy but now I would recommend RBR’s free OS Course( Unacademy Special Class)
6. Computer Networks: Ajay Das Sir (Gate Academy) + Sanchit Jains special classes(Unacademy)
7. Theory Of Computation: Mallesham Sir (Unacademy CS Youtube, Now on GradeUp)
8. Compiler Design: Deepak Mishra Sir(Unacademy Let’s Crack it CSE Channel)
9. Digital Logic: Sujay Sir (Gate Academy)
10. Database Management System: Yadhunath Sir(Gate Academy)
11. Engineering Maths:  Vishal Soni Sir (kreatryx Youtube)
12. Discrete Maths: I followed many teachers but one was perfect so I won’t prefer anyone to follow whom you like.
13. Aptitude: Saurabh Thakur Sir(Gate Academy, now on Unacademy)
14. Test Series
15.  Made easy Test Series(I took 1-year test series)
16. Gate Academy Test Series (Not Worth it)
17. PYQ Book: Made easy PYQ book
18. Other resources I referred to:
19. Made easy Handbook
20. Sanchit Jain Sir’s lectures on unacademy flux ( Youtube ) and on Unacademy special classes on question-solving 
21. Top 10 questions on Made Easy youtube channel (in the last second week) along with Its 200 question PDF.
22. Top 10 RBR’s Questions on youtube, Now I recommend following Sir’s youtube channel it has a lot of questions to solve.

Note 1:  Sometimes you will not be able to understand some topics from the same teacher you are following. don’t hesitate is searching for that topic on youtube, If RBR sir’s video is available on that topic do refer to that else some unacademy lecture will surely come up.

Note 2: Don’t try to follow someone’s exact path, not even mine, it may not work for you as effectively as it worked for me, you can start by following if you have no idea how to proceed but surely soon enough you will know what worked for you. And how to proceed with your preparation in your own efficient and new way.

Note 3: Being positive and thinking about what you can do is the most important part of the whole preparation journey. Ups and downs come in everyone’s path but don’t stop and don’t give up.

Be Positive You Can If You Think You Can!!