GATE 2019: Things to Do in the LAST MONTH

With the examination season upon us, we hope all the aspirants of ESE have done well in their exam. Now in less than a month we have the GATE 2019 exam and most of the students we see around are seen anxious and worried about the exam. They keep wondering if they have studied enough, if there is anything that is left to be revised. They pray that by some miracle they get to know what is going to come in the exam.

Taking into consideration all the issues and problems that students face right before the exam, we want to talk about what you must do a month before the examination. So, before we start with that, let us make some points clear about what the students are feeling about the examination and the many misconceptions that they still have regarding the exam, it’s preparation and their state of mind.

1. Anxiety: it is very normal for one to get anxious before the exam. You have worked hard all year long and now you want to give your best shot. While anxiety is normal and is sometimes even helpful for you to remain focused. However, getting tensed and having sleepless nights or not studying at all is wrong. So make sure you are regularly studying and continuing your effort because only that will give you results.
2. Test Series: We are sure that most of you are now attempting or reattempting the test series. You may know some questions while you may face difficulty in solving some. Don’t let yourself get bogged down by your marks in the test series. The test series is prepared with a variety of questions including the easy ones and difficult ones. Make sure if you are stuck in any question, then study the question properly and revise the same before you leave for the exam. Making a mistake in the test series is acceptable but a similar mistake in the examination will cost you your rank. So have sporting spirit and take your marks in the test series with greater zeal and confidence.
3. Doing it all: Right before the exam the students normally try to read everything and anything under the sun. They hear of something new from a friend and with the fear that the same question might be asked in the exam, we tend to read new topics also that we come across. This must strictly be avoided.
4. Leaving Aptitude Section: The students tend to leave the aptitude part of the GATE examination with the notion that it carries just 15 marks and will be easy to solve. Always remember that GATE syllabus does not specify any fixed subjects for the aptitude part of the examination. Therefore, it is necessary that you practice aptitude well as it can be the deciding factor in your selection.

Having discussed some confusions, we now come to the important part of what must be done to overcome these misconceptions and come out victorious in the exam. With just a month to go for the GATE examination, this time is very crucial for all the aspirants as sincere and dedicated effort can give you results whereas slight leniency in your studies can cost you too much. Therefore, we bring to you 10 things to do a month before the exam.

1. Calm Yourself Down: Instead of always being in a state of panic and fear and hampering your preparation, it is necessary that you calm yourself down. Various rejuvenating activities can be done for calming yourself and sharpening your mind. Some of the activities are: mediation, listening to good music, going for a walk with friends, talking to your friends and family. Make sure not to indulge in any activity that eats your time up or distracts you completely from the exam mode. Activities to be avoided are: watching a movie, starting a new TV series, reading a novel, going out partying with friends etc.
2. Strategy: GATE requires a different strategy from ESE. The questions require in-depth knowledge of the subjects therefore it is necessary that you must be thorough with your concepts and their applicability. GATE also has lot of questions in the examination which are numerical based, for which the candidates are provided with virtual calculator. So the aspirants must try solving the test series and practice questions using the virtual calculator instead of physical ones. This will help you get accustomed to the examination format and quickly solve the questions. The more questions you practice, the greater speed you will achieve which will earn you more marks in the examination.
3. Revise: If you have already practiced the test series questions and previous year questions, then now is the time to pick them all up and revise them once again. While revising if you think any topic requires special attention, pick up your notes and go through them thoroughly. Picking up a new topic at this stage can hamper with your preparation and play with your minds. So do not start any new topic but make sure to revise the old ones to become thorough with the topics and not miss any questions related to them.
4. Practice: If you haven’t practiced any questions from test series or previous year this is the time to start practicing. Not only will practice help you revise what you have read in the past but also will help you get an idea of what you may have mistakenly left. Make sure to answer the questions in the allotted time as it will give you a real time experience of the GATE examination.

So practice questions, as knowledge is of no value if not practiced well.

5. Discussion: During revision if you feel that you are facing a problem in understanding a particular topic, try to sort the confusion by discussing it with your friends and colleagues. Picking up a new book to understand a topic will make you lost in the maze and you may forget the topics that you know well.
6. Inspirational Videos: Right before the exam test series, our friends and some fellow aspirants tend to bring our confidence down. The one stop solution for all these unwanted chatter around is watching inspirational videos. Watch Ted Talks, Toppers’ Talk or other inspirational videos on YouTube. Through these videos you get a sense of what it takes to be a person of authority and intelligence. Nothing in this world comes easy, except mediocrity. Choosing an exam like GATE already differentiates you from the crowd and to stay afloat from general you must first float beyond the social noise around you.
7. Proper Breaks: Amidst all the preparation pressure and examination anxiety what is of utmost importance is taking breaks. Breaks are not about sitting idle and over-thinking about the exam but taking fruitful breaks which will refresh your mind and also not distract you from the correct frame of mind. Tiring your mind right before the exam can drain you out during the exam. Therefore, take proper breaks like talking to friends, watching videos. For breaks you can also practice aptitude questions as this will not only give you a much needed break but also give you better marks in the examination.
8. Don’t Worry: Most of the candidates have appeared for the ESE exam on the 6th January. It is extremely necessary that no matter how your exam went you must leave the past behind and focus on what the future has in store for you. GATE is a huge platform which provides the graduates with bright opportunities for the future. Starting from good PSU jobs to post graduation in top engineering institutes, GATE is a one stop solution for making all dreams come true. So leave all your failures and success behind and get set for the GATE exam.
9. Live the Day: If something is practiced regularly for a week or two, the mind gets used to the routine. So a month before the exam one can start to follow the regular routine like waking up early, sitting for 3 hours during your supposed examination timing and many more. This routine will make you used to the examination day before the actual D-Day.
10. Take Care of Yourself: Studying and preparing will be of no use if proper care is not taken of your health and body. So make sure to follow a good routine of eating and sleeping. Take a good 6-8 hour sleep, eat healthy food and avoid junk. Your stomach controls your body and only a healthy stomach will run a healthy mind. So eat fruits and vegetables and take proper sleep.

A national level examination, GATE tests the conceptual clarity of the aspirants in their respective subjects. Therefore, it is necessary that the aspirants remain focused and dedicated to the examination right from the day they start their preparation to the last day when the exam is actually held. Being the deciding factor for various graduates, the examination instills a feeling of anxiety and fear which is why they start procrastinating the revision part of the preparation. Doing so will nullify your preparation because it is not learning but practice which makes one perfect whether it is the race for an examination or your own life.

Keeping in mind all the above points, you must spend this one month keeping yourself calm and eating healthy. Rely more on discussions with your friends and don’t forget to take productive breaks to rest your mind. Through this article the team of GATEFORUM aims to help students rise beyond the clouds and come out with flying colors in the GATE 2019 exam. If you are still facing any problems please feel free to write to us, we would be happy to help you.

All The Best for GATE 2019!