Strategies for Cracking UPSC-IES, GATE Exams

Ever since I have cracked (IES: AIR 14, GATE: Rank 64) these two sacred exams for Engineers, I feel contented as far as clearing exams are concerned. But I have learnt a lot from the competition inherent in these exams. Lacs of candidates, millions of coaching institutes and zillions of aspiring souls in the form of parents of these candidates. These parents spend lacs on the coaching of their budding engineering sons/daughters just to satisfy themselves that they have done their duty. 

According to me, if a candidate has completed his engineering or if candidate is a final year student of Engineering - Coaching is not required atleast for cracking GATE or IES !!

GATE: Its an aptitude exam for checking that graduates have acquired requisite skills expected from an qualified Engineer. 

IES: Its a comprehensive exam which checks the ability of graduates to take up Group A Services of Govt of India. It is more than aptitude exam and to me it appears to me as attitude exam. Exams continues for 3 days and 5 papers - take a toll on aspirants.

Strategies for cracking these exams-

• Analyse the syllabus- You are not supposed to do Phd in Engineering but you need to know about the syllabus. Going through the syllabus in the first go defines your territory and makes you comfortable. Explode the possible contents under particular topic and make a comprehensive syllabus (customized) for you for the whole exam.

• Analyse Past Year Question Papers: Next Step should be analyzing the past question papers because this defines the lanes in the defined territory in the syllabus zone. There must be any roads frequently traveled and many less traveled. But you have to travel according to your comfort. Where and how deep to go in the particular lane depends on the number of questions and frequency on the particular topic corresponding to the lane. This exercise is necessary just to avoid entering into cul-de-sac simply because it is waste of time and you will have to come back on the same road leading to wastage of time.

• Analyse Toppers marks: This is most important step as this would define which hotel to chose to stay and for how long in the lanes of defined territory discussed above. Here you would find that a topper with rank 5 has scored 150 in GAT & Interview with very less marks in other papers and similarly you would also find toppers with very less marks in GAT but very high marks in Conventional. Top 20 marks mix is quite interesting and you have to identify your pattern from this. 

• Define your Plan , Time Table : With this much up your sleeves, define your plan and make a comprehensive time table by dividing entire syllabus into small modules & start preparing according to the defined plan. 

With this strategy, you would maximize your strengths and crack the exam according to your wish.