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GATE 2020 Preparation Tips, Books and Study Material

Overview▾Syllabus▾Question Papers▾preparation▾Answer Key▾Cutoff▾Exam Dates▾Mock Tst▾College PredictorNewsQ&A

GATE is a national level examination which is taken by more than 9 lacs candidates every year for higher education and research opportunities. Cracking such an exam is a challenging task. Highly motivated candidates with a clear vision of their goal will only be able to score well in the exam.

To crack GATE 2020, candidates must have a proper strategic plan. This strategy should be subjective and based on one’s own abilities and limitations. There are many coaching institutes that offer a proper path for the aspirant but it is not the only way to score in the exam. Therefore, we have come up with some essential tips that candidates may follow to ace GATE 2020 without coaching.

GATE 2020 Highlights

  • GATE 2020 will be held in Computer Based mode on February 1, 2, 8 and 9, 2020.
  • IIT Delhi will be the conducting authority of GATE 2020 examination.
  • Biomedical Engineering is a newly added subject in the list of 25 subjects.

GATE 2020 Biomedical Engineering – Preparation Tips 

Since Biomedical Engineering is a new addition for GATE 2020 examination, here are some Preparation Tips and the Detailed Syllabus of the paper for the assistance of the candidates planning to appear for the same:

  • Set short term goals: There should be an organized chart for daily, weekly and monthly targets instead of long term non-realistic goals.
  • A strong conceptual base: As a future biomedical engineer, your capacity to understand scientific and mathematical principles is important. As you explore the fields of math and science in preparation for the exam, challenge yourself and make an extra effort to excel in these fields and not just qualify them. 
  • Constant Revision: Revise what you study on a daily basis instead of piling up and keeping long term revision plans. Frequent revisions save a lot of time and help in building a strong conceptual base. Make charts or notes to keep a track of formulas for last-minute revisions.
  • Put your Practice to Test: Take topic wise and overall mock tests to know where you stand in terms of application. Analyse each of your mock tests and and rectify the mistakes especially the conceptual ones. 
  • Balance is a must: Keep a balance between work and play. This will help in maintaining your interest in the syllabus and level of productivity. Take frequent breaks in the beginning and gradually reduce the frequency of breaks once the concentration ability is all built up. Deal with the preparation process with patience, as shortcuts aren’t the solution.
  • Appropriate Information and Awareness: Before beginning to craft a preparation starategy candidates must be aware of the syllabus and other related information. An organized schedule considering one’s strengths and weaknesses in various topics will have better and long lasting results on the actual performance. The syllabus for GATE 2020 Biomedical Engineering paper is tabulated below:

S. No.

Section Name

Topics Included

1.

Engineering Mathematics

Linear Equations, Calculus, Different Equations, Analysis of complex variables, Probability and Statistics, Numerical Methods

2.

Electrical Circuits

Voltage and current sources: independent, dependent, ideal and practical; v-i relationships of resistor, inductor, mutual inductor and capacitor; transient analysis of RLC circuits with dc excitation.

Kirchoff’s laws, mesh and nodal analysis, superposition, Thevenin, Norton, maximum power transfer and reciprocity theorems. Peak-, average- and rms values of ac quantities; apparent-, active- and reactive power; phasor analysis, impedance and admittance; series and parallel resonance, locus diagrams, realization of basic filters with R, L and C elements

3.

Signals and Systems

Continuous and Discrete Signal and Systems: Periodic, aperiodic and impulse signals; Sampling theorem; Laplace, Fourier and z-transforms; transfer function, frequency response of first and second order linear time invariant systems, impulse response of systems; convolution, correlation. Discrete time system: impulse response, frequency response, pulse transfer function; DFT; basics of IIR and FIR filters.

4.

Analog and Digital Electronics

Characteristics and applications of diode, Zener Diode, BJT and MOSFET; small signal analysis of transistor circuits, feedback amplifiers. Characteristics of operational amplifiers; applications of op amps: difference amplifier, adder, subtractor, integrator, differentiator, instrumentation amplifier,buffer. Combinational logic circuits, minimization of Boolean functions. IC families: TTL and CMOS. Arithmetic circuits, comparators, Schmitt trigger, multi-vibrators, sequential circuits, flip flops, shift registers, timers and counters; sample-and-hold circuit, multiplexer. Characteristics of ADC and DAC (resolution, quantization, significant bits, conversion/settling time); basics of number systems, microprocessor and microcontroller: applications, memory and input- output interfacing; elements of data acquisition systems

5.

Measurements and Control Systems

SI units, systematic and random errors in measurement, expression of uncertainty - accuracy and precision index, propagation of errors. PMMC, MI and dynamometer type instruments; dc potentiometer; bridges for measurement of R, L and C, Q-meter. Basics of control engineering – modeling system: transfer function and state-space model, stability analysis:time domain and frequency domain analysis.

6.

Sensors and Bioinstrumentation

Types of Instruments: Resistive-, capacitive-, inductive-, piezoelectric-, Hall Effect sensors and associated signal conditioning circuits; Optical sources and detectors: LED, Photo-diode, p-inandavalanchephotodiode (APD), light dependent resistor and their characteristics; basics of magnetic sensing; Interferometer: applications in metrology; basics of fiber optic sensing. Basics of LASERs. Origin, nature, and types of Biosignals, Principles of sensing physiological parameters, types of transducers and their characteristics, Electrodes for bioelectric signals, Bioelectric signals and their characteristics. Biopotential Amplifiers, Noiseandarte facts and their management, Electrical Isolation (optical and electrical) and Safety of Biomedical Instruments. Generation, Acquisition, and signal conditioning and analysis of biosignals: ECG, EMG, EEG, EOG, Blood ERG, PCG, GSR. Principles of measuring blood pressure, Core temperature, volume & flow in arteries, veins and tissues – Lung volumes, respiration and cardiac rate

7.

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Basic elements of the human body-musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, circulatory system, excretory system, endocrine system, nervous system, digestive, nervous, immune, integumentary, and reproductive systems, Basics of cell and molecular biology.

8.

Biomechanics

Engineering Mechanics,Hard Tissues, Soft Tissues, Human Joints and Movements: Skeletal joints, Biofluid mechanics

9.

Medical Imaging Systems

Basic physics and Instrumentation of medical images in X-Ray, Ultrasound, CT, MRI, PET, FMRI, SPECT, and their characteristics.

10.

Biomaterials

Basic properties of biomaterials, biocompatibility, bioactivity, biodegradable materials, Fundamentals of implants and medical devices, drug delivery carriers, scaffolds for tissue engineering

How to Prepare for GATE 2020 without Coachings?

There are certain factors that the GATE aspirants need to keep in mind while preparing for the exam. We have formulated a few strategies opted by the previous year toppers that candidates may follow to ace the exam.

Start Your Preparation Early

Candidates must start their preparation early by doing so, they will be able to compile all the necessary study material and create a proper plan that they may follow during their course of preparation. Preparing a layout and then working accordingly will cut-shot the time wasted while being confused about how to start their preparation

  • During this phase, candidate must analyze the time required on each subject and divide the number of days that they may give on a particular subject for thorough preparation.
  • Candidate must create a hierarchy of the subjects he/she will cover.
  • Follow what you have planned throughout your preparation phase.

Go through the Syllabus First

Another foremost step that candidates must do is to have a clear idea of GATE Syllabus that needs to be covered. GATE is a high-level exam and therefore, there is vast syllabus that candidates need to cover. In order to cover the overall syllabus without missing any topic, candidates must go through the syllabus provided on the official website of GATE 2020. Candidates must try to cover those topics first from which the possibilities of questions asked are higher.

Tabulated below is the GATE 2020 Syllabus for each stream along with the paper code.

Get a Clear Understanding of Exam Pattern

Along with the syllabus, candidates must be aware of GATE paper pattern and its trending changes. Having an idea about the exam pattern prior to taking the final test will help them to solve the paper with ease. Though the pattern remains the same each year, the structure of paper may differ. An idea about the number of questions asked and the questions with higher weightage may increase the chance to score high. Go through the highlights of GATE Exam Pattern given below.

GATE 2020 Exam Pattern Highlights
Exam Duration 3 Hours
Total Questions 65
Total Marks 100
Types of Questions Multiple Choice Questions Numerical Answer Types Questions
Sections General Aptitude (Common for all streams) Engineering Mathematics (Chemistry for XL Papers) Stream Specific Subject
Marking Scheme 1 Mark MCQs - ⅓ marks will be deducted for the wrong answer 2 Marks MCQs - ⅔ marks will be deducted for each wrong answer No marks will be deducted for unattempted question No negative marking for NAT questions

Topic-wise Weightage in GATE 2020

The distribution of each topic in the paper will help a candidate in prioritizing the topic which needs to be covered first. Topics with higher weightage must be prepared thoroughly. It will be a good strategy to ace the exam. This could be done by going through the previous year question paper and analyzing the trending changes. Also, go through the section-wise weightage of GATE exam given below.

Paper Code Percentage Weightage
CE, CS, EC, AE, AG, BT, CH, ME, MN, MT, EE, IN, TF, XE, PE, ST, PI General Aptitude - 15% Engineering Mathematics - 15% Paper Subject - 70%
AR, CY, GG, EY, XL, PH, MA General Aptitude - 15% Subject Paper - 85%

Choose Trusted Reference Books

Books are the most trusted source of GATE preparation, they will definitely help in every way. Candidates must not pick any random book for their preparation. It is recommended that candidates must go for the books referred by GATE Toppers. Below given are the top-recommended books for GATE 2020.

Subject Books
General Aptitude A Modern Approach to Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning by RS Aggarwal
Mathematics Higher Engineering Mathematics by B.S Grewal
Mechanical Engineering Machine Design by VB Bhandari Engineering Mechanics by Bhavikatti Fluid Mechanics by RK Bansal Heat Transfer by Cengal and Holman
Industrial Engineering Industrial Engineering by O P Khanna, Buffa, and Sarin
Manufacturing Engineering Production Technology: Manufacturing Processes, Technology and Automation by R.K. Jain
Computer Science and Information Technology C Programming Language by Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis M. Ritchie
Civil Engineering Basic Structural Analysis, C.S. Reddy
Electrical Engineering Electrical Power Systems by CL Wadhwa
Electronics and Communication Engineering Principles of Communication Systems by Goutam Saha, Herbert Taub, Donald Schilling
Statistics Statistics for Machine Learning by Pratap Dangeti

Check other GATE Recommended Books for all Subjects

Time Management

Time Management plays a major role while preparing for the exam. GATE aspirants should utilize each second effectively. Proper time division for covering the syllabus, practicing sample papers and last-minute preparation should be done so that the candidate does not miss anything before attempting the paper.

Keep Your Concepts Strong

Having a stronghold on the basics of the topics can help in performing much better in the exam. Candidates must have deeper conceptual knowledge on the frequently asked topics. The easiest way to keep command on basics is: Prepare short notes of formulas, concepts and compile it at a single place. Make it your habit of going through the short notes before starting your preparation each day.

Practice Mock Tests

Mock Tests are the best source for GATE preparation. If taken seriously, it has its own benefits that candidates may get to know while attempting the question paper. Once the candidates have covered all the syllabi, they must take as many mock tests as possible. Mock tests are similar to the final test that candidates will give. One mock test each day will benefit the candidates in the following way:

  • It will enhance a candidate’s problem-solving efficiency.
  • Mock test improves the chances of error.
  • Solving mock tests will give candidates an idea about the type of questions asked frequently.
  • Many times it happens that the questions asked in mock tests come as it is in the question paper.
  • Mock test boost confidence in the GATE aspirant.

Toppers’s Preparation Mantra to Crack GATE 2020

Topper’s preparation strategies are the tried and tested method to score in GATE exam which can be fruitful for the upcoming GATE aspirants. Check for the preparation strategy opted by the previous year toppers to crack GATE exam.

Topper Name All India Rank Preparation Tips
Vikash Raj AIR 1 in Petroleum Engineering Check Here
Muvvala Venkata AIR 13 in Electronics and Communication Engineering Check Here
Gaurav Srivastava AIR 27 in Electrical Engineering Check Here
Prakhar Singh AIR 1 in Civil Engineering Check Here

GATE 2020 Preparation FAQs

Ques. From which subject I should start my preparation?

Ans. In the starting, the first important thing is that should have your focus in the preparation only. So that you should start from the easy subject which you can easily remember this will help you to build your confidence level. If you choose the difficult subject it may ruin for confidence level which will later impact on your preparation strategies.

Ques. How many hours should I dedicate to my studies?

Ans. It depends upon your preparation. If you have done your subjects well during college time then you may study for 3 - 4 hours. If you are beginner then the extra effort will be needed.

Ques. Is it enough to prepare from a single book?

Ans. It depends on the subject, some subjects can be prepared well from one book. But the GATE Syllabus is such vast that some subjects syllabus is not covered by the single book. There you need various books for your preparation.

Ques. How much time is needed to complete the Syllabus?

Ans. It also depends on you and your preparation. If have give exam earlier also then you can prepare for it in 3 – 4 months. If You are a beginner then you may take up to 6 - 7 months for your preparations.

Ques. From which material I should Prepare?

Ans. You can use the following material for preparations:

  • You can choose a good coaching institute material, there are lots of coaching institute that provide their study material to the students for some cost.
  • You can also prefer textbooks which are for your basic engineering books. They cover lots of topics and you can also easily understand from those books
  • You can also study from the video lectures. There are free video lectures from various well-known lecturers of big institutes available on Youtube. NPTEL is one such example. It is a channel from IIT lecturers which freely provide information on various engineering subjects.
  • You also use online study material available from various educational websites.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

Ask your question

Answered Questions

PT

Pragya Tripathi

20 Apr 23

An MS from IIT Kanpur is considered to be a highly respected and prestigious degree. The MS program at IIT Kanpur is reputed for its focus on excellent research and its strong focus on practical, hands-on learning. As an MS student, you get to work with some of the most experienced and respected scholars and researchers in their fields, which gives an insight into the latest industry developments and trends. 

Additionally, not being located near metropolitan areas, IIT Kanpur gives a peaceful learning environment and students don’t spend much time partying or clubbing. Although it is a 2-year program, with the right determination one can complete it in 18 months also. If you are true to your passion you can also complete a Ph.D. under an experienced thesis advisor and won’t have to go to a foreign university for a Ph.D.

Overall, an MS from IIT Kanpur is a valuable and highly esteemed program that offers many opportunities in terms of career and professional advancement. Although it is challenging, the learning experience is worth the effort.

...Show More

HS

Harshita Sinha

15 Jul 22

It depends on your career goals. GATE offers more options for engineering students. It is an all-around examination. You can go for MTech, PSUs, MS, and FRM. If you want more options, GATE will be better for you. 

If you want to do an MBA, after graduation, CAT will be the better option. Almost all top B-Schools accept CAT scores for MBA. 

...Show More

AG

Aditi Gupta

01 Apr 22

Many GATE toppers leave PSU and join NITIE, instead of IITs because it offers better placements. Usually, students with good scores join  ONGC, NTPC, BHEL, IOCL, and others. Despite the good salary, PSU jobs can get monotonous after a few years. So, the top rankers start looking for better career options. If they wish to do an MBA, they need to prepare for CAT. Some do prepare for CAT, but many join NITIE as it is an easier option. NITIE takes admission through GATE and the GATE score is valid for 3 years. So, they can easily get admission based on their GATE score. 

Also, the institute has a great placement record. During the NITIE Mumbai placement in 2022, the average CTC offered was INR 25.41 LPA. The video below will convince you further to join NITIE Mumbai

Overall, its the excellent opportunities offered by NITIE that makes mant GATE toppers leave PSU and join NITIE

...Show More

DM

Dishi Mishra

15 Jul 22

GATE consists mostly of numerical questions. It tests the aptitude for solving questions in less time. BITS HD papers have 10-15 numerical questions usually. The numerical questions aren’t on the same level as GATE and are just formula-based problems. Usually, around 80-90% of BITS HD questions are theory oriented. You need to have a good grasp of your engineering subjects to score well in BITS HD. The questions can come from anywhere in the syllabus. BITS HD usually consists - 

  • 15 Mathematics questions (difficulty usually higher than GATE)
  • 15 general English questions
  • 70 Engineering discipline questions

Also, note that BITS take admission based on GATE scores as well. 

...Show More

SP

Subham Patra

15 Jul 22

Here are some strategies that can help you prepare for GATE and ESE simultaneously.

  • Compare the syllabus of GATE and ESE. Go through the previous years' questions of both. The technical portion of both examinations overlaps a lot. The major difference is question patterns and styles. Different types of questions are asked on the same topics. GATE tests aptitude for solving technical questions. While ESE puts more emphasis on technical details. 
  • Figure out which subjects contribute more to which examinations. 
  • If you have less time, start with GATE preparation. The topics can be covered easily and in less time. Once you are through GATE preparation, you can solve ESE questions without much difficulty. 
  • Focus on GATE and ESE preparations only. 

First, go through the syllabus thoroughly. Once you are done with the syllabus, go through your notes and solve previous years' questions. Solve test series, and review hard questions. Analyze the tests you give and work on your mistakes. 

...Show More

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