GATE Topper Interview Nihar Sahoo (AIR 9 CS) - Self-confidence and Determination are necessary traits!
It is tough to stand out in a sea of people from the same background aspiring to reach the pinnacle of success and only the very determined, persistent ones do. GATE 2017 Results announced on March 26 saw a lot of mixed reactions. Amongst the jubilant ones is Nihar Ranjan Sahoo whose hard work and determination fetched him an All India Rank of 9 in GATE 2017 Computer Science. A student of from IGIT, Sarang, Odisha, he aims to fulfil his wish to study at IISc Bangalore and then move to join the public sector. This is his second attempt and here he elaborates how he went about preparing for GATE 2017 and suggests some tips on study material, attempting the GATE exam, time management and more. Read on..

Careers360: Tell us something about yourself; Where have you done your engineering from and in which branch?
Nihar Sahoo: My name is Nihar Ranjan Sahoo. I am from Khurdha, Odisha. I have done my B.Tech from IGIT, Sarang, Odisha.
Careers360: What was the GATE Paper you appeared in? What rank did you get in GATE 2017? What is your GATE score and how many marks did you secure out of 100 in GATE paper?
Nihar Sahoo: I appeared for GATE 2017 Computer Science and Engg paper. I secured an All India Rank 9 in GATE-2017 CS stream. My GATE score is 957 and normalized marks are 79.29.
Careers360: What was the reason you appeared for GATE 2017? Pls elaborate your reasons.
Nihar Sahoo: GATE provides a great platform to go into IISc Bangalore, IITs and also a career in PSUs. I am looking forward to join IISc Bangalore.
Careers360: Have you applied to any PSUs recruiting through GATE?
Nihar Sahoo: Yes, I have applied to PowerGrid and IOCL.
Careers360: When did you start your preparation? How did you prepare for the GATE exam ? How many hours did you put in per day as per the stage of preparation?
Nihar Sahoo: I first prepared for GATE 2016 when I was in my final year of B.Tech. However, due to college workload, I didn’t do as well as I though and was able to get 1625 rank in GATE-2016. Then, forgoing a placement, I started to prepare for GATE-2017 from July. I started with my previous year notes and then went through other resources with a focus on understanding the concepts. I was not able to adhere to a fixed schedule. Some days I studied for only 2 to 3 hours while on others I studied for 8 to 9 hours.
Careers360: Have you taken any coaching? If yes- From where? How did it help?
Nihar Sahoo: I had joined Ravindrababu Ravula online GATE lectures. His videos helped me understand the concepts quickly and easily. However, in my opinion, just relying on coaching/online videos is not enough to perform well. You need to be dedicated and give notable time for self-study and practice.
Careers360: Can you share any preparation strategies with our readers? When should one start their preparation for GATE? How to schedule study time and make timetables?
Nihar Sahoo: Some suggestions I have are
Make a schedule.
Decide the perfect time during the day when you can give your 100% towards study and use it effectively
Make a list of topics and decide which topic you have to finish first and which topic to finish later.
While studying a particular topic, do not forget to revise the topics that you have already completed. This revision will help you to remember the concepts.
Following these for about 5 to 6 months will be enough to get a good rank
Careers360: How should one schedule answering the GATE exam – which section to attempt first and which next?
Nihar Sahoo: This is totally person specific. I attempted the technical section first and then the aptitude section.
Careers360: what was the toughest aspect in your GATE preparation?
Nihar Sahoo: In my view, consistency in preparation is the toughest challenge that one faces during preparation. To stay motivated and dedicated is not easy all throughout. Maintain a smooth pace throughout the preparation. Do not be demoralised in the midst of your preparation.
Careers360: Name some important Topics that you feel are a must read for any student attempting GATE exam?
Nihar Sahoo: Considering the level of questions in GATE and competition in recent years, every topic is essential to get a good rank. I would not advise to go by the weightage of topics methodology. You need to know all aspects of the GATE syllabus so better prepare keeping that in mind.
Careers360: What did you feel was a tough thing in the GATE exam?
Nihar Sahoo: The most important thing is your accuracy in solving the GATE paper. It is equlally vital to control one’s fickleness while solving the paper especially, in an exam like GATE.
Careers360: How important do you feel mock tests are and why? Is it true that if one solves the previous year question papers, there is a good chance of cracking the exam successfully?
Nihar Sahoo: Mock tests will help students with time management skills as they learn how to solve a certain number of questions within a given specific time limit. These tests will also aid in learning the concepts and to know the areas where improvement is needed.
Careers360: Which books did you follow for GATE preparation? Pls name some very important must read books for GATE.
Nihar Sahoo: I used to follow my own notes. Apart from notes I used to follow the following books.
Computer networks - Data Communications and Networking.-Second Edition by Behrouz A. Forouzan.
Computer organisation and Architecture - Computer organisation by Carl Hamacher.
Operating Systems – operating system concepts by silberschatz galvin gagne
Compiler Design by Aho Ullman
Careers360: What did you do for leisure? Any specific activities that helped you unwind?
Nihar Sahoo: I prefer to listen songs, watch Cricket videos and movies. One should choose his/her own way of relaxation.
Careers360: .Any advice for the future aspirants?
Nihar Sahoo: Stop doubting yourself. Work hard and make it happen. Never lose your confidence. Do not be too serious about the exam. Stay calm and focused. Best of luck.
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Questions related to GATE
how to register for IOCL recruitment through gate 2021
Hello,
A paper notification regarding IOCL GATE 2021 recruitment has been published in the official website. The registrations for the same will be opened after GATE 2021 admit cards are released. The detailed notification along with the schedule will be published soon. The link to register for the recruitment will be made available in the official website. As of now the registrations are not yet opened so you have to check the official website for updates . The link is given below
https://iocl.com/PeopleCareers/job.aspx
You need to register with an e-mail ID and phone number and fill the details and upload required documents. The detailed instructions that you have to follow while filling the application will be given. You have to read those instructions carefully. GATE 2020 or earlier score is not considered for IOCL GATE 2021 recruitment.
Best online Coaching for gate Metallurgy
Hii,
There are many a top coaching for gate preparation. Some of the best online coaching for gate Metallurgicial engineering are given below
GATE FORUM
ACE ENGINEERING ACADEMY
ENGINEERS ACADEMY
VANI INSTITUTE
for more details information you can check in the link given below
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-online-coaching
Hope this information will help you
how to write mock tests in this app??
hi,
IIT Bombay which would conduct gate 2021 exam, has released the mock test of GATE 2021 at gate.iitb.ac.in on November 25. GATE 2021 mock test is a sample of the actual question paper in which student would participate in gate 2021 exam. however you may follow the below link to practice the gate mock test:
https://gate.iitb.ac.in/mock.php?utm_source=careers360&utm_medium=traffic
hope it would help.
i currently doing my b.tech from bihar engineering college, in Electrical branch, i want to prepare for gate 2024 what should i do and dont ?
Dear Aspirant,
That's actually great knowing that you have ample time to prepare for the exam. 3 years of dedicated & consistent practice will yield will very good results. I appreciate your thought about the same.
Firstly, download the syllabus of your stream from the official site of GATE. After that interact with students from your vicinity & in your circle if anyone is preparing for the same. You can also watch YT videos for getting more information about your particular stream. Kindly be known of what is expected of you & what you need to do everyday. Enjoy the learning process & you'll absolutely enjoy to solve the application problems of the exam. Understand the basic concepts of your stream & read them thoroughly. This will help you understand the concept. Be in touch with the subjects, prepare small notes for whatever you are learning. By this, you can do revision & will not forget easily. Solve problems & get on test series later in your final year. Be consistent & prepare well for the same.
Thanks.
is there any negative matk availablr for gate exam??
Hello,
Yes there are negative marking in gate. This year GATE exam paper will have three different types of question pattern. There will be Multiple choice question (MCQs) where you will have four options and only one is correct. Then you have fill the blank type where you won't have any options you need to solve the question and put the obtained value in the blank and the final question type which is added this year is the Multiple selection questions (MSQs) where you will have four options and more than one can be correct you will need to choose the right option and in such questions if you do not select all the right options then you will be awarded zero marks. There are no partial markings for such questions but the good news is that there are not negative marking for Multiple selection questions (MSQs) and fill the blank type. Only the MCQs will have negative marking for 1 mark questions 1/3 mark will be deducted every wrong answer and for 2 mark questions 2/3 mark will be deducted for every incorrect response.