Recent posts in Preparation Advice

I have been getting many emails/messages about preparation advice. So, thought of adding some more points. Previous blog was more about what not to do for preparation. Here I'm going to reply to many of the FAQs I'm getting.

• I have covered all previous GATE questions, what to do next?

I'm surprised to see many people asking this. I have not done this even after more than 2 years here though I'm not a full time GATE aspirant. Anyway just to point out what you might have missed - these are the corrections which have been made for the answers here and corrections being made usually denote the questions was more confusing. Did you find these errors while preparing? If not why?

Many people are used to reading listening to a teacher and studying. Such people can even top University exams in India but wont do well in GATE. Why? Because GATE is one exam which tests the thinking ability of students and hence unless one thinks, he/she won't do well in GATE. So, for each question think why any given answer is correct, what else can be possible answer, how can that question be modified and asked again etc. That is, by solving 1 question, effectively solve 10 questions.

• Which test series to take?

I have already answered this many times. Of the popular ones my strict advice is to avoid ACE test series as they put so substandard questions which makes even low level placement tests to shame. Remember solving good questions gives +ive mark for GATE and solving bad ones give -ive marks.  Also, I see that many technical questions in many test series are having grammatical errors in test series - this is indirectly going to loose you marks in Verbal Ability. So, why even take any test series? One needs to do some full length practice before GATE - for this full length previous year papers are sufficient if you have kept some unsolved. Even for subject wise preparation follow previous GATE questions followed by text book (of course standard) exercises. Then if you need ask our daddy - Google. For any subject he gives links to good resources. For example: http://www.google.co.in/?gws_rd=ssl#q=sliding+window+protocol+practice+questions

In the above query avoid giving "gate" etc. as they might take you to gate blogs usually written by gate aspirants/coaching institutes and are of poor quality. You should know the top universities in world and even the question formatting tells you how good a question maker is.

• Bad in Aptitude

To be true, if one is bad in Aptitude he/she cannot clear GATE. But aptitude does not really mean scoring 90% above in placement tests or practicing 100s of distance/time, work/pay examples. Aptitude means ability to adjust to a new problem and solving them - Well 90% of GATE problems are like that. Only difference in Aptitude Numerical section is usually there is no concept involved or concept is known (supposed to be known) by anyone (like sum to n terms of AP). Also, verbal part tests your English grammar skills and 1-2 questions your vocabulary. Those who practice a lot of test series questions from substandard places can almost forget most of the verbal ability marks.

In any place 20% do good things, 20% do bad things and 60% follow what the boss does

So, for GATE preparation, one has to be in the good "20%". I'm sure you are not in bad "20%" as then you would not have taken time to read this. So, if you are in "60%" time to jump to "20%".

• How to do this?

This is about self improvement. First you should have a clear mapping of GATE syllabus in your brain (remove the page frame allocated for some question and replace it with GATE syllabus). Then analyze what types of questions are expected from each - can you do them with confidence etc. For the weak ones, do special care - mostly by re-reading standard text books, standard notes, asking experts. 

• CO is hard for me

Well this is my area really. Still, I have to say some of the CO questions in GATE should not have been asked as the difficulty level is way above the other questions. In IITs/IISc. also this happens where both difficult and easy course have same credits. So, as a smart person, one should concentrate on easy ones. See CO is my area- that shows I'm not smart but that was my decision to take it - also shows most people in this area are crazy :) Anyway there are some simple, typical problems like finding the number of tag bits, cache access times ,simple cases of memory access time with VM (OS combined) etc. Do these questions from previous year GATE and standard books (STRICTLY AVOID COACHING material questions here unless they have copied from standard sources). Also as I told earlier those working in CO area are crazy- if they make a tough question for GATE, it is better to leave them and concentrate on others as usually reading and understanding such long question takes 5+ minutes at least, then solving takes 1+ and many times, wrong calculation gives you negative marks in end. So, unless question in this area is typical my advice is to "SKIP" it while taking GATE- because maximum 1 such question will be there. During preparation based on your time, you can solve even the hard ones- I guess I have solved/verified all questions in this area from previous GATE and 95% they are correct though many of them contradict with answers given elsewhere.

• TOC

Some people or most people find TOC also tough. Actually TOC is more tough than CO and if tough questions are asked no one can really answer them in GATE. But the difference is that rarely happens or never really happen - 1-2 only in whole GATE history. Most times, they are simple to solve and won't take time also. But it is like maths- understanding concept and applying is necessary. Not like history- where you can copy paste from your RAM. One advice is - never attempt learning decidability etc. before doing set theory in Discrete Maths. Also, do see Rice's theorem portion as it works for 90% of decidability problem and if one understands it that shows he/she has aptitude level even to get AIR 1 in GATE. In short my advice is to give more importance to TOC as those who cover it can expect to get 80-100% of the questions correct in GATE. Also compare the decidability answers given on this site with else where and you can know the main reason why we started GATE Overflow. 

• Bad in Maths

Well, you should be good in probability and set theory. Otherwise even other subjects are at risk. Graph theory is also important - in algorithms. Then, for GATECSE most of the Maths questions can be predicted- see previous year questions and you can know the type of questions to be asked. Please do not ask me this - because my eye sight is not better than yours and I'm no expert in Maths.

 

GATE usually never checks the depth of knowledge - this happens in IISc/IIT Research interviews - but the correctness of the basic understanding and the aptitude of applying what you know.

If you cannot explain what you understood in simple words, it means you have not understood it

 

Since many people avoid this I say again:

I have told to keep test series to minimum level - but not to stop solving problem ON OWN. This is very very important.

 

Hi,

There are many people here preparing to be in Top 100 or even better. Of course if you are preparing for GATE you should not think below that. GATE is not a difficult exam to get to top 100. So, let me tell somethings I have seen over last 2 years.

1. Most people with good/correct concepts get to Top 100 - like Pragy got 37 rank even by not studying Networks.
2. Some good people do miss out on Top 100 - 1-2 people even drop to 1000 rank.
3. Some people even without proper concepts get to Top 100 - its just a matter of 2-3 questions that can take you to Top 100 from 1000.

So, where do you want to go? Knowingly or unknowingly many of you are in part 3. Some good people are in part 2. And every one wants to be in part 1. So, how to get there? Let me list some common points:

1. Build confidence by solving previous GATE questions. Analyze what they meant by each word of the question. Think what they can modify in it and make a new question.
2. Step 1 above is not easy - can be done only by one who knows concepts well.
3. GATE syllabus is stripped down from 2015 and is very small compared to NET. But still, it has a lot of subjects. But only basic questions are asked for at least 80% - but basic does not mean remembering sentences or formula is going to give marks. It requires proper application of concepts and numericals.
4. For Engineering entrance there is a saying those who can calculate fast is at advantage. This is not true for GATE CSE. Calculcation power is not important. Though virtual there is a calculator and most numericals donot need it also.
5. Each subject has a set of stock portions from which questions are asked. This covers 60-70% of the questions.
6. Now, what one needs to do is to analyze oneself and improve. Many people say that they make a lot of mistakes. But this is common. And even AIR 1 would have made mistakes. So, one needs to prepare for this extra 10-20 marks and not say if I hadnot made those mistakes I would have got to top 100.
7. I do not know why many people avoid aptitude. For first timers I can imagine lack of time. But those preparing again should give more importance to it. 15 marks is quite a lot. I see less than half takers for Aptitude exam compared to anyother in GO tests.
8. Make concepts more clearer. This also reduces your chance of making mistakes. One knowing the correct concepts can easily avoid many wrong choices by looking only.
9. Never be happy with other not knowing as much as you. Most people being ignorant does not make you a genius or guarantees a top 100 rank. You are fighting with yourself only- not among others. Because GATE includes many people who are silent here. So, even if no one objects to your answer or even if everyone is wrong, you must continuously evaluate yourself and improve.
10. TOC, especially decidability- only few people gets it but those who gets it really find it easy. You can see decidability answers in GO and else where and most of them are different. If you believe me I can say GO answers are correct and elsewhere they are wrong. This is because I have spent such a long time answering them and it is after many verifications. Such wrong answers given for this portion elsewhere was one of the major motivation for starting GO.
11. I have always told not to over do tests. But one must do tests as well. Without doing any test you have no idea where you stand. Also, knowing concept is onething. Applying it in a problem is another thing. So, you must do tests- if not anything else just do previous year papers as test.
12. Whenevr you find a topic you don't know be happy that you reduced your chance of getting something wrong in GATE. Identifying what you dont know is more important than knowing what you know. One prime example of this is Akash Kanase- he has answered many questions quite nicely here around this time last year. He became monthly topper also. But he was not happy and realized he was weak in Aptitude and then worked on it. Before GATE he was quite confident and was quite certain of scoring 75+. And he did like that even after making some mistakes. I would say that was the most ideal preparation I have seen for GATE.
13. Anyhow both 1 and 3 types of people are fine, I really do not want to see any one in 2. But if somehow one ends in 2, he/she should not worry too much. Because
    1. If your concepts are good you can easily clear MS interviews in IISc./IITs or even direct Ph.D. And those with good concepts enjoy doing research - whether you like research now is not important because most of you do not know what is research. And good people can finish MS in 1.5-2 years and only average is 2.5 years.
    2. Even upto 1500 rank one can get to IITM MS/Ph.D. But this does not mean one with rank say 400 can get it. Research interviews are different from an objective exam.
        

 

To All,

All the hard working aspirants who are preparing  for GATE/TIFR/UGC/ISRO,whenever you are Asking a question ,please

1.Give a correct Tag in the order of Subject ->Topic ->subtopic

2.Most important one for which i am posting this is ,if you are asking question from a particular(Standard book) then please do write the tag of the name of that book.It will be very much helpful for us.I think it would be best way to practice.For example if one wants to practice mathematical logic from Rosen.he only need to select tag "rosen" and "mathematic logic".

3.Editor too may put their effort to recatogerize the wrong tag.

Thank you and all the best !

Hello all,

Here I am posting some important questions asked in technical interviews by various govt organizations.

Some are from my own experience while myriad number of other questions are shared by other people. You can also add your experiences as comments. I will add them too.

I hope this will help you to prepare better for interviews..

ISRO SCIENTIST SC Computer science

?)  can this equation be solved <tell verbally>?

x+y=5    ;

4x+4y=12;

x+2y+3Z=20 

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SQRT(170)=13 is it possible?

=============================================

What is difference between RISC and CISC?

=============================================

What is the difference between array and structure code for reversing link list (normal link list not  doubly)

 

 

 

The person responsible for making France one of the great nations in the world was none other than Napoleon Bonaparte. When Napoleon was a small child, his mother sent him to a school in another town, though the family was not very rich. Napoleon had to study in a small place. The room in which he stayed was not in a good locality. The neighbourhood was full of quarrelsome, teasing, mischievous people who tried to let him down and make fun of him. When he sat for studies, a lady would trouble him calling him a bookworm and that he would die in the room with his head in the books one day.

Napoleon's mother used to write him a letter every week. Once, she wrote– 'Son, time is waiting for you to emerge as some useful personality. So, take advantage of the time and grab every opportunity of the student life. This is a formative period. If you miss the opportunity, you will have to cry for your whole life because then nothing would be left. That is why make right use of every minute you have at your disposal.'

Napoleon used to read the letters and get fresh inspiration from them. He, thus ignored the people who made fun of him and concentrated totally on his studies. One day, some students along with that lady stood in front of his small room and made a lot of fun of him. They taunted him saying that he is a termite… He does not know anything except licking books…  He is a useless fellow who does not go out, does not attend any party or dinner… who does not know anything about the world...

Napoleon listened to all those remarks quietly. Meanwhile, he received a letter from his mother. His mother had written– 'Son, your father died when you were a very small child. At that time, I was the only one to pray for you and to see dreams for you to be realised. If you forget your books and goals, what will happen to those dreams? You would be forced to bow in front of the world all through your life. On the other hand, if you would become someone worthwhile, the world would salute you and take your name with honour. Therefore, you should not let your valuable time go in vain.' And, while concluding her letter, she wrote to him that he was born in France; and, since his father was no more, so France itself was his father. Therefore, he should make every effort and bring glory to his great nation.

Napoleon, during his student life, took healthy food and did regular exercise. And, it is a tested formula that healthy food, right exercise, and a cheerful disposition keep the body and mind healthy and alert. Napoleon studied well. He topped in every class. After completing his studies, he became the supreme commander of the French Army and took France to the pinnacle of glory.

One day, while riding on a horse along with his soldiers, Napoleon went to the locality where he used to study in a small room. The French police surrounded him for security purposes. People from the neighbourhood crowded around him. Napoleon was sitting on the horse. Meanwhile, the lady who used to make fun of him came there. Her name was Helena. She was old by now. Napoleon asked her about the boy who studied in that small room. She told Napoleon that he was a bookworm and must have died somewhere. Who will know of him now? He was only seen when he went for jogging and exercise. Otherwise, he kept sitting day and night inside the room and never lifted his head from his books. He may not have perhaps raised his head to even see the world.

Napoleon smiled and told the woman that the same boy was sitting on the horse in front of her as the supreme commander of the French Army. His achievement was the result of one-pointed concentration on his goal and his determination to attain it! If he had bothered about the world, then, he would not be known to the world as one of the greatest military leaders who revolutionised the military organisation and training in France.