My 2011 GATE/Post-GATE experience

After getting a lots of requests to share my experience post GATE-2011, I thought I should rather pen down all that I remember about the same. The queries have been mostly from the ones interested to know about MS program in IISc Bangalore or about the written/interview experience here.

So to start with, following is my GATE result:

AIR: 1196
Marks: (will update after checking)
Score : 664
Branch: CSE
Category: General

After GATE, when I checked my score with the answer key published by gate forum, I was standing somewhere around 53-54 but I actually got between 51-52. As per the stats of gate'10 I was expecting my rank to be between 500-600 but when I actually got a rank of 1196, I lost all my hope of getting through that year.

Still, encouraged by a few friends and college seniors, I applied to a few colleges including IITs and IISc. The following are the calls that I got along with the date on which I received the interview call letter:

1) M.Tech from SERC, IISc Bangalore(07/04/11)
2) M.S. from SERC, IISc Bangalore(17/05/11)
3) M.S. from IIT Madras(04/04/11)
4) M.Tech from IIT Madras in second list. (25/06/11)

However as I had already converted my seat in M.S. degree in IISc Bangalore, I didn't go for M.Tech written/interviews in IIT Madras.

My Experience With IISc

M.Tech: My first experience with IISc was for M.Tech in April'2011. Here we had to clear the written test on clearing which we could appear for the interviews on the same or next day. However, the written test was more of mathematical with lots of formula based questions and some basic maths questions from class 11/12. However as I had lost touch with books after GATE results and also due to my job, I could  not fare well in the written and could not clear it.

Hence a piece of advice from my end.. don't lose touch with your books after the results are out. If not this year, it will help you prepare for your next year.

M.S. : It was June and this time I was all determined that I would study properly and prepare for atleast 3-4 subjects but that finally didn't work out as planned due to work on weekdays and me getting a bit lazy on weekends. I finally ended up brushing the concepts of DBMS and computer networks.

On reaching the venue, we were asked to appear for a 30 min written test which comprised of 5 questions, each with part (a) and (b). It covered topics like data structures, algorithms, networks & matrix theory. The best part here was that the questions were more on analytic side rather than formula based questions.

Luckily this time I had cleared the written and was the first one to go for interview in that day's slot. I was asked what subjects I had prepared for. I told them DBMS & comp networks. However I was told that there was no intakes in DBMS lab so had to change my second subject to Data Structures & I had not touched that subject after GATE exam. The interview went on for around 45-50 minutes in which except 2 questions which were from CN, rest everything was asked from DS mainly concentrating on trees and graph theory. The whole interview went on with questions being fired by professors sitting in a panel of 5 and I had to continuously do board work and keep on explaining the stuffs.

The best part about the MS interview was that the questions being asked was more conceptual rather than direct formula based stuffs so if you are familiar with the basics of the subject, it would be easier for you to crack the interview. Also I was not able to question 1-2 questions properly but don't worry much about that. They are more concerned here with the approach you use when analyzing something new rather than at the accuracy of each question.

The next thing is that I was somehow mentally prepared that I have to appear for gate'12 so I was very relaxed during the written and interviews which helped me recall the known stuffs. So would advice you all to keep your calm when appearing for written/interviews for any college.

Hope this helps!!
Feel free to ask further in case u need more help!!

ALL THE BEST!!! :)

Link to my entry "How I prepared for GATE": http://words-of-the-fallen-angel.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-i-prepared-for-gate.html

Note: Please keep in mind that with rank around 500 or more, the chances of getting into core branch is less but chances of getting written/interview call from interdisciplinary branches are there.