Why GATE Civil Engineering?
GATE Civil Engineering is a highly sought-after engineering stream that helps you get placed in Indian Public Sector Units (PSUs).
Nowadays, jobs in PSUs are in great demand as they come with attractive salaries, perks such as House Rent Allowance, Company Provident Fund, Gratuity, Social Security plan, and other benefits. They also provide job security. Given below is a list of PSUs along with Cost to the company (CTC) and designations in recent years.
| Name of the PSU | Cost to the company (in INR) | Designation |
|---|---|---|
| Airport Authority India (AAI) | 9.1 lakhs per annum | Junior Executive (Engineering Civil) |
| Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) | 10.8 lakhs per annum | Officer |
| Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) | 12.00 lakhs per annum | Officer |
| Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd. (NPCL) | Monthly stipend - INR 35,000/- One time Book allowance - INR 10,000/- | Scientific officer/C in Group 'A' |
| NLC India Limited (NLC) | 9.05 - 9.65 lakhs per annum | Graduate Executive Trainee |
| Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) | During training - 8.6 lakhs per annum After training - 15 lakhs per annum | Executive trainee |
| Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) | Ranging from INR 24,400 to INR 50,500 | Assistant Executive Engineer |
Challenges in Preparing for GATE Civil Engineering Entrance
Before considering the challenges of preparing for the GATE entrance examination, here is an overview of the paper pattern.
Paper pattern
- Total marks: 100
- Paper duration: 3 hours
- No of questions: 65
- Types of Questions: Multiple Choice Questions and Numerical Answer Type questions
- Subject-wise break-up of questions: General Aptitude – 15; Engineering Mathematics – 15; Civil Engineering – 70.
The syllabus for the Civil Engineering GATE entrance is very extensive. Click here to download the syllabus.
The table gives a topic-wise percentage distribution of marks allocated to Civil Engineering (70 marks) in the GATE entrance. This is based on previous years’ papers.
| Topic | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Geotechnical Engineering | 19% |
| Environmental Engineering | 15% |
| Transportation Engineering | 11% |
| Fluid Mechanics | 10% |
| Strength of Materials | 8% |
| Structural Analysis | 8% |
| Survey | 7% |
| Concrete structures | 6% |
| Hydrology | 5% |
| Steel structures | 3% |
| Irrigation | 2% |
| Others | 6% |
GATE is an examination that tests you on your concepts and understanding of the topics, thus it is imperative that your fundamentals and concepts are crystal clear. Especially in the topics that carry more weight. Meticulous preparation and planning are of utmost importance in your preparation of GATE.
Nowadays, online coaching is fast becoming a preferred way for study and preparation of the entrance exam. However, it is important to choose the online coaching institute prudently: It is essential to evaluate the quality of the online video lectures provided by the institutes. You need to ensure that the training provided in the above-mentioned topics is in-depth, exhaustive, and understandable.
Here are three guidelines that will help you in your selection of the online coaching institute that has the best video lectures.
Guidelines
#1. Pedigree of the Faculty and the Quality of teaching
It is most critical that you know a little bit about the Faculty who will be delivering the lectures. Here are a few pointers:
- Are they from premier institutes like the IIT or the IISc?
- Have they been able to cover the topic completely?
- Are you able to easily understand the fundamentals and the concepts explained by the lecturer?
- How is the training, especially in the difficult and critical topics—have the previous years’ GATE questions on that topic been solved?
- GATE papers have many questions that are complex and highly conceptual. Are these kinds of questions addressed in the lectures?
You could verify the above from the online coaching institute and also ask them to provide a sample of their video lectures. A good coaching institute will readily do so.
Here is a sample video lecture on Structural Engineering by Mr. Shwetabh, alumni from IIT Kanpur and a working professional with IISc Bangalore.
#2. Custom-made video lectures
The video lectures provided by the coaching institute should be made solely for that purpose. They should not be a classroom recording of a lecture. When videos are custom-made, they have superior visual and sound quality. There are no interruptions like the sound of a whirring fan, or students asking questions. In many instances, there is a lot of time wastage in-classroom video lectures when the lecturer’s back is turned while writing on the board or rubbing it.
In your preparation of GATE, time is of the essence and unnecessary interruptions will lead to irritation and time wastage. Hence, always select a coaching institute whose video lectures are shot in a proper studio and have a superior visual and sound quality.
Ask the coaching institute to provide a sample of the lectures and evaluate the production value.
Here is a sample video lecture on Water Resource Engineering by Mr. Sachin, alumni from IIT Kanpur and a working professional with Larsen & Toubro.
#3. Skype interactions with a personal mentor
In many instances, students need a little more assistance and guidance in topics that they find difficult. Good and committed coaching institutes also provide personal mentors who not only explain difficult concepts but also solve a student’s doubts and answer queries through Skype by sharing screens.
So, do check with the coaching institute if they provide this additional benefit too.
Hope that these guidelines help you select the best online coaching institute.
