The GATE Exam is a purely objective Exam which tests conceptual clarity as well as Problem Solving ability of an aspirant. And as such the only important piece of advice that need to be followed is to solve as many questions as possible and to test yourself regularly.
But don’t be misled by the title, there are no cheats or underhand tactics discussed here. The tricks presented are legitimate ways to help a GATE Aspirant make that extra cut with marks needed to enter into the topmost ranks and secure their choice of course at IIT’s, NIT’s and IISc.
Hack#1: Start with the summary:
If the text book does not present a summary list, one can go online for simple non-textual explanation, and even videos if possible, about the topic in question. This gives an overview, and can be remembered more easily. It also works as a cue to recall the textual material.
Hack#2: Persistence:
This refers to the span of exposure to the information. Information can be retained from short-term to long-term memory, if it persists for more than thirty seconds in attention. So the trick is to just lengthen the span of time one has to process that information. First one must make small palatable chunks of the topic, and then make sure to read and process that same chunk of topic till it is drilled well into memory.
Hack#3: Spaced Repetitions:
This follows from the previous hack. Rather than cramming the whole info up in one go, the smart student would revisit the info again, periodically. Hence, the information is encoded more deeply, and will be retained better.
Hack#4: Bio-psychology:
The smart students respect their biology, and use hacks to their advantage. Don’t skip on sleep, especially before exam. Take breaks every 40-50 minutes, max 60 minutes. The brain has a processing quota which gets overused if one exceed this time limit. Eat foods that help to keep the head light, like vegetables and fruits. Eggs are good for proteins and substitute heavy meats.
Exercise, even short bursts of running or skipping, has tremendous benefits in connecting the dots in the neuro-circuits of one’s memory pathways, along with keeping mood light.
Also, being in a calm, mirthful mood helps far better than anxiety-studying. One rule of thumb to ensure calmness, is to make the exhalation longer and slower than the inhalation.
Happy Learning!
