In February this year, 6.86 lakh (8,371 from Tamil Nadu) engineering graduates took the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) and the pass percentage was 10 per cent. The reason for this low percentage is attributed to the high standards of the GATE.
“The GATE tests the concepts in engineering and the syllabus is vast,” says Abhijeet Choudhry, one of the founders and director of Gateforum , an institute that offers coaching for GATE preparation. “Our engineers find it hard to qualify in the GATE due to lack of good faculty while pursuing engineering degree. Also, the negative marking system is responsible for the situation,” he says.
GATE is India-specific and engineering graduates have to take it in order to be eligible for postgraduation in engineering in IITs and NITs and private institutes in India. “GATE aspirants are spread across India and the number of aspirants is on the rise year after year. Apart from being the prerequisite to be eligible for PG course in engineering, the score is used as the qualifying test for recruitment by the PSUs in the country,” says Aditya Reddy, co-founder of Gateforum.
Those who qualify for the GATE are eligible for the monthly stipend given by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and this is lucrative for the students.
Gateforum has been providing coaching for GATE aspirants since 2005. It recently launced e-GATE@campus, for the benefit of GATE aspirants in Tamil Nadu. Gateforum plans to tie-up with engineering colleges in the State to provide eGATE@campus. As per the arrangement, students can prepare for GATE within their college premises and during their engineering course.
“eGATE provides Internet-based classes. It has two distinct advantages — the best GATE faculty in the country and the interactivity, convenience and flexibility it offers,” says Mr. Choudhuri. More information on their other e-learing modules at www.gateforum.com.
