The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) will henceforth not allow examinees to carry scientific calculators to the exam. Instead, a virtual calculator would be provided on the computer screen.
The test will also have numerical answer questions, apart from multiple choice questions, and the validity of GATE scores are also being increased from two to three years. These are a few changes expected in the exam, whose scores are valid for M.Tech admissions to IISc, IITs and NITs, and also for employment in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
The exam will be conducted on Saturdays and Sundays between January 31, 2015 and February 14. The exact schedule for the different streams will soon be issued on the GATE website.
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Like previous years, the test will be conducted online. The registration process, fee payment and the final exam would also be executed online.
GATE, which is open to all engineering graduates, has seen a steady rise in popularity after PSUs began recognising its scores for recruitment, and also due to the slowdown in the job market in the last few years.
CSE loses steamADVERTISEMENT
However, Computer Science Engineering (CSE) seems to have suffered the most with declining numbers, though there is a rise in applications for other streams.
“One factor could be the poor response to CSE in 2011. Those students are graduating now,” said Aditya Reddy, director of an institute that trains aspirants. “In the last few years we have seen numbers of core branches like mechanical, electrical and civil engineering streams go up,” Mr. Reddy says.
The number of CSE aspirants dropped as PSUs don’t offer many jobs for computer science graduates. On the other hand, core branches have increased their popularity. GATE received tremendous response from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and about 1.5 lakh candidates appeared from the combined State last year, say some trainers.