The biggest question that one must ask himself before the preparation of any exam is that why one should appear for the exam as that reason itself is the motivation for the exam. GATE is conducted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and it tests the basic understanding of undergraduate subjects. GATE is jointly conducted by seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute for Science, Bangalore (IISc, Bangalore). These institutes are responsible for the administrative responsibilities of the exam and not directly concerned with preparing the question paper. This exam is one the most prestigious exam in India and not only because it is conducted by IITs but also because of the plethora of opportunities available after GATE.
The Opportunities Available After GATE
Postgraduate (M.Tech) Entrance :- The GATE score is considered a mandatory requirement for admission to post-graduate programmes in different IITs and National Institutes of Technology (NITs). The process for recruitment for M.Tech programs involves qualifying for the GATE exam and clearing the cut-off for the respective college and then undergoing an interview stage for final admission.
Different benefits of the M.Tech program are:
Better job opportunities
Higher pay packages
Subject specialization
Handsome stipend
GATE scorecard is valid for M.Tech admission for three years.
Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Entrance :- GATE exam gained much popularity after various public-sector units (PSUs) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with IITs for recruitment through GATE. So, clearing GATE can also help you get direct government sector jobs.
The most lucrative aspects of PSU jobs are:
High pay packages (above Rs 50,000 per month)
Work-life balance
Extra benefits such as oil or electricity at a subsidized rate
Support for higher education such as MBA
The recruitment procedure for PSU is a valid GATE score of the current year and then a round of Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). The weightage given to GATE score is between 75 percent to 85 percent. Different PSUs that recruit through GATE include PGCIL, NTPC, NHPC, IOCL, BHEL, etc.
In a recent interaction with some students, Shiksha.com found that PSU recruitment is one of the most important reasons why students appear in GATE. As stated by the students, the majority of the students aim to get shortlisted for the recruitment done by different PSUs. However, if they got selected for M. Tech, they take admissions to the programme and start preparing for the GATE to be conducted next year. The only motive behind it is to get selected for the PSUs.
Why there is so much stress on getting selected for the PSUs? The major reasons behind doing a job in PSU contain a very good salary, job stability, benefits other than salary, and good social stature. In addition to that, candidates also focus on various exams conducted by different PSUs other than GATE. This exam includes the other PSU recruitment exams also like ISRO, DRDO, BARC, etc. with GATE
Fellowship Program in Management (FPM)
It is a five-year program run at IIMs. This program has the following features:
A monthly stipend of Rs 29,000-30,000 is offered
No tuition fees for four years and nine months
For students who live off-campus will get a house-rent allowance (HRA) of Rs 8,000 for a single student and Rs 13,000 for married students
Post Graduate Diploma in Management
National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) offers various courses in PGDM such as:
Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Engineering (PGDIE)
Post Graduate Diploma in Manufacturing Management (PGDMM)
Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management (PGDPM)
For all the above Programs, the applicant should have valid GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) score as on June 15, with 60 percent aggregate marks (relax able by five per cent in case of SC/ST/PD (Physically Disabled) candidates) at graduation in Engineering/Technology.
MS Program :- If you wish to go for higher studies abroad then you need not worry about exams such as GRE and TOEFL. There are some universities which consider GATE score for admission of Indian Students such as National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
GATE score must be within three years or less from the date of application and the GATE percentile must be above 90.
State Electricity Boards :- Earlier different state electricity boards used to conduct independent exams but nowadays many of them are collaborating with IITs to recruit through GATE. Some of the state boards that recruit through GATE are West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDC), Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited (OPGEN).
For recruitment, you have to apply with your GATE registration number on their respective websites.
Research Opportunities
There are certain research positions available through GATE in Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC). However, BARC conducts its examination for recruitment. Also, industries like ISRO conduct their exams on a similar pattern as GATE.
So, I guess now you must have gotten a basic idea of opportunities after GATE and as the name suggests this exam is a doorway or gate to multiple career options. Hence, I wish all the best to those who wish to prepare for GATE.