The road to GATE 2009

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is the dominant factor in M.Tech admissions.

A score in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a pre-requisite for admission to M.Tech. programmes. While conducting interviews, 70 per cent weightage will be given to GATE score and 30 to academic merit.

The institution concerned will prescribe the minimum percentage of marks required.GATE score is essential for all students seeking admission to M.Tech. or postgraduate programmes with scholarship or assistantship from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).

Some colleges or institutes specify GATE score as the mandatory qualification even for admission without MHRD scholarship. However, mere GATE qualification does not guarantee admission. Top-level institutions like IITs admit candidates having high GATE scores only.

According to MHRD rules, the award of postgraduate scholarship or assistantship to GATE-qualified candidates is for a maximum period of 24 months for master’s degree programmes in engineering, technology, architecture or pharmacy.

GATE-qualified candidates are also eligible for the award of Junior Research Fellowship in the projects and laboratories of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Some government organisations prescribe GATE qualification as a requirement for applying to the posts of scientists or engineers. GATE is an all-India examination conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore and the seven IITs on behalf of the Co-ordinating Board — GATE, Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India. The overall coordination and responsibility of conducting GATE - 2009 lies with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, designated as the organising institute for GATE- 2009.

GATE - 2009

GATE - 2009 will be held from 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on February 8, 2009.

Applications can be submitted online or offline. Fee for applying online is Rs.900 (Rs.400 for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes categories and differently-abled candidates).

Offline application fee is Rs. 1,000 (Rs. 500 for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes categories and differently-abled candidates). Last date for submitting online application is October 24, 2008. Results will be announced on March 15, 2009.

Information about GATE - 2009 is also available on the web sites http://gate.iisc.ernet.in (IISc Bangalore); www.iitb.ac.in/gate (IIT Bombay); www.iitd.ac.in/gate (IIT Delhi); www.iitg.ernet.in/gate(IIT Guwahati); www.iitk.ac.in/gate (IIT Kanpur); http://gate.iitkgp.ac.in (IIT Kharagpur); and http://gate.iitm.ac.in (IIT Madras).

Eligibility

B.E. or B.Tech., B.Arch. and B.Pharm. holders and those in the final or pre-final year of such programmes are eligible to apply for GATE - 2009.

Master’s degree holders in any branch of science, mathematics, statistics or computer applications; those who are in the final or pre-final year of such programmes; holders of integrated master’s degree or dual degrees in engineering or technology; and AMIE or AME holders are also eligible to appear for GATE.

Those who are choosing any one of the following centres — Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kannur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Puducherry, Chennai, Madurai, Dindigal, Guntar, Nagarcoil and Tirupati — as an examination centre should send their applications to the chairman, GATE, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai - 600 036 (Phone: 044-22578200).

GATE examination has only one paper of three-hour duration — 60 questions in the multiple choice objective type, carrying a maximum of 100 marks.

One can choose any one of the following papers: aerospace engineering; agricultural engineering; architecture and planning; civil engineering; chemical engineering; computer science and information technology; chemistry, electronics and communication engineering; electrical engineering; geology and geophysics; instrumentation engineering; mathematics; mechanical engineering; mining engineering; metallurgical engineering; physics; production and industrial engineering; pharmaceutical sciences; textile engineering and fibre science; and life sciences.

One is expected to appear for a paper appropriate to the discipline of their qualifying degree. However, one is free to choose any paper according to their future study plan. (Information technology has been merged into computer science paper.) Negative marking will be effected in paper valuation.

GATE - 2009 results will be announced on March 15, 2009 and is valid for one year from the date of announcement.

Score card consisting of GATE score, percentile score and all-Indian rank will be sent to the qualified candidates.Detailed syllabus of the papers can be downloaded from the web sites of IITs.

M.Tech. at IITs

Majority of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) provide M.Tech. study facilities in electronics and communications or related engineering disciplines.

Meritorious engineering graduates in electronics and communication or respective branches with valid GATE scores are eligible for admission.

The Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras, conducts M.Tech. in communication systems; control guidance and instrumentation; digital signal processing; and micro electronics and VLSI design. Meritorious B.Tech. holders in electronics and communication engineering with valid GATE scores are eligible for admission. IIT Madras also offers M.S. and Ph.D.
programmes. Research facilities leading to Ph.D. in wireless communication; fibre optics; optical communication and networks; signal and image processing; networking and so on are also offered.

For details, visit www.iitm.ac.in.

The Centre for Applied Research in Electronics, IIT Delhi, conducts M.Tech. in radio frequency design and technology; and electronics (communication) engineering. Research facilities related to signal processing; microwave and micro electronics are also offered. ( www.iitd.ac.in/pg/mtech.htm)

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering of IIT Guwahati offers M.Tech. in two specialisation areas — signal processing and VLSI. A Ph.D. programme is also offered. ( www.iitg.ernet.in/ece).

Department of Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering of IIT Kharagpur offers M.Tech. with specialisation in fibre optics and light wave engineering; micro electronics and VLSI design; telecommunication system engineering; visual information; and embedded system engineering. (http://gate.iitkgp.ac.in/m.tech)