Let’s be honest, juggling college and preparing for GATE 2026 is challenging. With college lectures, labs, assignments, and college fests, finding valuable time for GATE preparation seems impossible. But it is totally doable. Every year GATE is passed by numerous students who are still in college. The differentiating factor for students is usually only one thing - strategy.
There’s no doubt that while in the 2nd or 3rd year, one can still prepare and not let their CGPA fall. With more time, there is more opportunity, more concepts can be built and understood which helps to avoid the last minute anxiety which is all too common in students during the final year.
So how can you manage to prepare for such a competitive exam along with college? Let's go step by step.
Understanding what the GATE exam tests
Many students jump straight into problem solving without a clear understanding of what GATE is, or even what it entails. However, one hour spent understanding the exam will save you a lot of time and stress in the future.
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is not a memory test. It is designed to assess how well you comprehend and utilize engineering concepts. It doesn’t matter if you are targeting IITs, NITs or PSU jobs, the focus is on understanding instead of rote learning.
Before buying any GATE books or starting on any questions, spend a day reviewing:
-
The official GATE syllabus for your branch.
-
Topic-wise weightage from previous years.
-
The exam pattern - types of questions, marks allocation, and negative marking.
Doing just this, you will start to understand that GATE is not the enormous monster that it is made out to be. It's just GATE focused and that is good for you.
Make a Realistic Study Plan
This is where a lot of students fail. Most students prepare a GATE timetable, which looks great on your exam timetable, but is practically impossible. Your college schedule is meant to be unpredictable all the time. Labs, submissions, fests, and everything else that comes. This is why your GATE timetable also needs to be unpredictable in a consistent way. Try this approach:
-
Weekdays (2-3 hours a day): concentrate on one GATE subject. During your free time between classes or in the evenings, revise your notes or solve a few questions.
-
Weekends (6-8 hours): plan on having a few extended study sessions where you will be covering several complicated topics, completing your GATE previous year papers, and taking your mock tests.
-
Monthly check-ins: at the end of the month, see everything you have studied and revise the plan you set out for yourself.
Consistent, small efforts will outlast sporadic, intense study sessions.
Use the Right GATE Books and Resources
The quality of your preparation depends largely on the study materials you choose. Avoid the trap of collecting too many gate books, it only leads to confusion. Instead, stick to 1–2 standard reference books per subject and complement them with your college textbooks if they align with the GATE syllabus.
If you prefer digital learning, online platforms and YouTube lectures can be incredibly helpful, especially for subjects you find difficult. But remember, don’t just watch lessons. Take notes, pause to solve examples, and actively engage with the content.
Integrating GATE Preparation with College Studies
Many students do not realize just how much overlap there is between your college and GATE syllabi. Consider the foundational subjects like Engineering Mathematics, Network Theory, Thermodynamics, and Data Structures. You are essentially studying for two objectives. Rather than trying to tackle them on their own, try to consider each college topic from a GATE perspective the moment it is introduced in class.
Once the topic is finished, revise the concept thoroughly, take notes on important formulas, shortcuts, common types of questions, and then work out some related problems from the gate previous papers. This will enhance your understanding of the topic and help in college. Your college studies will become an effective GATE revision, and you will not have to worry about redundant revision. This will also maximize your performance in GATE.
Practice with GATE Previous Papers and Mock Tests
Another, and perhaps more effective, way of assessing your understanding and exam readiness is the previous papers. Each year, the GATE exam getter focuses more on how well you apply the principles of engineering than on a rote memorization of facts. By consistently solving one previous year’s paper every two to three weeks, you train your brain to think in the GATE pattern.
Completing the paper should be timed to simulate a GATE exam, because this will provide the most accurate results for assessing performance. After each test, closely examine the errors made to distinguish conceptual gaps, minor computational mistakes, poor timing, or other possible causes of error. After a few tests, patterns will form. For example, the heavily weighted topics, question types that are tough, and the linkage of topics across different subjects.
These patterns will increase both the confidence and the efficacy of preparation to be employed close to the GATE 2026 exam.
Revise With Purpose, Not Just For Duration
Revision is the stage where students mostly go astray. They passively read notes without assessing their recall. For this reason, GATE aspirants have had to repeat the same notes, and for effective revision, these are the most common instructions provided:
-
Have a separate formula notebook for each subject.
-
Write concise summaries or flashcards that can be used for quick revision.
-
Every 2 to 3 weeks, have one designated topic revision day.
-
Have mini-tests to certify that retention of the material has taken place.
This suggests that intervals, or spaced repetition, are very useful for revision, a technique most GATE toppers testify to having employed. It helps strengthen memory, improve long-term understanding, and reduce last-minute stress before exams.
Manage Stress and Stay Consistent
Let’s be honest, preparing for GATE alongside college is not always smooth. There will be days when you feel overwhelmed or fall behind schedule. That’s normal. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s persistence. Few ways to keep your motivation up - study with a small group of focused friends, track your progress, ticking off chapters feels rewarding, make short breaks; overstudying can backfire. Keep reminding yourself why you’re preparing for GATE, whether it’s for higher studies, PSU jobs, or personal growth.
Balance is the key. Don’t let GATE prep consume your college life entirely. Enjoy your college journey, those experiences matter just as much and help you grow emotionally, socially, and mentally, creating a healthier, more fulfilling path forward.
Read More: How many attempts are allowed in GATE?
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to study 10 hours in a day to crack GATE. You only need to study 2-3 hours every single day with a plan. That consistency will eventually turn into mastery.
Don’t forget, GATE preparation and your college life don’t have to compete with each other. Though it may seem like college work can actually help your GATE prep in a big way. Every lecture, every assignment, every lab can help reinforce your GATE concepts, but only if you have the right attitude. So, go solve GATE previous papers and take that first small step today. The sooner you start, the easier it gets.
You can do it, one chapter, one topic, one day at a time.
Practice Comprehensively with Oswaal360 Online Courses for GATE Exam
Practice Now with Free Oswaal360 Online Previous Year Question Papers for GATE Exam
