Professionals, desirous of accelerating their career growth, are increasingly choosing to prepare for competitive exams while working full-time jobs. This is especially true for India’s most popular graduate engineering entrance test – The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE). GATE is a national-level entrance exam conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for admission to Master’s programmes in engineering and architecture. Leading PSUs also use GATE scores to hire talented candidates for prominent managerial roles.
However, due to the demanding nature of the test, balancing work and GATE preparation is daunting. As a result, practical approaches such as time management, self-discipline, and obtaining help from experienced mentors have become crucial to streamlining prep without affecting job performance.
HERE, LET’S DELVE INTO SOME OF THE PRACTICAL APPROACHES BY THE EXPERT VINEET GUPTA, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, GATE, IMS TO BALANCE WORK AND GMAT PREPARATION WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SANITY:
Time Management: Today, time is the most valuable resource. Thus, start your preparation by making a timetable that includes time for work, study, and well-deserved breaks. Learning to manage your time will significantly boost your productivity and aid your preparation.
Start preparing early: Starting your preparations early allows you to cover all relevant content. It further enables you to divide your study sessions into smaller, more manageable portions, decreasing the stress and strain associated with last-minute studying. Furthermore, starting early allows you to identify weak areas and seek assistance or other resources to boost your understanding before the exam.
Breaks are a must. Taking breaks during GATE preparation while working is essential for maintaining focus and preventing burnout. It allows your mind to relax and recharge, ultimately improving productivity and retention of information. In addition, you’ll be amazed at how much you can charge yourself during those seemingly short breaks.
Set realistic goals: Don’t overwhelm yourself with unattainable learning objectives. Break down your preparation into achievable milestones.
Utilise your weekend: As a working individual, make the most of your weekends by committing more time to learning. You can leverage this time to prepare for practice tests or to solve the previous year’s GATE exam papers.
Communicate with your superiors and colleagues: Inform your superiors and coworkers about your GATE ambitions, because a positive work environment can make all the difference. They may be more understanding if you require flexibility during peak study periods.
Leverage technical tools wisely: Make use of technology to your advantage. Streamline your learning process using study applications, online resources, and productivity tools. These tools help enhance the interactivity and engagement of your learning sessions.
Balance is the key to success!
Balancing work and GATE preparation is highly demanding, but with the help of practical approaches, it is entirely achievable. Remember that the quality of your efforts is more important than the quantity of your hours. Determine what works best for you, stick to your plan, and enjoy each step forward. Although the GATE journey is demanding, your hard work will undoubtedly pay off.
Courtesy : IndiaToday
