Taking drop for GATE preparation

Every year, after the GATE results are declared, I hear stories of people who have taken a year or two drop for GATE preparation only to find out that they are getting a rank in four digits. All the money and time they had spent on their preparation is lost, but most importantly, they now are in a situation where they are not able to find any jobs because of a long gap in their profile. In general, I feel this is a risky thing to do and I discuss some ways to avoid it or minimise the risk.

As always, the views and opinions in the post are my own, and you may or may not agree with me. Take my opinions with a pinch of salt.

No Plan B 

Most people who take a drop for preparation, don't seem to have a Plan B. They don't spend too much time thinking about the options that will be left to them *if* they are not able to get good M. Tech option. Not only this is a bad idea for GATE, this is a bad idea in general for life. Whenever you are taking a big plunge in life, you always, ALWAYS, need to have a Plan B. If you are taking a year long gap immediately after your B. Tech, your options are very limited if you are unable to crack GATE. So the best option in my mind is to never put yourself in that situation in the first place. 

Study with IT Job 

This would be the ideal solution as it minimises risks. You are having a full time job, and you study in your spare time. Even if you totally get flunked in exam, you still have your job. In this case, time management would be the key. You can avoid taking up projects/responsibilities in the office that require having more work load, so you can come home on time and focus on studies. This might slow down your progress at work, but this is infinitely better than having no job and a bleak future. Since you are preparing with job, you will have to plan earlier and spend more time than someone who has taken a drop. This is natural so don't rush, and remember, if you can't get a good rank inte first attempt, there is always a next year.

I have personally done my M. Tech preparation while working for Cognizant. I had appeared for GATE twice while on the job and got admission to IIT Delhi on my second attempt. Read more about my experience here.

Study with Teaching Job 

If you think a job in IT company is too demanding for studies, you can think of taking a job like teaching that is less demanding and gives you more free time. Any job is better than no job, and your experience will count. Though you may still find it a bit difficult to find IT jobs after 1 year, you will still have a good chance. You can quote personal reasons for taking up teaching for a year if you need to justify it. If not anything else, you still have your teachers job.

Gap after a few years of experience

If you need a gap for GATE studies and cannot manage with a job, a good way could be to first get a couple of years of experience in the IT industry. After that, you can think of taking a gap. If you are not able to clear GATE, you still have a couple of years of experience with you. This will ensure that you can get back to the job market. You can justify your gap saying that you took it for GATE but could not get the institute you wanted. Getting a job this way is going to be lot easier than having a gap and no work experience at all. 

Also, if you wait for a couple of years in the industry, you will increase your perspective, and you will have a clearer idea of whether you want to go for an M Tech or not. 

Take a small gap 

If you are preparing with a job, the final phase of the GATE studies can become very difficult to manage. When exams are nearing, you need to spend considerable amount of time in paper solving, revising, finishing any topics that are left off. In this time, it might make sense for your to take a gap of 1 month or so to prepare for your exam. If you have prepared a good base, a month long dedicated time for studies should be sufficient. If your company can give your 1 month Loss of Pay leave, it is great. If not, such small gaps can be justified with personal or medical reasons. The job experience you have so far will help you get another job if needed. 

Don't do it

If any of the option above don't suite you, most likely you should not do it. If you are jobless or waiting for your joining, you can spend that time for preparation, but your primary focus should be first securing a job. Remember, as you graduate, your first priority is to start working. Every day spent without a job is going to cost you very much. 

These are some of my thoughts on the topic. If you have anything to add, or any experience to share, do share it in the comments below. Thanks.