GATE 2021 Hemant Jindal AIR 8: ‘Not applied for PSU job, want to become a teacher’

Hemant Jindal secured all India rank (AIR) 8 in GATE 2021 (electrical) with a score of 82 out of 100. He completed BE in Electrical Engineering from Delhi College of Engineering (now Delhi Technological University) and ME in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

He shares his preparation strategy and why unlike most GATE toppers, he will not pursue a job in PSU and would prefer his first love — teaching.

Is this your first attempt? Where do you think your marks were deducted?
This was my fourth attempt. I have previously cleared GATE, with AIR 132 in 2015 and AIR 450 in 2014. In my previous attempts, due to calculation errors my marks were reduced. Aside from that, I was unable to answer three questions that led to further deductions in my overall score.

Why did you choose electrical engineering?
Physics was a subject that interested me right from my high school. To be more specific, I was fascinated by electromagnetism. My interest in electrical systems, computers, and how the internet functioned, inspired me to pursue a career in electrical engineering.

When did you start your preparation? What books/ online material did you use to study?

My preparations began in the fourth year of my graduation. To develop my concepts, I referred to books such as Power Electronics and PS Bimbhra’s Electrical Machine. I also solved previous year’s GATE question papers on a regular basis. Furthermore, Unacademy’s live classes provided me with personalised mentorship and allowed me to strengthen my fundamental understanding of the subjects. In order to broaden my knowledge, I also referred to Wikipedia.

How should you schedule answering the GATE exam – which section to attempt first and which next? 
Surprisingly, this year’s GATE paper was mixed with one and two marker questions. I didn’t have any specific strategy, but I chose to answer the questions in order.

Have you applied for any PSU? 
I have not applied for any PSU level jobs. I have always wanted to be a physics and electrical engineering teacher and I am concentrating on that at the moment.