Home / Articles / GATE 2015 Topper Interview: Ravi Shankar Mishra AIR 1 in Computer Science Engineering!

GATE2015TopperInterview:RaviShankarMishraAIR1in
ComputerScienceEngineering!
By: Prabha Dhavala Updated On: 01 Apr 2015 11:10 AM IST

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RaviShankar_Mishra
GATE2015TopperInterviewRaviShankarMishrawhosecuredAIR1in
ComputerScienceEngineeringinGATE2015isaMechanicalEngineerofthe2014
batchfromIITKanpur.Drivenbyapassionforcomputers,heoptedtoappearfor
GATE2015inCSEtosecureadmissioninM.TechatoneofthereputedIndian
colleges.Withadeterminedanddedicatedapproach,RaviShankarMishra
preparedwithasinglemindedfocusonscoringwellandendedupsecuringAIR1
forComputerScienceEngineeringinGATE2015.
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SpeakingtoCareers360,RaviShankarMishraelaboratesindetailonhisGATE
2015Preparationtechniques,thetimetablethathefollowed,booksthatwere
usefultostudyandmore...ReadontoknowRavishelpfultipsforfutureGATE
aspirants.

Careers360:Tellussomethingaboutyourselfwherehaveyoudoneyour

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engineeringfromandinwhichbranch?
RaviShankarMishra:MynameisRaviShankarMishra.Ibelongtoamiddle
classfamilyfromBokaroSteelCity,Jharkhand.MyfatherisanExAirman,my
motherahousewifeandmyeldersisterisanemployeeofKonylabsSoftware
Company,Hyderabad.

IhavecompletedmyBTechinMechanicalEngineeringfromIITKanpurinthe
year2014.

Careers360:whatwastheGATEPaperyouappearedin?Whatrankdidyouget
inGATE2015?WhatisyourGATEscoreandhowmanymarksdidyousecureout
of100inGATEpaper?
RaviShankarMishra:IappearedforComputerScienceandInformation
Technology(CS)paperandsecuredAIR1inGATE2015.Myscoreis1000,
normalizedmarkis85.85andactualmarkis79.00.

Careers360:WhatwasthereasonyouappearedforGATE2015?PSUorfurther
studies?Pleaseelaborate
RaviShankarMishra:IwantedtomakeacareerinComputerSciencebutmy
BachelorsdegreeisinMechanicalEngineering,soIappearedforGATE2015with
anintentionofdoingM.TechinCSEfromareputedIndiancollege.

Careers360:HaveyoualsoappliedtoanyPSUsandwhichones?
RaviShankarMishra:Rightnow,IhavenointentiontojoinaPSU.Iam
passionateaboutpursuingmyMastersinComputerSciencenowthatIhavescored
well.

ClickhereandKnowWhichCollegesandSpecializationtoApplytoon
thebasisofyourGATE2015ScoresORcallExamHelplineat011
40360360totalkwithExpertcounsellors

Careers360:Whendidyoustartyourpreparation?Howdidyouprepare?How
manyhoursdidyouputinperdayasperthestageofpreparation?
RaviShankarMishra:Mypreparationstarted150daysbeforetheGATEexam.
Iplannedmypreparationinthreemajorphasesandfollowedittoatee,Iam
elaboratingtheplanindetailsphasewise:

1.Phase1(15days,5hours/day)UnderstandingtheGATESyllabus,
PreparationPlan,Books

ThisphasestartedwhenIdecidedtoappearfortheGATE2015examinationin
CSE.ThefirstthingIdidwastogothroughtheblogswrittenbypreviousyear
GATEtoppers.Itriedtogaugeapatternintheirpreparationandtounderstandthe
bareminimumpreparationtechniquestheydidcorrectlytobesuccessful.Ifounda
repetitivethemeintheirpreparationmostofthemfollowedstandardbooks,
solvedpreviousyearGATEpapers,plannedtheirstudywell,didproperrevisionin
lastmonthsandenrolledinsomegoodonlineTestSeries.


Afterthismyquestforgoodstandardbooksstarted.SomecriteriaIfollowedhere
are:
ThebookshouldbesimpleenoughsothataMechanicalgraduatecan
understandthem
ItmustbebroadenoughtocovertheentireGATEsyllabus.
Fortunately,IdidgetsomegoodbookswhichIhavelistedbelow.Next,Iplanned
theorderinwhichIshouldstudythegiventopicsandthetimeIneededtodevote
foreachtopic.

2.Phase2(105days,12hours/day)StudyingBooks&Solvingprevious
yearpapers:
IlistedthechapterscoveredinGATESyllabusandallottedtimetoeach
accordingly.
ImportantTopicswithheavyweightagelikeDataStructuresandAlgorithmgot
around14daysforpreparationwhilelesserimportanttopicslikeDigitalLogicgot
6days.
MyfocuswastostudyalltherelevanttopicsfromallthebooksIhadchosensuch
thatnoquestioncouldescapeme.Ialsodidtherelevantexercisesfromeach
chapterforbetterpractice.
Mystudyschedulewentlikestudyaparticulartopicandattemptthepast10
yearsquestionpapersforthattopiconly.
HereImustsaythatIusedthequestionbankfromMadeEasybuttrustme,thereis
nobookinthemarketwhichdoesnthavesomeerrorsandtherefore,theinternetis
youronlyfriend.IfoundsolutionsattheGATEOverflowwebsitetobeverygood.

MostimportantIdidntleaveanytopicuntouchedintheprescribedGATE
syllabus.IevenstudiedforSoftwareEngineering,WebTechnologyandVerbal
ability.

3.Phase3(30days,14hours/day)Revision&TestSeries:
ThisisacrucialphasewhichIusedtorecallwhatIhadlearntinthelastfour
monthsandtopushmyscorefurtherby510marks.
ButIfoundmyselfinbigtrouble.ThereasonwasthatIdidnotmakeanynotes
duringmyselfstudy.Thatwasbecauseoftworeasons.First,Idontknowtheart
ofmakinggoodnotesandsecond,ifIhadmadenotes,Iwouldhaverequired2
moremonthstostudythebookchapters.
Threethingscametomyrescuehereandtheynotonlygavemerevisionbutalso
introducedmetosomesubtopicsthatIunintentionallyskippedMadeEasystudy
material,AnkurGuptaNotesandStandardbookpowerpointslides.Ihurried
throughallofthem.
NextwastheturnofTestSeriesandIappearedforfourfulllengthtestsby
MadeEasy.

Careers360:Haveyoutakenanycoaching?IfyesFromwhere?Howdidithelp?
RaviShankarMishra:No,IhavenottakenanyformalcoachingbutItookthe
correspondencecourseofMadeEasy.Thestudymaterialthattheyprovidedhelped

metofilteroutunnecessarybookchaptersanditwasalsousefulforrevisioninthe
finalstageofmypreparationasIhadntmadeanynotesofmyownduringmyself
study.

Careers360:GATE2015sawasubstantialamountofnumericalquestionsasked
whencomparedtopreviousyears.Wereyoupreparedforthiseventuality?How
didyouprepareforthenumericalquestionsconsideringthattheyrequirespeedin
calculatingthesolutions?
RaviShankarMishra:Ifeelthereasonforintroducinglargenumberof
numericalquestionsinGATEistodiscouragetheguessingtendencyofstudents.
Onebadthingaboutthisquestiontypeisthatitrequiresveryhighaccuracy.One
smallcalculationmistakeandyouloseyourmarksaswellasprecioustimeinthe
exam.Thegoodthingisthatthesequestionscomewithnonegativemarks,soyou
cananswerthemnomatterwhat.Therewasnospecialpreparationfornumerical
questions.TheonlythingthatImadesurewasnottocommitanysillymistake
whileattemptingthem.

Careers360:Canyoushareanypreparationstrategieswithourreaders?Howto
schedulestudytimeandmaketimetables?
RaviShankarMishra:Ikeptmypreparationstrategyassimpleaspossible.It
wasjustfivesteps:

(1)Plan
(2)StudyBooks
(3)Solvepreviousyearpapers
(4)Revise
(5)GiveMockTest.

Ifeelthatthemajorstresscomesduringstep2andthatrequiredquitealotof
planningandtimeonmyend.Iamsharingmy105daystimetablewiththefuture
GATEaspirants.Iwouldadvisethemtoscaleitaccordingtothetimethatis
availabletothem.

TheorderinwhichIcoveredGATEtopicswasinspiredbytwofactorsonewasthe
weightageofthetopicsandotherwastheprerequisitesubjecttobestudiedbefore
theadvancedsubjectpart.

IhavegiventheorderinwhichIstudiedthetopicsalongwithaverageweightage
(fromyears20102015)anddaysdevotedinthetable.
GATESyllabusTopics

Weightage

DaysDevotedbyme

(marks)
EngineeringMathematics

15

20

DigitalLogic

Programming

DataStructuresandAlgorithms

14

14

DataStructuresandAlgorithms

14

14

TheoryofComputation

ComputerNetworks

10

ComputerOrganizationand

OperatingSystem

14

Databases

12

CompilerDesign

SoftwareEngineering&Web

15

100

105

Architecture

Technologies
Verbal/NumericalAbility
Total

Careers360:HowshouldonescheduleansweringtheGATEexamwhich
sectiontoattemptfirstandwhichnext?
RaviShankarMishra:Startwiththeeasiestsectionasthiswillgiveyou
confidenceandhelpyoushedawayyournervousness.

Iattemptedthepaperinfollowingorder:
1)Numericalability
2)OnemarkCSquestions
3)Verbalability
4)TwomarksCSquestion.

IattemptedtheverbalabilitysectionlateasIwasnotveryconfidentaboutit.
Onecrucialpointtokeepinmindistonevergetstuckononequestionfortoolong.
Ifaquestionhasalengthydescriptionoristakingmorethan2minutes,skipitand
comebacktoitlater.

Careers360:NamesomeimportantTopicsthatyoufeelareamustreadforany
studentattemptingGATEexaminComputerScienceEngineering?
RaviShankarMishra:Themustreadtopicsaretheonewithweightage5marks
orabove.NotsoimportanttopicsthatstudentsgenerallyskipareCompilerDesign,
SoftwareEngineering,WebtechnologyandVerbalAbility.ButIwouldrecommend
thataspirantsreadthemalsoiftheyhavetime.GATE2015paperwasalittlebitof
surpriseastheseneglectedtopicsweregivenconsiderableweightage.

Careers360:SincealltheGATEexamsareonlinenow,howmandatoryisitfor
studentstopracticeonlineandhowfrequently?
RaviShankarMishra:Itisveryimportanttoappearforsomeonlinemocktests
sothatastudentgetscomfortablewiththeGATEexaminterfaceandinstructions
thatwillbeusefultosavevaluabletimeintheactualGATEexam.Iwill
recommendappearingforatleast3fulllengthmocktests.


Careers360:WhatdidyoufeelwasatoughthingintheGATEexam?
RaviShankarMishra:AtoughthingaboutGATE2015CSpaperwasthatmany
questionswereaskedfromunconventionaltopicsthatstudentsgenerallyskip
duringtheirpreparation.Iwassurprisedthatinsession1paper,questionswere
askedfromsoftwareengineering(alphatesting),compilerdesign(viableprefix,
livevariable,staticsingleassignment),html/xmlandLUdecomposition.

ThesecondthingIfoundthetwomarksCSquestiontobelengthy,Inevertook
morethan135minutesduringmockteststocompletemypaperbutintheactual
examittookme160minutes,sokeepthisfactinmindwhileyouplanforthetime
requiredforattemptingvarioussectionsoftheGATEpaper.

Careers360:Howimportantdoyoufeelmocktestsareandwhy?Isittruethatif
onesolvesthepreviousyearquestionpapers,thereisagoodchanceofcrackingthe
examsuccessfully?
RaviShankarMishra:Mocktestsservethreeimportantpurposes:
(1)IntroducesyoutotheinterfaceandinstructionsoftheGATEexam,thiswillbe
crucialtosavetimeinactualexamasyoualreadyknowbasicnavigationand
answeringmethods.
(2)Teachesyoutimemanagement.Withoutpropertimemanagement,thereisno
waythatyoucanputupagoodperformance.Youmustlearnwheretosavetime
andwheretouseit.
(3)Helpsyouidentifyyourweakareasandrecurringmistakes.Thisiscrucialto
helpyoutofilltheloopholesinyourpreparationandalsototeachyouhowtoavoid
sillymistakesintheactualexam.
Pleasenotethattherankyougetinmocktestsdonotreflectyouractualgaterank.
Sodontfeeldisappointedorlessconfidentaboutyourabilities.Inevergotinthe
Top10ranksinanyofthemocktestsIappearedforandIneverletitundermine
myconfidence.

Solvingpreviousyearpapersisaveryimportantphaseandamustforgettinga
goodrankintheGATEexam.Itgivesthreebenefits:
(1)Since,mostquestionscomefromsimilartopicsyearafteryearintheGATE
exam,youwillgetacquaintedwithcommongatequestions
(2)YouwillfeelconfidentthatyoucancrackGATE.
(3)Youwillabletogaugewhetheryouhavecompletedallthesubtopicsgivenin
theGATEsyllabus

IwouldliketopointoutthatsolvingonlyGATEpapersisnotgoingtohelp.The
actualstudyplanshouldcompriseofReadTopic,SolveGateQuestions,Analyze
yourproblematicareasandthenReReadthetopic.Alsoreadtheleftoversub
topics.

Careers360:WhichbooksdidyoufollowforGATEpreparation?
RaviShankarMishra:Ihavelistedbelowthebookname,authorname,edition
andrelevantchaptersofthebooksthatIfollowed.Theeditionofbooksarethe
latestones(updatedtillDec.2014)andfreelydownloadableontheinternet.I
wouldrecommendallthefutureGATEaspirantstoreadonlythelatesteditionof

wouldrecommendallthefutureGATEaspirantstoreadonlythelatesteditionof
thebooks.
GATESyllabus BookName

Author
Name

Ed.

Relevant
Chapters

Engineering

DiscreteMathematics

Kenneth

1,2,611

Mathematics

andItsApplications

Rosen

DigitalLogic

DigitalDesign

MorrisMano

16

Programming

TheCProgramming

Dennis

16

language

Richie

Introductionto
Algorithms

Cormen

14,68,10
12,15,16,22

DataStructures
andAlgorithms

Theoryof

AnIntroductionto

Computation

FormalLanguagesand
Automata

Computer
Networks

24,34
PeterLinz

112

ComputerNetworking:

Kurose&

15,8

ATopDownApproach

Ross
Carl
Hamacher

13,5,6,8,9

Galvin

115

Korth

14,6

Computer
ComputerOrganization
Organizationand andEmbeddedsystems
Architecture

Operating

OperatingSystem

System

Concepts

Databases

DatabaseSystem
Concepts

CompilerDesign

8,10,11,14,15

Compilers:Principles,

Aho&

TechniquesandTools

Ullman

Software

SoftwareEngineering:A Pressman

Engineering

PractitionersApproach

Web

w3schools(html/xml

technologies

tutorial)

19

Readslides
only

WebsiteLink

Careers360:.Anyadviceforthefutureaspirants?
RaviShankarMishra:Believeinyourself.Dontletanyonetellyouwhatyou
canachieveandwhatyoucant.NobodythoughtthatIcouldevengetarankinthe
Top500intheGATE2015CSpaperasIwasaMechanicalEngineeringgraduate
butIbackedmyself.

Justthinkthatifaguywithzeroknowledgeofcomputersciencewithjust5months
ofdedicatedstudyanddeterminationcouldbringhisknowledgeuptothelevelof
theGATEexamandgoontoscoretheFirstRank,whycantyou?Allofyouwho
willappearforGATE2016willhaveevenmoretimethanwhatIhad.Forget

willappearforGATE2016willhaveevenmoretimethanwhatIhad.Forget
abouteverythingandjustdedicatequalitytimeoveryourpreparation.Dontworry
aboutwhattheothersthinkaboutyouyouarenotdoingthisforthem.Youare
doingthisforyourselfandyourfamily.Itisyourdream,gogetit!Nobodyis
stoppingyouexceptyourself.

Careers360thanksRaviShankarMishraforsharinghisvaluable
inputsanddetailedpreparationstrategiesforGATE2015withus.We
wishhimallthebest!
First Published On : 01 Apr 2015 11:10 AM IST

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26Comments

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muthyalaakhil47

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Jointhediscussion
shannkar_2787881ayearago

DearStudents,
DoyouwanttocheckinallNITsandIITsonthebaseofyourGATE2015scoreyoucanclick
http://goo.gl/pTUuUz
andmoreoveryoualsogetupdatedofallPSUandotherPGExamsrelated.
1

Reply Share

vivek_singh_249monthsago

Thankyousir...

Reply Share
HimanshuGangwar3ayearago

thanksdear

Reply Share
Abhijit_257>HimanshuGangwar3ayearago

@HimanshuGangwar3
Thanks!

Reply Share

SortbyBest

kishoreayearago

nicetohavethisarticle....

Reply Share
Abhijit_257>kishoreayearago

@kishore
Thanks!!

Reply Share
SumathyKabaliayearago

THANKUSIR

Reply Share
hemantkumarayearago

Nicepersonalityandveryhardworking...
youranswersprovideusconfidenceandwaytopreparingfortheexam.
Thanksforsharingyourvalueableexperience!!!!

Reply Share
LlmLinuxayearago

150daysisunbelivableifitsreal,thattooforamechanicalengineer..

Reply Share
prabhatdwivediayearago

thanksalotsiriamreallyinspiredbyyou...cong...

Reply Share
Abhijit_257>prabhatdwivediayearago

@prabhatdwivedi
Weclome

Reply Share
Nameayearago

SuperbRavi...AbigCongotoyoufirstofall..andyourinterviewismuchmorehelpfulforallofus....
Thanksatonforthis..Youneverknow..howmanypeoplearemotivatedfromyourinterview......thanks
again..

Reply Share
RahulRaturiayearago

RaviSir,theonlythingthatiwantedtoknowisthatthenotesofmadeeasybyAnkurguptaconsistthewhole
gatesyllabusforcse..coz...everysubjectsconsistsofmaximum9pages

Reply Share
AmitVerma6ayearago

canyouhelpmeinscoringintop50ingate2016cs

Reply Share
PrabhaCareers360>AmitVerma6ayearago

plscheckallourtoppertips,preparationstrategies.ANDyouwillhavetoworkveryhardtoscorein
thetop50ranks.
Allthebest!

 Reply Share
manoj_979ayearago

canyoupleasehelpmehowtoscoreavove60marksingate2016ofmechanicalengineeringpaper

Reply Share
ShashankSharma8ayearago

ReallyMotivating!!.ThoughI'mpreparingforB.Techcoursesbutyouradvicehasgivenmeconfidenceinmy
preparations.Thanks!!

Reply Share
AbidRahimayearago

ThankyousomuchRavi!Wishyouallthebest!

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RavikumaraMnRaviayearago

itsaninspirationtoaspirents

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anuragkothareayearago

reallymotivated

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dilawarahmadayearago

iambtechcsemayigetadmissionincivilorelettrical

Reply Share
AnuragLahon>dilawarahmadayearago

Yaucanbt.Uhvtohvgvgateindrespectivepaper

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VisakhVijayanayearago

simplysuperb!!!!!!!

Reply Share
aasheeshayearago

welldonehat'softoyou......................

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Gaterayearago

Hatsofftothisguy!!

Reply Share
jayshayearago

realencouragementtoGATEAspirants!(y)

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