Which exam is better suited for you: GATE or ESE?
Every year, a large number of students in India complete their engineering courses and classes, and many of them start preparing for GATE or ESE competitive exams. There are many students who think and question which exam is better suited for them: GATE or ESE. Most of the students are not very clear about the pattern, syllabus, types of questions and future prospects of GATE and ESE which is why they find it a difficult task to choose between the two.
Before we start the proper explanation of the subject of GATE and ESE, let us first have a brief overview and description of both the exams. After this we will compare both to find out which test is best and suitable for you.
There are many reasons that make GATE exam and ESE exam different from each other. Today in this blog we will discuss in detail all the points that make both the exams different from each other. So that you can take the right decision as to which exam you should prepare for.
ESE vs GATE
About the exam:
What is GATE?
GATE is a national level examination conducted by GATE Committee (Organized by IITs and IISc). It tests candidates’ understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and science. After that it provides them GATE score on the basis of which students get admission for their higher studies or they apply for jobs in reputed PSUs of India. Currently, GATE 2024 was organized between February 3 and 12. The event was organized by IISc Bangalore. Now the result of GATE 2024 will be declared in the second week of March 2024.
What is ESE?
Engineering Services Examination (ESE) is conducted by UPSC for four engineering branches to recruit engineers in engineering departments of the Central Government. This is completed in three stages. The first stage is ESE Prelims, second is ESE Mains and third is interview round. When a student completes these three stages, he gets a prestigious government job in the engineering department of the Central Government and gets a chance to serve the country. Its first phase ESE 2024 Prelims was held on 18 February 2024. Now its second phase will be held in June 2024.
The Objective/Purpose of the exam:
- GATE: GATE is basically an entrance examination for admission into the M.Tech course in IITs, NITs, IISC, and many more engineering colleges. Candidates can also apply to PSUs using their GATE score. Many Public Sector Undertakings like BHEL, IOC, NTPC, BPCL, BARC, HPCL, etc. have started selecting candidates for their organizations through GATE scores.
- Engineering Services Examination:ESE is a government job recruitment exam conducted to select candidates for various central government departments of engineering. The recruited candidates in government departments are posted in the Indian Railway Service of Engineers, Indian Railway Stores Service, Indian Ordnance Factory Services, Indian Defense Service of Engineers, Central Water Engineering, Central Power Engineering Service, etc.
Must Read: How do I apply for GATE 2024 exam?
The Pattern of the exam :
GATE:
The GATE exam is conducted through an online paper with 65 questions to be attempted in 180 minutes. The questions are of both multiple-choice and numerical answer types (where you have to feed the answers yourself), which require critical thinking, a systematic thought process, and a deep understanding of the concepts. In this exam, candidates are allowed to use a virtual calculator. But without a complete understanding of engineering concepts, it is a very difficult task for anyone to crack this exam. Unlike the ESE exam, this exam does not contain any questions on General Studies, but it tests the general aptitude of the candidates.
ESE: This is an offline examination that is divided into 3 stages:
ESE Prelims:
It is an objective paper that determines which candidates will qualify for the next stage and which will not. It is an offline exam with two papers. The questions related to General Studies are asked in Paper 1, and the questions from the Engineering stream are chosen by the candidate in Paper 2. Paper 1 of General Studies has 10 subsections:
- Current issues of national and international importance relating to social, economic, and industrial development
- Engineering Aptitude covers Logical reasoning and Analytical ability.
- Engineering Mathematics and Numerical Analysis
- General Principles of Design, Drawing, and the Importance of Safety
- Standards and Quality practices in production, construction, maintenance, and services
- Basics of Energy and Environment: Conservation, Environmental Pollution, and Degradation, Climate Change; Environmental Impact Assessment
- Basics of Project Management
- Basics of Material Science and Engineering
- Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-based tools and their applications in Engineering such as networking, e-governance, and technology-based education
- Ethics and values in the engineering profession
ESE Mains:
This is a conventional type of offline examination, which has two papers based on the engineering discipline chosen by the candidate.
ESE Interview:
Candidates selected from the main examination appear for the personality test, which is for 200 marks.
The final merit list of the candidates is prepared after the interview, keeping in minf the marks obtained in each stage. Calculators are allowed in the exam only for the conventional type of paper and not for the objective type of paper.
Branches
- GATE: This examination gives a wider range of students the chance to appear for the examination. Candidates from 24 branches can appear for the GATE examination.
- ESE: This examination is conducted for students of only four branches: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Electronics and telecommunication. Students from other branches can also appear for the examination by choosing any of the following subjects.
Competition Ratio:
- GATE: As this examination has a low cutoff, the ratio of the candidates who qualified to the number of candidates who appeared is around 1:7.
- ESE: Due to a limited number of seats available in the central government departments, the ratio of the number of candidates qualified to the number of candidates who appeared is around 1:300.
Level of difficulty
1. GATE Exam:
This exam requires the students to be very crisp with their concepts and be able to apply them in new and varying ways. The questions asked in the examination test the analytical ability of the candidate.
2. ESE Exam:
For the preliminary examination, the paper requires the candidate to be quick and know his subjects well. While for the main examination, which is a conventional type exam, it is necessary that the candidate has good presentation skills as well as has practiced previous year papers well. Often, questions in the main examination are repeated or on the same line as some previous year’s questions, but this is not always true. So, be conceptually sound, as you never know when the pattern will change.
70% of the syllabus for both the examinations is the same, but it is the remaining 30% that will determine your success or failure in the examination, so choose carefully. Every, year thousands of students take advantage of the 70% common syllabus to simultaneously prepare for both ESE and GATE exams and crack both with good marks. If you believe you can too study for both exams, then that is the best option to choose. But you must be careful that you do full justice while preparing for both exams. Traveling in both exam boats shouldn’t end with you falling into the river. So make your choice with the utmost care and attention.
Difference between GATE and ESE exams
Now that we have given you a brief idea of the parameters on which you must decide which exam you want to appear for and the differences between the GATE and ESE exams, Let’s talk about the thought process to be followed while choosing between the two exams:
- If you want to study further (pursue a Masters’s or go for research), GATE is the exam for you.
- If you want to become an officer at the highest level in the engineering field, IES is the exam for you.
- Strong concepts but low writing skills? GATE is the exam for you.
- Not from one of the four branches mentioned in the IES syllabus: You can choose from the 4 branches and give ESE or appear for the GATE exam from your branch.
- Not good with general studies? GATE is the exam for you.
Every year, many students clear both the GATE and ESE examinations with their dedication and hard work and make it to the merit list, so it clearly is not an impossible task. Keeping in mind the objective of the exam, the pattern and syllabus of the exam, and the type of questions that are asked in both examinations you must very wisely choose where you want to go and what you want to do in the future before you start your preparation. You can also take guidance from the best engineering institute’s experienced teachers, who can help you choose your path and guide you throughout your preparation.
‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with a first step’ and your first step is to choose which exam you want to take. So All the best!