How to prepare GATE-ECE without coaching?

Preparing GATE without coaching depends more on individual abilities. If you have strong basics in your core subjects than it is not a big thing to clear GATE exam without coaching. Since most of the content is available in the form of books and test series, one has to identify the right set of reading material and practice previous year question papers.

I would suggest you take at least one standard textbook for each subject and also Schaum series books for practicing the standard numerical questions. Practicing numerical questions is very important if one wants to get the good score in GATE and also it helps to maintain good accuracy.

Coming to the actual question, preparation of the GATE-ECE without coaching can be done in 5 folds.

1. Understand the given syllabus and identify the standard books.

2. Use NPTEL or any other open  source video lecture platform like Coursera etc.

3. Make topic wise notes for each subject.

4. Revise the notes and solve all the previous year GATE ECE and IES E&T questions.

5. Take test series from reputed coaching centers. It helps for self assessment.

6. Repeat step 4 and 5 at least 3 times.

Common mistakes while preparing GATE:

1. Too much time on single subject/topic:
GATE and IES exams test your basic conceptual understanding in the given subjects of the syllabus. It is well observed based on previous year question papers, All the subjects more or less carry equal weightage. The basics mistake aspirants tend to do is spending significantly large amount time on few subjects less times on other subjects.

Since all subjects carry almost equal marks, try to spend equal time on all the subjects.

2. Reading the same topic from multiple sources:
I have been observing many aspirants study 3 to 4 books for the single subject, But in every book, they end up reading first or second chapter only. My suggestion is to take on the standard book, keep it as your backbone and complete your preparation. If you want to study any specific topic from another text book, just read only that topic.

3. Lack of notes making:
One should learn the habit of making decent notes on each and every topic of the syllabus. This notes will be very useful during revision.

4. Lack of revision and practice:
Lack of notes making leads to poor revision. So, to cover entire syllabus one should have good notes and this notes should be revised as many times as possible. One more important point is, mere reading the books and making notes itself is not sufficient. One should understand the importance of the practicing the previous year question papers and solving the standard numerical in the textbooks.

5. Layback attitude:
Few aspirants have lay back attitude, this is more dangerous. You should put efforts daily with focused preparation.

6. Information is wealth:
During your preparation, you should have an eye on opportunities and notifications apart from GATE and IES.

Here I would like to give subject wise reference books along with some extra reading material.

Reference Books for GATE ECE:

GATE EC Subjects	Books by Authors	Link
Engineering mathematics	BS grewal	http://amzn.to/2EGlcVI
Electromagnetic Theory	Matthew Sadiku.	http://amzn.to/2FMafBb
Digital Electronics	M.Morris Mano	http://amzn.to/2BX9XVO
Analog and Digital Communications	Simon Haykin	http://amzn.to/2FJx0WI
Control Systems	I J Nagarat and M Gopal	http://amzn.to/2FIZuzy
Signals and Systems	A V Oppenheim	New Old
Analog Electronics	Sedra and Smith	http://amzn.to/2FKwqrv
EDC	Streetman and Benerjee	http://amzn.to/2E4j9xN
Network Theory	William H.Hayt	http://amzn.to/2E2O7pW

How to study Signals and Systems for GATE ECE?  

How to score good marks in GATE Engineering Mathematics subject? 

How to study Electro Magnetic Theory for GATE ECE? 

EDC formula sheet for GATE ECE. 

Formulas sheet for GATE ECE

Important Topics for GATE ECE:

Engineering Mathematics: 1. Numerical Methods (Newtons raphson's method, RK method and Secant method). 2. Eigen values and eigen vectors. 3. Solution of system of linear equations (Many solutions, one solution etc). 4. Basic calculus like limits, integrations and differentiations. 5. Complex integration and finding residues of given complex function. 6. Order and degree of differential equation and their solutions. 7. Vector Calculus : Gradient, Div, Curl, Gauss theorem, stokes and greens theorem. 8. Finding Multiple integrals. 9. Finding area under curves. 10. Application of Tyler and power series.	Signals and Systems:  1. Fundamentals of signals (calculation of T, Pavg, Eavg, even, odd and etc.) 2. Fundamentals of systems( Linear, Non-linear, Stable, Unstable, , etc.) 3. Fourier Series( finding the existence of FS expansion of given signal  and finding a0) 4. Initial and Final Value . 5. DFT and their properties 6. properties .	EDC: 1. Types of semiconductors. 2. Mass action law. 3. Calculation of concentration of holes and electrons in a given semiconductor. 4. Fermi level concepts 5. PN diode 6. Z-diode as regulator 7. BJT operating principle
Network Theory: 1. Basics (KCL,KCL,Mesh,) 2. Theorems(Th, Max Power) 3. Networks 4. Transient analysis	EMT: 1. Maxwell equations both diff and integral form 2. Polarization 3. Wave incidence 4. Transmission lines (finding Zin) 5. ( rectangular-> calculation ,\labda, Vp...)	Analog Electronics: 1. Op-amp as positive and negative feedback. 2. Study of -ve feedback and calculation of Zin, Zout, Rin, A,\beta 3. DC and AC analysis of BJT and JFET
Control System: 1. SFG, Block diagram reduction 2. RH- criterion 3. steady state response 4. steady state error. 5. Bode plot (GM, gain freq and phase freq) 6. root locus (find K) 7. Nyquist plot (GM, gain freq and phase freq)	Analog and Digital Communications:  1. and Angular modulations. 2. Receivers 3. PCM, Delta modulation, FDM, TDM and SQNR of PCM 4. Digital Carrier modulations and their probability of error calculations. 4. interference and their mitigation. 5. Information theory: Channel capacity, entropy etc.	Digital Electronics:  1. Number system 2. Boolean algebra and k-map simplification techniques. 3. Combinational Ckts: Mux, decoder, HA etc.. 4. Sequential : Counters and registers and details of all Flip Flops and their characteristic equations.

Hand written notes for GATE ECE:

1. Engineering mathematics: Notes
2. Signals and systems: Notes
3. Communication systems: Notes
4. Analog Electronics: Notes
5. Digital Electronics: Notes
6. Electronics Devices and Circuits: Notes
7. Control Systems: Notes
8. Electromagnetic theory: Notes
9. Network Theory: Notes

Extra Reading material for GATE ECE: Please click on the following links to download.

1. Engineering mathematics: Engineering maths notes GATE 
2. Signals and systems: Signals and systems notes GATE ECE 
3. Communication systems: Communications Notes GATE ECE 
4. Analog Electronics: Analog Electronics Notes GATE ECE 
5. Digital Electronics: Digital Electronics Notes GATE ECE

The notes are my collections from various sources, which are really good and very useful for GATE ECE point of view. This may not cover entire syllabus, but it helps!. I will keep updating extra reading material and useful links to understand different topics.

I would like to tell you, It is not just handwritten notes of some GATE coaching institutes like ACE or Made easy etc, but also collected from different university professors across the globe.

By observing last 15 years papers, I made a list of topics from each subject which are very important to get good score.

Must Read topics (important topics) for GATE ECE: 

Ref: Must read topics to score good marks in GATE ECE (Click here)