Top 5 Career Opportunities After GATE

The career opportunities that this single-level exam offers to Indian students are countless. Here are the top 5 career opportunities you can explore after getting a decent GATE score.

Tejanand Rompicherla

14 Apr 2021

Ever wondered why there are so many students writing the GATE exam every year? Well, there is a reason for its vast popularity. There are many reasons you should NEVER miss appearing for this exam if you are an engineering/science/humanities student. GATE comes with a bundle of opportunities that every student from the above said streams should utilize.

It is a yearly exam conducted by IITs and IISc in association with MHRD and the Department of Higher Studies. The career opportunities that this single-level exam offers to Indian students are countless. Here are the top 5 career opportunities you can explore after getting a decent GATE score.

Jobs in PSUs

GATE became surpassingly competitive after many Public Service Undertakings signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IITs for the recruitment through the GATE exam. In the earlier years, many PSUs had trouble recruiting their entry-level employees because of the overwhelming number of candidates competing for limited vacancies. Consequently, many PSUs made it mandatory for the candidates to appear for GATE as the primary level test. The whole recruitment procedure includes a Group Discussion and a personal interview apart from the written exam.

IOCL, MECON, PGCIL, HECL, and BPCL are some of the PSUs that recruit employees through GATE. Now the question is, is it worth clearing GATE and getting a government sector job? Yes, totally. In India, government jobs are considered the most dignified and preferable among all. There is a widely popular joke that Indian parents would advise even Bill Gates to get a government job. But jokes apart, government jobs are indeed the most stable and secure jobs considering the salary scale and the additional benefits. With a PSU job, you can enjoy these privileges and lead a fulfilling life in our country.

The list of some of the Public Sector Undertaking companies that hire through GATE

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd.
Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd.
Mazagon Dock Ltd.
Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
Central Electronics Ltd.
Coal India Ltd.
National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd.
Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.
THDC Ltd.
Odisha Power Generation Corporation
Ircon International Ltd.
Bharat Broadband Network Ltd.
National Highways Authority of India
Airport Authority of India
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
Bihar State Power Holding Company Ltd.

The multi-million companies such as Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Cisco etc. hire entry-level employees who have qualified M.Tech. or M.E. from reputed institutions. So, even if your dream is to work for these MNC giants, you must get a good GATE score.

Make your dream come of cracking the PSU exam through Online Coaching for PSU Exams

2. Higher Studies

A valid GATE score can win you a seat in some renowned universities and institutions such as IITs, IIScs, NITs for your postgraduation. You can choose your favourite institute that you want to join based on your stream, GATE score and academic interests. In top-level institutes, you can get admission for ranks up to 1500, while in private and other government colleges up to 3000 or above.

The fact that students will get a stipend along with admission makes it more enticing. The scholarship amount is Rs 12,400 per month while studying M.Tech at an IIT or IISC. Campus placement is another significant possibility for engineering students, especially CSIT, EE and ECE graduates. Those who graduate from IITs in these streams may get a payroll of about 20 lacs per annum. Mechanical and Civil Engineering students also have high chances to get placed in good companies with a salary range of 8 to 10 lacs per annum.

3. Admission in Foreign Universities

There are a couple of universities across the globe that consider the GATE score for their selection process. National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU) are two universities that provide top-notch facilities for postgraduation and research in Engineering. The candidates need a good GPA for their bachelor’s and a GATE score above 90 percentile. If you can afford the fees (ranges from 3-5 lakhs INR) these universities charge, it is highly recommended that you pursue your Master’s or research there.

RWTH Aachen and TU Munich are another two universities that take the GATE score into account. It is an added credit for Indian students to have a satisfactory GATE score to get admission to these universities. RWTH Aachen is a founding member of the IDEA League, an association of five leading universities of technology in Europe. It also collaborates with many reputed universities and colleges across the world. These German universities offer innovative and advanced engineering/science specialisation such as Automotive Engineering (RWTH Aachen) and Earth System Science, Remote Sensing (TU Munich) etc.

4. Lectureship

If you are interested in a teaching profession, you can get into lecturer jobs in colleges and universities after postgraduation. Many universities and colleges recruit faculties based on the GATE score. Several coaching institutes train students to clear competitive exams such as GATE, ESE, PSUs, SSC-JE, and different entrance examinations. You can join such institutes as teachers or even start a new coaching centre on your own! There are plenty of e-learning platforms that offer coaching classes and other courses to engineering students. You can also try to be a part of that since e-learning is the future of education.

Become a Lecturer through GATE Preparation Online

5. Research

If you are a person who is passionate about exploring your field, then research is your answer. With a good GATE score, you can apply for junior research fellow positions in CSIR laboratories, Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC), and ISRO. Since the GATE score is valid for up to two years, you can do research after completing M.Tech or M.E. It is a sad truth that only a scanty fraction of students enter the research field in India. In our country, several misconceptions discourage students from doing research. Most of the students rule out the prospects and dignity of a PhD for the reason that doing research can be laborious and time-consuming. Moreover, students seem to be more interested in pursuing a job or higher degrees in other countries.

The opportunities after GATE are countless. It is up to you how you want to utilise this basic but promising exam for your benefit. If you are planning to appear for GATE 2022, keep in mind the opportunities you will get after winning the exam. When the exam date is nearing, prepare for your final round of revision and mock tests. Pull yourself together, work hard and smart. More than anything, believe in yourself.

Read our post Here is Everything You Want to Know About GATE 2022 before you make your GATE 2022 plans.