Interview - Ankur Agrawal GATE 19 - AIR 65 Mechanical

All the Hard work done by Ankur Agrawal has finally paid off as he bags a gate score of 902 with AIR-65 in GATE 2019 .
Sharing here a short excerpt of my interaction with him , let's get more into his success story of how he managed to achieve this feat.

1. What is your GATE Rank and GATE Score?

I am Ankur Agrawal. GATE Mechanical 19 AIR- 65, GATE  Score-902

2. How many times have you taken GATE?

I have appeared in GATE 2 times. First in my final year (2018) and Second this year (2019)

3. When did you start your preparation?

In College during 6^th semester

Second time around June 2018

4. Did you join any coaching Institute?

Yes, Engineers Circle

5. How you prepared for it? How did you utilize your time properly?

I started with basic activities like regularly attending classes, making proper notes, solving all questions (Previous Year and Workbook) on the same day when it is taught.

After starting preparation I used all my leisure time for study only. Didn’t squander my time going movies, party, TV Shows.

Coaching doesn’t give you 100 percent content so you have to resort to other sources like other coaching notes, standard books, previous year test series, some community related to GATE ( Gradeup, FB groups etc.)

6. How you managed to prepare along Job?

It’s all about will power. How much you want that particular thing. So Daily I got like 4-5 hours and I used them to solve questions and learning new things.

On weekends everyone was partying ( I was in Bangalore) and I was there in a room savoring mechanical concepts. But I didn’t feel bad that time also because I knew after 30 years I will live a peaceful life and all other people partying will be busy completing deadlines :)

 I had all the study content (short notes, test series questions etc.) in my phone so during lunch time in office, during commuting I read those.

When I started taking full length tests, I analyzed my tests in Bus and office. That saved a lot of time at home.

7. Which books/Material You followed?
1) Basic Thermodynamics – Coaching Notes, P.K Nag (solved and unsolved questions chapter 1 to 9 and 11) twice, GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions, ESE-mains questions (except derivation).
2) Heat Transfer - Coaching Notes, Heat transfer by PK NAG (solved problems of 6 chapters which are in syllabus), GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions, ESE-mains questions (keeping in mind the level asked in GATE, specially solve convection problems).
3) Fluid Mechanics – Coaching Notes, Fluid Mechanics by K. SUBRAMANYA (solved examples are enough and it contains serious conceptual problems you will love it), SK SOM (solved examples, GATE generally every year gives 1-2 question similar from this book), MADE EASY CIVIL ENGG. FLUID MECHANICS (I will upload), MODI & SETH (if time permits), GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions of Mechanical and CIVIL.
4) Strength of Materials – Coaching Notes, GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions of Mechanical and CIVIL, ESE mains conventional (if you feel concept is still weak).
5) Theory of Machines – Coaching Notes, SS RATAN (relevant solved examples only), more
time to VIBRATIONS, GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions.
6) Production – Coaching Notes, SK MONDAL Notes, GATE, ESE-pre and ESE-mains (especially
Metal cutting, Casting, Welding).
7) Machine Design – Coaching Notes, VB BHANDARI (no special need but if you have time then
can go through once), Formulas are very important here, GATE and ESE-pre previous year
questions.
8) Industrial Engineering – Coaching Notes, GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions.
9) Engineering Mechanics – Coaching notes, Engg. Mechanics by DR UC JINDAL, GATE previous
year questions.
10) IC Engine and RAC – Coaching Notes, GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions are enough.
11) Power Plant – Coaching Notes, GATE and ESE-mains previous year questions.
12) Material Science – Coaching Notes, GATE and ESE-pre previous year questions.
13) Mathematics – Coaching Notes, Made easy/Ace Academy Maths book, GATE previous year
questions of all branches from past 20 years.
14) General Aptitude – GATE previous questions of all branches, Join Grade up platform for

regular aptitude/reasoning questions which will not let your mind rust.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SjJctbEXdMwVcKba0rB3m-TIHT7lMrYV (link for my GATE strategy)

8. How many test series have you joined and which is best?

Your course (all the above stated content) must be finished by max October (mid-end). I have taken approximately 240 subject wise tests and 70 full length tests in the past two years combined.

Take at least two test series, my suggestion would be ACE ACADEMY and EXERGIC.  Made Easy test series have been highly unpredictable in the past years. Wait sometime before deciding. Anyway, you may choose any two between three and third one you can share with someone so that at least you will know all the important problems.

9. Does CBT and Pre-GATE really helps?

I attended all three CBT (computer-based test) one from ACE and two from MADE EASY. This will make one familiar with real GATE environment and nervousness (which is major problem for a lot of students) can be dealt with this way. Its really important.

10. Your further plans?

I want to enter in a Maharatna PSU and then aim for civil Services

How one should attempt GATE Paper?

The strategy I found most useful and successful for me is
First 10-15 minutes for aptitude
Next 40 minutes for 25 one mark questions
Next 2 hours for 30 2 mark questions
Then in the remaining time visit first “Mark for Review” questions and then Unattempted questions

Never spend more than 4 minutes on a question and never think for more than 2 minutes for a question in first go.

11. According to you what is tough Section in GATE Paper?

This is different for different people. According to me aptitude and English is generally easy so solve at first, it will give you confidence.

5-6 questions will be there which you will not find yourself comfortable with. Don’t waste time here and solve these only If you are confident.

12. What are your leisure activities?

I am a big cricket aficionado. I play and watch cricket quite often.

I like to watch TV series and movies  a lot. Till date I have watched 45+ English TV shows and 1000+ Hollywood movies ( I hate Bollywood lol with some exceptions)

I like to read news and current affairs.

I like to read and write on Quora  (https://www.quora.com/profile/Ankur-Agrawal-96) You can follow me if you want some GATE related help.

13. How you kept yourself focused during those 3 brutal hours?

This is the most frequent question I am being asked and frankly I was asking this questions from past two years to people. I have a focus problem. My mind deviates a lot.

During GATE exam, I was very calm. I told myself that I have toiled very hard. I have dedicated more than 200% to this cause and If I don’t succeed today its okay. I tried my best.

This way I was not in a pressure of performing. I took one question at a time and if I was not able to solve some questions I didn’t become nervous and remained calm.

Honestly it never worked for me before in test series. I tried the same thing many times but it was a miracle that it worked on the D-Day.

14. Any advice for future aspirants?

GATE is a wild horse and to tame it you shall have sheer determination and will. An unwavering commitment like you has shown never before. You must promise to yourself,  Come what may but you will not be afraid and demotivated.

Thank you Ankur Agrawal for your quality time. I wish you all the very best for your future !!

GATE 2019 TEST SERIES

Download Test Series of various coaching Institutes for GATE, BARC, ESE.

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ACE ACADEMY 2019 TEST SERIES - Click here

MADE EASY ESE 2018 TEST SERIES - Click here

IES MASTER 2018 GATE and ESE TEST SERIES - Click here

ACE ACADEMY 2016 TEST SERIES - Click here

To download test series of 2018 and 2017 and CBTs - Click here

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NPCIL INTERVIEW 2018

NPCIL Interview
Mechanical

1. Name
2. College
3. Summer training kaha se ki?(Suratgarh super thermal power station)
4. NPCIL k bare kuch jante ho?
5. Favourite subjects (Basic thermo, HT, FM, PP, SOM)
6. What is super critical in steam power plant?
7. Draw cycle for that.
8. Draw Rankine cycle diagram.
9. Explain each and every process.
10. Components where the processes are happening.
11. Value of pressure in condenser.
12. What if we reduce the condenser pressure?

13. I said about dryness fraction then said to tell another reason
14. Drawn steam pipe with insulation then told me draw the temperature profile.
15. A steam pipe given and it is simply supported then SFD and BMD and Curve after deflection
16. Value of angle of wedge so that block kept on that does not slide.
17. Gate 2018 question piston cylinder with dead weight on it and hole at the bottom. Calculate the velocity.

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NPCIL Interview Experience 02/07/2018

Firstly when I entered the room there were 6 members I wished them, they started with formal introduction from where you are,collage etc.

1. Then asked to write down some favourite subjects,  I wrote Thermodynamics, ,FM, SOM, Heat transfer & R.A.C.

2. One panelist started with basic piston cylinder questions generally asked in BARC Interview as I had prepared some barc interview from quora or some where like if a piston and cylinder heated than which process draw PV diagram,if you put sudden mass on piston than which process draw PV diagram,if we put that mass very slowly in fractions than which process I said Isothermal than he told me to draw same PV diagram and than told me to compare both the process in PV diagram like work done, final pressure etc.I answered very well to these questions as I already prepared those.

3. Than he made a opening to the middle of the cylinder to the atmosphere and repeated the same above questions like mass put suddenly and in fractions , now draw PV diagram (first upto hole when piston comes it is constant pressure process as it open to atmosphere but after that same concept adiabatic in sudden mass and Isothermal in slow mass) same above questions like PV diagrams and final state.

4. how work can be calculated from pv diagram and what are the conditions to be occur to Isothermal and adiabatic processes.

5. Then they move to fluid mechanics and gave a building with 8 floors and a pump is put on the base of the building with a water tank there and told that water is not delivering to the 7 and 8 floor why. I suggest NPSH Concept than they asked evrything about NPSH and told me to calculate NPSH of that pump.

6. Next one asked about my intern from where and what you learned there ? Diesel locomotive works in varanasi than asked questions like….Compression ratio of diesel and petrol engine.

ii. kis engine mai kisko mix kar sakte ho petrol mai dieslel ya diesel mai petrol ?

iii. konsa engine heavy hota hai and why.?

iv. kiske cylinder ka pressure jyada hota hai ?

7. Now SOM,  Design of cylinder gave some data and told me to calculate the thikness.I assumed some diameter than asked me about material I told cast iron I took some fector of safety and UTS then they asked about UTS and stress strain diagrams for cast iron and mild steel and tensile test for mild steel , tumne kiya hai kabhi ? I told group mai kiya hai Sir collage mai ,then he asked kaise karte hai ? konsi machine hoti hai ? machine kya measure karti hai ? diagram of specimen etc. and kisme strain jyada hoti hai cast iron or mild steel ?and values of UTS and yield stress or both.

8. Then they asked some questions to production like kon konsi process hoti hai forming ki?Uses of casting, wahan ek bell rakhi thi ye kese banti hai?  iske upar layer kese hoti hai ? (electroplating) asked what is electroplating ? What is 3D printing etc. ?

9. Then finally some questions about NPCIL,  tumhare kota k paas konsa plant hai ?
Kabhi visit kiye ho ?  Baaki plants kahan kahan hai etc ?
Last hum rajasthan walon ko maharasthra mai locate karte hai,  will you face any problem ? and kon konsi PSU k interview diye ho ab tak.

Interview was for around 1 hour and 10 minutes. It was very nice experience to face such kind of interview

IOCL INTERVIEWS 2018

IOCL Interview Mechanical

GD- Privacy of ordinary people are compromised in India

GT-  What would you do to stop misuse of extra privileges given to women.

PI- 
Introduction
What do you like in hindi litrature.
Who was dinkar?
Tell a poem of maithilisharan gupt.
Have you read godan of premchand?
Tell about main characters in godan?
Have you read eedgah?
Poems k alava aur kya padhte ho?
Do you think you get benefited by reading these books?
Bosch me training me kya seekha?
What is a battery, what is internal resistance, what is effective current?
What is an induction motor, how it works?
How will take power from motor to required device?
How many types of couplings are there?
Which coupling will you use for offset shafts?
What is second law of thermodynamics?
What do you mean by COP, which one is better COP 12 or COP 18?
Why psu like iocl not private sector?
What were you doing for last one year?
You should have tried for pvt company, yoy were jobless for one year.
What do you mean by work life balance ?
What would be your reaction if you are not allowed to go hometown for a year or more than that?
To whom you will approach...immediate boss or higher authorities?

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IOCL 10 JULY 2018

GD- Is women empowerment is limited to debates only?

GT- You are a young officer in a PSU and you think you are innovative and new ideas are not heard by senior officers , juniors are also not supporting by thinking that they might be supressed by senior officers in future due to this
So discuss among yoursleves for 10 to 12 min and then arrive at a proper conclusion and somebody conclude it.

4 panelists ( 3M 1F)
HR ( Female panelist)
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. As a person how arer you ? How do you define yourself as a person ?
3. What are your aims and aspirations.

Technical
1. What are different type of threads
2. Different types of positive displacement pump.
3. What is cavitation
4. Where does it occur in centrifugal pump.
5. what is second law of thermodynamic
6. What is entropy
Again HR ( This time male panelist)
1. What do u know about IOCL.
2. Aur kahan kahan interview diya hai.
( I had mention marketing... so ...)
3. What happens in marketing department.
4. Who was your senior that you mentioned before is working in IOCL .
Thanks ..you can go now.

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IOCL Mechanical  Date : 04.07.2018

Interview ( 4M+1F)
1- Tell us about yourself.
2- Why you left your previous job ?
3- Why Public sector why not private sector (lot of cross questions)  ?
4- Positives & negatives of BHEL (Summer training industry) and FAG bearing (Previous employer).
5- Do comparison in terms of productivity.
6- Current year Turnover and Profit of BHEL Jhansi and FAG bearing.
7- What are pressure valve, give some examples of different type of pressure valves
8- If there is high heat build up in gear box, what will you do ?
9- How will you check there is any failure or not since gearbox is completely sealed
( I said, by checking the lubricant temperature then he asked any other parameter)
10- What is 3rd law of termodynamics and its practical application
11- Draw rankine cycle and suggest the methods to increase its efficiency ( I answered, there are total 3 methods : by reducing condenser pressure, by increasing boiler pressure, by superheating of steam in boiler)
12- How superheating is done?
13- How was your work life in previous organisation ?
14 - Why you not prepared while doing private job .
15- What are different business divisions of IOCL .
16 - In which division you would like to work ?

GD: Total 10 students
( 2 min to select the topic among yourself and 10 min to discuss)
1: Mobile should be banned in School campus or not
2: will Artificial intelligence replace the complete manpower requirement in future

GT: Suggest the action points require to eliminate girl's eve teasing and sexual harassment cases in college

IOCL INTERVIEW

IOCL INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE (AIR-1052)

14/06/18
Venue - Mumbai
Reporting time : 8:30 a.m.

We were given some forms in which we had to fill Name, Registration Number, % of marks in Engineering, GPA to % Conversion Formula, etc.
After that, one HR guy came and presented the PPT regarding work culture ,figures and statistics of IOCL and then we proceeded for document verification.
Document verification took around 20 minutes and in between they distributed light breakfast ( Sandwich + Real fruit juice :P ).

GD,GT and PI was being conducted simultaneously.
My PI round came after the lunch  ( which was again provided by IOCL, that too unlimited :P ) at 3.00 p.m.

INTERVIEW :
Panelists : 6 members (all in their late 40s and 50s )

1. Pandey ji, apna ek acha sa introduction dedo hume, regarding your education, family background, your hobbies and Interests.
2. What is your GATE Score and GATE Rank?
3. Are you happy with your Gate AIR ?
4. Why you want to join IOCL ?
5. Apne  College project kay baare mai batao hame.
6. Campus placement hua hai ki nahi ?
7. Tell us what have you learned in your internship training ?
8. Of what materials are Rails made of ?
9. Where they are made in India ?
10. You have done your training in Railways, why don't you join Railways ?
11. Favourite subjects konse hai ?
12. Why do we need compressor in refrigerator ?
13. Why there's need to increase pressure in Refrigeration ?
14. Tell me about the process used for surface Hardening ?
15. How Nitriding is done ?
16. Suppose we want to use steel at very high temperature, what are the alloying elements you will add and why ?
17. Agar aapko kisi remote location pe bhej dia jaaye, toh aap kya karoge ?
18. What are the different sectors  in which IOCL works ?
Interview Duration : 15 minutes.

Immediately after they Interview, coordinators took us for GD,GT round
Number of candidates : 11
Language : Either Hindi or English

GD topic : Should Nationalism be forced ?
Time allowed - 30 mins, 3 mins for jotting down the points , last 2 minutes for conclusion.
We didn't create a fish market and everyone got the chance to speak at least twice.

GT Topic : List down the qualities of a good Team Leader.
Time alloted - 30 minutes.

Considering my Rank I have zero chances to get selected, but overall it was a good Experience.

BHEL INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE 2018

BHEL INTERVIEW 2nd June

6 panelists (1lady)

1. Where are you from ?
2. I said Bokaro, then they asked that why this place is famous ?
3. Tell me at least 4 nearby cities of Bokaro ?
4. What was your responsibility in your previous job ?
5. About Summer Industrial Training ?
6. My training was in Hydel power plant so they asked about the layout of the plant .
7. One or two questions from Training.
8. About Quality Control tools ?
9. How you manage the people ?
10. Gate score and Rank ?
11. Total power capacity of India ?

Excellent management by BHEL.

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Interview Experience BHEL
Branch - Mechanical
Rank - 46

The management was so good that I had to wait only for an hour or so.
The interview was a mix of technical and HR questions.
- You come from IIT Roorkee? Do you belong to Uttarakhand?
- What is your hometown famous for?
- Tell us about your family.
- What is the reason for this two days strike by bankers?
- Tell us about yourself.
- What were the problems faced by the freshers in your college?
- Will you go for higher studies ?
- What are your areas of interest ?
- Tell me about the parts in a power plant ?
- Why there's a negative pressure in the condenser ?
- Would it be okay If you are posted in South ?
- Tell me different types of Welding ?
- What is a shielding gas ?
- If you are posted in south and your seniors start saying stuff like, "Kahan aa gaye yaar tum?", how would you react ?
Duration - 15-20 minutes
The panel was friendly and helping.

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AIR 96 BHEL Interview Mechanical31/05/18

6 Members (2 female)
1. Tell about yourself .
2. Applied for any other PSUs ?
3. What was the case study in BPCL and what you said ?
4. About Training.
5. What if you are posted in South?
6. Annealing ?
7. 2 stroke vs 4 stroke ?
8. Which is used in more power ?
9. How you are compatible with BHEL ?
10. Leaning you got from the extra curricular activity?

They asked about a particular activity.

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31 may 2018 BHEL Interview

Venue-New Delhi
Panel consist of 5 sir 2 mam.

Entered and wished 
1. Meaning of my Name and then,
2. Tell me about yourself ?
3. They were impressed that I was mess secretary in college, so 2-3 min questions on that.
4. Then Project (Just description)
5. Then some questions from Ranchi , Jharkhand as I am from Ranchi.
6. Pilgrim places in Jharkhand ? 

7. Where do you want posting ? 

8. What if you get posted here and there....?
Technical ques:
9. Name devices based on 2nd law of thermodynamics.

10. What is Supercharging, Scavenging ?

11. What is Pump storage plant ?

12. Different units of pressure ?

13. What will happen to room if refrigerator door is kept open ?
At last one mam asked What leadership qualities you have ?
Interview was good.

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BHEL INTERVIEW  MECHANICAL

30 MAY 2018

1. Tell me about yourself.2. Where r you from ? 3. Gate Rank ?4. Gate Score ?5. Did you take coaching ? 6. Why not join business with your family?7. Area of interests?8. Will the Microwave heat a substance that doesn't have water ? 9. What is Scavenging ? 10. Supercharging? 11. Which Engine is more efficient CI or SI ? 12. How the heat is transferred in the boilers? 13. Are you open to any location ? 14. What other PSUs have you applied for ? 15. If you get selected in all which will you join ?16. Questions were not asked from area interest.No questions were asked from Project.A few questions were asked from Summer Internship.There was no cross questioning.

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BHEL Interview

Panel 7 members
Timing 12-15 min
1. Your name.
2. Place.
3. Occupation of family members.
4. Hobbies.
5. Training -I was trained in BHEL, Haridwar so question were like
6. Did you visit there for complete 1 month ? Different units there ? What did you learn or observed ?
7. Have you visited any Powerplant ?
8. Some basic questions on Powerplant like Why high pressure is kept ? Use of pump in Powerplant ?

Difference between Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer ?

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BHEL INTERVIEW MECHANICAL

Panel -6 members (2 female members)
Duration-20 mins
1. From which college you have completed your B.Tech ( NIT Surat ).
2. For what things Surat is famous for ? (Diamonds ,Textile , Clean City)
3. Hometown ? (Morena, Madhya Pradesh)
4. Morena is famous for ? (Chambal valley, Daaku or Daket then they laugh loudly and I gave a smile)
5. You have done training from BHEL Bhopal ?
6. What you did there ?
7. Types of machine with specifications?
8. Relate Fluid Mechanics to Hydropower Plant.
9. Relate Thermodynamics with Hydropower Plant.
10. Types of Hardening process.
11. Family background.

ONGC INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE 2018 (DRILLING)

ONGC DRILLING AIR 544 

Panel was of 5 person 4M 1F
After the greetings they offered me to sit.
M1 -
1. Introduce yourself.
2. Which year passout ? What were you doing from last year ?
3. What is Octane number.
4. What is Cetane number.
M2 -
5. Recently why Bishnoi's were in news (as I m Bishnoi)
6. Do you follow Bishnoi's values ? What Bishnoi stands for ?
7. Then questions about project.
M3 -
8. What is CNG and its Composition ?
9. What is LPG ?
10.Types of combustion engine ?
11. Typea of IC Engine ?
12. Emissions of diesel engine and 2 or 3 more questions about these.
13. Diesel engine works on which cycle and how to reduce emissions ?
14. What quality a leader have ? ( strength)
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Rank 46AEE DRILLING 30-05-2018

-Introduce yourself.
-Family background.
-What is Air Dryer ?
-Compressor uses in aircraft ?
-How to increase heat exchanger efficiency ?
-Cashless economy disadvantages and advantages ?
-What government is doing for cashless economy ?
-Advantages and disadvantages of overpopulation ?
-What is biimstec and SAARC ?
-Why you left your previous job ?
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ONGC DRILLING AIR 317

Was 3rd last in the panel.
Reporting time : 11:30 a.m
Interview done at 5.oo p.m. 
1 - Your Place.
2 - Introduction.
3- Family Background ?
4 - Why Gap (2017 Passout)
5- M.Tech or PSU ?
6- Why PSU?
7- Why ONGC in PSUs ?
8- Why Oil sectors hydrocarbon reserve is decreasing ?
9- About Hydrates (I mentioned Hydrates)
10- Asked if I know Hydrates in detail ? I said No
11- About Project.
12- About Vapour Absorption Cycle.
13- Asked about Liquefaction of gases.
14- Critical Temperature of Gases ?
15- Where Commonwealth Games were held and INDIA;s performance in it ?

Will keep on adding and updating it !!