If you are looking for an engineering job in a public sector major, gear up to first excel in the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).
Major public sector companies have been increasingly using GATE scores to shortlist/screen applicants for the much-coveted posts of graduate engineers. Till recently, a traditional written examination was the norm.
In a recent notification aimed at filling the posts of 250 graduate engineers, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd said candidates who wished for a career with HPCL were required to appear in GATE 2013; the scores would be used to draw up a shortlist, leading to the group discussion and personal interview.
This year, 10 public sector majors (twice as many as last year) have identified GATE as a requirement for hiring. They include Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, NTPC, Mechanical and Engineering Consultants, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, GAIL (India), BEL and Concor.
As of now, BHEL has notified an unspecified number of vacancies while GAIL has lined up a recruitment of 153 executive trainee engineers. Remuneration for an executive/graduate engineer is now in the Rs 35,000-45,000 range. Using GATE scores helps recruiters focus on quality, especially given the declining standards following the mushrooming of engineering colleges in the recent past, say experts.
Second phase
According to data from IIT-Delhi, 7.77 lakh candidates registered for GATE in 2012, of whom 6.86 lakh appeared for the test. Of these, 1,08,526 candidates qualified.
These numbers are expected to increase by 15-20 per cent this year.
The first phase of GATE 2013 was held on January 20; the second is scheduled for February 10.