GATE i.e. Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is a national level examination held all over India. The GATE score/rank is a gateway for admissions to postgraduate studies in engineering. (ME, MTech, MS, Direct PhD) in institutes like IITs, IISc and other prestigious Institutes as well as by PSUs in recruitment. Candidates appearing for GATE 2020 Agricultural Engineering (AG) must know the exam pattern, syllabus, Important topics, books for GATE AG exam to crack the exam with a better GATE score.
The GATE 2019 examination was conducted for 24 different fields only and Agricultural Engineering is one of them, moreover, Biomedical Engineering is the recently added to the list for GATE 2020 subjects. Since the GATE 2020 examination is expected to be conducted in 1st week of February i.e. 01, 02, 08 and 09 February, the candidates must be aware of all the details required. The GATE 2020 will be conducted by IIT Delhi.
Since the present session syllabus has not been released yet, candidates can check the previous year syllabus for reference. Read the full article to know more about the GATE AG Exam Pattern, GATE 2020 Agricultural Engineering Syllabus for better preparation.
GATE 2020 Agricultural Engineering Exam Pattern
The examination will be a computer-based with two types of questions- Objective type and Numerical Type. In Numerical Type, some numerical value has to be answered without any options provided.
| Examination Mode | Computer-based (Online)Test |
| No. of questions | 65 |
| Maximum Score | 100 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Sections | General Aptitude, Mathematics and Subject Specific |
- General Aptitude: 5 questions carry 1 mark each while the other 5 questions carry 2 marks each.
- Mathematics: 5 questions carry 1 mark each and other 5 questions carry 2 marks each.
- Agriculture Engineering: 20 questions carry 1 mark each. Also, the rest 25 questions carry 2 marks for every correct answer. Approximately equal weightage is given to the questions from 3 sections of GATE 2020 Agricultural Engineering Syllabus – Farm Machinery, Post-Harvest, Soil & Water and Irrigation & Drainage.
Note: There is no negative marking for Numerical Type. However, a 1/3rd negative marking will be done for both 1 and 2 marks question of MCQ for any wrong response
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Syllabus for GATE 2020 Agricultural Engineering
1. Engineering Mathematics
Linear Algebra: Matrices and determinants, systems of linear equations, Eigenvalues and eigenvectors.
Calculus: Limit, continuity and differentiability; maxima and minima; partial derivatives; sequences and series; tests for convergence; Fourier series, Taylor series.
Vector Calculus: Gradient; divergence and curl; line; surface and volume integrals; Gauss, Stokes and Green’s theorems.
Differential Equations: Linear and non-linear first order Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE); Higher order linear ODEs with constant coefficients; Cauchy’s and Euler’s equations; Laplace transforms; Partial Differential Equations – Laplace, heat and wave equations.
Probability and Statistics: Random Variables; Mean, median, mode and standard deviation; Poisson, normal and binomial distributions; correlation and regression analysis; tests of significance, analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Numerical Methods: Solutions of linear and non-linear algebraic equations; numerical integration – trapezoidal and Simpson’s rule; numerical solutions of ODE.
2. Agriculture Engineering
- Section 1- Farm Machinery
Machine Design: Design and selection of machine elements – gears, chains, pulleys, sprockets and belts; measurement of speed, force, torque, displacement and acceleration on machine elements; overload safety devices used in farm machinery.
Farm Machinery: Soil tillage; forces acting on a tillage tool; hitch systems and hitching of tillage implements; functional requirements, principles of working, construction and operation of manual, animal and power operated equipment for tillage, sowing, planting, fertilizer application, inter-cultivation, mowing, spraying, chaff cutting, harvesting, threshing and transport; calculation of performance parameters – field capacity, efficiency, application rate and losses; testing of agricultural machinery and equipment; cost analysis of implements and tractors.
- Section 2- Farm Power
Sources of Power: Sources of power on the farm – animal, human, electrical, mechanical, wind, solar and biomass; bio-fuels.
Farm Power:I.C. engine cycles; Thermodynamic principles of I.C. engines; engine components; fuels and combustion; lubricants and their properties; I.C. engine systems – fuel, cooling, lubrication, ignition, electrical, intake and exhaust; selection, operation, maintenance and repair of I.C. engines; power efficiencies and measurement; calculation of power, torque, fuel consumption, heat load and power losses.
Tractors and Power tillers: Type, selection, maintenance and repair of tractors and power tillers; tractor clutches and brakes; power transmission systems – gear trains, differential, final drives and power take-off; mechanics of tractor chassis; traction theory; three-point hitches- free link and restrained link operations; mechanical steering and hydraulic control systems used in tractors; tractor tests and performance.
Human engineering and safety in the design of tractor and agricultural implements.
- Section 3- Soil and Water Conservation Engineering
Fluid Mechanics: Ideal and real fluids, properties of fluids; hydrostatic pressure and its measurement; hydrostatic forces on plane and curved surface; continuity equation; Bernoulli’s theorem; laminar and turbulent flow in pipes, Darcy- Weisbach and Hazen-Williams equations, Moody’s diagram; flow through orifices and notches; flow in open channels.
Soil Mechanics: Engineering properties of soils; fundamental definitions and relationships; index properties of soils; permeability and seepage analysis; shear strength, Mohr’s circle of stress, active and passive earth pressures; stability of slopes.
Hydrology: Hydrological cycle and components; meteorological parameters, their measurement and analysis of precipitation data; runoff estimation; hydrograph analysis, unit hydrograph theory and application; stream flow measurement; flood routing, hydrological reservoir and channel routing.
Surveying and Leveling: Measurement of distance and area; instruments for surveying and levelling; chain surveying, methods of traversing; measurement of angles and bearings, plane table surveying; types of levelling; theodolite traversing; contouring; computation of areas and volume.
Soil and Water Erosion: Mechanics of soil erosion, soil erosion types, wind and water erosion, factors affecting erosion; soil loss estimation; biological and engineering measures to control erosion; terraces and bunds; vegetative waterways; gully control structures, drop, drop inlet and chute spillways; earthen dams.
Watershed Management: Watershed characterization; land use capability classification; rainwater harvesting structures, check dams and farm ponds.
- Section 4- Agricultural Processing Engineering
Drying: Psychrometry – properties of air-vapours mixture; concentration and drying of liquid foods – evaporators, tray, drum and spray dryers; hydrothermal treatment; drying and milling of cereals, pulses and oilseeds.
Size Reduction and Conveying: Mechanics and energy requirement in size reduction of granular solids; particle size analysis for comminuted solids; size separation by screening; fluidization of granular solids-pneumatic, bucket, screw and belt conveying; effectiveness of grain cleaners; cleaning and grading; centrifugal separation of solids, liquids and gases.
Processing and By-product Utilization: Processing of seeds, spices, fruits and vegetables; By-product utilization from processing industries.
Storage Systems: Controlled and modified atmosphere storage; perishable food storage, godowns, bins and grain silos.
- Section 5- Dairy and Food Engineering
Heat and Mass Transfer: working principles of heat exchangers; diffusive and convective mass transfer; simultaneous heat and mass transfer in agricultural processing operations; Steady state heat transfer in conduction, convection and radiation; transient heat transfer in simple geometry; material and energy balances in food processing systems; water activity, sorption and desorption isotherms.
Preservation of Food: Kinetics of microbial death – pasteurization and sterilization of milk and other liquid foods; preservation of food by cooling and freezing; refrigeration and cold storage basics and applications.
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