Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering - ( GATE )

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an examination that primarily tests the comprehensive understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and science. GATE is conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of Technologies at Roorkee, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Chennai (Madras) and Mumbai (Maharashtra) on behalf of the National Coordination Board-GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.

GATE 2021 Agricultural Engineering syllabus

Section 1: Engineering Mathematics

Linear Algebra:

Matrices and Determinants, Systems of linear equations, Eigen values and eigen vectors.

Calculus:

Limit, continuity and differentiability; Partial Derivatives; Maxima and minima; Sequences and series; Test for convergence; Fourier series.

Vector Calculus:

Gradient; Divergence and Curl; Line; surface and volume integrals; Stokes, Gauss and Green's theorems.

Differential Equations:

Linear and non-linear first order ODEs; Higher order linear ODEs with constant coefficients; Cauchy's and Euler's equations; Laplace transforms; PDEs - Laplace, heat and wave equations.

Probability and Statistics:

Mean, median, mode and standard deviation; Random variables; Poisson, normal and binomial distributions; Correlation and regression analysis.

Numerical Methods:

Solutions of linear and non-linear algebraic equations; integration of trapezoidal and Simpson's rule; single and multi-step methods for differential equations.

Section 2: Farm Machinery

Machine Design:

Design and selection of machine elements – gears, pulleys, chains and sprockets and belts; overload safety devices used in farm machinery; measurement of force, torque, speed, displacement and acceleration on machine elements.

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, spraying, mowing, chaff cutting, harvesting, threshing and transport; testing of agricultural machinery and equipment; calculation of performance parameters - field capacity, efficiency, application rate and losses; cost analysis of implements and tractors.

Section 3: Farm Power

Sources of Power:

Sources of power on the farm - human, animal, mechanical, electrical, wind, solar and biomass; bio-fuels.

Farm Power:

Thermodynamic principles of I.C. engines; I.C. engine cycles; 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 powertillers; 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 design of tractor and agricultural implements.

Section 4: 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 leveling; chain surveying, methods of traversing; measurement of angles and bearings, plane table surveying; types of leveling; 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 5: Irrigation and Drainage Engineering

Soil-Water-Plant Relationship:

Water requirement of crops; consumptive use and evapo-transpiration; measurement of infiltration, soil moisture and irrigation water infiltration.

Irrigation Water Conveyance and Application Methods:

Design of irrigation channels and underground pipelines; irrigation scheduling; surface, sprinkler and micro irrigation methods, design and evaluation of irrigation methods; irrigation efficiencies.

Agricultural Drainage:

Drainage coefficient; planning, design and layout of surface and sub-surface drainage systems; leaching requirement and salinity control; irrigation and drainage water quality and reuse.

Groundwater Hydrology:

Groundwater occurrence; Darcy’s Law, steady flow in confined and unconfined aquifers, evaluation of aquifer properties; groundwater recharge.

Wells and Pumps:

Types of wells, steady flow through wells; classification of pumps; pump characteristics; pump selection and installation.

Section 6: Agricultural Processing Engineering

Drying:

Psychrometry – properties of air-vapors 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; cleaning and grading; effectiveness of grain cleaners; 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 7: Dairy and Food Engineering

Heat and Mass Transfer:

Steady state heat transfer in conduction, convection and radiation; transient heat transfer in simple geometry; working principles of heat exchangers; diffusive and convective mass transfer; simultaneous heat and mass transfer in agricultural processing operations; 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 otherliquid foods; preservation of food by cooling and freezing; refrigeration and cold storage basics and applications.

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