I am a student of Food Technology and like every student, I also had prepared for GATE - Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering to seek admission in the top colleges for pursuing M.Tech/Ph.D.

But things are really different for Food Technology students as they don't have domain-specific papers like the other branches of engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical etc.) in GATE exam.

The students of Food Technology have to appear either through the Life Sciences (XL) or Engineering Sciences (XE) for the GATE exam. Both XL and XE contain only a section of Food Technology which consists of 30-35 marks out of 100.

How would you feel when a subject, you've studied for the entire duration of your graduation is limited to only about 20 questions in an examination comprising of 65 questions.

Unfair right?

We, the students, have to choose an optional subject in the GATE examination in both XL & XE.

Whereas a student in the Engineering sciences has to choose subjects like Fluid Mechanics, Solid Mechanics, Material Science, Polymer Science, Thermodynamics, Atmospheric & Ocean Science & in Life Sciences Microbiology, Biochemistry, Zoology, Botany.

Zoology, Botany, Atmospheric & Ocean Sciences, Polymer Science etc. are subject that are alien to the students studying Food Technology.

Some subjects like Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Microbiology, Biochemistry etc. are fairly relatable but definitely not to an extent that an examination like GATE demands.
 
Subjects like the aforementioned have very limited relation to Food Technology when it comes to academics.

In the Life Sciences (XL), we have to apply for Chemistry as a mandatory paper, something which is totally different from the Chemistry that we study in our graduate curriculum.

Ironically, the Chemistry section weighs about 25 marks in the examination, a number any GATE aspirant would fight tooth and nail to acquire.

With hurdles like these, it gets insanely hard for a student in the Food Technology studies to score well in the exam, because no matter how good you are in your subject, your expertise can get you only a fraction of what the examination is worth. In this case, a maximum of 30-35 marks out of the total 100.

Further, some institutes like the IIT Kharagpur, NIT Rourkela do not allow Life Sciences (XL), GATE-qualified students, to be a part of their Post Graduation programs.

You are a student of Food Technology but not eligible for the admission because you have appeared from a different paper, It is quite unfair, right?

While all the sections of XL & XE are subjects in GATE but Food Technology has still not made its place. It is an exclusive branch of engineering so there is no point to include it with either XL or XE. 

It's time, we as a community of future change makers, demand an independent paper on Food Technology in the GATE examination. A move that will drive thousands of helpless students out of misery. 

Food Technology is one of the emerging fields in India today.
It is the right time that a domain as important as Food Technology, finds an independent place in GATE examination.

Come, join hands with me by signing this petition to ask the Ministry of HRD to include Food Technolgy as an independent paper in the GATE exam, this will help thousands of students who are preparing for GATE through Food Technology.