The heart of chemical engineering is not the chemistry but it is Mathematics.

We need depth in mathematics and breadth in chemistry for doing chemical engineering. If we can understand the chemistry that is sufficient for chemical engineering no need to Memorize it. For any student in B.tech first year he need to learn the general engineering subjects. Don't forget to prepare well the mathematics two papers. Just spent one hour extra than that you generally work for regular work. Spend this time to learn the important subjects for GATE. In first semester spend it for mathematics . From second semester we will come across new subjects which are building blocks for chemical engineering. Do not forget that our entire career in chemical engineering depends on how well we understand the concepts. Second semester spend most of your time in learning Material and Energy Balance (M E B) and Fluid mechanics. The standard text books for these subjects are Chemical Process Principles Part-1 by Hougen and Watson and Ragatz , Unit Operations for Chemical Engineering by McCabe and Smith. When you are practicing M E B have pen and paper with you . write the formulas and practice the problems. If you are not comfortable with M E B . Use Modern approach to chemical calculations by R.C Mukherjee. It is a simple book which is having each problem in Hougen will be split into a no of small problems. Read the McCabe as many number of times as possible . At least after Three readings we come to understand what is the actual process going on. Then do not go through blindly what we usually do in inter. Read slowly and try to visualize the physical process that is going on in the situation explained. It is better to have rough sketches of the profiles of fluid flow in tubes and on walls. Revise it as many times as possible. Do the M E B problems and try to understand the process.Instead of memorizing formulas which we will do in inter. Stick on to the basic formulas like mass balance equation, energy balance equation and basic definitions only. If we are good at these two subjects half of our preparation is over.Remaining half follows it. Now concentrate on Heat transfer and mass transfer .Again use Macaabe for Heat transfer. Try to under stand the physical situation in heat transfer instead of trying to memorize the correlations. Mainly Three modes of heat transfer. Heat exchangers, Condensation, Evaparation etc.Do not worry too much

about mass transfer graphs.Try to understand the molecular diffusion and convective mass transfer. Driers,inter phase mass transfer etc. Follow Mass Transfer Operations by Treybal. The main scoring subjects in gate if we are good at them and where others feel difficulty are Chemical Reaction Engineering and Process control analysis.Octave Levenspiel is an excellent book for Bachelors in Chemical Reaction Engineering. Just start reading the before our prof. explains this. Stay one class before and experience the joy of real chemicals. Different types of Ideal reactors, Integral method of analysis and Differential method of analysis, Parallel and series reactions. Temperature and pressure effects . I am promising you, everything you can enjoy if you know mathematics and M.E.B well. Of course any how you will learn Reaction kinetics.If you enjoy this session no need to look back . Truly you can carry on your career in Chemical Engineering field.You can also felt warmth of the of Chemical Reactions.Don't forget to practice the problems and read as many no of times as possible with pen and paper with you. For process control analysis all you need is Laplace transforms nothing else so master the maths and command a rank in GATE. And one more important scoring subject Chemical technology. Just Flow charts . Revise this before one week . Along with this you need good English to communicate with others.So From first year on words spend one hour weekly for improvement of your communication skills . Have "word power made easy" along with you . It will be just like mathematical practice have pen and paper . Make a habit of reading English papers .