How are previous papers helpful?

Previous paper provide the exam pattern and no. of questions coming from the which subject more. We can check the range of toughness of questions being asked. While you prepare for GATE , your mind would be full of if and buts. One of the very strongest ifs/ buts could be what kind of questions will come in the paper? You may also feel the pressure of the difficulty level of the question paper or about the uncertainty of the exam pattern. Marking scheme, time allotted to complete the paper would also add to your confusion. However, there is one solution to all these questions - GATE Sample Papers/ Mock Tests. If you follow the preparation strategy of the GATE toppers of last few years, you would find "previous years question papers" as the most common element of their preparation, a major contributor in their success.