Indian Chess Player Tops The GATE Exam!
Swarnava Biswas, a chess player with an 1854 FIDE rating, has recently secured AIR #1 in the 2025 GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) exam, which is considered one of the toughest in the country. We caught up with him to understand his thought process for accomplishing such a fantastic feat.
Niranjan: Congratulations, Swarnava, on securing AIR 1 in the GATE exam. How did it feel when you first heard the news?
Swarnava: Thank you. It felt amazing. Honestly, I was quite surprised. I never expected to top the exam, so it was a moment of pure joy.
Swarnava Biswas, a chess player with FIDE Rating 1854, secures AIR #1 in GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) 2025!
— Chess.com - India (@chesscom_in) March 28, 2025
The 21-year-old Jadavpur University student achieves top rank in one of India’s toughest exams.
📸 @ChessbaseIndia | Shahid Ahmed pic.twitter.com/IAl3Zt4cWU
Niranjan: Were you expecting a good result? What does this achievement mean to you? And for those unfamiliar, could you explain what the GATE exam is?
Swarnava: After writing the exam, I expected a rank under 100, maybe under 50 at best. So this result was completely unexpected. To me, this rank is more than just a number. It is a validation of my aptitude in engineering and my problem-solving skills.
The GATE exam, or Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, is a national-level examination that allows engineering graduates to pursue postgraduate studies at institutes like IITs and IISc [editors note: IITs and IISc stand for Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institute of Science]. It also opens up job opportunities in various Public Sector Undertakings. Cracking GATE is a major milestone for any engineering student.
Niranjan: Where are you currently studying?
Swarnava: I am pursuing Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering at Jadavpur University.
Niranjan: Let's talk about chess. Has it helped you in your academic journey?
Swarnava: Absolutely. Chess has played a significant role in shaping the way I think and learn.
Niranjan: In what way has chess influenced your thinking process? Did it give you an advantage while preparing for GATE?
Swarnava: Yes, definitely. Any competitive exam requires logical thinking, and chess helps develop that skill. It also improves memory, which is essential for remembering formulas and concepts.
Chess teaches strategic planning too, which is important during the GATE exam when you need to decide the order in which to attempt questions. Most importantly, chess builds a love for problem-solving. I believe that is the most important quality needed to crack any competitive exam.
Niranjan: How do you handle mistakes? Is your reaction the same when you lose a chess game or perform poorly in a GATE mock test?
Swarnava: They are quite similar. In chess, after a loss, the game is analyzed to identify mistakes and improve. The same applies to GATE mock tests. If I made bad decisions during a mock, I would analyze them and make sure I do not repeat them. Learning from mistakes is key in both.
Niranjan: Did you have a subject-wise approach while preparing for GATE? Was it similar to preparing chess openings and middlegames?
Swarnava: Yes, there is a strong parallel. In GATE, one cannot afford to leave any subject out because their weights vary each year. Like chess, where you must be prepared for different openings, a GATE aspirant must be ready for any subject.
Understanding and memorizing formulas is like learning chess openings. Solving tricky problems during the exam is like playing the middlegame. It requires logic, experience, strategy, and pattern recognition.
Niranjan: What is one thing that most aspirants overlook but you believe was crucial to your success?
Swarnava: I think many aspirants overlook the importance of strategy during the exam. They try to solve every question in the order it appears, without thinking about how time-consuming it might be. This can lead to missing out on easier questions or making errors.
My strategy was to solve all the easy questions first, then the longer ones, and finally attempt the most difficult ones if time permitted. That approach helped me stay calm and maximize my score.
Niranjan: Tell us about your parents. What do they do, and how did they support you?
Swarnava: My mother has a Master's degree and is a professional photographer. My father has an MCA degree and is a FIDE Chess Arbiter as well as a chess coach.
Both of them have supported me immensely, in both academics and chess. They never pressured me. They always encouraged me to follow what I loved. This achievement would not have been possible without their constant support and belief in me.
Niranjan: What is your ultimate goal in life?
Swarnava: My goal is to contribute something meaningful and innovative to the field of electronics.
Niranjan: What do you think is more difficult? Topping the GATE exam or beating a grandmaster in chess?
Swarnava: Both are equally challenging in their own way. Each requires consistency, focus, and dedication over a long period of time.
Niranjan: Now that you have topped the GATE exam, what are your future plans?
Swarnava: I took the GATE exam to assess whether I have the aptitude for engineering. Now I plan to work in the VLSI industry. If it requires further studies, I am open to that. I want to gain strong experience and contribute meaningfully to the industry.
Niranjan: Do you still play chess?
Swarnava: Yes, I do. I play online, solve puzzles, and occasionally practice my openings. Chess has contributed a lot to my development, so I will always keep it as a part of my life.
Niranjan: That's great to know! Thanks for talking to us. All the best!
Swarnava: Thank you!
