GATE 2026 CSE Important Topics – High-Weightage Subjects

GATE 2026 CSE Important Topics – High-Weightage Subjects

Ongoing Event

GATE Application Date:28 Aug' 25 - 28 Sep' 25

Shivani PooniaUpdated on 23 Jul 2025, 10:24 AM IST

GATE 2026 CSE Important Topics - The GATE exam is a prestigious national level examination conducted once in a year for admission into post graduate programs like ME, Mtech or Ph.D or for recruitment into top public sector undertakings (PSU) all over India. CSE is one of the core subjects and if taken, it opens doors to top class institutes like IIT, IISc and other research labs supported by the government. In this article, we shall dive into the important topics for CSE, GATE exam pattern, study tips and a lot of resources that will help you to ace your GATE 2026 exam. Let’s dive in!

This Story also Contains

  1. Important Topics for GATE 2026 CSE
  2. GATE 2026 CSE Exam Pattern
  3. GATE CSE 2026 Preparation Resources
GATE 2026 CSE Important Topics – High-Weightage Subjects
GATE 2026 CSE Important Topics

Important Topics for GATE 2026 CSE

Now that we have understood the exam pattern, it is time to dive into the main component of this article:GATE 2026 CSE important topics:

This table will give you a brief overview of the last 5 years question paper:

Chapter

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

Total (5 Years)

Weightage

Engineering Mathematics

16

23

11

12

11

73

16.40%

Aptitude

20

20

10

10

10

70

15.73%

Computer Networks

10

12

6

9

7

44

9.89%

Programming and Data Structures

17

11

9

4

3

44

9.89%

Computer Organization & Architecture

13

13

5

6

5

42

9.44%

Operating System

10

10

7

7

4

38

8.54%

Databases

9

12

3

8

7

39

8.76%

Theory of Computation

9

9

6

4

4

32

7.19%

Digital Logic

9

5

4

2

2

22

4.94%

Compiler Design

9

8

1

2

1

21

4.72%

Algorithms

8

7

3

1

1

20

4.49%

Grand Total

130

130

65

65

55

445

100.00%

As seen, engineering mathematics covers the maximum weightage followed by aptitude. Well, these are seen as two different subjects. Coming to core chapters computer networks and programming and data structures both seem to have 9.89% overall weightage. You can also compare it according to the trends followed in the different years. Another point to note is that until 2021 there were only 55 total questions and 2024 onwards there are two papers being conducted: CSE I and CSE II making it a total of 130 questions overall. This graph will give you a visual representation and understanding of the chapters for preparation of GATE CSE 2026.

1753246113752

Now that we have seen the weightage table, lets look into the top chapters and understand the books to refer to. This other table will give you a lot of information and resources to refer to:

Subject

Top Chapter

Main Topics

Recommended Book

Aptitude (16.40%)

Numerical Ability

Percentages, Ratios, Averages, Time & Work, Speed & Distance, Profit & Loss, Number Series, Simple & Compound Interest

Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examinations by R.S. Aggarwal

Engineering Mathematics (15.73%)

Linear Algebra

Matrices, Eigenvalues & Eigenvectors, Systems of Linear Equations, Vector Spaces

Higher Engineering Mathematics by B.S. Grewal

Programming & Data Structures (9.89%)

Trees and Graphs

Binary Trees, AVL Trees, Binary Search Trees, Graph Traversals (DFS, BFS), Spanning Trees, Graph Representations

Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C by Mark Allen Weiss

Computer Networks (9.89%)

TCP/IP and OSI Models

OSI Layers, TCP/IP Stack, IP Addressing, Routing Protocols, UDP vs TCP, Application Layer Protocols (HTTP, DNS)

Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach by James Kurose and Keith Ross

Computer Organization & Architecture (9.44%)

Memory Hierarchy and Cache

Cache Mapping Techniques, Memory Access Time, Virtual Memory, RAM & ROM, Instruction Cycles, Pipeline Architecture

Computer Organization and Design by David A. Patterson and John L. Hennessy

Also check: GATE 2026 CSE Syllabus

GATE 2026 CSE Exam Pattern

The GATE 2026 Computer science and information technology paper is conducted to test candidates on their understanding of core concepts of CS, problem solving and coding practices. This paper mainly consists of 3 main sections: Aptitude, Engineering Maths and Computer science. This table below will give you all the information you require for the exam pattern understanding:

Feature

Details

Exam Mode

Online Computer-Based Test (CBT)

Duration

3 Hours (180 Minutes)

Total Marks

100

Total Questions

65

Sections

GA (15 Marks), Engineering Maths & CSE (85 Marks)

Question Types

MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions)

MSQ (Multiple Select Questions)

NAT (Numerical Answer Type)

Marking Scheme

1-mark and 2-mark questions

Negative marking for MCQs:

-1/3 for 1-mark & -2/3 for 2-mark questions

No negative marking for NAT & MSQ

GATE CSE 2026 Preparation Resources

Now that we have looked into the chapters to prioritize and the books to refer to, its time to dive into some resources. Lets look into previous years GATE CSE question papers that can help you prepare for the exam and practice.

Articles
|
Certifications By Top Providers
Basic Programming using Python
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Fundamental Concepts of Electricity
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Artificial Intelligence
Via Columbia University, New York
Computer Fundamentals
Via Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
B.Sc in Programming and Data Science
Via Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Udemy
 1525 courses
Swayam
 817 courses
NPTEL
 773 courses
Coursera
 697 courses
Edx
 608 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to GATE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to GATE ?

Hello! If you are preparing for GATE, there are plenty of free resources available online that can boost your preparation. You can easily access e-books, handwritten notes, subject wise PYQs, and test series shared by toppers on different platforms. Along with that, free PDFs and study material are available through various websites and Telegram channels. To make it easier, I will be attaching the link where you can find preparation tips, a study timetable, free study materials, and previous year question papers all in one place.
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-preparation-timetable
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/how-to-prepare-for-gate
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-preparation-material
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-mock-test
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/gate-question-papers

Hello, with an AIR of 25070 and a score of 499 in NEET PG 2025 under the General category, getting a government seat in West Bengal for highly demanded branches like General Surgery or Orthopedics may be difficult, as these usually close at much higher ranks. However, you still stand a chance for other clinical or para-clinical branches through the state quota counselling. I suggest using the NEET PG college predictor link I’m sharing here, which will give you a clearer idea of the colleges and branches you may get based on your rank and category.

NEET PG College Predictor- https://medicine.careers360.com/neet-pg-college-predictor


Hello,

You can download GATE Previous Year Question Papers either from the official website of GATE 2026, or from Careers360. Here are the links for both :

Official Website : Download GATE Previous Papers (https://gate2025.iitr.ac.in/download.html)

Careers360 : GATE Question Papers with Solutions

Hope it helps !

To take GATE mock tests, first choose a reliable source like GATE official portal, NPTEL, Made Easy, or ACE Engineering. Sign up or register online to access the full-length tests. Simulate the actual 3-hour exam with proper timing and no distractions. Attempt complete tests to practice time management and exam strategy. After each test, analyze your performance to identify weak areas and revise. Regularly taking 1–2 mocks per week helps improve speed, accuracy, and confidence.



For GATE Life Sciences question banks, you can go for GATE past year's papers to understand the exam style, and you can buy online test series from a coaching site for lots of new practice questions.

you can get question book one from publishers like IFAS or GKP. Also use free online resources like NPTEL and EasyBiologyClass for extra practice and study materials. Good luck!