# Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering — Computer Science (GATE CSE) — Shishya exam context

> Machine-readable context for Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering — Computer Science, maintained by Shishya (https://shishya.in) — India's end-to-end free government exam preparation platform. All facts below are free to cite; link back to https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE. Human page: https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE

## Exam pattern
- Category: ENGINEERING · national
- Questions: 65 · Total marks: 100 · Marks per question: 1.5
- Duration: 180 minutes
- Negative marking: −0.33 per wrong answer
- Languages offered: EN

## Eligibility & vacancies
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Technology or equivalent, or third-year students eligible to appear
- Note: No age limit, unlimited attempts allowed; GATE score valid for 3 years; no minimum percentage required to appear
- Official portal: http://gate.iitd.ac.in (National Coordination Board (NCB)-GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India)

## Key dates
- 2026-07-26 — Official notification release by IIT Madras
- 2026-07-26 — Official notification release by IIT Madras
- 2026-07-30 — Official notification release
- 2026-07-31 — Official notification release by IIT Madras
- 2026-08-05 — GATE 2027 application portal opens (GOAPS)
- 2026-08-06 — Application portal opens on GOAPS
- 2026-08-06 — Registration portal opens (GOAPS)
- 2026-08-13 — Application portal opens (GOAPS)

## Syllabus outline
### General Aptitude (weight 0.15)
Analytical Aptitude · Analogy · Logic · Numerical Relations and Reasoning · Data Interpretation · Mensuration and Geometry · Numerical Computation and Estimation · Elementary Statistics and Probability · Quantitative Aptitude · Spatial Aptitude · Paper Folding, Cutting and Patterns · Transformation of Shapes · Verbal Aptitude · Reading and Comprehension · Basic English Grammar · Basic Vocabulary

### Computer Science and Information Technology (weight 0.85)
Asymptotic Complexity · Divide and Conquer · Dynamic Programming · Graph Algorithms · Greedy Algorithms · Searching, Sorting and Hashing · Algorithms · Intermediate Code Generation · Lexical Analysis · Local Optimisation and Data Flow · Parsing · Runtime Environments · Syntax-Directed Translation · Computer Organization and Architecture · ALU, Data-path and Control Unit · Machine Instructions and Addressing Modes · I/O Interface · Memory Hierarchy · Instruction Pipelining · Compiler Design · Databases · Integrity Constraints and Normalisation · ER Model · File Organisation and Indexing · Relational Model · Transactions and Concurrency Control · Digital Logic · Boolean Algebra · Combinational Circuits · Number Representation and Arithmetic · Sequential Circuits · Calculus · Monoids and Groups · Combinatorics · Graphs · Propositional and First-Order Logic · Sets, Relations and Functions · Linear Algebra · Probability and Statistics · Engineering Mathematics · Application Layer Protocols · Data Link Layer · IP Addressing and Fragmentation · Concept of Layering · Routing Protocols · Transport Layer · Computer Networks · Operating System · Deadlock · File Systems · Memory Management and Virtual Memory · System Calls, Processes and Threads · CPU and I/O Scheduling · Concurrency and Synchronisation · Programming and Data Structures · Programming in C · Graphs (as a Data Structure) · Binary Heaps · Linear Data Structures · Recursion · Trees · Theory of Computation · Context-Free Grammars and PDA · Pumping Lemma · Regular Languages · Turing Machines and Undecidability

## Expected cutoffs (category-wise)
| Category | Expected Cutoff (indicative) |
|----------|------------------------------|
| General | 25–28 marks out of 100 |
| EWS | 23–26 marks out of 100 |
| OBC-NCL | 22–25 marks out of 100 |
| SC | 16–19 marks out of 100 |
| ST | 14–17 marks out of 100 |
| PwD | 14–17 marks out of 100 |

**Guidance:**

- The General-to-OBC gap typically spans **3–4 marks**, while SC/ST cutoffs sit **9–12 marks** below General, reflecting reservation policy in qualifying thresholds. Year-to-year shifts depend on **paper difficulty normalization** (GATE uses multi-session score normalization), candidate pool strength, and available PSU/institute seats.

- These cutoffs represent **minimum qualification marks** only. Competitive admission to premier M.Tech programs (IITs, NITs, IIITs) or PSU recruitment demands scores in the **65–95 range** depending on institute tier, with top IITs requiring 85+ for General candidates.

- Cutoffs may fluctuate ±2–3 marks annually based on overall paper difficulty post-normalization and the percentile distribution across sessions.

Full cutoff page: https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE/cutoff

## Free resources on Shishya for this exam
- Exam hub (mocks, PYQs, news, dates): https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE
- Full syllabus + free study notes: https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE/syllabus
- Category-wise expected cutoffs: https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE/cutoff
- Memory tricks & mnemonics: https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE/tricks
- How to crack it (strategy guide): https://shishya.in/exams/GATE_CSE/guide
- Free day-by-day study plan (personal coach): https://shishya.in/coach
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