The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 for Computer Science (CS) students will be held on Sunday, February 8, 2026 . The exam is conducted by IIT Guwahati. Students preparing for this exam can focus on specific topics that experts say are key to scoring 50 marks or more.
The GATE 2026 exam is a computer-based test covering 30 subjects. It includes General Aptitude and technical papers. With the exam date approaching, candidates are working hard on their preparation.
Key Topics for 50+ Marks in GATE 2026 CS
Experts suggest focusing on certain areas to improve your score. The table below shows the main subjects, their marks weight, and the important topics within them.
| Section | Marks | Key Topics |
| General Aptitude | 15 | English Comprehension, Basic Grammar, Reasoning, Puzzles, Data Interpretation |
| Engineering and Discrete Mathematics | 7 to 8 | Conditional Probability, Bayes' Theorem, Basic Distributions, Eigenvalues, Maxima and Minima |
| Data Structures and Algorithms | 10 to 15 | Stacks, Queues, Infix to Postfix, Binary Search Trees, Heaps, Hashing, Graphs, Arrays, Linked Lists, Sorting (Quick Sort, Merge Sort, Binary Search), Prim's Algorithm, Kruskal's Algorithm, Dijkstra's Algorithm, Big O notation |
| Operating Systems | 8 to 10 | FCFS, SJF, RR, FIFO, LRU algorithms |
| Computer Networks | 7 to 8 | IP Addresses, Subnetting, HTTPs, DMS, SMTP, Distance Vector, Link State, CRC |
| Databases (DMS) | 6 to 7 | SQL, Normalization, Relational Algebra, Indexing, Transactions, Concurrency Control |
| Digital Logic | 5 to 6 | Boolean Algebra, Number System Conversion, Combinational Circuits, Sequential Circuits |
| Theory of Computation | 7 to 8 | Regular Expressions, Languages |
| Compiler Design | 4 to 5 | Grammar and Parsing, Intermediate Code Generation, Syntax-Directed Translation |
| Computer Organization and Architecture | 6 to 7 | Addressing Modes, Cache Memory, Pipelining, Hazards |
By concentrating on these important topics, students can build a strong foundation and aim for a high score in the GATE 2026 CS exam.