IIT Guwahati has announced key dates and details for the **Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026** exam. This includes the exam date, admit card release, full syllabus, and important topics for Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) students. GATE is an important exam for students who want to study further in engineering (like M.Tech) or get jobs in public sector companies in India.
The **GATE CSE 2026 exam** will be held on **February 8, 2026**. It will be conducted in two shifts on the same day. The morning shift (CS1) will run from **9:30 AM to 12:30 PM**, and the afternoon shift (CS2) will be from **2:30 PM to 5:30 PM**.
GATE 2026 Exam Dates and Admit Card
The main GATE 2026 exams are scheduled across four days in February. Here are the dates:
- **February 7, 2026**
- **February 8, 2026**
- **February 14, 2026**
- **February 15, 2026**
Students who have registered for the GATE 2026 exam will be able to download their **admit cards** starting from **January 2, 2026**. You will need your enrollment ID and password to get your admit card online.
GATE CSE 2026 Exam Pattern
It is important for students to know how the exam will be set up. Here are the main points about the GATE CSE 2026 exam pattern:
- The exam will be held **online**.
- The total time given for the exam is **three hours**.
- The question paper will be for a total of **100 marks**.
- Questions will carry either **one mark** or **two marks**.
GATE CSE 2026 Syllabus
The GATE CSE 2026 question paper will cover topics set by IIT Guwahati. The exam has two main sections: Engineering Mathematics and subject-specific Computer Science questions. Here is the full syllabus:
| Engineering Mathematics | Digital Logic | Computer Organisation and Architecture |
| Programming and Data Structures | Algorithms | Theory of Computation |
| Compiler Design | Operating System | Databases |
| Computer Networks |
GATE CSE 2026 Subject-Wise Marks
Knowing the marks for each subject can help students plan their study time. Here is how many marks each subject or topic will generally carry in the GATE CSE 2026 exam:
| Subject/Topic | Subject-wise marks |
| General Aptitude | 15 marks |
| Discrete and Engineering Mathematics | 13 to 15 marks |
| Theory of Computation | 8 to 9 marks |
| Digital Logic | 5 to 6 marks |
| Computer Organisation and Architecture | 7 to 8 marks |
| Programming and Data Structures | 9 to 10 marks |
| Algorithms | 8 to 9 marks |
| Compiler Design | 5 to 6 marks |
| Operating System | 9 to 10 marks |
| Databases | 7 to 8 marks |
| Computer Networks | 8 to 9 marks |
Important Topics for GATE CSE 2026
Students should pay special attention to these important chapters and topics when preparing for the GATE CSE 2026 exam:
| Subject | Important Chapters to Focus |
| Engineering Mathematics | Matrix theory, Eigenvectors and values, Bayes’ Theorem, Graph theory, Calculus |
| Digital Logic | Boolean algebra, Logic gates, Counters and shift registers, Number systems and arithmetic |
| Algorithms | Sorting and searching, Dynamic programming, Graph algorithms |
| Data Structures | Arrays, Linked lists, Trees, Hashing and hash tables, Graph representations |
| Operating Systems | Scheduling algorithms, File systems, Memory management |
| Computer Networks | Network security basics, Network layers and protocols, IP addressing and subnetting |
| Databases | SQL queries and transactions, Indexing and hashing, ER diagrams, Normalisation |
| Theory of Computation | Context-free grammars, Turing machines, Regular languages and automata |
To prepare well, students should study regularly and solve **previous year's GATE question papers**. This will help them understand the exam pattern better and manage their time effectively during the actual exam.
