How do I prepare for the GATE CSE?

I have done my B Tech in Mechanical Engineering but, according to situational demands I have given GATE CS paper and secured all India
7th rank.

The reasons for taking up gate were given in the other answers… Here I would like to write whatever that is left out….

Contents of this answer….

 Subject wise analysis and type of preparation you can think of

 Study Techniques I have used during preparation
 Revision Techniques I have used during preparation
 Ways to tackle Test Series
 Ways to tackle previous year question
 How to incorporate standard text books during preparation
Subject wise analysis and type of preparation you can think of

 Aptitude :- Aptitude in GATE not so difficult compared to exams like CAT and other. There will be about 10 questions of
aptitude, a normal student would able to attempt around 9 questions find and might feel little hurtle to attempt one question
but, with little consistent practice you would be able to attempt that one question also. What to with respective aptitude…
o This is not just my advise, it a common statement from all the toppers to dedicate 1hr for aptitude from day 1 of
your preparation until the exam day.
o If you think you are great with aptitude during your last days of preparation you can think of practicing alternative
days.
o Make sure you solve all the previous year papers.
 Mathematics :- I am from mechanical background so, from my perspective I can break down this subject into 2 distinct
categories.
o Common preparation point about math
 Some problems might be easy focus on the tougher ones the one which you fail. practice all the
problems at least twice. If you got the answer still skeptical about the topic please go back and understand the topic.
 No matter how fearful about math you are math itself would constitute majority of the weightage in
gate so, in no way you can ignore it must and should you should learn.
 If you find the model typical make sure you try to tinker the values given in the question and play
around with the problem and make yourself comfortable with the problem concept.
o Engineering Mathematics consists of linear Algebra, Calculus and Probability statistics. These three subjects are
common for many branches of engineering not just computer science so if you open previous year papers of computer
science you would find around 300 to 500 problems in Linear algebra and calculus and 300 problems in probability alone
so all together around 1000 problems.
 Learn the concept then practice previous year problems, by practicing the previous year problems for
these three subjects would be enough since, for Mechanical and civil people the questions would asked in depth.
o Discrete Mathematics consists of Graph Theory, Set theory, Propositional Logic and Combinatorics
 Graph Theory learning the concept and doing previous paper is a must, the question is asked for
chromatic number of regular graph of 6 vertices (K6) you would get the answer but please don't leave the problem
there, you yourself take the remaining type of graphs and adapt the question. like…..
what is chromatic number of circular graph?….
what is chromatic number of wheel graph?….
what is chromatic number of bipartite graph?……
I would like explore the question this way and take the given values to its minimum and maximum and explore and
understand the concept especially for graph theory. Make sure you practice previous year question twice in graph
theory.
 Set Theory one of the easiest subject, relation is most scoring part, don't ignore lattices dedicate
special time for lattices so that if a question comes from lattices you should not miss it. Practice previous year
questions twice from set theory also.
 Propositional Logic In no way you should miss this chapter, because no matter how tough the
question is everyone who so ever is writing gate will never leave a question from this topic. In fact, this chapter don't
need any lectures also. You just need lot of practice in this topic. The more you practice this topic the better you get at
it. As usually practice the previous question paper twice. This particular chapter our lectures have taught us as way of
solving the question by disproving the options rather than searching for the right option. This kind of approach really
works.
 Combinatorics There is lot of scope to ask tricky questions here. The only way is to tackle the topics
from this subject is to segregate them.
1. De-arrangement
2.Combinations
3.Permutations
4.Combinations with repetitions
5.Permutations with repetitions
6.pigeon hole principle
 7.functions
8.many more minute topics
As I am concerned, if I was able to segregate the problem to which topic this belong to then I would try to solve the
problem with the concerned formula. Most of the time I usually get the right answer
 Digital Logic :- Don’t even dare to loose a mark in this subject (if the model is repeated).
o Counters is the most stressed topic.
o Remember the circuits of half adder and full adders and other important, you should be able to draw them when
ever required
o Practice more than 20 problems of K map
o Don’t ignore digital codes and conversions (BCD, grey..etc…)
o Most tricky part is 2′ complement.
 Computer Organization and Architecture I have no idea why all computer science people consider it as most difficult topic.
For me it’s a fun one
o Read Carl Hamacher for each topic. Line by Line and understand the way in which the author is looking at the
subject
o Pipeline and cache is the most important chapters, I would ask you to do previous paper at least a 5 times from
Pipeline and cache.
o When it comes to secondary memories, be sure you are using right formula and your calculations are right
o Instructions and addressing modes read it as many times as possible you will get a grasp of it
o Remember, if a hard problem is given from this topic, its not just tough for you, its tough for AIR 1 too..
 Programming in one word pointers.. pointer it is pointers… pointer… pointer… are you hearing me or not ….. pointers it is….
o Solve as many problems as possible from pointers
o This is only subject you need to use your computer for. Don’t just solve the problem on paper. You should code
the same exact thing in the computer and make sure you are getting the same output there.
o Would like to listen to a cheat code here, I am giving you the best cheat code for this subject, If you have
good IDE for C you are most welcome to debug the code, keeping track of live variables and checking is your working on
the paper matching with debugging.
o Recursion is place where tricky question are given, 30% of people won’t attempt it and 30% would get the answer
wrong So, I think you know which part of percentage you are suppose to be …..
o In the final exam, I am in the 30% which you got the answer wrong, I made a mistake in indirect recursion I got
AIR 7 if I would have made this question right I would have been AIR 3 … So, now you know what kind of questions are
game changers…..
 Data Structures Practice problem a lot … from this chapter it’s not only for GATE, I would be useful for Interviews too..
o Stacks and queues… you need to be well versed with the code. There are many standard questions with respective
stacks and queues you need have those questions on finger tips.
o Binary Tree…. rather than remember the formulas try to take examples and disprove the options given in the
question.
o Make sure what is being asked is it
Binary Tree
Skewed Binary Tree
Complete Binary Tree
Full Binary Tree
Binary Search Tree
Heap
Min Heap
Max Heap
AVL Tree
There is a lot of difference between all of these.. most of the time mistakes are made like, if asked binary tree in the
question we would interpret as binary search tree… Be sure you are answering what is asked for…
o Graphs… Have a great clarity on DFS and BFS … you need to know differences,code and applications of DFS and
BFS… there are hundreds of questions that can formed only with these two topics.
 Algorithms even though this one of the subject you need to be good at I am not well equipped with the subject So, I would
only write about what I know
o Make a cheat sheet of time complexities
o When ever you are reading about a standard algorithm… make sure you are in a position to analyse about time
and space complexities
o When questions are given based on notations make sure you don’t miss them …. those can be the easiest
questions from this topic.
o Dynamic programming is not just for GATE, its highly required for Interview.
o Minimum Cost Spanning Tree and shortest path are such topics which is appearing in every year GATE paper. Not
understanding and not practicing it will be a blunder.
o Practice more… Corman seamed little high standard for a mechanical guy like so I followed everything from
sahani.
 Theory of Computation Overall Idea about this subject is highly important. When a question is given in this area you should
be able to distinguish boil it down to the specific sub sub topic it belongs to, either DFA or DCFL or CFL or CSL or Recursive or
TM, Segregating which particular sub concept the question paper setter is trying to touch itself is a game changer.
o Construction of DFA is a must (this is one of the easiest topic In which I lost marks I am not proud of it).
o Differentiation of CFL and DCFL … have a great clarity on it.
o There is nothing more important that closure properties…. I will give you another cheat code here…. Instead of
remembering what all closure properties hold for what all languages…. Insted rember
 What are closed for all langs
 What are not closed for all langs
 What are not closed for regulars
 What are closed for DCFL
 what are not closed for CFL
 what are not closed for Recursive
 What are not closed for REL
o Undecidable read it from peter Lintz, remember standard problems of undecidablility…
 Have a matrix for each lang(y axis) and each problem (x-axis) and filling decidability or undecidablity
in the cells.
 If you want to dig deeper have a fine distinction of Recursive, Semi decidable and Not REL’s
 For turing machine and halting turing machine, remember all the problems … In exam under pressure
you might get confused. If you have understood well enough you can solve it in the exam.
o Pumping lemma… people ignored it that no question is coming from topic since ten years … all of a sudden there
was a question in 2019 … guess who solved the question… the ones who didn’t ignore… It hardly takes an hour to learn and
practice this topic.
 Compiler Design :- touch this subject only after you are done with TOC or when TOC is going on….
o Have a clarity on various types and sub types of parsers. Initially categorize into Top down and Bottom Up parser
then categorize into remaining parsers, when a question is asked you write down on scribble pad about what parser you
are solving the question for.
o Syntax Directed Translation.. do all the previous paper question 4 times… the question paper setter really can’t
confuse you here… only your computations and interpretation matters.
o Understand the distinction between L-attributed, S-attributed, Inherited attributes and Synthesized attributes.
o Don’t read the dragon book line to line… only refer it when are stuck at a particular topic.
 Operating System one of the toughest subjects of all time .. but with right techniques and tactics can be made into a easiest
subject of all time.
o Read GALVIN Line to line, you are most welcome to read it twice. (only required chapters don’t read the whole
book).
o In CPU Scheduling problems, Most of time, most of the people, make a computational mistake. Your
computations are highly important in this particular subject.
o Short tricky and theory oriented topics like inter process communication and synchronization should never be
skipped. Read and practice all the codes required. Properties like Bounded waiting, Progress and Mutual Exclusion are of
deadly importance.
o Concurrency is a topic such that if you dedicate 5hrs to understand and practice it you will surely attempt the
question and get it right if the question appears in final exam.
o Deadlock … just a concentrated 10hrs preparation and practice is enough 2–4 marks are in your account. It is one
of the easiest topic in OS.
o Virtual Memory …. practice harder problem in this topic .. there had been a gradual trend of problems becoming
harder and harder year by year… and there is an increasing hardness in this topic… I lost marks in this topic just because I
didn’t practice harder problems
o Paging… draw diagrams even if it is not required and redundant …. diagrams in paging would give a you a great
clarity. Have a good distinction between all types of paging. For example, can you answer as of now difference between
Segmented Paging and Paged Segmentation……? can you…?
o File systems and disk scheduling …. again there is no way question paper setter can trick you … only possibility of
going wrong your computations.
 Databases.. its free given marks, if a question is asked from this subject. One of the biggest technique in this subject is (if you
have a little time) solve the question by taking sample database and discarding options.
o ER Diagrams, don’t you dare solve the problem without putting pen on paper. Never do it with your eyes. Please
do write down tables with primary keys underlined on paper then and only then you answer the question.
o Relational Algebra and tuple calculus…. there is a lot of scope of harder problems being asked from this topic so,
practice more. One tactic is (if you are good with SQL) writing equivalent SQL query, sometimes it might work, it might not
work. Take sample database and discard options. Don’t search for right answer instead, eliminate wrong options.
o SQL…. you should have practiced SQL before in some project or other. This is only best way to master it. If you
have not done it there are tutorials on internet to practice SQL please do that. Unless you have experience writing SQL
queries before , its very hard to solve the problems.
o Indexing…. your computations are at most importance …. models are being repeated in this topic for years….. only
way you loose this question is if you don’t practice or make a computational mistake.
o Transactions and concurrency control…. Serilizability is the only topic you need to understand good and make
sure you identifying the conflicts right.
 Computer Networks ….. having a little more syllabus that usual subjects… but with repeated revision you can handle this
subject..
o Read forouzan for the topic that are there in the syllabus
o Have a great understanding of layers, gives you a over all idea about the subject
 o Flow and Error control.. practice previous problems and make sure you make no mistake in computation. Have in
mind what exactly being asked in the question
o Routing… if you spend 3hrs on this topic you can sure shot attempt this question
o There are only five application layer protocols given in the syllabus it might take only 2hrs to read about each one
of them
o If the question paper setter want to ask a logical and computation intensive question from this subject only area
he could touch cryptography. There are only a handful of cryptographic algorithms to be learnt and it hardly takes 3hrs to
learn and practice each one of them.
o Learn front and back of TCP, UDP and difference between them.
o Finally Most important, Most Expected Untapped Area Questions to be asked on toipcs are WIFI and IPV6.
These topics have been included in the syllabus 3–4 years back but not a single question is posed on them so, you can
expect question from these topics.
I have only commented on most important thing with respective every subject, it is to be noted that every topic in the GATE syllabus is
important and every topic in GATE syllabus is worthy of question being asked from. I have given you main points but, no topic to be
ignored.

Study Techniques I have used during preparation

Most of my study techniques won’t be any different from any topper but still I would like to list out for your reference

 Pomodaro is how I used to count study hours daily. A detail explanation is given in my talk about pomodaro and if you
google about this study technique you would get a lot of information about this technique written by scholars. I have used a
app called Flat Tomato Flat Tomato (Time Management).
 Everyday post class I would revise what ever taught in the class and I used to redo whatever problems taught in the class.
 Never skipped a class. Due to dengue fever I had to skip 1 week classes then after in order to recover those classes I have to
go to management take a letter and attend those classes in some other batch.
 Used to write notes in the class. These coaching lectures notes are complied and easier version of Standard Textbook. The
soft copies of these notes are available online.
 Wrote short notes to all the subjects. Instead of making short notes smaller version of normal notes, I tried my level best to
make my short notes contain a list of my mistakes.
 Solved Previous Paper twice, but I would advise you solve it thrice.
 Practice ACE Academy material, The material is good but there are lot of typos in it , It’s not only case of ACE Academy,
Everyone’s material in the market have lot’s and lot’s of mistakes ). Anyway, its up to you to solve the material, there is nothing
you would lose by solving the coaching material.
 Test Series ……… one and only way to evaluate yourself. Believe me, there is no other way.
 There are many more study techniques I have given in my talk including techniques like pomodaro, it comes around 17:41. I
have given a link to my talk at the end of answer.
If you want to know a little more about my study techniques I have written in another answer also I have written the way to use the study
resources………Phani Madhusudhan Thontepu's answer to What was your GATE (CSE) preparation story?

Revision Techniques I have used during preparation..

 My Vajrayudham (greatest weapon) was spaced repetition. See, there is no need for this particular techniques to help you in
your preparation. I am saying it helped me I might or might not help you. Spaced repetition was only for revision, remembering
and retaining purpose, I have done it in two phases. To describe……
o Learning Spaced repetition
 This used to go with classes
 Every day what ever taught, came back home and read those what ever taught
 Whatever problems taught in class, I used to do it back on the same day in the evening.
 Then yesterday topic revision.
 Then one week back revision.
 Then one month back revision if necessary (usually I sometimes skipped it because I didn't have time)
o Revision 1 Time Spaced Repetition (What you actually see in the photos I have attached)
 Noted down late date on which topic is completed.
 Form last date, 1 week after I wrote date then, I used to study whole subject
 Form last date, 15 days after I wrote date then, again I used to study whole subject.
 From last date, 1 month after I wrote date then, again I used to revise whole subject
 From last date, 2 months after I wrote date then, again I used to revise whole subject (this only I used
to do for hard subjects, you can find the date in compiler design and computer networks)
 o See techniques are to bound to you, you are not bound to techniques, please mould them as per your
requirement. The ultimate objective is to learn subject and attain marks.
o Every time I take a test, If some question has gone wrong, I used to take a look at that topic from short notes this
used to be a kind of mini revision
o Test are a kind of revision .. during taking of a test.. your mind would be concentrated on retrieving a topic .. this
would stress you brain and neurons patterns which have learnt the topic would be reinforced which helps the subject to be
retained better
o I have given a clear explanation of my revision strategy “Forgetting curve and Spaced Repetition”. In my talk, It
comes around 8:32. I have given a link to my talk at the end of answer.
Ways to Tackle Test Series doesn’t matter how good you are, You need to take test series. The one and only way of evaluating yourself
is through test series. please do enroll in at least 2 and at most 3 test series. Don't over whelm yourself in enrolling in more than three
test series. Make a schedule on how to attempt the test from test series and follow schedule carefully. Don't get demotivated when you
secure a very low score in test series and overconfident if you score well. This is the one and only way to evaluate yourself. My
testing schedule was different, Instead of telling you what I did for testing I will tell you what I think is best for taking test. I would ask you
to take a look at test series, you would find 25m test (30 min), 50m test (1.5hrs) and full length test.

 Don’t delay giving tests, thinking that after I have completed all my studies I would be giving tests.
  I would advise anyone to take 25m test as soon as they are done with studying the topic (Let it what ever month it is), as soon
as you think you are done with the topic please try to attempt 25M test that would given you an idea about how far you have
learnt the topic, you can also analyse how good you have learnt the topic with respective to GATE.
 I would advise anyone to take 1.5hrs tests during their revision times in the month of October and November. This will give
you an idea of what your weak topic and what your strong topic as are, you would encounter models now repeatedly, this
would tell you what all models you need to be thorough with.
 I would advise anyone to take 3hrs tests during the last few months before test, namely December,January and Feb. This
would tell you where you are lying and what all you need to improve at and how to tackle the actual exam.
 See, the 3hrs test thing, various toppers have various perspective on it, some say you need to give full length test every week
from the starting of preparation and there are many more views on full length test, I gave you mine.
Ways to tackle previous year questions at least 3 times every single question

There was a time when solving previous GATE questions was enough to get a reasonably good rank but, times have changed.

If you actually see through the past 5 years question papers, I think you will find new questions appearing every year and question being
asked from untapped areas. So, there is huge possibility that you might miss these questions if you are only solving PYQ’s.

While solving previous year gate questions, please keep these in mind….

 If a model is appearing more than once, this is only indication that its a important model. By tinkering the values given in the
question make sure that you know this model front and back.
 There is no certain year from which you need to practice the questions from why would I say this because there has be n
number of instances where a model resurfaced after many years. Examples…
o In Theory of Computation, There was a question on pumping lemma in 1990's then after there was never a
question on that topic, again one question appeared in 2019 paper.
o In computer Organization, There was question about gates to register function while execution of instruction, I
still remember that topic in coaching classes was taught but not with much emphasis (because questions stopped coming
from that topic since last ten years) but, when I was solving PYQ's I came across this model and even though it was a model
of 1989's I still spent an hour reading that topic from carl Hamacher (it was not in detail in the notes). My luck had its way, a
question from exactly that topic appeared in GATE 2020.
 If you have committed mistake while working out a PYQ, make sure you mark it and solve it later point of time, by later point
of time I don’t mean in the evening or 2 hrs later, because you will remember the mistake, solve it after a week then if you didn’t
get the mistake again you got the concept right, if you committed the same mistake again then you are fooling yourself saying
that you understood the topic.
 If you repeatedly making mistakes in a particular question, take the reference book read that topic and learn the topic again
from the scratch. You should have a mistake tolerance for PYQ’s (no of times you can acceptably get wrong answer to a
question).
How to incorporate standard text books during preparation do not ignore standard textbooks. The list of standard text books are
going to be same there are not going to differ from topper to topper.

 I would like to list of my standard textbook list for only those subject which I read….
Computer Organization - Carl Hamacher (only difficult topic)
Operating Systems - Galvin (read line to line)
Computer Networks - Forouzan
Algorithms - Sahani (only required Algo’s)
Theory of computation - Peter Linz (if and only if I didn’t understand the topic)
Databases - Korth (only for certain chapters)
Compiler Design - Ullman (only for a couple of parsers)
 See there are lot more standard textbooks in the market if its recommended by a professor they are good
 The way you need to read a standard textbook is different, you can’t just read it like a newspaper, In other answer, I have
explained in detail about the way to read a standard Text book Phani Madhusudhan Thontepu's answer to How do I read a
standard textbook effectively?
Most of the techniques during preparation which are to be stressed a lot are given in my talk …

Finally, what ever I wrote above are my personal opinion and my advises, it up to you to follow these or there is no necessity that these
will be true for your case too.

After reading the whole answer and my other answers on quora, if you still have any doubt particular to your preparation and you think I
might be helpful, you can write to phani.madhusudhan@gmail.com

A little boasting of my preparation

The pens I have kept track of from day 1 to final exam day,
My study rack, consisting of Standard text books, notes, Rough notes and other books I read for fun….

Hope this helps :-)

Madhusudhan
How do I read a standard textbook effectively?

See, I would give my personal experience of reading standard reference books in my GATE CS preparation. You might like it or might not
but I will let you know what I did with standard textbooks

 First thing is first, reference or standard text book should never be the primary source of learning. why I would say this is
because, no matter how top he is there is high probability that reading a topic alone from the textbook would lead to confusion
while you are solving problems. So, you primary source of learning should be prof’s classes or coaching classes or NTPEL videos
or something else where a person teaches.
 At the time of lecture…..
I am giving you biggest weapon of all time in the first …………….
Are you familiar with cinematography, there will be pre production where things certain things are done before shooting and
post production where certain things are done after shooting,
why can’t we do pre production work after shooting or post production work before shooting … because it doesn’t make
sense…. I wouldn’t work properly that way.
Similarly, you need Per read and Post read….

Per Read :- read the tomorrow class topic today, … (I can hear you yelling….) yes … yes you will not understand the topic if you
preread …. do the pre reading as if a newspaper reading…. Its absolutely not necessary that you need to understand the topic
when you pre read. You can read the topic and stay as confused as you can be about the topic. In fact its good that you don’t
understand the topic. The topic is retained by your sub conscious mind.

Listen to the lecture… this time when you are listening to the lecture your mind (especially your subconscious mind) is trying to
make up the connection with the terminology you have retained from yesterday. If you are paying attention in the class, you will
grasp the topic faster than your classmates.

Post Read :- Its highly essential that you would do the post reading 10 – 12 hrs after the lecture. Just like how your sub
conscious mind was a most values player in Pre read, here your conscious mind would be most values player. Now you are
reading with your conscious mind, this time instead of reading you would learning, you would be understanding, you would
able to relate what all you read yesterday…what you listened to in the lecture… and what you are reading now. If everything
goes right you will understand the topic, doesn’t matter even if it rocket science.

This Pre Read and Post Read technique is like hitting a notice board pin with thor’s hammer.
If its a numerical based topic and there is exercise at the end of chapter, you can either try it at the end of Post read or day after
post read but, please don’t ignore the exercise or numericals.
 At the time of revision…
If you feel the topic is quite important, you can take up a pencil and read line by line, underline what you didn’t understand. Re
read the topic which you didn’t understand.
If you did understand the topic, test yourself if you really understood it…..
keep book mark close the book, look at the ceiling try to recall what ever you have read….. if you are able to recall everything
then you are good to go… if are tempted to sneak peek at the book …. believe me dear you didn’t learn it right… you are in a
illusion that you understood it but, in actuality you didn’t.
This technique is trying to test your short term memory. If your understanding is good enough for a short term memory then
only your mind can process and forward it to long term memory.
You can try numerical once again, this time may not be everything the one’s you think are important.
 At the time of practice test….
Are you familiar with gym, the gym trainer would ask a lean to go for 40 push up where as a fat one to for 120 push ups….
Similar, every topic can’t be learn with fixed number of revisions, there are some topics which you grasp them on the first look
and certain topics which you won’t understand even after you read it the tenth time. You need
filter out these topic and learn them with special care. They need to given ICU treatment.
If you are preparing for competitive exam or university exam if you have practice question of any kind you can follow this
technique
write the test, figure out the question you went wrong, list out the topics related to the question, now open the textbook, go to
index, find the topic page number, open that page and read that topic.
If you practice this technique you will be reading them according to the weight age of topic, frequency of topic and your
familiarity with the topic.
With n number of test you will cover all your weak subjects.
 Before the time of actual test…
It’s not advisable to read the textbook just before the test but, you feel the topic is very important and you need to get it right…
then give it a glance and try to learn that topic up to the test extent.
These are my ways of reading a stand text book effectively, there is no need to follow these or there is no necessity that these will be true
for your case too but, In general these work.

Hope this helps.