Hi friends,

I am Harshini N B from Madurai, India

Completed UG – B.E. CSE
I got my M.E. Software Systems (2020-2022) from BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan,
India by writing an exam named BITS HD in the first round of counselling. Now interning @
VMware, placed at Dell Technologies as well.
How to get into M.E. Computer Science or M.E. Software Systems from BITS?
1. GATE CS/IT
2. BITS HD

 By writing GATE CS/IT – one can enter into M.E. CS (allowed only if your UG
branch==CS)
 By writing BITS HD CS + Paper I – one can enter into M.E. CS(allowed only if your
UG branch==CS).
 By writing BITS HD SS + Paper I – one can enter into M.E. SS(allowed for any non-CS
|| CS UG branch)
Syllabus for BITS HD CS and SS: Refer BITS HD site
GATE vs BITS HD
GATE
Deep concept-based questions, need crystal clear concepts, fast numerical practice, mostly
numerical problems, no out of syllabus questions, less theory questions-direct theory questions,
medium to hard numerical questions. 3 to 4 easy numerical questions.
BITS HD
More theory - twisted questions, numerical questions- direct formula, repeated concepts GATE
CS previous year questions pattern, ISRO CS previous year questions pattern, 20% questions
are out of syllabus. More theory, less numerical problems. BITS HD gives 60% theory from
mentioned syllabus , 20% problems from mentioned syllabus , 20 % come from any of the UG
papers like Cloud Computing, AI, ML, IoT anything it could be. So, never leave any topic from
the syllabus.
Preparation Strategy BITS HD SS and CS:
1. Read all standard books for attempting theory questions.
2. Practice GATE CS/IT, ISRO, DRDO previous year question papers.
3. Practice Numerical problems using Virtual calculator.
4. Try to complete a book in 3 to 5 days, highlight the important points and revise
highlighted only again.
5. Once you complete the first book , then start the second book. Revise the book you
have read earlier regularly along with the second book.
6. Try focusing on reducing the negative marks.
Subjects and Standard Books:
Sl.No Subjects
1 Algorithms
2 Operating System
3 Theory of Computation
4 Computer Networks
Book Name
 Introduction to Algorithms-
Cormen
 Operating System Concepts-Galvin
 Automata, Theory, Languages and
Computation-Ullman
 Computer Networks-Andrew S.
Tanenbaum and David J. Wetherall

 Computer Networks by Fourozon

5 Computer Organisation  Computer Organisation-Carl
Hamacher
6 Database Management System  Database System Concepts-Korth
7 Compiler Design  Compilers: Principles, Techniques
and Tool-Aho & Ull Man
8 Digital Logic  Digital Logic And Computer
Design-Morris Mano
9 Software Engineering  Software Engineering: A
Practitioner’s Approach-Pressman
10 Discrete Mathematics  Discrete Mathematics and its
Applications-Kenneth H Rosen

Resources:
Paper I (Aptitude+ Logical Reasoning + Verbal)
 RS Agarwal Aptitude book
 RS Agarwal Logical Reasoning + Verbal book
 Arun Sharma Aptitude book
 Arun Sharma Logical Reasoning book

 Arun Sharma Aptitude book (download from here)

https://pdfcoffee.com/arun-sharma-quantitative-aptitude-for-cat4th-editionpdf-pdf-
free.html

 Arun Sharma Logical Reasoning book (download from here)

https://www.mimsdcmancherial.com/uploads/library/CAT-
Logical%20Reasoning%20for%20the%20CAT%20.pdf

 Engineering Maths- UG Semester books + YouTube

BITS HD CS and BITS HD SS :
Subject: Discrete Mathematics
Resources:
 https://nptel.ac.in/courses/106/106/106106094/
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 https://www.pdfdrive.com/discrete-mathematics-rosen-7ed-d65390585.html
 YouTube -Gate smashers & Ravindrababu Ravula videos
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 Made Easy short notes

Subject : Theory of Computation

Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 Automata, Theory, Languages and Computation Ullman book
 https://www.pdfdrive.com/automata-theory-languagesand-computation-
e51274052.html
 Made Easy short notes
Subject : Data Structures and Algorithms
Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 Cormen book (not try to read for exam)
 Read Narasimha Karumanchi book
 https://www.pdfdrive.com/data-structures-and-algorithms-made-easy-data-structures-
and-algorithmic-puzzles-e158226594.html
 https://www.pdfdrive.com/introduction-to-algorithms-third-edition-e42987274.html
 Made Easy short notes
Subject : Operating Systems
Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 Galvin book
 Made Easy short notes
 https://www.pdfdrive.com/abraham-silberschatz-peter-baer-galvin-greg-gagne-
d44474114.html
 YouTube -Gate smashers & Ravindrababu Ravula videos
Subject : Computer Networks
Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 YouTube -Gate smashers & Ravindrababu Ravula videos
 https://www.pdfdrive.com/computer-networks-e175307056.html
 Data Communications and Networking By Behrouz A. Forouzan
 http://eti2506.elimu.net/Introduction/Books/Data%20Communications%20and%20Ne
tworking%20By%20Behrouz%20A.Forouzan.pdf
 Computer Networks-Andrew S. Tanenbaum and David J. Wetherall

For security part:

 https://indianpdf.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/cryptography-network-security-
principles-and-practices-by-william-stallings-indianpdf.com_-pdf-book-online-
download-free-1.pdf
 Cryptography and network security by William Stallings
Subject : Database Management Systems
Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 YouTube -Gate smashers & Ravindrababu Ravula videos
 Database system concepts by Abraham Silberschatz & Henry F. Korth & S.
Sudarshan
 http://vidyadhancollege.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Database-System-
Concepts.pdf
Subject : Computer Architecture
Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 YouTube -Gate smashers & Ravindrababu Ravula videos
 http://index-of.es/Computer/Computer_Organization_5th_Edition.pdf

Subject : Compiler Design

Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 YouTube -Gate smashers & Ravindrababu Ravula videos
 Compiler Principles, Techniques and Tools by Aho, Ullman, Sethi
  https://www.pdfdrive.com/compiler-principles-techniques-and-tools-d6708003.html

Subject : Digital logic

Resources:
 Made Easy handwritten Notes
 Previous year GATE CS/IT and ISRO Papers
 YouTube -Gate smashers & Ravindrababu Ravula videos
 https://www.pdfdrive.com/digital-logic-and-computer-design-by-m-morris-mano-
d34332016.html
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Book by M. Saravanan, N. Senthil Kumar, and
S. Jeevananthan
Other Resources:
Made Easy handwritten notes :
https://www.gate2016.info/made-easy-class-notes-cs-
it/?fbclid=IwAR2yOsyhH5ZZlH5ChCGldUTXpVC1FbOe1hbZTCbvfW5uIuAYoC4mahkL
QGM
Software Engineering book:
Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach by Roger S. Pressman
https://www.mlsu.ac.in/econtents/16_EBOOK-
7th_ed_software_engineering_a_practitioners_approach_by_roger_s._pressman_.pdf
Let us C book:
http://pdvpmtasgaon.edu.in/uploads/dptcomputer/Let%20us%20c%20-
%20yashwantkanetkar.pdf
OOPS book:
http://www.microlinkcolleges.net/elib/files/undergraduate/Information%20System/Object%2
0Oriented%20Programming%20with%20C++.pdf
Core Systems:
https://www.pdfdrive.com/computer-systems-a-programmers-perspective-d177782613.html
Other Resources books:
https://www.pdfdrive.com/java-the-complete-reference-ninth-edition-d195103672.html
https://www.pdfdrive.com/c-programming-a-modern-approach-d49863743.html
For Searching other books:
Use https://www.pdfdrive.com/
GATE previous year CS/IT question papers:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/original-gate-previous-year-question-papers-cse-and-it-gq/
ISRO previous year CS/IT question papers:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/isro-cs-preparation/
Try to use:
Gate overflow for resolving your doubts
Strategies for attempting questions:
While attempting questions, try to attempt the questions which are crystal clear to you because
this exam has negative marking. Don’t attempt all the questions if you are not clear that this is
the right answer.
Strategies for exam preparation:
For theory:
 Day 1—Read a topic from Book A
 Day 2—Revise whatever you have read on Day 1 from Book A then move to other
topic planned for Day 2
 Day 3—Revise whatever you have read on Day 1,2. Then start studying topics of Day
3 planned.
 Initially this strategy will take time, but after a week, you can’t even forget any
concepts. While Reading books, highlight the important points, only revise those points
the next day.
 Since this exam has a huge syllabus, I applied this strategy.
For Numerical problems:
 While studying Made Easy notes, write the formulae separately in a paper. This will
help in revision.
 Solve the ISRO, DRDO, GATE question papers.
 Practice with a virtual calculator meant for the GATE exam.
 Study formulae daily. Try solving various kinds of problems for more clarity.
 Day 1: Finish a topic- Solve problems
 Day 2: Solve some tough problems from Day 1 topic for Day 1 revision. Revise Day
1 topic formulae. Then start a new topic and solve problems.
 For numerical you may do 3 to 4 days once revision as well.
I hope this document will be useful.

With regards
Harshini N B