When Sourav Bhattacharyya started preparing for GATE during his second year of engineering, he realised that semester studies alone were not helping him understand Computer Science in depth. Looking for a more structured approach, he joined Physics Wallah and committed himself to a disciplined preparation plan.
Over the next two years, he balanced college, internships, revision, and mock tests while staying focused on his goal. His consistent efforts eventually helped him secure AIR 248 in GATE 2026 CSE with a score of 827.
Sourav's preparation began in the second year of engineering. Initially, he relied on YouTube lectures but soon realized that a proper learning path would help him stay consistent. He shared:
"Pehle main YouTube pe hi zyada videos dekhta tha. Uske baad maine PW ka subscription liya aur PW ke subscription lene ke baad main fully PW ke platform pe hi focused ho gaya... Learning bahut hi zyada structured tha."
After joining Physics Wallah's Shree 2.0 batch, Sourav shifted his complete focus to organized classes. The organized course schedule, teacher guidance, and learning environment helped him study systematically instead of constantly searching for resources.
While preparing alongside college, Sourav realised that semester studies often focused more on clearing examinations than developing an in-depth understanding of Computer Science.
He explained:
"Mujhe feel hota tha ki main Computer Science padh to raha hoon lekin kitne depth tak samajh raha hoon ye mujhe doubt tha... Mujhe aur depth mein jaana tha."
This realisation changed his approach to learning. Instead of studying only to clear university examinations, he focused on understanding concepts in greater depth. As his concepts became clearer, he found problem-solving more engaging, which helped him remain motivated throughout his preparation.
Managing engineering classes, internships, and GATE preparation was not easy. During his internship, Sourav feared that backlogs would affect his preparation. He said:
"Maine ek cheez thaan li ki backlog to main nahi hone dunga, kuch bhi ho jaaye. Weekend mein jitna bhi time lage... lectures complete karke hi chhodunga."
Instead of allowing work pressure to slow him down, Sourav reserved weekends exclusively for catching up on pending lectures and revision. Even when his schedule became hectic, he protected his study momentum by staying disciplined.
As his preparation progressed, Sourav relied on Physics Wallah's available resources instead of collecting material from multiple places. He shared:
"Weekend ko main revise karta tha... DPPs solve kiya tha, class ke problems dobara solve karta tha. Test series ka har test attempt kiya."
His strategy remained simple and consistent:
Weekly revision during weekends
Completing every DPP
Solving classroom questions again
Attempting every PW test series and All India Mock Test
Practising previous year questions instead of unnecessary extra material
He also used Khazana lectures when he needed a quick understanding of a topic before attending live classes. This helped him reinforce concepts without constantly switching between different resources.
The first mock test did not go as expected, but Sourav treated it as an opportunity to improve.
"Mera pehla test 50 se shuru hua tha... Maine har question ka postmortem kiya. Jo question nahi hua usko khud solve kiya, uske baad solution dekha."
Rather than getting discouraged by low marks, he carefully analysed every mistake after each mock test. This habit gradually improved both his accuracy and confidence, leading to much better scores in later tests and ultimately contributing to his AIR 248.
As the examination approached, Sourav also received a job opportunity, which presented him with a difficult decision between starting work and continuing his GATE preparation.
His mother encouraged him to stay focused on the goal he had been working towards:
"Meri mummy ne mujhe samjhaya... Tum GATE ke liye itna saal focus karke padhai kiye ho, abhi GATE pe focus karo."
With his family's support, Sourav continued prioritising GATE preparation and remained committed to the plan he had followed for the previous two years.
Sourav Bhattacharyya's journey shows that success in GATE is built through consistency rather than shortcuts. Complete preparation, regular revision, focused practice, careful test analysis, and the determination to keep moving forward helped him secure GATE 2026 CSE AIR 248.
His message for aspirants is simple: never let your study momentum break. Even on difficult days, continue learning, keep believing in yourself, and steady progress will eventually lead to success.