GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2026: IIT Guwahati, is going to conduct the GATE 2026 exam for the CSE branch in February 2026 (expected). Aspirants eager to appear in this highly competitive exam should ensure that they have a good understanding of the GATE CSE subject-wise weightage 2026 as well as the syllabus to score top marks in the exam.
Knowing the GATE CSE 2026 subject-wise weightage helps students understand which topics are more important for the exam. It shows how many marks each subject usually carries so that aspirants can focus on high-weightage topics first. This makes preparation smarter and more effective. By checking the previous year's trends, students can plan their study time better. GATE CSE includes subjects like Programming, Algorithms, Operating Systems, DBMS, and Aptitude. Below is a detailed page of expected subject weightage for GATE CSE 2026 based on past trends.
Check: GATE CSE Syllabus 2026
The GATE Computer Science (CS) exam consists of 65 questions with a maximum score of 100. As shown in the GATE CSE marks weightage 2026 table below, these questions are separated into three key categories: general aptitude, engineering mathematics, and computer science subjects.
GATE CSE Subject wise Weightage 2026 | ||
Subject | Total No. of Questions | Marks Allotted |
General Aptitud | 10 | 15 |
Engineering Mathematics | 10 | 13 |
Computer Science Subjects | 45 | 72 |
Total | 65 | 100 |
Check: GATE CSE Exam Pattern 2026
Understanding the GATE CSE subject wise weightage previous year’s analysis would help aspirants pinpoint the key topics and prioritize their studies accordingly.
Moreover, aspirants can learn a lot about the topics that have historically received greater significance in the computer science exam by looking at the GATE CSE subject wise weightage provided below.
Here are the GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage tables for the years 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020 formatted for quick comparison. This analysis helps you identify high-yield topics and efficiently plan your exam strategy.
The GATE CSE subject wise weightage 2025 is provided in the table below for aspirants reference.
GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2025 |
|
---|---|
Subjects |
Weightage (Marks/%) |
General Aptitude |
14–15% |
Engineering Mathematics |
6–13% |
Digital Logic |
5–6% |
Computer Organization and Architecture |
8–12% |
Discrete Mathematics |
6–9% |
Programming and Data Structures |
13–15% |
Algorithms |
5–7% |
Theory of Computation |
6–8% |
Compiler Design |
4–5% |
Operating Systems |
9–10% |
DBMS (Databases) |
7–8% |
Computer Networks |
7–10% |
The GATE CSE subject wise weightage 2024 is provided in the table below for aspirants reference.
GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2024 |
|
---|---|
Subjects |
Weightage (Marks/%) |
General Aptitude |
14–15% |
Engineering Mathematics |
6–7% |
Digital Logic |
5% |
Computer Organization |
12% |
Discrete Mathematics & Graph Theory |
9% |
Programming & Data Structures |
13% |
Design & Analysis of Algorithms |
5% |
Theory of Computation |
8% |
Compiler Design |
5% |
Operating Systems |
9% |
DBMS |
7% |
Computer Networks |
7% |
The GATE CSE subject wise weightage 2023 is provided in the table below for aspirants reference.
GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2023 |
|
---|---|
Subjects |
Weightage (Marks) |
General Aptitude |
14–15 |
Programming & Data Structure |
11 |
Algorithms |
6 |
Operating Systems |
7 |
DBMS |
5 |
Computer Networks |
8 |
COA |
12 |
Discrete Mathematics |
6 |
Theory of Computation |
9 |
Compiler Design |
5 |
Digital Logic |
6 |
Engineering Mathematics |
4 |
The GATE CSE subject wise weightage 2022 is provided in the table below for aspirants reference.
GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2022 |
|
---|---|
Subjects |
Weightage (Marks) |
General Aptitude |
15 |
Programming & Data Structure |
9 |
Algorithms |
7 |
Operating Systems |
9 |
DBMS |
7 |
Computer Networks |
11 |
COA |
9 |
Discrete Mathematics |
12 |
Theory of Computation |
7 |
Compiler Design |
4 |
Digital Logic |
3 |
Engineering Mathematics |
7 |
The GATE CSE subject wise weightage 2021 is provided in the table below for aspirants reference.
GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2021 |
|
---|---|
Subjects |
Weightage (Marks) |
General Aptitude |
15 |
Programming & Data Structure |
6 |
Algorithms |
11 |
Operating Systems |
7 |
DBMS |
8 |
Computer Networks |
7 |
COA |
10 |
Discrete Mathematics |
9 |
Theory of Computation |
9 |
Compiler Design |
8 |
Digital Logic |
4 |
Engineering Mathematics |
6 |
The GATE CSE subject wise weightage 2020 is provided in the table below for aspirants reference.
Topic wise weightage for GATE 2020 | |
Topics | Weightage Percentage |
Engineering Mathematics | 5% |
Discrete Mathematics and Graph Theory | 10% |
Design and Analysis Algorithms | 6% |
Programming and Data Structure | 12% |
Digital Logic | 4% |
Computer Organization | 11% |
Theory of Computation | 9% |
Compiler Design | 4% |
Operating Systems | 10% |
DBMS | 8% |
Computer Networks | 6% |
The last six year’s GATE CSE subject wise weightage is tabulated below. Aspirants can identify the high weightage subjects by analyzing the data carefully.
GATE CSE Topic Wise Weightage from 2014-2019 | ||||||
Subjects | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Engineering Mathematics | 6% | 7% | 8% | 13% | 19% | 23% |
Discrete Mathematics | 5% | 12% | 7% | 4% | 11% | 13% |
Digital Logic | 9% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 5% |
Computer Organization and Architecture | 3% | 11% | 9% | 7% | 5% | 8% |
Theory of Computation | 8% | 7% | 10% | 9% | 6% | 6% |
Data Structures and Programming | 12% | 10% | 14% | 10% | 18% | 13% |
Operating System | 10% | 10% | 10% | 17% | 8% | 7% |
Compiler Design | 6% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 3% |
DBMS | 8% | 4% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 8% |
Computer Networks | 10% | 7% | 7% | 9% | 8% | 9% |
Software Design & Algorithms | 7% | 7% | 5% | 11% | 7% | 8% |
Verbal Ability | 9% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
Numerical Ability | 6% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 7% |
Just one click away!
Considering the expected GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2026 is important as it helps aspirants plan their preparation strategy, prioritize topics, and manage time effectively.
As a result, it gives applicants a sense of direction and confidence, which increases their chances of acing the GATE 2026 CSE exam.
GATE CSE Subject Wise Weightage 2026 | |
Subjects | Weightage |
General Aptitude | 15% |
Engineering Mathematics | 5% |
Computer Organization | 11% |
Operating Systems | 10% |
DBMS | 8% |
Compiler Design | 4% |
Computer Networks | 6% |
Design and Analysis Algorithms | 6% |
Digital Logic | 4% |
Discrete Mathematics and Graph Theory | 10% |
Programming and Data Structures | 12% |
Theory Of Computation | 9% |
Over the years, subjects such as Operating Systems, Computer Organization and Architecture, Computer Networks, and Programming and Data Structures have carried relatively high weightage in the GATE CSE paper.
GATE CSE subject wise Weightage 2026 Important Topics | |
Topics | Weightage of Marks |
General Aptitude | 15 |
Engineering Mathematics | 13 |
Discrete Mathematics | 6 |
Digital Logic | 6 |
Computer Organization and Architecture | 8 |
Programming and Data Structures | 15 |
Algorithms | 7 |
Theory of Computation | 6 |
Compiler Design | 4 |
Operating System | 9 |
Databases | 7 |
Computer Networks | 10 |
Aspirants should pay attention to the above-mentioned important topics during exam preparation, as they were chosen after analyzing the previous year's Computer Science papers.
The table below shows the anticipated GATE topic-by-topic mark distribution for Computer Science Engineering (CSE). For effective preparation, aspirants must focus on the following topics.
GATE Topic Wise Mark Distribution for CSE | |
Subject | Expected Marks |
C-Programming | 3 to 4 |
Data Structures | 5 to 6 |
Algorithms | 7 to 8 |
Digital Logic | 6 to 7 |
Computer Architecture | 6 to 7 |
Operating Systems | 6 to 7 |
DBMS | 7 to 8 |
Computer Networks | 9 to 11 |
Discrete Mathematics | 18 to 21 |
Engineering Mathematics | 18 to 21 |
Theory of Computation | 7 to 8 |
Compiler Design | 2 to 3 |
General Aptitude | 15 |
While the syllabus for Computer Science is vast, it's important to note that during the GATE CSE examination, questions are asked in different ratios based on the complete curriculum.
Find more details regarding the topic wise percentage of questions that are usually asked in GATE CSE papers in the table below:
GATE CSE Topic Wise Percentage of Questions | |
Topics | Percentage of Questions |
C-Programming | 20% |
Data Structures | 20% |
Algorithms | 20% |
Digital Logic | 20% |
Computer Architecture | 20% |
Operating Systems | 20% |
Discrete Math | 20% |
Engineering Math | 20% |
DBMS | 25% |
Computer N/W | 25% |
Other Topics | 15% |
Aspirants appearing for the GATE CSE 2026 examination must be well-prepared to tackle three types of questions. It is important to note that the exam includes negative marking, which means that incorrect answers result in a deduction of marks.
Computer Science Engineering GATE 2026 Marking Scheme | ||
Question Type | Total Marks | Negative Marking |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) | +1 | -1/3 |
Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) | +2 | -2/3 |
Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions | +1 or +2 | 0 |
Analyzing the GATE CSE subject wise weightage of marks provides various advantages that can greatly improve preparation strategies and study efforts.
Aspirants can achieve the greatest results by utilizing their time and effort. The following are the benefits of understanding the GATE CSE subject wise weightage: