GATE Toppers

This page is part of GATE-CS forum ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/core.cs/ )

Tips and Advice from GATE Toppers

Bigyan 

http://blog.bigyanbhar.com/2009/02/gate-2009-cs-solutions.html

D V Janardhan Rao

http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/dvjrao/study.html

Vikas

https://sites.google.com/site/vikasgargiisc/useful-information-for-iisc-aspirants

Abhimanyu

https://sites.google.com/site/abhimanyuiisc/other/gate

Quora ( Why Masters in CS )

https://www.quora.com/What-makes-a-Masters-in-Computer-Science-MS-CS-degree-worth-it-and-why

M.Tech at IIT
http://mtech-admission-iits.blogspot.in/2010/02/is-it-worth-doing-mtech-at-iits.html

Are Coaching class necessary for GATE

http://masti-max.blogspot.in/2009/06/what-it-is-to-crack-gate-exam-part-ii.html

Arvind (Understanding CS Concepts)

https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-understand-concepts-after-reading-them-once-or-twice-at-most/answer/Arvind-Devaraj

IIITB Interview
http://www.techbite.in/2010/05/iiit-b-interview.html

Video lectures recommendations by Prathamesh Kulkarni

Video Lectures

Computer Architecture:

1) CMU: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5PHm2jkkXmi5CxxI7b3JCL1TWybTDtKq
2) Advanced CA, Princeton: https://www.coursera.org/course/comparch

Compilers:

1) Stanford 101: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFB9EC7B8FE963EB8
2) Advanced, IISC: http://nptel.ac.in/courses/106108052/

Operating systems:

1) Spring 2015, UC Berkeley: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5PHm2jkkXmi5CxxI7b3JCL1TWybTDtKq

Algorithms:

1) CLRS: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-046j-introduction-to-algorithms-sma-5503-fall-2005/video-lectures/

2) Advanced data structures:
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-851-advanced-data-structures-spring-2012/

Discrete Mathematics:

1) ArsDigitia University: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPcQPsvcfruWF5Ru30xiPX_pjIMhNDeXN

Digital Electronics:

1) IIT Madras: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL803563859BF7ED8C

Performance Engineering, MIT OCW:
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-172-performance-engineering-of-software-systems-fall-2010/

Hastagiri Prakash

For all GATE aspirants, learning the basics is the key to a good score but with high probability, there would be a few questions which we cannot solve completely with the preparation we have already had. for questions like this, do not panic or leave the question unanswered by default. I would recommend the following strategy:
1. read and understand the question completely. understand what is given and what is asked for.
2. try to make some headway with this information. for instance you dont remember or know a formula but know that the answer is directly proportional to something or inversely proportional to something else. try to formalize this partial knowledge in a helpful way
2. look at the answer choices and eliminate ones that are obviously wrong
3. look for patterns in the choices. sometimes, the choice that sticks out the most is probably a wrong choice. sometimes, all the choices contain the same variables but in different positions (numerator, denominator, exponent, log etc)
4. using any of the heuristic, if you have narrowed down the choices, then guess.
i repeat, this is to be used as a last resort and not as an excuse for not preparing but you will be surprised at how many questions you can answer if you follow this. This way of answering is dangerous and is an art. this art can be honed only attempting many practice questions of multiple choice types and not by just reading the theory.

---

Somdas Bandyopadhyay

Getting good score in gate doesnt depend on which book u follow. Study the books that u have been studying since 2nd year. I didnt even have books on mathematics, s/w engg and web tech. Study the books that u are most comfortable in .

For securing good rank in gate u must have constant practice on the problems and always stay in touch with gate study. For that purpose u can join any coaching inst(like gateforum). There u will be in constant practice. I studied in gatefoum. Also u must solve previous year gate questions and MUST take some all india test series (normally starting from october)..

I dont visit this community(and orkut) often. Use the links that i gave in my websites. I have specific filters set up for that purpose(Dont email me directly). so u guys will get replies quickly.

I can tell u the books i followed :-

1) Maths :- No books.. gateforum notes enough
2) TOC :- No books.. gateforum notes enough
3) OS- Galvin
4) CO- Hamacher (Very good book)
5) Digital logic : – No books.. gateforum notes enough
6) Networking :- william stallings and foruzan(Stallings- numericals , foruzan- theory)
7)DBMS :- Korth
8) Data structure :- Tanenbum
9) Algorithm :- Cormen
10) Web tech :- Internet
11) S/w Engg – Gateforum book and pressman
12)Compilers :- No books.. gateforum notes enough (Recommended book is Aho ullman)

But follow the books that u are most comfortable in.

Subject Wise Books to follow

To become GATE topper, you need

1>>Good technical knowledge

2>>Good understanding of Basic Concepts

3>>Ability to apply the knowledge and concepts on variety of  problems

To Develop 1 and 2 you will need to read and understand  reference
books, to develop 3 you will need to solve the problems. Now question  is from where to get the problems or the MCQs, the answer is  the problems are given at the back of every chapter in the reference  books, you will need to solve those problems,may be not all of them.  Problems reveal lot of truth and clear our misconception and  false convictions. And GATE has certain property that lot of Questions in  it are based on concepts that are revealed in certain problems in  reference books. So its really really important to have a shot at the  problems.

DISCRETE MATHEMATICS
I started my preparation with discrete maths, and I would recommend  you also to start with this perticular subject because this is the  subject from where Computer Science spreads out. Understanding of this  subject is very important. I used following books:

1>>”Discrete maths and its applications” By Kenneth Rosen
This is an excellent book for GATE preps. Lot of problems are given  at the end of every chapter plus answers are also given to odd numbered  exercises. The explaination in this book is really very good and “easy  to understand”. This book is must read for GATE preps.

2>>book by Tremblay and Manohar
I recommend you to read this book after you have read Rosen’s book.  The contents in this book is hard to comprehend. You need to have your  basics cleared before you attempt this book. This book is also a “must   read”. I also have the lecture notes on discrete maths from some prof at  McGuire university the advanced counting and recurrence relation part  is good.

ALGORITHMS
I recommend to you to read this subject along with Discrete maths or  after you have completed discrete maths. I used only one book for this
subject and found that to be more than enough for GATE.

1>>”Introduction to Algorithms” By T.H.Cormen et al.
This is “THE” book for Algorithms. The Book is simply brilliant, it  makes you understand every details of Algorithms. So this book is a must  read. Although I did not read the entire thing. Here is the list of  chapters that I had read. If you are interested of course you can read  the entire book.
Chapter 1,2,3,4[excluding 4.4],6,7[excluding 7.3],8,10,11[excluding  11.5],12[excluding 12.4],18,22,23,24[excluding 24.4 and 24.5] for  NP-Completeness you can read 34 also. In addition to this book I  strongly recommend you to see the video lectures from MIT. The lectures  are given by
Lieserson[who BTW is also one of the authors of CLRS] and Erik demaine. The
lectures are absolutely brilliant. You may download them from Free Online Course Materials

DATASTRUCTURES
I did not read this subject exclusively. I mostly participated in  discussions in Algorithms and datastructures communities on orkut . That  is i think more than enough.

• THEORETICAL COMPUTER SCIENCE
I initially tried to decipher Ullman’s book but I found the content  too much for my brain to comprehend. So I switched to “Introduction  toComputer Theory” By Daniel Cohen. The
contents in this book are lucid. Also solving or atleast attempting the problems in
the exercises is a must. But its really great if you could read Ullman.

• DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
I used Korth and Navathe for this. Initially I read korth because it  is lucid and then only for normalization i read Navathe. The database  design part in korth is difficult so read this part with utmost  concentration and you may require several readings before you begin to  understand things.

OPERATING SYSTEMS
Read this from following books:
1>>Operating System Concepts By Galvin et al.
2>>Stallings
Attempt problems in Stallings they are very important especially  problems on memory management and virtual memory. In Galvin the theory  on memory management is excellent.
• Digital Design
Read “Digital Design” By morris mano [period].•

COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
Read this from following books
1>>”Computer Architecture” By Morris mano
2>>”Computer Organization” By Zacky,hamacher
3>>”Computer Organization Hardware/Software Interface” By
Hennessey and Patterson
Read book 1 almost completely then read memory system from book 2 then
you can read
book 3, I had read only the performance measurement chapter from book
3 as it is not given in any other book and also solve numericals fromexercises they are
very very important. I recommend you to read this
subject after “Digital Design”.

• COMPUTER NETWORKS
I had read this subject only from forouzan and had read some chapters  from Comer’s book. Attempt the exercises from forouzan they are
important.
• C programming
You read this from “the C programming language” by kernighan and  Ritchie that is more than enough plus spend some time in actually
programming in C that is the best way you can learn C.
• C++
I dont know C++ much and I did not read anything for C++. Dont be spoiled, you can read C++ complete reference if
you wish to.

Compiler Design
“People” say Ullman’s book is  excellent so you can read it from Ullman if you believe “People”. In the  final phase of your preps “try” to solve GATE papers. The answers for  the GATE papers are not present anywhere but still you should attempt  them anyway. This will give youconfidence that you can actually solve  GATE. You can read all the subjects given here you can skip one or two  if you dont have much time But more important thing is to  “MASTER”atleast 2 or 3 subjects. Also actively participate in  discussions at GATE CS or GATE CS/IT 2009 and Algorithms and  Datastructures community in orkut – that helps alot in patching few  loopholes in our concepts
and enhancing your problem solving skills. Thats it guys,this much is I think enough to crack GATE. You can ofcourse
Device your own methodsand set of books. Just be confident you can do it!