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Technical & Engineering JobsNational Reviewed September 2026

Best Books & Mock Tests for GATE DA 2026

GATE Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA) · IISc Bangalore & IITs (rotating organising institute)

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering for Data Science & Artificial Intelligence. The score is used for M.Tech/PhD admissions at IITs, NITs and IISc and for recruitment in PSUs such as ONGC, NTPC, IOCL, BHEL and PGCIL.

Best books for GATE DA — in the order to buy

Start at #1 and work down. The first books cover the full syllabus; later books add depth for scoring subjects.

1
Top pick · Featured partner

GATE DA Complete Book Set & Practice Workbook

EduJha

Books aligned to the latest GATE DA syllabus — theory, solved examples and practice questions.

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2

Previous Years' Solved Papers (branch-wise)

MADE EASY Editorial Board · MADE EASY Publications

Topic-wise previous papers with solutions — essential for GATE, ESE and JE.

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Affiliate link · price on Amazon.in

3

Introduction to Algorithms

Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, Stein · MIT Press / PHI

Definitive algorithms reference for GATE CSE.

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Affiliate link · price on Amazon.in

4

Higher Engineering Mathematics

B.S. Grewal · Khanna Publishers

Engineering mathematics section of GATE and ESE.

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Affiliate link · price on Amazon.in

5

Database System Concepts

Silberschatz, Korth, Sudarshan · McGraw Hill

DBMS concepts, SQL and transactions.

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Affiliate link · price on Amazon.in

Best mock tests & practice sets for GATE DA

Take a full mock every week in the early months and every alternate day in the last 30 days. Analyse every test — that is where marks improve.

Top pick · Featured partner

GATE DA Full-Length Mock Test Series

EduJha

Full-length mocks on the latest GATE DA pattern with solutions and performance analysis.

Start practising
Top pick · Featured partner

GATE DA Topic-wise Practice Sets

EduJha

Chapter and topic-wise practice sets for Probability & Statistics, Linear Algebra, Calculus & Optimisation and more, to fix weak areas fast.

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Top pick · Featured partner

GATE DA Previous Year Papers with Solutions

EduJha

Practise previous GATE DA papers in a timed, exam-like format with solutions.

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Official

Official GATE DA notification, syllabus & papers

IISc Bangalore & IITs (rotating organising institute)

Always confirm dates, eligibility and syllabus on the official website before applying.

Visit official site

GATE DA at a glance

Conducted by

IISc Bangalore & IITs (rotating organising institute)

Level

National

Frequency

Annual (February)

Mode

Online (CBT)

Eligibility

Final-year or completed B.E./B.Tech/B.Arch/M.Sc. or equivalent; no age limit.

Dates, vacancies, fees and age limits change every cycle — always confirm in the latest official notification.

Exam pattern

  1. 1Single CBT (65 questions, 100 marks: MCQ, MSQ, NAT)

Syllabus — key subjects

Probability & StatisticsLinear AlgebraCalculus & OptimisationProgramming & DSDBMS & WarehousingMachine LearningAIGeneral Aptitude

How to prepare for GATE DA

STEP 1

Month 1 — Foundation

Read the official syllabus and solve one previous GATE DA paper to see where you stand. Start book #1 and #2 from the list above.

STEP 2

Months 2–3 — Concepts

Finish one standard book per subject. Solve topic-wise practice sets the same day you finish a chapter.

STEP 3

Month 4 — Mock phase

Start full-length mocks weekly. Maintain an error log and revisit weak topics after every test.

STEP 4

Last 30 days — Revision

Mocks every alternate day, revise short notes and previous year questions. No new books.

GATE DA — frequently asked questions

Which is the best mock test for GATE DA 2026?

TestsYou recommends the EduJha GATE DA mock test series as its top pick (featured partner) — full-length tests on the latest pattern, topic-wise practice sets and previous year papers with solutions. Aim for at least 15–20 full mocks before the exam and analyse every test.

Which are the best books for GATE DA preparation?

The most recommended books for GATE DA are: Previous Years' Solved Papers (branch-wise) by MADE EASY Editorial Board; Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest, Stein; Higher Engineering Mathematics by B.S. Grewal; Database System Concepts by Silberschatz, Korth, Sudarshan. Start with the EduJha GATE DA book set for syllabus-aligned practice, then use the standard books for depth. Read one good book per subject multiple times instead of many books once.

What is GATE DA?

GATE Data Science & Artificial Intelligence (DA) (GATE DA) is conducted by IISc Bangalore & IITs (rotating organising institute). Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering for Data Science & Artificial Intelligence. The score is used for M.Tech/PhD admissions at IITs, NITs and IISc and for recruitment in PSUs such as ONGC, NTPC, IOCL, BHEL and PGCIL.

What is the eligibility for GATE DA?

Final-year or completed B.E./B.Tech/B.Arch/M.Sc. or equivalent; no age limit. Always verify the latest criteria in the official notification at https://gate2026.iitg.ac.in.

What is the GATE DA exam pattern?

GATE DA is conducted in the following stage(s): Single CBT (65 questions, 100 marks: MCQ, MSQ, NAT). Mode: Online (CBT).

What is the GATE DA syllabus?

The main subjects/sections of GATE DA are: Probability & Statistics, Linear Algebra, Calculus & Optimisation, Programming & DS, DBMS & Warehousing, Machine Learning, AI, General Aptitude. Download the detailed syllabus from https://gate2026.iitg.ac.in.

How often is GATE DA conducted?

GATE DA is held once a year. Dates are announced by IISc Bangalore & IITs (rotating organising institute) in the official notification.

How to crack GATE DA in the first attempt?

(1) Download the official syllabus and previous papers. (2) Build concepts from one standard book per subject. (3) Practise topic-wise sets daily. (4) Start full-length mock tests at least 3 months before the exam and analyse each one. (5) Revise weak areas and keep a short-notes register. (6) Take the last 15 days only for revision and mocks.

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