Explore: GATE CS hub · All GATE CS topics · Syllabus & pattern · GATE CS 2026
Answer first
Databases (DBMS) has appeared in 11 of the 11 official GATE CS papers from 2016–2026, with 51 questions in all. It averages 7 marks a year, which puts it 8th of 11 technical subjects. The last three papers gave it 6 (2026), 8 (2025), 8 (2024).
The concepts that came back most often are Normalisation, Relational Algebra, Transactions & Serializability. Normalisation, Relational Algebra, Transactions & Serializability appeared in at least 7 of the 11 years. 25% of the questions are NAT, so you have to work out an exact value with no options to eliminate.
Marks per year
One official set per year (set 1 where GATE CS ran two sessions). Marks are as printed in the official answer key.
| Year | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| GATE CS 2026 | 4 | 6 |
| GATE CS 2025 | 5 | 8 |
| GATE CS 2024 | 6 | 8 |
| GATE CS 2023 | 3 | 5 |
| GATE CS 2022 | 5 | 7 |
| GATE CS 2021 | 5 | 8 |
| GATE CS 2020 | 5 | 8 |
| GATE CS 2019 | 5 | 8 |
| GATE CS 2018 | 4 | 6 |
| GATE CS 2017 | 5 | 8 |
| GATE CS 2016 | 4 | 5 |
Most-asked concepts
Sorted by how many years a concept appeared in, then by marks.
| Concept | Questions | Marks | Years asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normalisation | 9 | 14 | 2026, 2025, 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016 |
| Relational Algebra | 8 | 14 | 2025, 2024, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017 |
| Transactions & Serializability | 7 | 11 | 2025, 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2016 |
| SQL Queries | 6 | 10 | 2025, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017 |
| Indexing & B+ Trees | 5 | 7 | 2025, 2024, 2023, 2020, 2019 |
| Functional Dependencies | 4 | 5 | 2026, 2024, 2022, 2017 |
| ER Model | 3 | 3 | 2024, 2020, 2018 |
| Concurrency Control | 2 | 4 | 2017, 2016 |
| Keys | 2 | 3 | 2026, 2016 |
| Relational Calculus | 2 | 3 | 2026, 2020 |
| Query Processing | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Recovery | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Relational Model | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
How to practise Databases (DBMS) from these PYQs
- Start with the concepts at the top of the table above. They repeat, so they pay off first.
- Open the official PDF for a year, solve only that year’s DBMS questions against the clock (about 3 minutes a mark), then check the official key listed below.
- Log each miss by concept and type (MCQ, MSQ, NAT). An MSQ with one extra option scores zero, so log those separately.
- Once a concept is clean across two or three years, move on to the next one.
- Then sit a full year paper from the GATE CS hub so the subject drill turns into exam timing.
Questions by year
Each line gives the official question number, marks, type and concept, our one-line summary and the official key. The full question is in the official PDF linked under each year.
GATE CS 2026 (CS1)
- Q.30 · 1 mark · MSQ · Functional Dependencies: Inference rules that always hold for functional dependencies (key: C, D)
- Q.31 · 1 mark · MSQ · Normalisation: Dependency-preserving 1NF, 3NF and BCNF decompositions (key: A, B, C)
- Q.43 · 2 marks · MCQ · Relational Calculus: Relational algebra equivalent of a tuple calculus expression (key: B)
- Q.65 · 2 marks · NAT · Keys: Count superkeys given two candidate keys (key: 6)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2026 page
GATE CS 2025 (CS1)
- Q.15 · 1 mark · MCQ · Transactions & Serializability: Transactions that must roll back when another transaction aborts (key: C)
- Q.21 · 1 mark · MSQ · Indexing & B+ Trees: Node splits after inserting a key into a B+ tree of order 3 (key: B, D)
- Q.39 · 2 marks · MCQ · Relational Algebra: Query result over teams and players relations (key: A)
- Q.47 · 2 marks · MSQ · Normalisation: Lossless join and dependency preservation of a decomposition (key: B, C)
- Q.55 · 2 marks · NAT · SQL Queries: Result of an SQL query with a nested IN subquery on league tables (key: 26)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2025 page
GATE CS 2024 (CS1)
- Q.20 · 1 mark · MCQ · ER Model: ER diagram that correctly models instructors, students, courses and rooms (key: D)
- Q.21 · 1 mark · MCQ · Indexing & B+ Trees: Which B+ tree nodes are exempt from the half-full occupancy rule (key: A)
- Q.22 · 1 mark · MSQ · Normalisation: True statements about relations in first normal form (key: A, C)
- Q.35 · 1 mark · NAT · Relational Algebra: Tuples returned by a selection over an equi-join of two relations (key: 2)
- Q.44 · 2 marks · MSQ · Functional Dependencies: Valid inferences from functional dependencies using Armstrong's axioms (key: B, C, D)
- Q.46 · 2 marks · MSQ · Transactions & Serializability: Conflict-equivalent serial orders for a three-transaction schedule (key: B, C, D)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2024 page
GATE CS 2023
- Q.16 · 1 mark · MCQ · Relational Model: Meaning of the degree (arity) of a relation (key: A)
- Q.61 · 2 marks · NAT · SQL Queries: Number of rows returned by an SQL query with a nested comparison (key: 2)
- Q.62 · 2 marks · NAT · Indexing & B+ Trees: Number of block accesses to search with a primary index on an ordered file (key: 6)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2023 page
GATE CS 2022
- Q.14 · 1 mark · MCQ · Normalisation: True statement about BCNF and prime attributes in the relational model (key: A)
- Q.25 · 1 mark · MSQ · Relational Algebra: Relational algebra expressions that find employees owning all brands (key: A,B)
- Q.31 · 1 mark · NAT · Functional Dependencies: Number of superkeys of a relation given three functional dependencies (key: 8)
- Q.39 · 2 marks · MCQ · Transactions & Serializability: Serial schedule that is conflict equivalent to a four-transaction schedule (key: A)
- Q.56 · 2 marks · NAT · SQL Queries: Number of rows returned by a nested SQL query with NOT EXISTS and EXCEPT (key: 2)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2022 page
GATE CS 2021 (set 1)
- Q.13 · 1 mark · MSQ · Recovery: Effect of a crash during recovery without checkpoints (key: A)
- Q.23 · 1 mark · NAT · Query Processing: Estimated number of tuples satisfying a selection (key: 819–820 or 205)
- Q.27 · 2 marks · MCQ · Relational Algebra: Meaning of a self-join relational algebra expression on ages (key: C)
- Q.32 · 2 marks · MCQ · Transactions & Serializability: Which of two schedules are conflict serializable (key: B)
- Q.33 · 2 marks · MCQ · Normalisation: Lossless-join property of two decompositions (key: A)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2021 page
GATE CS 2020
- Q.13 · 1 mark · MCQ · Relational Calculus: Result of a tuple calculus query on supplier and catalogue tables (key: A)
- Q.14 · 1 mark · MCQ · ER Model: ER-diagram symbol for the identifying relationship of a weak entity (key: A)
- Q.36 · 2 marks · MCQ · Normalisation: Characterise a relation in 3NF but not BCNF (key: A)
- Q.37 · 2 marks · MCQ · Transactions & Serializability: Find a schedule conflict-equivalent to a given one (key: A)
- Q.54 · 2 marks · NAT · Indexing & B+ Trees: Height of a B+ tree index for one million records (key: 4)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2020 page
GATE CS 2019
- Q.11 · 1 mark · MCQ · Transactions & Serializability: Properties of strict 2PL and timestamp ordering with Thomas' rule (key: C)
- Q.14 · 1 mark · MCQ · Indexing & B+ Trees: Incorrect statement about B+ tree indexes (key: B)
- Q.32 · 2 marks · MCQ · Normalisation: BCNF and dependency preservation of a decomposition (key: C)
- Q.51 · 2 marks · NAT · SQL Queries: Rows returned by a SQL query over two tables (key: 5)
- Q.55 · 2 marks · NAT · Relational Algebra: Tuples returned by a relational algebra query (key: 1)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2019 page
GATE CS 2018
- Q.11 · 1 mark · MCQ · ER Model: Properties of a total many-to-one relationship set (key: A)
- Q.12 · 1 mark · MCQ · SQL Queries: Which SQL join queries return the same result (key: D)
- Q.41 · 2 marks · MCQ · Relational Algebra: Equivalence of a join query with outer joins (key: C)
- Q.42 · 2 marks · MCQ · Normalisation: Which schemas are in BCNF or 3NF given FDs (key: B)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2018 page
GATE CS 2017 (set 1)
- Q.16 · 1 mark · MCQ · Functional Dependencies: Irreducible equivalent of a set of FDs (key: A)
- Q.23 · 1 mark · NAT · SQL Queries: Result of an aggregate SQL query on a table instance (key: 2.6)
- Q.41 · 2 marks · MCQ · Relational Algebra: Equivalence of queries in relational algebra, calculus and SQL (key: D)
- Q.42 · 2 marks · MCQ · Concurrency Control: Deadlock prevention with timestamps (wait-die / wound-wait) (key: A)
- Q.46 · 2 marks · NAT · Relational Algebra: Result size of a division-style query on a table instance (key: 4.0)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2017 page
GATE CS 2016 (set 1)
- Q.21 · 1 mark · MCQ · Keys: Identify the attribute set that is not a superkey (key: B)
- Q.22 · 1 mark · MCQ · Transactions & Serializability: Which property is not part of ACID (key: D)
- Q.23 · 1 mark · MCQ · Normalisation: Highest normal form of a journal schema given FDs (key: B)
- Q.51 · 2 marks · MCQ · Concurrency Control: Properties of a given two-phase locking variant (key: A)
Paper: official PDF · GATE CS 2016 page
Other GATE CS subjects
- General Aptitude
- Engineering Mathematics
- Discrete Mathematics
- Digital Logic
- Computer Organization & Architecture
- Programming & Data Structures
- Algorithms
- Theory of Computation
- Compiler Design
- Operating Systems
- Computer Networks
FAQ
How many marks does Databases (DBMS) carry in GATE CS?
Across the official GATE CS papers from 2016–2026 (one set per year), Databases (DBMS) carried 7 marks a year on average, from 5 in 2023 to 8 in 2025.
Which Databases (DBMS) topics repeat most in GATE CS?
By the number of years they appeared in: Normalisation, Relational Algebra, Transactions & Serializability. The concept table on this page lists every concept with its question count and years.
Are these the official GATE CS Databases (DBMS) questions?
Yes. Each question comes from the official GATE CS question paper for that year, and the key, marks and question type come from the official answer key. Summaries are ours; open the official PDF for the full question.
What question types does Databases (DBMS) use in GATE CS?
Of 51 questions: 29 MCQ, 9 MSQ and 13 NAT. MSQ only appears from 2021 onwards. 26 of the 51 questions carry 2 marks.