# Theory of Computation GATE CSE PYQ Topic Wise (2016–2026)

> Theory of Computation GATE CSE PYQs: all 54 questions from the official papers 2016–2026, by concept with marks and official key. 7.8 marks a year.

Source: https://previousyearquestions.app/gate/cs/topics/toc/

Explore: <a href="/gate/cs/">GATE CS hub</a> · <a href="/gate/cs/topics/">All GATE CS topics</a> · <a href="/gate/cs/syllabus-pattern/">Syllabus & pattern</a> · <a href="/gate/cs/2026/">GATE CS 2026</a>

## Answer first

Theory of Computation has appeared in 11 of the 11 official GATE CS papers from 2016–2026, with 54 questions in all. It averages **7.8 marks a year**, which puts it 5th of 11 technical subjects. The last three papers gave it 5 (2026), 8 (2025), 7 (2024).

The concepts that came back most often are Context-Free Languages, Regular Languages, Finite Automata. Context-Free Languages, Regular Languages, Finite Automata, Decidability appeared in at least 7 of the 11 years. 13% 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.

<TopicQuestions subject="toc" part="trend" />

## Most-asked concepts

Sorted by how many years a concept appeared in, then by marks.

<TopicQuestions subject="toc" part="concepts" />

## How to practise Theory of Computation from these PYQs

1. Start with the concepts at the top of the table above. They repeat, so they pay off first.
2. Open the official PDF for a year, solve only that year's TOC questions against the clock (about 3 minutes a mark), then check the official key listed below.
3. Log each miss by concept and type (MCQ, MSQ, NAT). An MSQ with one extra option scores zero, so log those separately.
4. Once a concept is clean across two or three years, move on to the next one.
5. Then sit a full year paper from the [GATE CS hub](/gate/cs/) 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.

<TopicQuestions subject="toc" part="questions" />

## Other GATE CS subjects

- [General Aptitude](/gate/cs/topics/general-aptitude/)
- [Engineering Mathematics](/gate/cs/topics/engineering-maths/)
- [Discrete Mathematics](/gate/cs/topics/discrete-maths/)
- [Digital Logic](/gate/cs/topics/digital-logic/)
- [Computer Organization & Architecture](/gate/cs/topics/coa/)
- [Programming & Data Structures](/gate/cs/topics/programming-ds/)
- [Algorithms](/gate/cs/topics/algorithms/)
- [Compiler Design](/gate/cs/topics/compiler-design/)
- [Operating Systems](/gate/cs/topics/os/)
- [Databases (DBMS)](/gate/cs/topics/dbms/)
- [Computer Networks](/gate/cs/topics/computer-networks/)

## FAQ

### How many marks does Theory of Computation carry in GATE CS?
Across the official GATE CS papers from 2016–2026 (one set per year), Theory of Computation carried 7.8 marks a year on average, from 5 in 2026 to 10 in 2017.

### Which Theory of Computation topics repeat most in GATE CS?
By the number of years they appeared in: Context-Free Languages, Regular Languages, Finite Automata. The concept table on this page lists every concept with its question count and years.

### Are these the official GATE CS Theory of Computation 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 Theory of Computation use in GATE CS?
Of 54 questions: 34 MCQ, 13 MSQ and 7 NAT. MSQ only appears from 2021 onwards. 32 of the 54 questions carry 2 marks.