Academic Year 2026-27

BITS HD Test 2026 Syllabus

Complete Syllabus for M.E. Computer Science & M.E. Software Systems

Online CBT Exam 25 & 26 May 2026 Pilani • Goa • Hyderabad Fee: ₹3600 Deadline: 20 Apr 2026
+3
Correct Answer
-1
Wrong Answer

For all the above tests, the questions are of objective type (multiple-choice questions); each question with four answer choices, only one being the correct choice. Each correct answer fetches 3 marks, while each incorrect answer has a penalty of 1 mark. No marks are awarded or deducted for questions not attempted. While the candidate can skip a question, the computer will not allow the candidate to choose more than one option as the correct answer. All the questions and instructions for the test will be in English only.

Important Dates & Deadlines

Portal Opens18 Feb 2026
Application Deadline20 Apr 2026
Form Revision/Editing22-23 Apr 2026
GATE Offers (Iteration 1)04 May 2026
GATE/GPAT Fee Deadline11 May 2026
Test Center Allotment18 May 2026
Hall Ticket Download21 May onwards
BITS HD Online Test25 & 26 May 2026
Results (Iteration 2)08 Jun 2026
Fee Deadline (Iter 2)22 Jun 2026
Results (Iteration 3)29 Jun 2026
Fee Deadline (Iter 3)06 Jul 2026
Reporting of Students30 Jul 2026
Orientation31 Jul 2026
Registration01 Aug 2026
Classwork Begins03 Aug 2026

SYLLABUS FOR TEST I

45 Minutes 30 Questions 90 Marks
Note: Test I is compulsory for all students who are applying for any of the Higher Degree programs of the Institute and will consist of the following sections: Core Mathematics (15 Questions) + English Language Skills & Logical Reasoning (15 Questions).

Core Mathematics — 15 Questions

Calculus: Functions and graphs; limit and continuity; Applications of Derivatives, Applications of Definite Integrals, Convergence of Infinite sequences and series, Maclaurin and Taylor series. Functions of several variables, Limits and Continuity in Higher Dimensions, Partial derivatives, The chain rule Directional Derivatives and Gradient vectors, Tangent planes and Normal lines, Extreme values and saddle points, Double Integrals, Triple Integrals, Line and surface Integrals, Conservative fields, Curl and divergence Theorems of Green, Gauss and Stokes.

Linear Algebra: Matrix Algebra, Row reduction method, Rank and inverse of a matrix, System of linear equations, Vector space; basis and dimension; linear transformation; range and kernel of a linear transformation; Eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

Complex Variables: Analytic functions, Cauchy's theorems; Cauchy's integral formula, Taylor Series and Laurent Series; Calculus of residues and applications.

Probability and Statistics: Sample space and events, Conditional probability and independence; Random variables and probability distributions; Independent random variables; Mathematical expectation; mean and variance; Geometric, Binomial, Poisson's, Exponential, Gamma and Normal distributions; sum of independent random variables; law of large numbers; Central limit theorem, Marginal and conditional distributions; Sampling distribution, Point estimation, Statistical intervals based on a Single sample, Tests of hypotheses based on a single sample, test for mean using normal and Students t-distribution Correlation and linear regression.

Differential Equations: First order differential equations (linear and nonlinear), higher order linear differential equations with constant coefficient, method of variation of parameters, Cauchy-Euler's equation Fourier Series, Laplace Transform, Initial and boundary value problems, Partial differential equations Method of separation of variables.

Numerical Methods: Solution of nonlinear algebraic equations: Newton's method, Secant method, Fixed point iteration method, method of false position, Solution of system of linear equations: Direct methods & Iterative methods, LU decomposition, Integration by Trapezoidal and Simpson's rule.

English Language and Logical Reasoning — 15 Questions

(a) English Language

This test is designed to assess the test takers' general proficiency in the use of English language as a means of self-expression in real life situations and specifically to test the test takers' knowledge of basic grammar, their vocabulary, their ability to read fast and comprehend, and also their ability to apply the elements of effective writing.

1. Grammar
1.1  Agreement, Time and Tense, Parallel construction, Relative pronouns
1.2  Determiners, Prepositions, Modals, Adjectives
1.3  Voice, Transformation
1.4  Question tags, Phrasal verbs
2. Vocabulary
2.1  Synonyms, Antonyms, Odd Word, One Word, Jumbled letters, Homophones, Spelling
2.2  Contextual meaning
2.3  Analogy
3. Reading Comprehension
3.1  Content/ideas
3.2  Vocabulary
3.3  Referents
3.4  Idioms/Phrases
3.5  Reconstruction (rewording)
4. Composition
4.1  Rearrangement
4.2  Paragraph Unity
4.3  Linkers/Connectives

(b) Logical Reasoning

The test is given to the candidates to judge their power of reasoning spread in verbal and nonverbal areas. The candidates should be able to think logically so that they perceive the data accurately, understand the relationships correctly, figure out the missing numbers or words, and to apply rules to new and different contexts. These indicators are measured through performance on such tasks as detecting missing links, following directions, classifying words, establishing sequences, and completing analogies.

5. Verbal Reasoning
5.1  Analogy
Analogy means correspondence. In the questions based on analogy, a particular relationship is given and another similar relationship has to be identified from the alternatives provided.
5.2  Classification
Classification means to assort the items of a given group on the basis of certain common quality they possess and then spot the odd option out.
5.3  Series Completion
Here series of numbers or letters are given and one is asked to either complete the series or find out the wrong part in the series.
5.4  Logical Deduction – Reading Passage
Here a brief passage is given and based on the passage the candidate is required to identify the correct or incorrect logical conclusions.
5.5  Chart Logic
Here a chart or a table is given that is partially filled in and asks to complete it in accordance with the information given either in the chart / table or in the question.
6. Nonverbal Reasoning
6.1  Pattern Perception
Here a certain pattern is given and generally a quarter is left blank. The candidate is required to identify the correct quarter from the given four alternatives.
6.2  Figure Formation and Analysis
The candidate is required to analyze and form a figure from various given parts.
6.3  Paper Cutting
It involves the analysis of a pattern that is formed when a folded piece of paper is cut into a definite design.
6.4  Figure Matrix
In this more than one set of figures is given in the form of a matrix, all of them following the same rule. The candidate is required to follow the rule and identify the missing figure.
6.5  Rule Detection
Here a particular rule is given and it is required to select from the given sets of figures, a set of figures, which obeys the rule and forms the correct series.

SYLLABUS FOR TEST II — Computer Science

105 Minutes 70 Questions 210 Marks
Note: Test II is for students applying to all Higher Degree programs except those who are applying for M.E. in Environmental Engineering and M.E. in Software systems. This paper will attempt to test the student's grasp of the basic subjects of his/her discipline. The discipline courses of different degree programmes of BITS have been used for constructing the questions.

Discrete Mathematics

Principles of Counting, Recurrence Relations, Sets, Functions, Relations, Propositional Logic and Predicate Logic, Strings and Languages.

Reference Books

Mott, Kandel, and Baker. Discrete Mathematics for Computer Scientists & Mathematicians, PHI 2003.

Harry Lewis and Christos Papadimitriou. Elements of the Theory of Computation 2nd Edition, Pearson Education.

Theory of Computation

Regular Languages, Regular Expressions, Finite Automata (deterministic and non-deterministic), Grammar, Context Free Grammar, Context Free Languages, Push Down Automata (deterministic and non-deterministic), Proving languages to be regular vs. not-regular and context free vs. not-context free, Turing Machines, Universal Turing Machine, Recursive and Recursively Enumerable Languages, Decidability and Un-decidability.

Reference Books

Harry R. Lewis and Christos H. Papadimitriou. Elements of the Theory of Computation 2nd Edition, Pearson Education.

Data Structures & Algorithms

Abstract Data Types and Data Structures. Algorithm Analysis and Order Notation.

Sorting and Searching – Algorithms and Complexity; Design and Implementation Techniques.

Linear Data Structures – Lists and Representation; Access-Restricted Lists; Queries, Design, and Implementation.

Dictionary Data Type: Lists, Hash Tables, Search Trees – Height Balancing; Queries, Design, and Implementation.

Non-linear Data Structures and Partially Ordered Data: Trees – Representation, Applications, and Traversal; Graphs – Representation, Connectivity, Traversal, and Paths; Design and Implementation

Reference Books

Michael T. Goodrich, Roberto Tamassia. Algorithm Design. Wiley Student Edition.

Cormen T.H., Leiserson, C.E., Rivest, R.L., and C. Stein. Introduction to Algorithms, MIT Press, 2nd Ed.

Design & Analysis of Algorithms

Algorithm Design Techniques: Top-Down Design (Divide-and-Conquer, Greedy); Bottom-Up Design(Dynamic Programming); Randomization.

Analysis and Complexity: Analysis of Algorithms; Complexity of Problems – Lower Bound Analysis; Non-deterministic Algorithms, Complexity Classes and Reductions, NP-completeness / NP-hardness.

Handling Hard Problems: Search – Backtracking, Branch-and-Bound; Introduction to Approximation Algorithms.

Reference Books

Cormen T.H., Leiserson, C.E., Rivest, R.L., and C. Stein. Introduction to Algorithms, MIT Press, 2nd Edition.

Digital Electronics and Microprocessors

Combinational Logic Design, Adders, Multiplexers, De-Multiplexers, Encoders, Decoders. Sequential Logic Design, Counters, Registers., Programmable Logic Devices and Logic Families., 8085, 8086 architecture and assembly programming, Memory interfacing, Programmable peripheral devices and Interfacing (8253, 8255, 8259, 8251).

Reference Books

Digital Design by M. Morris Mano, 5th edition, Pearson Education, Delhi, 2012.

The Intel Microprocessors by Barry B Brey, 8th edition, PHI, 2014.

Operating Systems

Tasks, Processes, and Threads, Process States & Transitions, Process organization, Process Scheduling. Concurrency, Mutual Exclusion, Process synchronization, Deadlock and Deadlock handling, Memory allocation, Paging and Segmentation, Locality, Virtual memory, Frame allocation and Page replacement algorithms. Thrashing, File systems - Interface, Structure and Implementation, I/O system, Secondary Storage and Mass Storage Structure.

Reference Books

Silberschatz, A and Galvin, P.B. "Operating System Concepts", 9th edition, Addison Wesley, 2012.

Computer Organization and Architecture

Instruction Set Architecture - RISC & CISC processors, Computer Arithmetic & Control Unit., Cache Memory & Main Memory, I/O, Secondary Memory, RAID System, Bus & Interconnections., Pipelining, and Instruction-Level Parallelism.

Reference Books

Hennessey & Patterson: Computer Organization & Design: Hardware-Software Interface, 5th edition, MK/Elsevier, NY, 2013.

Computer Networks

Concept of autonomous computing nodes in Computer Networks, Concept of Services, Interfaces & Protocols in Network Architectures; Classification of Networks: LAN MAN, WAN, SAN, PAN, Network Topologies: Bus, Star, Ring, Tree etc., The IEEE 802 Workgroup and select standards: IEEE 802.1, IEEE 802.2, IEEE 802.3 (& Variants): Ethernet, Error Control, Flow Control, Bridges, Basics of Wi-Fi & IEEE 802.11 (WLAN), Protocols at the Network / Internet Layer: IPv4, IPv6, ICMP(v4), IGMP (v4), ICMPv6, IP Addressing Schemes, IP Sub-netting: FLSM, VLSM, Unicast Routing Algorithms & Protocols: Distance Vector Routing (RIP), Link-State Routing (OSPF), Multicast Routing: PIM-SM, PIM-DM, MOSPF, DVMRP, Path-Vector Routing (BGP), Mobile IP(v4) and Mobile IPv6, Transport Layer Protocols: TCP, UDP, Ports, Sockets, Flow Control, Congestion Control & Avoidance, Application Layer Protocols: HTTP, FTP, DNS, DHCP, SMTP, POP, IMAP, Elementary aspects of Network Security: Integrity, Privacy, Confidentiality, Protection, Authentication, Role of Cryptography, Non-Repudiation, Digital Signatures & Certificates, Intrusion Detection Systems, Firewalls

Reference Books

1. James F. Kurose & Keith W. Ross: Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 7th Edition, Pearson Education Inc. Boston, 2016.

2. Larry L. Peterson & Bruce S. Davie: Computer Networks: A Systems Approach, 5th Edition, MorganKaufmann / Elsevier, New Delhi, 2012, reprint 2016.

3. Andrew S. Tanenbaum & David J. Wetherall: Computer Networks, 5th Edition, Pearson, New Delhi, 2014.

Database Systems

Data Modeling – ER Model, Relational Model, Object-oriented Model, Object-relational Model., Query Languages – Relational Algebra, Relational Calculus, & SQL, Normalization & Indexing – Functional Dependencies (FDs), Closure of set of FDs, Attribute Closure, Cannonical Cover, Normal forms up to 4NF. Primary, Clustering, & Secondary Indices, Tree-based and Hash-based Indexing, Multi-Dimensional Indexing, Query Evaluation & Optimization: Algorithms for evaluation of relational operators, Cost-based & heuristic query optimization techniques, Transaction Management – Concurrency: Locking & Timestamping & Crash Recovery: Log-based & Shadow Paging.

Reference Books

1. Silberschatz, Korth & Sudarshan. Database System Concepts – 3rd edn, Mc-Graw Hill, 2011

2. Garcia-Molina, Ullman, Widom, The Complete Book - Database Systems, 2nd edn, Pearson Education, 2009

Compiler Construction

Overview of Compiler, phases of compiler, Lexical Analysis, Parsing (Top-down and Bottom-up Parsing), Abstract Syntax tree, Symbol Tables, Semantic Analysis. Types inferencing and Type Checking. Syntax Directed Translation. Intermediate Code, Code Generation – Basic Blocks and Flow Graphs, Register Allocation and Assignment, Code Generation Techniques.

Reference Books

1. Aho, A. V., Sethi, R., and Ullman, J. D., Compilers - Principles, Techniques and Tools, Addison-Wesley, 1988. (Indian reprint 2000).

2. Sethi, R., Programming Languages - Concepts & Constructs, 2nd Ed., Addison-Wesley, 1996. (Indian reprint 1999).

SYLLABUS FOR SPECIAL TEST IN SOFTWARE SYSTEMS

60 Minutes 50 Questions 150 Marks
Important: This special test for Software Systems is required for only those students who are applying for M.E. Software systems. Admission to M.E. Software Systems is ONLY through the BITS HD Test. GATE/GPAT score has no relevance in deciding the merit ranking of the candidate.

Structured Programming in C

Control Constructs: Conditionals, Loops, and Jumps, Tuples, Unions, and Lists, Functions and Variables, Recursion, Memory Allocation model, Dynamic Memory Allocation – Pointers and Address Arithmetic, Dynamically Allocated Data and Linked Lists.

Reference Books

Brian W. Kernighan & Dennis M. Ritchie – The C Programming Language, Prentice Hall, Inc., 1988.

Advanced Programming in C

User Defined Types, Access Restricted Lists (Stacks/Queues). Binary Trees, Macros and Preprocessing, Modular Programming – Separate Compilation and linking. Libraries, File and I/Q operations, String Processing.

Reference Books

Brian W. Kernighan & Dennis M. Ritchie – The C Programming Language, Prentice Hall, Inc., 1988.

Object Orientation and Software Engineering

Basics of OOP – Objects and Classes, and Delegation, Inheritance and Dynamic Binding. Types and Polymorphism. Templates/Generics. Software Lifecycle, Development Methodologies, Software Requirements Analysis and Modeling, Object Oriented Design, Design Patterns. Architectural Design, Modeling for Design. Software Testing and Quality.

Reference Books

Herbert Schildt., Java: The Complete Reference, 9th Edition, 2014. Oracle Press.

Database Systems

Database Modeling & Design – ER modeling, Normalization Techniques, Database Querying – SQL.

Reference Books

Database System Concepts. Silberschatz, Korth and Sudarshan. 6th Ed. McGraw Hill, 2016.

Core Systems

Number Representations and Boolean algebra, Logic Gates, Combinational and Sequential Circuits, Computer Organization: Instruction Set. Computer Arithmetic, Control and Memory Organization, Operating Systems – Basics, Processes and Threads, Operating systems – Memory Hierarchy, Virtual Memory, Secondary Storage, File Systems, Local Area Networks and Ethernet, Internetworking: TCP/UDP and IP, World Wide Web: Client – Server Systems, HTTP, HTML, XML, Web-based Systems.

Reference Books

R. E. Bryant and David O' Hallaron, "Computer. Systems: A Programmer's Perspective,", 2nd edition, Prentice-Hall, 2011.

Quick Comparison

Aspect Test I Test II (CS) Software Systems
Duration 45 min 105 min 60 min
Questions 30 70 50
Maximum Marks 90 210 150
Required For All HD programmes M.E. Computer Science M.E. Software Systems
GATE Accepted? N/A Yes (CS paper) No – HD Test Only
Eligibility All applicants CS / IT degree or equivalent Any degree + specific prior prep
Campuses Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad

Financial Assistance

Through GATE/GPAT

Candidates admitted through GATE/GPAT will be eligible for GATE/GPAT scholarship provided by AICTE/PCI. In addition, candidates admitted through GATE/GPAT route will be eligible for a tuition fee waiver amounting to Rs. 13,400/- per month (during the semester) over and above the GATE/GPAT scholarship.

* GPAT Scholarship is exclusively applicable to students admitted to the Pilani Campus only.

Through BITS HD Test

Candidates admitted through the BITS HD Test route will be eligible for a stipend of Rs. 13,400/- per month (during the semester).

All candidates receiving fee waiver or stipend will need to contribute to graduate student teaching assistantship of 8-10 hours of work per week.