GATE DA (Data Science & AI): Why It Has the Highest 2026 Qualifying Cutoff

Introduced in 2024, the GATE Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DA) paper saw rapid uptake and recorded the highest qualifying cutoff of all papers in GATE 2026 at 39.8 for the General category.

DA's syllabus covers Probability and Statistics, Linear Algebra, Programming and Data Structures, Algorithms, Data Management, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. It shares significant overlap with Computer Science (CS), making the CS + DA two-paper combination one of the most popular for candidates targeting AI/ML-related M.Tech programmes.

If you are considering the DA paper, download the official DA syllabus from the current GATE website and compare it against your CS background. Always confirm on the official GATE portal.