‘Practicing questions became the core of my strategy’

Tanisha Yadav, a B.Tech (CSE) student from the School of Engineering & Technology(SOET) at Apeejay Stya University (ASU), Gurugram, secured All India Rank 9000 in GATE 2026, highlighting ASU’s strong performance with a 20% qualification rate above the national average. On achieving this, she expressed how her journey at Apeejay has been incredibly enriching and transformative. “Over the past few years, the university has actively supported my growth by organising various hands-on workshops and certification programs. These opportunities allowed me to dive deep into my passion for software development and build a very strong technical foundation,” she highlighted.

Balancing these practical learning experiences with her academic coursework naturally pushed her to test her knowledge further, which ultimately led her to take on the GATE examination. In this interview, she shared her preparation strategy and learning journey: 

Could you please walk us through your preparation strategy and how you managed to balance your B.Tech curriculum at SOET with the rigorous demands of GATE? 

Time management was definitely the biggest challenge. Because regular college days were quite packed, I made a strict rule to dedicate my weekends entirely to GATE preparation. Knowing I was short on time, I had to be strategic. Instead of getting bogged down by traditional 180-hour long lecture series, I focused entirely on high-yield studying. I relied heavily on ‘one-shot’ revision videos to grasp the core concepts quickly, and then immediately shifted my energy toward active problem-solving. Practicing questions became the core of my strategy, which allowed me to stay efficient and balance my B.Tech studies during the week.

3. Computer Science and Engineering is known for its deep theoretical and analytical challenges. Which specific subjects or modules did you find most daunting and what specific methods did you use to secure an All India rank of 9000? 

The CSE syllabus is undeniably vast, and I personally found Digital Logic and Computer Organization and Architecture (COA) to be the most daunting. The theoretical depth in those subjects can be quite overwhelming at first. I quickly realised that simply reading the theory wouldn’t be enough for me to clear those modules. To overcome this, I completely shifted my approach for COA and Digital Logic to heavy application. I practiced a massive volume of questions specifically for those subjects. Applying the concepts to actual, complex problems helped demystify the logic behind them, and that rigorous practice was instrumental in helping me secure my rank.”

How did the environment, faculty, or resources at the School of Engineering and Technology contribute to your ‘extraordinary’ performance and help you stand out on a national level? 

The environment and faculty at SOET were the absolute backbone of this achievement. Professor Moin Uddin played a monumental role in my journey; he was actually the one who first motivated me to attempt GATE and believed I could crack it. He constantly kept our spirits high and went out of his way to provide essential preparation resources. Additionally, my mentor, Shatakshi Srivastava, along with the rest of the faculty, were incredibly supportive. They understood the intense demands of national-level exam prep and graciously offered some relaxation in my attendance. That flexibility gave me the crucial extra hours I needed to self-study and focus.

As you move forward, how do you plan to leverage this success in your professional career, and what advice would you give to your juniors at ASU who aspire to replicate your achievement next year?

Moving forward, the deep theoretical foundation I built while preparing for GATE is going to be incredibly valuable as I take on complex software development roles in the industry. It has completely changed how I approach problem-solving.

As for my juniors, my biggest piece of advice is to prioritise active practice over passive learning. Don’t get stuck in the loop of watching endless hours of video lectures. Watch concise, one-shot videos to clear your concepts, and jump straight into solving past year questions. Furthermore, consistency is key—even if you can only study on weekends, make sure you show up every single weekend without fail.