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Compiler Design (CD) AKTU exam strategy

Focus on Unit 2 (Basic Parsing Techniques and Automatic Construction of Efficient Parsers) and Unit 3 (Syntax-Directed Translation and Intermediate Code). Together they account for about 61 marks among all questions printed per paper. Unit 1 (Compiler Foundations, Lexical Analysis and Syntactic Specification) is safest to skim if you're short on time.

Unit priority

  • Unit 2 (Basic Parsing Techniques and Automatic Construction of Efficient Parsers) – Must Prepare, 32 marks avg. Unit 2 (Basic Parsing Techniques and Automatic Construction of Efficient Parsers) averages 32 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Must-do: Shift-Reduce Parsing, Top-Down Parsing, Predictive Parsers, Construction of SLR Parsing Tables.
  • Unit 3 (Syntax-Directed Translation and Intermediate Code) – High Priority, 29 marks avg. Unit 3 (Syntax-Directed Translation and Intermediate Code) averages 29 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Quadruples and Triples has appeared in every paper analysed — these are must-dos. Must-do: Quadruples and Triples, Intermediate Code, Translation of Statements That Alter the Flow of Control, Syntax-Directed Translation Schemes.
  • Unit 4 (Symbol Tables, Run-Time Administration and Error Recovery) – High Priority, 25 marks avg. Unit 4 (Symbol Tables, Run-Time Administration and Error Recovery) averages 25 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Must-do: Error Detection and Recovery, Data Structures for Symbol Tables, Implementation of Simple Stack Allocation Scheme.
  • Unit 5 (Code Generation and Code Optimization) – Medium Priority, 25 marks avg. Unit 5 (Code Generation and Code Optimization) averages 25 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Must-do: DAG Representation of Basic Blocks, Machine-Independent Optimizations, Code Generation Design Issues, Loop Optimization.
  • Unit 1 (Compiler Foundations, Lexical Analysis and Syntactic Specification) – Safe to Skim, 22 marks avg. Unit 1 (Compiler Foundations, Lexical Analysis and Syntactic Specification) averages 22 marks per paper — one of the heaviest units in this subject. Must-do: Finite State Machines and Regular Expressions for Lexical Analysis, Compiler Phases and Passes, Ambiguity.

Topics AKTU keeps repeating

  • Quadruples and Triples: Asked in 9 out of 12 papers. If you prepare only one topic from its unit, make it this one.
  • Data Structures for Symbol Tables: Asked in 8 out of 12 papers. If you prepare only one topic from its unit, make it this one.

Short on time?

  • Among all units, Unit 1 (Compiler Foundations, Lexical Analysis and Syntactic Specification) is the lowest priority at 22M avg. If you're running low on time, prioritize the top 3 units and give this one a quick read. But even here — Finite State Machines and Regular Expressions for Lexical Analysis, Compiler Phases and Passes, Ambiguity are high-repeat topics. Cover these at minimum to stay safe.

How the paper is marked

  • Section A: 7 questions × 2 marks = 14 marks. Short definition/concept questions from all 5 units. Prepare 2–3 key definitions per unit — this section is the easiest 14 marks you can secure.
  • Section B: Attempt any 3 of 5 questions × 7 marks = 21 marks. Choose the 3 questions from units you've prepared most. Don't attempt all 5 — pick your strongest 3 and write them well.
  • Section C: 5 OR-pairs × 7 marks = 35 marks. One pair per unit — you must attempt all 5. This is where the exam is won or lost. Focus your deep preparation on the top 3 priority units.

Exam-day tips

  • Start with Section A to build momentum — budget 15–20 minutes max for all 7 questions.
  • In Section B, Unit 2 (Basic Parsing Techniques and Automatic Construction of Efficient Parsers) questions have the highest repeat rate — always attempt that one first.
  • For Section C OR-pairs, read both options before choosing — sometimes the 'b' option is simpler despite appearing longer.
  • If you've prepared the VERY LIKELY topics, you can comfortably score 50+ marks without touching any new topic on exam day.
  • This strategy is built on 12 past papers — the patterns here are highly reliable.