RTU Kota B.Tech AI 3rd Semester Software Engineering Question Paper 2026

RTU Artificial Intelligence Software Engineering 2026 Paper Review

Preparing for the Rajasthan Technical University B.Tech Software Engineering exam requires a clear understanding of systematic development lifecycles and modern project management methodologies. For Artificial Intelligence branch students, software engineering principles dictate how you deploy machine learning models into production systems safely and reliably. Designing an AI system requires systematic planning, structural design, proper testing, and maintenance protocols to handle real-world data feeds. The 2026 paper tests your theoretical knowledge of process models, architectural design patterns, testing strategies, and project metrics. Reviewing this specific branch paper shows you exactly how examiners structure the questions and allocate marks across the syllabus modules. This systematic preparation allows you to approach your third-semester exam confidently.

Understanding the AI Branch Exam Pattern

The RTU theory examination is a three-hour paper worth 70 marks. The paper consists of three distinct sections designed to evaluate your conceptual knowledge and system design capabilities.

• Part A: This section contains ten compulsory questions worth two marks each. You must write short definitions, state specific software characteristics, or explain brief terms like clean code principles under 30 words.
• Part B: You will find seven questions here. You must answer five of them. Each question is worth four marks. Your answers require short structural comparisons, drawing small data flow diagrams, or listing specific lifecycle characteristics.
• Part C: This section offers five major questions. You need to answer three. Each question carries ten marks. These require detailed architectural blueprints, complete object-oriented modeling diagrams, or step-by-step calculations for software project estimation metrics.

Core Topics Evaluated in the AI Paper

The 2026 question paper covers several critical modules that form the structural foundation of industrial software creation. Focus your study time on these specific areas to maximize your score.

Software Process Models and Agile Methodologies

This module evaluates your understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). You must know the structural differences between traditional models like the Waterfall model, the Prototyping model, the Iterative Enhancement model, and the Spiral model. The 2026 paper focuses heavily on Agile development, which is widely used in modern AI engineering teams. Practice explaining the Scrum framework, sprint planning, user stories, and the role of the product owner. Examiners frequently ask for a ten-mark question comparing the risk management capabilities of the Spiral model against Agile methodologies.

Requirements Engineering and Specification

You need to master the techniques used to gather and document system requirements. Study the process of requirement elicitation, analysis, and validation. Focus closely on creating a Software Requirements Specification (SRS) document. You must know the characteristics of a high-quality SRS, such as completeness, consistency, and traceability. The paper tests your ability to draw structural diagrams to represent system requirements, including Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) at Level 0, Level 1, and Level 2, as well as Entity-Relationship diagrams.

Software Design and Architecture

This section evaluates how you transform requirements into a structural blueprint. Study architectural styles like client-server, layer-based, and microservices architectures. You must understand the core design concepts of cohesion and coupling. Your goal is to design systems with high cohesion and low coupling. Practice defining different types of cohesion (like functional or sequential cohesion) and coupling (like data or content coupling). For AI students, this module includes Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams. Practice drawing Use Case diagrams, Class diagrams, and Sequence diagrams for smart systems like an automated traffic control system or an online recommendation engine.

Software Testing Strategies and Maintenance

Testing ensures the reliability of software code before deployment. You must understand the structural differences between functional testing and structural testing. Master Black-Box testing techniques like Boundary Value Analysis and Equivalence Partitioning. Study White-Box testing methods, focusing specifically on Basis Path Testing, Cyclomatic Complexity estimation, and control structure testing. You also need to explain the levels of testing, which include Unit Testing, Integration Testing, System Testing, and Acceptance Testing. For the maintenance section, focus on the four types of software maintenance: corrective, adaptive, perfective, and preventive.

Software Project Management and Estimation

This is a calculation-heavy section where you can score full marks. You must know how to estimate the size and cost of a software project. Practice numerical problems using the COCOMO (Constructive Cost Model) for Organic, Semidetached, and Embedded modes to calculate project effort and development time. You must also study lines of code (LOC) and Function Point (FP) metrics. Understand project scheduling tools like PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) charts, Gantt charts, and critical path calculations.

Answer Writing Strategy for High Marks

RTU evaluators look for neat structural diagrams, clear point-wise explanations, and precise numerical substitutions in your answer booklet. Use a blue pen for your general text explanations and a black pen or ruler for drawing system models and charts.

In Part A, answer directly. If the question asks for the definition of software engineering, write the exact IEEE definition. Keep your answers factual and precise.

In Part B, use clear comparison tables. When asked to differentiate between verification and validation, create a two-column table listing their definitions, objectives, and execution phases clearly to make it easy to read.

In Part C, detailed structural modeling is essential. When drawing a Data Flow Diagram or a UML Class diagram for a ten-mark question, label every entity, data store, and process boundary clearly. When solving a COCOMO estimation problem, write down the formula first, list the values of the constants clearly, and then perform the mathematical calculation step by step. Place a prominent box around your final calculated effort in person-months and development time in months to make your final answer visible to the examiner.

Time Management During the Exam

Allocate 20 minutes to Part A. Spend 40 minutes on Part B. Reserve the remaining 120 minutes for the three long-answer questions in Part C. Drawing extensive UML class models, mapping out multi-level data flow diagrams, and calculating project metrics using formulas requires substantial time. This distribution provides you with 40 minutes per major question, giving you ample time to check your diagram labels and verify your calculation steps. Use the final 10 minutes to verify your question numbers, ensure all diagram arrows point in the correct flow direction, and check that all structural parts are answered completely.