GATE papers · Updated Oct 2026
GATE XL (Life Sciences) syllabus, weightage and study plan
Every section and topic of the official GATE 2027 Life Sciences (XL) syllabus with its share of the 100 marks and a first-pass study time. No reliable past-paper weightage exists for this paper, so marks are split evenly across the official sections and topics. Treat the numbers as a planning aid.
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Exam pattern at a glance
- Questions
- 65 (10 General Aptitude + 55 subject), 100 marks, 3 hours
- General Aptitude
- 15 marks, common to all papers
- Marking
- MCQ: −1/3 or −2/3 for a wrong answer; MSQ and NAT: no negative marking
- When
- February (2027)
- Second paper allowed
- GATE BT, GATE CY, GATE EY
Check the latest notification before the exam. Official syllabus ↗
Chapter-wise weightage and study hours
Weightage is the topic's share of the 100 marks; hours are a first pass without revision.
Choice sections: pick 2 of 5 (chosen during the exam). Compulsory and picked sections add up to 100%. The sample week assumes the first 2 listed.
General Aptitude 15% of the paper · 84 h
| # | Chapter / topic | Weightage (% of paper) | Study hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verbal Aptitude | 3.8% | 21 |
| 2 | Quantitative Aptitude | 3.8% | 21 |
| 3 | Analytical Aptitude | 3.8% | 21 |
| 4 | Spatial Aptitude | 3.8% | 21 |
| Total | 84 |
XL0: Chemistry (compulsory) 25% of the paper · 140 h
| # | Chapter / topic | Weightage (% of paper) | Study hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atomic Structure and Periodicity | 2.5% | 14 |
| 2 | Structure and Bonding | 2.5% | 14 |
| 3 | s, p and d Block Elements | 2.5% | 14 |
| 4 | Bioinorganic Chemistry | 2.5% | 14 |
| 5 | Chemical Equilibria | 2.5% | 14 |
| 6 | Electrochemistry | 2.5% | 14 |
| 7 | Reaction Kinetics | 2.5% | 14 |
| 8 | Thermodynamics | 2.5% | 14 |
| 9 | Structure-Reactivity Correlations and Organic Reaction Mechanisms | 2.5% | 14 |
| 10 | Chemistry of Biomolecules | 2.5% | 14 |
| Total | 140 |
XL1: Biochemistry 30% of the paper · choice section · 168 h
| # | Chapter / topic | Weightage (% of paper) | Study hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Structure and Function of Biomolecules | 5.0% | 28 |
| 2 | Enzymes and General Principles of Metabolism | 5.0% | 28 |
| 3 | Metabolic Pathways and Associated Disorders | 5.0% | 28 |
| 4 | Analytical Techniques | 5.0% | 28 |
| 5 | Cell Structure and Function | 5.0% | 28 |
| 6 | Gene Expression and Its Regulation, and DNA Repair | 5.0% | 28 |
| Total | 168 |
XL2: Botany 30% of the paper · choice section · 162 h
| # | Chapter / topic | Weightage (% of paper) | Study hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plant Systematics | 3.3% | 18 |
| 2 | Plant Anatomy | 3.3% | 18 |
| 3 | Plant Development; Cell and Tissue Morphogenesis | 3.3% | 18 |
| 4 | Plant Physiology and Biochemistry | 3.3% | 18 |
| 5 | Genetics and Genomics | 3.3% | 18 |
| 6 | Plant Breeding, Genetic Modification, Genome Editing | 3.3% | 18 |
| 7 | Economic and Applied Botany | 3.3% | 18 |
| 8 | Plant Pathology | 3.3% | 18 |
| 9 | Ecology and Environment | 3.3% | 18 |
| Total | 162 |
XL3: Microbiology 30% of the paper · choice section · 160 h
| # | Chapter / topic | Weightage (% of paper) | Study hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Historical Perspective | 3.0% | 16 |
| 2 | Methods in Microbiology | 3.0% | 16 |
| 3 | Microbial Taxonomy and Diversity | 3.0% | 16 |
| 4 | Prokaryotic Cells: Structure and Function | 3.0% | 16 |
| 5 | Microbial Growth | 3.0% | 16 |
| 6 | Microbial Metabolism | 3.0% | 16 |
| 7 | Microbial Diseases and Host Pathogen Interaction | 3.0% | 16 |
| 8 | Control of Micro-organisms: Chemotherapy/Antibiotics | 3.0% | 16 |
| 9 | Microbial Genetics | 3.0% | 16 |
| 10 | Microbial Ecology | 3.0% | 16 |
| Total | 160 |
XL4: Zoology 30% of the paper · choice section · 165 h
| # | Chapter / topic | Weightage (% of paper) | Study hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Animal Diversity | 2.7% | 15 |
| 2 | Evolution | 2.7% | 15 |
| 3 | Genetics | 2.7% | 15 |
| 4 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 2.7% | 15 |
| 5 | Cell Biology | 2.7% | 15 |
| 6 | Gene Expression in Eukaryotes | 2.7% | 15 |
| 7 | Animal Anatomy and Physiology | 2.7% | 15 |
| 8 | Parasitology and Immunology | 2.7% | 15 |
| 9 | Development Biology | 2.7% | 15 |
| 10 | Ecology | 2.7% | 15 |
| 11 | Animal Behaviour | 2.7% | 15 |
| Total | 165 |
XL5: Food Technology 30% of the paper · choice section · 164 h
| # | Chapter / topic | Weightage (% of paper) | Study hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food Chemistry and Nutrition | 7.5% | 41 |
| 2 | Food Microbiology | 7.5% | 41 |
| 3 | Food Products Technology | 7.5% | 41 |
| 4 | Food Engineering | 7.5% | 41 |
| Total | 164 |
A sample first week
A first week at 6 hours a day, built from the weightage above: each subject gets sessions in proportion to its marks, starting with its heaviest chapters, mixed so no day is one subject only. Your real plan in the app fits your own hours and exam date.
| Day | Session 1 (2 h) | Session 2 (2 h) | Session 3 (2 h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | General AptitudeVerbal Aptitude | XL0: ChemistryAtomic Structure and Periodicity | XL1: BiochemistryStructure and Function of Biomolecules |
| Tue | XL2: BotanyPlant Systematics | General AptitudeVerbal Aptitude (contd.) | XL0: ChemistryAtomic Structure and Periodicity (contd.) |
| Wed | XL1: BiochemistryStructure and Function of Biomolecules (contd.) | XL2: BotanyPlant Systematics (contd.) | General AptitudeVerbal Aptitude (contd.) |
| Thu | XL0: ChemistryAtomic Structure and Periodicity (contd.) | XL1: BiochemistryStructure and Function of Biomolecules (contd.) | XL2: BotanyPlant Systematics (contd.) |
| Fri | XL0: ChemistryAtomic Structure and Periodicity (contd.) | XL1: BiochemistryStructure and Function of Biomolecules (contd.) | XL2: BotanyPlant Systematics (contd.) |
| Sat | XL0: ChemistryAtomic Structure and Periodicity (contd.) | XL1: BiochemistryStructure and Function of Biomolecules (contd.) | XL2: BotanyPlant Systematics (contd.) |
| Sun | Revise this week's chapters, take one timed mock or sectional test, and log the score. | ||
How Daily Tayyari plans your day
Pick your exam and date
Choose the exam (and GATE paper or UPSC optional) and your exam date. The full official syllabus loads with every chapter listed above.
Tell it your daily hours
Say how many hours you can study on weekdays and weekends. The plan only ever fills that time.
Get today's tasks
Each morning you see a short list of tasks: new chapters weighted by marks, plus practice and revision, sized to fit your day.
Spaced revision, automatically
Finished chapters come back after 1, 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 days, and sooner if a chapter felt hard.
Green, yellow, red status
See whether you are on track, slightly behind or behind, and when the syllabus will be finished at your real pace.
Mock test tracking
Log scores from any test series. Chapters that went badly are marked weak and revised sooner.
Frequently asked questions
Which chapters carry the most weight in GATE XL?
Going by our compiled weightage, the heaviest chapters are Structure and Function of Biomolecules, Enzymes and General Principles of Metabolism, Metabolic Pathways and Associated Disorders, Analytical Techniques, Cell Structure and Function. They are worth starting early, but past papers vary from year to year, so plan to cover the whole syllabus.
Is this GATE XL weightage official?
No. The GATE organising institute publishes the syllabus, not chapter weightage. These numbers come from analyses of previous years' papers, so treat them as a guide to priority, not a promise of what will be asked.
How many hours does the GATE XL syllabus take?
Our first-pass estimate adds up to about 550 hours of study, before revision and mock tests. At 6 hours a day, 6 days a week, that is roughly 3.6 months. Daily Tayyari replaces these defaults with your actual pace after the first week or two.
Can GATE XL be combined with a second paper?
Yes. Under the GATE 2027 rules a XL candidate may also write BT, CY, EY. A second paper adds its own syllabus, so the planner adds its chapters on top.
How do the optional sections in GATE XL work?
You answer the compulsory part plus 2 of the 5 optional sections. Only plan the sections you will actually pick; Daily Tayyari asks for your choice when you set up.
Is Daily Tayyari free, and does it work in Hindi?
Yes. It is free with no ads and no payment; you sign in with Google only so your plan is saved. You can switch between Hindi and English at any time, and chapter names are shown in both.