GATE 2025 Life Sciences (XL) Syllabus, Important topics and Books: Exam Dates & Admit Card (OUT), Check now

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering 2025 ( GATE )

DeskCalelnderExam On - 15 Feb '25

UPASANA
UPASANA PRADHAN
Assistant Manager- Editorial
Updated on Jan 31, 2025 00:28 IST

IIT Roorkee has released the exam pattern and syllabus for GATE 2025 Life Sciences. GATE 2025 Exam will be conducted on 1, 2, 15 and 16 February. Candidates can devise a good prep strategy with few months left for the GATE 2025 exam through the information on this page.

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus, Important Topics and Books

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus, Important Topics and Books

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: IIT Roorkee will conduct the GATE 2025 exam on February 1, 2, 15 and 16 2025. IIT Roorkee has released all sections' GATE 2025 Life Sciences exam dates and syllabus. Candidates willing to appear for the GATE XL paper 2025 should know the important topics, suitable sections, marking scheme and other important aspects of the exam. Candidates can check section-wise GATE life science (XL) sample papers and syllabus in detail, the marking scheme and more on this page below;

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Important Links For GATE 2025
GATE 2025 Application Form GATE Previous Year Question Papers
GATE Exam Pattern 2025 GATE 2025 Eligibility Criteria

Latest Updates

GATE 2025 Admit Card released

GATE 2025 Life Science: Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

GATE Life Sciences is mainly divided into 4 sections: general aptitude, one compulsory section, chemistry, and two other sections out of 5 optional sections. Candidates can check the GATE 2025 exam pattern and marking scheme for life sciences in detail mentioned below:

Q:   List some important books for preparing the GATE for Computer Science Engineering paper.

A:
Here are some important books for preparing the GATE Computer Science Engineering paper: "Computer organisation and Design" by David A. Patterson and John L. Hennessy "Operating System Concepts" by Abraham Silberschatz, Peter B. Galvin, and Greg Gagne "Introduction to Algorithms" by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein "Database System Concepts" by Abraham Silberschatz, Henry F. Korth, and S. Sudarshan "Computer Networks" by Andrew S. Tanenbaum and David J. Wetherall "Digital Logic and Computer Design" by M. Morris Mano "Compiler Design" by Alfred V. Aho, Monica S. Lam, Ravi Sethi, and Jeffrey D. Ullman "Theory of Computation" by Michael Sipser "Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach" by Roger S. Pressman "Computer Graphics with OpenGL" by Donald Earn and M. Pauline Baker. It's important to note that these are just a few recommendations and should be used as supplementary material along with other resources such as previous years' question papers, online tutorials, and practice tests.

Q:   Can you suggest some good books for the preparation of GATE for CSE?

A:

Those candidates who are preparing for the GATE Computer Science Engineering paper should refer to the best GATE Computer Science Engineering books 2025 so that their chances of cracking the entrance exam increase. It is important to choose a good book in the preparation journey, and simultaneously, the right strategy also matters. Here, we have listed some books for CSE that may help students in their preparation. Engineering Mathematics:

  • Advanced Engineering Mathematics by Erwin Kreyszig, Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications by Kenneth Rosen.\
  • Theory of Computation: An Introduction to Formal Languages and Automata by Peter Linz
  • Computer organisation & Architecture: Computer Architecture A Quantitative Approach by Hennessy and Patterson and
  • Computer organisation and Embedded systems by Carl Hamacher.
  • Programming & Data Structures: Classic Data Structures by Debasis Samanta
  • The C Programming language by Dennis Richie. Digital Logic: Digital Electronics by S. Salivahanan & S. Arivazhagan and Digital Design by Morris Mano.
  • Computer Networks: Computer Networks by Peterson & Davie and Data Communications and Networking by Kurose & Ross and Behrouz A. Forouzan.
  • Algorithms: Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen and Data Structures & Algorithms by R. S. Salaria.
  • Compiler Design: Compiler Design in C by Allen I Holub and Compilers: Principles, Techniques and Tools by Aho & Ullman.
  • Operating System: Operating Systems by Stallings and Operating System Concepts by Galvin.
  • Databases: Database System Concepts by Henry. F. Korth and Normalization and indexing by Shamkant B. Navathe.

Q:   Which are the best books for an electronics and communication engineer who is preparing for the ESE or GATE?

A:
Check below the list of books that help in the preparation for ESE/IES ECE Exam: 1- Network Analysis by Van Valkenburg and Chakrabarti. 2- Electromagnetic Waves & Radiating Systems by Jardon & Balmain and JD Kraus. 3- Integrated Circuits by K. R. Botkar. 4- Op. Amps & Linear Integrated Circuit by Gayakwad. 5- Digital Logic & Computer Design by Morris Mano. 6- Automatic Control System by Benjamin C. Kuo and B. S Make 7- Control System engineering. By I. G. Nagrath & M. Goal 8- Principle of Communication System by Taub & Schilling, J. B Gupta, and A. Bruu Carlson. 9- Integrated Electronics by Jacob Milman & C. Halkias and Millman & Grabel 10- Digital Principles and Applications (SIE) by Leach & Malvino 11- Network and Systems by D. Roy Choudhary 12- Signals and System by Oppehum, Willsky & Nacob, and Sanjay Sharma. 13- Problems Amp Solutions Control System by Jairath A. K. 14- Electronics & Communication Engineering by Arihant Publication 15- Detailed Solutions in Electronics & Communication for Competitions by S. K. Karna 16- Electronics Engineering Handout by Made Easy Publication. Books for ECE GATE: 1- Network Theory Engineering Circuit Analysis by William H. Hayt Network Analysis by Mac Van Valkenburg 2- Engineering Mathematics Higher Engineering Mathematics by B. S. Grewal GATE Engineering Mathematics: Multiple Choice Questions by R. K. Kanodia 3- Analog Circuits Microelectronic Circuits: Theory and Applications by Adel S. Sedra and Kenneth Carless Smith Op. Amps & Linear Integrated Circuit by Ramakant Gayakwad 4- Digital Electronics Digital Design by M. Morris Mano Modern Digital electronics by R P Jain Microprocessor Architecture, Programming, and Applications with 8085 by Ramesh Gaonkar 5- Automatic Control Systems by Benjamin C Kuo 6- Control Systems Engineering by M Goal and I. J. Nagrath 7- Principles of Electromagnetics by Matthew N. O. Sadiku 8- Semiconductor Physics and Devices by Donald Neamen 9- Signals and Systems by Alan V. Oppenheim, Allan S. Willsky, S. Hamid Nawab 10- Digital and Analog Communications by B. P. Lathi I hope this will help you.
Section No. of Questions   Total Marks
General Aptitude 5 of 1 mark 5 of 2 marks 10  15
Compulsory Section [XL-P: Chemistry] 5 of 1 mark 10 of 2 marks 15  25
Optional section 1 [Any one section from Q to U] 10 of 1 mark 10 of 2 marks 20  30
Optional Section 2 [Any one section from Q to U except optional section 1] 10 of 1 mark 10 of 2 marks 20  30

Also Read: Detailed GATE 2025 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme 

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: Section-wise brief Syllabus

Candidates can check all the topics of each section of the GATE (XL) Life Sciences paper mentioned below, for complete syllabus read below;

Section Topics
XL- P (Chemistry) Atomic Structure and Periodicity, Structure and Bonding, s, p, and d Block Elements, Chemical Equilibria, Electrochemistry, Reaction Kinetics, Thermodynamics, Structure-Reactivity Correlations, Chemistry of Biomolecules
XL- Q (Biochemistry) Biomolecules, Proteins and Enzymes,  Biochemical separation techniques, cell, DNA, Immune system
XL - R (Botany)

Plant Systematics, Plant Anatomy, Plant Development; Cell and Tissue Morphogenesis, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Genetics and Genomics, Plant Breeding, Genetic Modification, Genome Editing, Economic and Applied Botany, Plant Pathology , Ecology and Environment 

XL- S (Micro Biology)

Historical Perspective, Methods in Microbiology, Microbial Taxonomy and Diversity, Prokaryotic Cells: Structure and Function, Microbial Growth, metabolism & genetics, Control of Micro-organisms, Microbial Diseases and Host-Pathogen Interaction, Chemotherapy/Antibiotics 

XL - T (Zoology)

Animal diversity & behavior, Evolution, Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Parasitology and Immunology, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Development Biology 

XL - U (Food Technology)

Food Chemistry and Nutrition, Food Microbiology, Food Products Technology, Food Engineering 

Also Read: Detailed GATE 2025 Syllabus

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GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-P) Chemistry Syllabus

Candidates can check the detailed syllabus of each section of the Chemistry section of GATE Life Sciences paper 2025 here;

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-P) Chemistry Syllabus
Sections Topics
Atomic Structure and Periodicity Planck’s quantum theory, wave-particle duality, uncertainty principle, comparison between Bohr’s model and
quantum mechanical model of hydrogen atom, electronic configuration of atoms and ions. Hund’s rule and Pauli’s
exclusion principle. Periodic table and periodic properties: ionization energy, electron affinity, electronegativity and
atomic size
Structure and Bonding Ionic and covalent bonding, MO and VB approaches for diatomic molecules, VSEPR theory and shape of molecules, hybridization, resonance, dipole moment, structure parameters such as bond length, bond angle and bond energy, hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions. Ionic solids, ionic radii and lattice energy (Born‐Haber cycle).
HSAB principle
s, p and d Block Elements Oxides, halides and hydrides of alkali, alkaline earth metals, B, Al, Si, N, P, and S. General characteristics of 3d
elements. Coordination complexes: valence bond and crystal field theory, colour, geometry, magnetic properties, and isomerism
Chemical Equilibria Osmotic pressure, elevation of boiling point and depression of freezing point, ionic equilibria in solution, solubility
product, common ion effect, hydrolysis of salts, pH, buffer and their applications. Equilibrium constants (Kc, Kp, and KX) for homogeneous reactions

Electrochemistry

Conductance, Kohlrausch law, cell potentials, EMF, Nernst equation, thermodynamic aspects and their applications.

Reaction Kinetics

Rate constant, order of reaction, molecularity, activation energy, zero, first and second-order kinetics, catalysis and
elementary enzyme reactions. Reversible and irreversible inhibition of enzymes

Thermodynamics

Qualitative treatment of state and path functions, First law, reversible and irreversible processes, internal energy,
enthalpy, Kirchoff equation, heat of reaction, Hess’s law, heat of formation. Second law, entropy and free energy.
Gibbs‐Helmholtz equation, free energy change and spontaneity, Free energy changes from equilibrium constant

Structure-Reactivity Correlations and Organic Reaction Mechanisms

Acids and bases, electronic and steric effects, Stereochemistry, optical and geometrical isomerism, tautomerism,
conformers and concept of aromaticity. Elementary treatment of SN1, SN2, E1, E2 and radical reactions, Hoffmann/Saytzeff rules, addition reactions, Markownikoff rule and Kharasch effect. Elementary hydroboration
reactions. Grignard’s reagents and their uses. Aromatic electrophilic substitutions, orientation effect as exemplified
by various functional groups. Identification of common functional groups by chemical tests

Chemistry of Biomolecules

Amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids and nucleotides. Peptide sequencing by chemical and enzymatic proteolytic
methods. DNA sequencing by chemical and enzymatic methods. Carbohydrates (upto hexoses only). Lipids
(triglycerides only). Principles of biomolecule purification-Ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography.
Identification of these biomolecules and Beier Lambert's law

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-Q)  Biochemistry Syllabus

Candidates can check the detailed syllabus of each section of the Biochemistry section of GATE Life Sciences paper 2025 here;

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-Q) Biochemistry Syllabus
Sections Topics
Section 1 Organization of life; Importance of water; Structure and function of biomolecules: Amino acids, Carbohydrates,
Lipids, Proteins and Nucleic acids; Protein structure, folding/misfolding and function; Myoglobin, Hemoglobin,
Lysozyme, Ribonuclease A, Carboxypeptidase and Chymotrypsin.
Section 2 Enzyme kinetics, regulation and inhibition; Vitamins and Coenzymes; Bioenergetics and metabolism; Generation and utilization of ATP; Metabolic pathways and their regulation: glycolysis, TCA cycle, pentose phosphate pathway,
oxidative phosphorylation, gluconeogenesis, glycogen and fatty acid metabolism; Metabolism of Nitrogen containing compounds: nitrogen fixation, amino acids and nucleotides. Photosynthesis, Calvin cycle.
Section 3 Biochemical separation techniques: Ion exchange, size exclusion and affinity chromatography, centrifugation;
Characterization of biomolecules by electrophoresis; DNA- protein and protein-protein interactions; UV-visible and
fluorescence spectroscopy; Mass spectrometry.
Section 4 Cell structure and organelles; Biological membranes; Action potential; Transport across membranes; Membrane
assembly and Protein targeting; Signal transduction; Receptor-ligand interaction; Hormones and neurotransmitters
Section 5 DNA replication, transcription and translation; DNA damage and repair; Biochemical regulation of gene expression;
Recombinant DNA technology and applications: PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, DNA-microarray; Next-generation sequencing; Gene silencing and editing.
Section 6

Immune System: Innate and adaptive; Cell of the immune system; Active and passive immunity; Complement system; Antibody structure, function and diversity; B cell and T Cell receptors; B cell and T cell activation; Major
histocompatibility complex; Immunological techniques: Immuno-diffusion, immune-electrophoresis, RIA and ELISA,
flow cytometry; monoclonal antibodies and their applications

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-R) Botany Syllabus

Candidates can check the detailed syllabus of each section of the Botany section of GATE Life Sciences paper 2025 here;

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-R) Botany Syllabus
Sections Topics
Plant Systematics Botanical nomenclature, history of plant taxonomy, diversity and classification of plants, APG system of plant
classification; phylogenetics and cladistics, molecular taxonomy and DNA barcoding; Centers for plant taxonomy and herbaria in India.
Plant Anatomy Anatomy of root, stem and leaves, floral organs, embryo and young seedlings, Primary and secondary meristems,
stellar organization, vascular system and their ontogeny, xylem and phloem structure, secondary growth in plants and wood anatomy, plant cell structure and differences from animal cells.
Plant Development; Cell and Tissue Morphogenesis Life cycle of an angiosperm, development of male and female gametophyte; cell fate determination and tissue
patterning; spacing mechanisms in trichomes and stomata. Embryogenesis, organization and function of shoot and root apical meristems. Transition to flowering: photoperiodism and vernalization, ABC model of floral organ
patterning, pollen germination, double fertilization, seed development; Xylem and phloem cell differentiation,
photomorphogenesis; phytochrome, cryptochrome, phototropin. Role of auxin, cytokinin, gibberellins, and
brassinosteroids on plant development.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Plant water relations, mechanisms of uptake and transport of water, ions, solutes from soil to plants, apoplastic and symplastic transport mechanisms. Mechanism of stomatal movements, nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis; C3, C4 and CAM cycles, photorespiration, respiration: glycolysis, TCA cycle and electron transport chain. Plant responses and mechanisms of abiotic stresses including drought, salinity, freezing and heat stress, metal toxicity; role of abscisic acid in abiotic stresses. Structure and function of biomolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acid), enzyme kinetics. Structure and biosynthesis of major plant secondary metabolites (alkaloids, terpenes, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids). Biosynthesis, mechanism of action and physiological effects of auxin, cytokinin, gibberellic acids, brassinosteroid, ethylene, strigolactone, abscisic acid, salicylic and jasmonic acid. Senescence and programmed cell death.
Genetics and Genomics Cell cycle and cell division. Principles of Mendelian inheritance, linkage, recombination, genetic mapping; extrachromosomal inheritance; Introduction to epigenetics; gene silencing- transgene silencing, post-transcriptional gene silencing, miRNA and siRNA; evolution and organization of eukaryotic genome structure, gene expression, gene mutation and repair, chromosomal aberrations (numerical: euploidy and aneuploidy and structural: deletion, duplication, inversion, translocation), transposons. Model organisms for functional genetics and genomics; Introduction to transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics.
Plant Breeding, Genetic Modification, Genome Editing Principles, methods – selection, hybridization, heterosis; male sterility, genetic maps and molecular markers, embryo rescue, haploid and doubled haploids, plant tissue culture: micropropagation, embryo culture and in vitro regeneration, somatic embryogenesis, artificial seed, cryopreservation, somaclonal variation, somatic cell hybridization, marker-assisted selection, gene transfer methods viz. direct and vector-mediated, generation of transgenic plants; Introduction to genome editing: CRISPR/Cas9, Cre-Lox system to generate chimeras; plastid transformation; chemical mutagenesis.
Economic and Applied Botany A general account of economically and medicinally important plants- cereals, pulses, plants yielding fibers, timber,
sugar, beverages, oils, rubber, pigments, dyes, gums, drugs and narcotics. Economic importance of algae, fungi, lichen and bacteria. Major Indian cash crops. Effect of industrialization on agricultural botany such as plastic on fiber economy. Genetically modified crops and its regulation, e.g. Bt cotton, Bt brinjal, golden rice etc.
Plant Pathology Nature and classification of plant diseases, diseases of important crops caused by fungi, bacteria, nematodes and
viruses, and their control measures (chemical and biological) mechanism(s) of pathogenesis, resistance: basal,
systemic, induced systemic resistance, gene for gene concept. Molecular detection of pathogens; plant-microbe
interactions: symbionts and mycorrhiza, pathogens and pests. Signaling pathways in plant defence response; salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) in plant-pathogen and plant-herbivore interaction, necrosis; host-parasitic plant interaction (such as Cuscuta).
Ecology and Environment Ecosystems – types, dynamics, degradation, biogeochemical cycles, ecological succession; food webs and energy flow through ecosystem; vegetation types of the world, Indian vegetation types and biogeographical zones, climate and flora endemism; pollution and global climate change, speciation and extinction, biodiversity and conservation
strategies, ecological hotspots, afforestation, habitat restoration; plant interactions with other organisms; epiphytes, parasites and endophytes.

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-S) Microbiology Syllabus

Candidates can check the detailed syllabus of each section of the Microbiology section of GATE Life Sciences paper 2025 here;

Q:   Can you suggest good books for GATE Mechanical Engineering preparation?

A:

Here are some of the most recommended books for GATE ME paper. Candidates must focus on getting good but limited resources whether its books, PYQs or notes and revise them frequently. This way they can ensure better result in the following GATE exam. Candidates can find below books for each section of GATE Mechanical Engineering syllabus;

Applied Mechanics and Design: Engineering Mechanics by SS Bhagavati & The Theory of Machines by SS Ratan 

Fluid Mechanics: 1000 Solved Problems in Fluid Mechanics by K Subramanya

Thermal sciences: Internal Combustion Engines  by V Ganeshan and Power Plant Engineering by PK Nag

Materials, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering: Material Science and Metallurgy by OP Khanna and Industrial Engineering and Management by OP Khanna

Candidate can find out the complete list of GATE ME Books via the Given link; Complete GATE Books List

Q:   What are the best books for GATE preparation?

A:

When preparing for the GATE exam, it is essential to know the exam pattern and the best books for preparation. Candidates must be thorough with their textbooks and lecture notes. Refer to the article here to get the best books for GATE preparation - https://www.shiksha.com/engineering/gate-exam-books

Q:   Can you list some good books for GATE in Computer Science Engineering?

A:

Candidates appearing for GATE in computer science and engineering fields can check below some of the best books for GATE CSE preparation -

  • The C programming language by DENNIS M.Ritchie/Pearson

  • Fundamentals of data structure by Sartaj Sahni

  • Introduction to Algorithms by Thomas H.Cormen

  • Automata theory, languages, and computation by John E Hopcroft, Jeffery D. Ullman

  • Principles of compiler design by Aho and Ullman

  • Operating System Concepts by Galvin

  • Database System Concepts by Henry Korth

  • Introductory Discrete Mathematics by Kenneth Rosen

  • Computer Organisation by Carl Hamacher

  • Modern Digital Electronics by R.P Jain

  • Data Communication and Networking by Behrouz A. Forouzon

Read here to know more about GATE 2025 books - https://www.shiksha.com/engineering/gate-exam-books

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-S) Microbiology Syllabus
Sections Topics

Historical Perspective 

Discovery of microbial world; Landmark discoveries relevant to the field of microbiology; Controversy over
spontaneous generation; Role of microorganisms in transformation of organic matter and in the causation of diseases

Methods in Microbiology 

Pure culture techniques; Principles of microbial nutrition; Enrichment culture techniques for isolation of
microorganisms; antigen and antibody detection methods for microbial diagnosis; Light-, phase contrast-,
fluorescence- and electron-microscopy; PCR, real-time PCR for quantitation of microbes; Next generation sequencing technologies in microbiology

Microbial Taxonomy and Diversity 

Bacteria, Archea and their broad classification; Eukaryotic microbes: Yeasts, molds and protozoa; Viruses and their classification; Molecular approaches to microbial taxonomy and phylogeny.

Prokaryotic Cells: Structure and Function 

Prokaryotic Cells: Cell walls, cell membranes and their biosynthesis, mechanisms of solute transport across
membranes, Flagella and Pili, Capsules, Cell inclusions like endospores and gas vesicles; Bacterial locomotion,
including positive and negative chemotaxis.

Microbial Growth

Definition of growth; Growth curve; Mathematical expression of exponential growth phase; Measurement of growth
and growth yields; Synchronous growth; Continuous culture; Effect of environmental factors on growth; Bacterial
biofilm and biofouling.

Control of Micro-organisms 

Disinfection and Sterilization: Principles, methods and assessment of efficacy.

Microbial Metabolism

Energetics: redox reactions and electron carriers; Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation; An overview of
metabolism; Glycolysis; Pentose-phosphate pathway; Entner-Doudoroff pathway; Glyoxalate pathway; The citric acid cycle; Fermentation; Aerobic and anaerobic respiration; Chemolithotrophy; Photosynthesis; Calvin cycle;
Biosynthetic pathway for fatty acids synthesis; Common regulatory mechanisms in synthesis of amino acids;
Regulation of major metabolic pathways.

Microbial Diseases and Host-Pathogen Interaction

Normal microbiota; Classification of infectious diseases; Reservoirs of infection; Nosocomial infection; Opportunistic infections; Emerging infectious diseases; Mechanism of microbial pathogenicity; Nonspecific defense of host; Antigens and antibodies; Humoral and cell-mediated immunity; Vaccines; passive immunization; Immune deficiency; Human diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and pathogenic fungi.

Chemotherapy/Antibiotics 

General characteristics of antimicrobial drugs; Antibiotics: Classification molecular mechanism of mode of action and resistance; Antifungal and antiviral drugs.
Microbial Genetics

 

Types of mutation; UV and chemical mutagens; Selection of mutants; Ames test for mutagenesis; Bacterial genetic
system: transformation, conjugation, transduction, recombination, plasmids, transposons; DNA repair; Regulation of gene expression: repression and induction; Operon model; Bacterial genome with special reference to E.coli; Phage λ and its life cycle; RNA ; mutation in virus genomes, virus recombination and reassortment; Basic concept of microbial genomics.
Microbial Ecology Microbial interactions; Carbon, sulphur and nitrogen cycles; Soil microorganisms associated with vascular plants;
Bioremediation; Uncultivable microorganisms; basic concept of metagenomics and metatranscriptomics.

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-T) Zoology Syllabus

Candidates can check the detailed syllabus of each section of the zoology section of the GATE Life Sciences paper 2025 here;

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-T) Zoology Syllabus
Sections Topics
Animal Diversity Distribution, systematics and classification of animals, phylogenetic relationships (based on classical and
molecular phylogenetic tools).
Evolution Origin and history of life on earth, theories of evolution, natural selection, adaptation, speciation
Genetics Basic Principles of inheritance, molecular basis of heredity, sex determination and sex-linked characteristics,
cytoplasmic inheritance, linkage, recombination and mapping of genes in eukaryotes, population genetics, genetic
disorders, roles of model organisms in understanding genetic principles
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates; replication, transcription and translation, Krebs cycle, glycolysis,
enzyme catalysis, hormones and their actions, roles of vitamins and minerals
Cell Biology Basic principles of cellular microscopy, structure of cell, cytoskeletal organization, cellular organelles and their
structure and function, cell cycle, cell division, chromosomes and chromatin structure
Gene expression in Eukaryotes Eukaryotic genome organization and regulation of gene expression, transposable elements
Animal Anatomy and Physiology Comparative physiology, the respiratory system, Muscular system, circulatory system, digestive system, the nervous system, the excretory system, the endocrine system, the reproductive system, the skeletal system
Parasitology and Immunology Nature of parasite, host-parasite relation, protozoan and helminthic parasites, the immune response, cellular and
humoral immune response
Development Biology Gametogenesis, Embryonic development, cellular differentiation, organogenesis, metamorphosis, Model organisms used in developmental biology, genetic and molecular basis of development, stem cells
Ecology The ecosystem, Animal distribution, ecological niche and its contribution to ecological diversity, the food chain,
population dynamics, species diversity, zoogeography, biogeochemical cycles, conservation biology, ecotoxicology
Animal Behaviour Type of behaviours, courtship, mating and territoriality, instinct, learning and memory, social behaviour across the
animal taxa, communication, pheromones, evolution of behavior in animals

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-U) Food Technology Syllabus

Candidates can check the detailed syllabus of each section of the food technology section of GATE Life Sciences paper 2025 here;

GATE 2025 Life Sciences Syllabus: (XL-U) Food Technology Syllabus
Sections Topics
Food Chemistry and Nutrition Carbohydrates: Structure and functional properties of mono-, oligo-, & poly- saccharides including starch, cellulose, pectic substances and dietary fibre, gelatinization and retrogradation of starch. Proteins: classification and structure of proteins in food, biochemical changes in post-mortem and tenderization of muscles. Lipids: classification and structure of lipids, rancidity, polymerization and polymorphism. Pigments: carotenoids, chlorophylls, anthocyanins, tannins and myoglobin. Food flavours: terpenes, esters, aldehydes, ketones and quinines. Enzymes: specificity, simple and inhibition kinetics, coenzymes, enzymatic and non- enzymatic browning. Nutrition: balanced diet, essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, protein efficiency ratio, water soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, role of minerals in nutrition, co-factors, anti-nutrients, nutraceuticals, nutrient deficiency diseases. Chemical and biochemical changes: changes occur in foods during different processing.
Food Microbiology Characteristics of Microorganisms: Morphology of bacteria, yeast, mold and actinomycetes, spores and vegetative
cells, gram-staining. Microbial growth: growth and death kinetics, serial dilution technique. Food spoilage: spoilage
microorganisms in different food products including milk, fish, meat, egg, cereals and their products. Toxins from
microbes: pathogens and non-pathogens including Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Shebelle, Escherichia, Bacillus,
Clostridium, and Aspergillum genera. Fermented foods and beverages: curd, yoghurt, cheese, pickles, soya-sauce, sauerkraut, idly, dose, vinegar, alcoholic beverages and sausage
Food Products Technology Processing Principles: Thermal processing, chilling, freezing, dehydration, addition of preservatives and food
additives, irradiation, fermentation, hurdle technology, intermediate moisture foods. Food pack aging and storage:
packaging materials, aseptic packaging, controlled and modified atmosphere storage. Cereal processing and products: milling of rice, wheat, and maize, parboiling of paddy, bread, biscuits, extruded products and ready to eat breakfast cereals. Oil processing: expelling, solvent extraction, refining and hydrogenation. Fruits and vegetables processing: extraction, clarification, concentration and packaging of fruit juice, jam, jelly, marmalade, squash, candies, tomato sauce, ketchup, and puree, potato chips, pickles. Plantation crops processing and products: tea, coffee, cocoa, spice, extraction of essential oils and oleoresins from spices. Milk and milk products processing: pasteurization and sterilization, cream, butter, ghee, ice- cream, cheese and milk powder. Processing of animal products: drying, canning, and freezing of fish and meat; production of egg powder. Waste utilization: pectin from fruit astes, uses of by-products from rice milling. Food standards and quality maintenance: FPO, PFA, A-Mark, ISI, HACCP, food plant sanitation and cleaning in place (CIP)
Food Engineering Mass and energy balance: Momentum transfer: Flow rate and pressure drop relationships for Newtonian fluids flowing through pipe, Reynolds number. Heat transfer: heat transfer by conduction, convection, radiation, heat exchangers. Mass transfer: molecular diffusion and Flick's law, conduction and convective mass transfer, permeability through single and multilayer films. Mechanical operations: size reduction of solids, high pressure homogenization, filtration, centrifugation, settling, sieving, mixing & agitation of liquid. Thermal operations: thermal sterilization, evaporation of liquid foods, hot air drying of solids, spray and freeze-drying, freezing and crystallization. Mass transfer operations: psychometric, humidification and dehumidification operations

Books for GATE 2025 Life Sciences Preparation

Candidates can check the suggested books for the preparation of each section of the GATE 2025 Life Sciences (XL) paper;

Section Suggested Books
(XL-P) Chemistry
  • Physical Chemistry by Ira N. Levine
  • Organic Chemistry by Jonathan Clayden, Nick Greeves, Stuart Warren
  • Principles of Inorganic Chemistry by B.R.Puri, L.R. Sharma, K.C.Kalia
(XL-Q)  Biochemistry
  • Biochemistry by Voet D. and Voet J.G
  • Essential Immunology by Ivan M. Roitt
  • Principles of Gene Manipulation and Genomics-S.B. Primrose
  • Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology by Wilson/Walker
  • The Cell: A Molecular Approach by Geoffrey M. Cooper,
(XL-R) Botany
  • A Textbook Of Botany Vol-3 by S.N Pandey
  • Plant Physiology by Frank B. Salisbury
  • Basic Ecology: Fundamentals of Ecology by Eugene P. Odum
  • Plant Pathology by R.S. Mehrotra
  • Hill Economic Botany by O.P. Sharma
  • Modern Botany by M.P. Kaushik
(XL-S) Microbiology
  • Microbiology(fifth edition) by Micheal Pelczar, E.C.S Chan, Noel R. Krieg
  • Microbiology by Prescott
  • A and P Textbook of Microbiology by R. Ananthanarayan and Arti Kapil
(XL-T) zoology
  • Animal Biology  by Jurd
  • Modern Text Book Of Zoology Vertebrates by R.L.Kotpal
  • General Zoology by Guthrie Mary Jane and Anderson John M
  • Invertebrate Zoology by N.C Nair
  • Animal Physiology by Richard W. Hill
  • Mammology: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology by George A. Feldhamer
(XL-U) Food Technology
  • Food Technology and Nutrition by Sunetra Roday
  • Advanced textbook on Food and Nutrition Vol. 1 by Dr M. Swaminathan
  • Technology of Food Product Development by Samuel A. Matz
  • Food Science and Processing Technology Biochemistry Of Food and Nutrition by Neha Publishers and Distributors
  • The Technology of Food Preservation by Desrosier
  • Agricultural Processing and Food Technology by Suresh Chandra, Goyal&Kumari

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Answered Yesterday

Yes, even if you have less than 60% in your B.Tech, you can still get admission to an M.Tech programme in IITs or NITs by qualifying the GATE exam, as the primary selection criteria for M.Tech admissions in these institutes is your GATE score, not just your B.Tech percentage; however, some institute

...Read more

N

Nazrul Khan

Contributor-Level 6

Answered Yesterday

M.Tech admission can happen without GATE through alternative entrance mechanisms that various institutions have established.

1. Sponsored Admissions
Some IITs and NITs provide M.Tech admissions to candidates without GATE if their employer sponsors and they hold work experience exceeding two years. You

...Read more

A

Antu Kaibartya

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 2 days ago

MTech Admission is done based on an entrance exam such as GATE, OJEE, UPSEE and TANCET. To be eligible for seeking admission to the M.Tech course, candidates must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree in a relevant field. Top M.Tech colleges include IITs and NITs. Fee should be maximum

...Read more

D

Dev Sharma

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 5 days ago

Yes, GATE marks are accepted for admission to the MS in Computing programme at National University of Singapore. Students can submit GATE marks as an alternative to GMAT or GRE scores, typically for candidates who have graduated from Indian universities. 

M

Misha

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 5 days ago

GATE exam is conducted only once a year to offer admissions to master's and PhD programs at top institutions, such as IITs and NITs. Qualifying GATE exam also paves the way for technical jobs in PSUs. This year, IIT Roorkee is conducting the GATE 2025 exam on Feb 1, 2, 15, and 16, 2025 in two ses

...Read more

P

Piyush Jain

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 6 days ago

Candidates seeking admission to get into GIET Engineering College must acquire a cutoff of 355 score for the MTech in VLSI course for General category students in the AI quota,  to make you eligible for the admission to GIET Engineering College. 

Refer to the table below for more information:

Course2024
M.Tech in VLSI And Embedded Systems355

P

Parul Jain

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 6 days ago

GIET Engineering College offers M.Tech course based on GATE scores. As per the GATE last-round cut off, the closing ranks needed to get into the only available course, which is M.Tech in VLSI And Embedded Systems, stood at 355. So, 350 is so close to the cutoff but still you won't be able to get th

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C

Chanchal Sinha

Beginner-Level 5

Answered a week ago

Candidates can add the two-paper combination option at the time of filling the GATE application form. Candidates will be allowed to opt for at least two papers - One primary and one secondary subject. 

A

Abhay Choudhury

Beginner-Level 4

Answered a week ago

The allowed GATE paper combination for Instrumentation Engineering are as follows -

BM - Biomedical Engineering, EC - Electronics and Communication, EE- Electronics Engineering, ME - Mechanical Engineering, and CS - Computer Science and Information Technology.

I

Indrani Uniyal

Beginner-Level 4

Answered a week ago

If you are an IIT graduate with a BTech degree in Communications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Electronics and Communication Engineering and have an overall CGPA of 8 and above or more than 75% marks, you can get direct admission for M.Tech Communications Engineering.

Not all IITs offer thi

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V

Vidhi Jain

Contributor-Level 10