NEET to GATE XL — My Journey + Every Resource I Used to Crack It

Summary

The presenter describes moving on from NEET after years of preparation and choosing GATE XL (Life Sciences) as a new direction while completing her graduation. She prepared using the resources discussed in the video and achieved an All India Rank of 699.

Her central advice is that GATE XL is manageable with steady preparation, repeated revision, conceptual understanding, and a strong focus on previous-year questions (PYQs).

Exam structure and question types

GATE XL includes two compulsory sections—General Aptitude and Chemistry—and optional sections in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Zoology, Botany, and Food Technology. Candidates choose two optional sections. The presenter says it is possible to decide during the exam, so preparing more than two can provide flexibility.

The presenter describes three question formats:

• MCQs: One- or two-mark questions with negative marking. She gives penalties of −0.33 for a wrong one-mark answer and −0.66 for a wrong two-mark answer.
• MSQs (Multiple Select Questions): More than one option may be correct. She says there is no negative marking, but credit requires selecting all the correct options.
• NATs (Numerical Answer Type questions): Candidates enter a numerical answer. There is no negative marking, and these questions reward conceptual understanding and can be attempted as a calculated risk.

GATE is organized by a rotating IIT, which sets the paper and publishes the result. A GATE qualification can support applications to master’s and PhD programs at institutions such as IITs, IISc, and NITs. The presenter notes that public-sector job openings for Life Sciences are much more limited than those in engineering fields.

Preparation advice and resources

General Aptitude

The presenter advises candidates not to ignore this section, which she considers a relatively accessible way to gain marks. It covers quantitative and verbal aptitude, including topics such as tenses, synonyms, and antonyms.

She did not rely on a specific aptitude course. Instead, she practised PYQs about 20–25 days before the exam to improve her speed and familiarity with recurring concepts. She recommends aiming for a strong score—roughly 10 out of 12, as stated in the video. If aptitude is a major weakness and there is enough time, she suggests using the resource shown in a screenshot, though its name is not given in the subtitles.

Chemistry

The presenter recommends treating Chemistry as an important compulsory section rather than skipping it. For NEET aspirants, she suggests revising Class 11 and 12 NCERT Chemistry, reviewing NEET notes repeatedly, and practising related questions and PYQs.

She says a solid NEET foundation can cover many questions, though some may be at a more advanced undergraduate level. Candidates without that background may need to skip those questions. She also mentions additional resources, including a YouTube teacher or channel she found useful near the end of her preparation, but the subtitles do not identify it by name.

Botany, Zoology, and Microbiology

The presenter recommends Vedmi and Ved Prab Biology Academy for teaching, PYQ lecture series, and GATE-recall material available on YouTube. She used a Ved Prab Biology Academy batch for Microbiology and particularly praised the teacher. She says free lectures were also available on YouTube.

She also recommends the academy’s Botany and Zoology teaching, while noting that paid batches are optional because many lectures can be found free online. Microbiology preparation can also help with immunology, which she says is relevant to Zoology questions.

Biochemistry

The presenter says Biochemistry was one of her weaker areas. She studied some lectures by Virendra Sir from Vedmi, which had previously been freely available but were later made members-only.

She does not recommend another specific Biochemistry teacher and stresses the importance of practising PYQs and understanding the underlying concepts.

NCERT, PYQs, and revision

The presenter treats PYQs as the foundation of preparation across subjects. Although wording and details may change, recurring concepts and question styles remain useful.

For Botany and related topics, she advises consulting older NCERT material, particularly for:

• Secondary growth, plant anatomy, and plant morphology
• Ecology topics such as nitrogen and phosphorus cycles
• Nitrogen fixation and related material

Her broader approach is to build a foundation using core texts, practise a variety of questions, revise repeatedly, and develop conceptual clarity rather than relying on memorization alone.

Mock tests

Candidates who have joined a course can use its mock tests. Otherwise, the presenter suggests purchasing a test series or mock tests from Ved Prab Biology Academy, Vedmi, IFAS, or Bansal.

Overall, she recommends centring preparation on PYQs and mock practice while maintaining the compulsory sections.

Sources and speakers featured

• Speaker: The presenter, an unnamed creator associated with the Very Seedhi channel, shares her NEET-to-GATE XL experience and preparation advice.
• Institutions mentioned: IIT Guwahati, IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee, IISc, IITs, and NITs.
• Study resources and organizations mentioned: Vedmi, Ved Prab Biology Academy, Virendra Sir, IFAS, Bansal, NCERT, and NEET/GATE XL previous-year questions and mock tests.
• Unidentified resources: A General Aptitude resource shown in a screenshot and a Chemistry YouTube channel or teacher are mentioned but not named in the subtitles.