A composite paper with chemistry (compulsory) and optional sections like biochemistry, botany, and zoology, for candidates pursuing life sciences research.

GATE Life Sciences

Official 2025 syllabus extracted from https://gate2025.iitr.ac.in/doc/2025/GATE%20_XL_2025_Syllabus.pdf

XL-P: Chemistry (Compulsory)

Planck's quantum theory

Wave-particle duality

Uncertainty principle

Bohr's model vs 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, atomic size

Atomic Structure and Periodicity

Ionic and covalent bonding

MO and VB approaches for diatomic molecules

VSEPR theory and shape of molecules

Hybridization, resonance, dipole moment

Bond length, bond angle, bond energy

Hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions

Ionic solids, ionic radii and lattice energy (Born-Haber cycle)

HSAB principle

Structure and Bonding

Oxides, halides and hydrides of alkali and alkaline earth metals

Oxides, halides, hydrides of B, Al, Si, N, P, S

General characteristics of 3d elements

Coordination complexes: valence bond and crystal field theory

Colour, geometry, magnetic properties and isomerism

s, p and d Block Elements

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, KX) for homogeneous reactions

Chemical Equilibria

Conductance

Kohlrausch law

Cell potentials, EMF

Nernst equation

Thermodynamic aspects and applications

Electrochemistry

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

Reaction Kinetics

State and path functions

First law: reversible and irreversible processes

Internal energy, enthalpy

Kirchhoff 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

Thermodynamics

Acids and bases

Electronic and steric effects

Stereochemistry: optical and geometrical isomerism

Tautomerism, conformers

Concept of aromaticity

SN1, SN2, E1, E2 and radical reactions

Hoffmann/Saytzeff rules

Addition reactions, Markownikoff rule, Kharasch effect

Hydroboration reactions

Grignard's reagents and their uses

Aromatic electrophilic substitutions

Orientation effects of functional groups

Identification of functional groups by chemical tests

Structure-Reactivity Correlations and Organic Reaction Mechanisms

Amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids and nucleotides

Peptide sequencing by chemical and enzymatic proteolytic methods

DNA sequencing by chemical and enzymatic methods

Carbohydrates (up to hexoses)

Lipids (triglycerides)

Biomolecule purification: ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography

Identification of biomolecules and Beer-Lambert's law

Chemistry of Biomolecules

XL-Q: Biochemistry

Organization of life

Importance of water

Structure and function of biomolecules: amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids

Protein structure, folding/misfolding and function

Myoglobin, hemoglobin, lysozyme, ribonuclease A, carboxypeptidase, chymotrypsin

Biomolecules and Protein Function

Enzyme kinetics, regulation and inhibition

Vitamins and coenzymes

Bioenergetics and metabolism

Generation and utilization of ATP

Glycolysis, TCA cycle, pentose phosphate pathway

Oxidative phosphorylation

Gluconeogenesis, glycogen and fatty acid metabolism

Nitrogen fixation, amino acid and nucleotide metabolism

Photosynthesis, Calvin cycle

Enzymes and Metabolism

Ion exchange, size exclusion and affinity chromatography

Centrifugation

Electrophoresis

DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions

UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy

Mass spectrometry

Biochemical Techniques

Cell structure and organelles

Biological membranes

Action potential

Transport across membranes

Membrane assembly and protein targeting

Signal transduction

Receptor-ligand interaction

Hormones and neurotransmitters

Cell Biology and Signaling

DNA replication, transcription and translation

DNA damage and repair

Biochemical regulation of gene expression

Recombinant DNA technology: PCR, site directed mutagenesis, DNA microarray

Next generation sequencing

Gene silencing and editing

Molecular Biology

Innate and adaptive immune system

Cells 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: immunodiffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, RIA, ELISA, flow cytometry

Monoclonal antibodies and applications

Immunology

XL-R: Botany

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 Systematics

Anatomy of root, stem, leaves, floral organs, embryo and young seedlings

Primary and secondary meristems

Stelar organization

Vascular system and ontogeny

Xylem and phloem structure

Secondary growth and wood anatomy

Plant cell structure vs animal cells

Plant Anatomy

Life cycle of an angiosperm

Development of male and female gametophyte

Cell fate determination and tissue patterning

Spacing mechanisms in trichomes and stomata

Embryogenesis

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, brassinosteroids

Plant Development; Cell and Tissue Morphogenesis

Plant water relations

Uptake and transport of water, ions, solutes

Apoplastic and symplastic transport

Mechanism of stomatal movements

Nitrogen metabolism

Photosynthesis: C3, C4 and CAM cycles

Photorespiration

Respiration: glycolysis, TCA cycle, electron transport chain

Abiotic stress responses: drought, salinity, freezing, heat, metal toxicity

Role of abscisic acid in abiotic stresses

Structure of biomolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids)

Enzyme kinetics

Plant secondary metabolites: alkaloids, terpenes, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids

Biosynthesis and action of plant hormones

Senescence and programmed cell death

Plant Physiology and Biochemistry

Cell cycle and cell division

Mendelian inheritance

Linkage, recombination, genetic mapping

Extra chromosomal inheritance

Epigenetics

Gene silencing: transgene, post-transcriptional, miRNA, siRNA

Evolution and organization of eukaryotic genome

Gene expression

Gene mutation and repair

Chromosomal aberrations: euploidy, aneuploidy; deletion, duplication, inversion, translocation

GATE Life Sciences Syllabus 2025, 2026 and more: Subjects, Topics, and What to Study