Doctor to GATE DA AIR-1: Nikhil Sadineni’s Journey

Beginning the Journey

His interest in machine learning grew during COVID. Later, while pursuing the BS in Data Science from IIT Madras, he decided to appear for GATE DA. He came across GO Classes via toppers’ lists and social media, and joined our complete course in September–October. A month later, he enrolled in the test series.

“I completed 90% of the course. Skipped some revision lectures I was confident in.”

A graduate from AIIMS Delhi (2017–2022), Nikhil had secured NEET Rank 57, but his interest in machine learning grew alongside his medical studies. During COVID, he enrolled in the BS in Data Science from IIT Madras (online mode), where he achieved a GPA of 9.82. His dual background in medicine and technology led him to explore AI applications in healthcare — and ultimately toward GATE DA and MTech in AI.

In August–September, he made the decision to prepare for GATE DA. He enrolled in the GO Classes Complete Course by late September, and one month later joined their Test Series. He steadily progressed through the course — finishing 90% of it — and skipped only some revision lectures where he already felt confident. 

During his GATE DA preparation, Nikhil was already working as a Physician Consultant at XpertDox (from Jan 2024 to Mar 2025). Despite the demanding nature of his job, he managed to maintain a steady study routine — dedicating 3–4 hours on weekdays and 8–10 hours on weekends. 

His consistent performance and domain expertise eventually led to his promotion in March 2025 as Director of Medical Informatics at the same organization. In this role, he now builds NLP systems to improve medical coding accuracy, perfectly aligning with his goal of applying AI in healthcare. 

In the All India Mock Tests (AIMTs) by GO Classes, he consistently ranked in the top 10, and scored Rank 1 in AIMT-7 — a strong confidence boost close to the exam.

He began revising from January 10 using the annotated notes by GO Classes and previous toppers' notes. He found the annotated material extremely valuable for understanding concepts and solving difficult questions. 

Challenging topics for him included:

  • SVD in Linear Algebra
  • Hypothesis Testing in Probability
  • SVM in Machine Learning
  • Normalization in DBMS
He emphasized that these required a lot of structured practice and attention to detail. To reduce mistakes, Nikhil created a focused mock test environment — using a table, chair, and simulating the real exam setting for 3 hours. He lost around 4 marks, but also gained time by solving a familiar questions.

 His advice to future aspirants:

“Don’t focus only on theory — solve enough questions. Practice matters more than you think. 
Key Points from His Journey:
  • Started prep in September
  • Joined GO Classes full course and test series
  • Top 10 ranks in AIMTs, Rank 1 in AIMT-7
  • Used GO Classes annotated notes for final revision
  • Balanced job and studies with a focused routine
  • AIR 1 in GATE DA 2025
Watch the Full Interview Here:

Interview

Priyam
Team GO Classes