From scratch to GATE CSE — how did you do it?

People who actually qualified GATE CSE — can you share your real preparation story?

I have around 9–10 months and I’m trying to understand what realistically works. Not looking for generic advice, just honest experiences.

Would really help if you could share:

• When did you start your serious prep?
• Were you starting from scratch or already strong in subjects?
• How many hours did you study daily (initially vs later)?
• Apart from PYQs and mocks, what did you practice? (DDP, textbooks, etc.)
• How long did it take you to complete the syllabus?
• When did you start mocks?
• Anything you did differently that you think helped you qualify?
• If you had 9 months again, how would you prepare for GATE CSE?
• What did your average day look like before you cracked GATE CSE?

Trying to understand what actually works from people who’ve been through it.
Even a short reply about your experience would really help. So please share.

This is a sincere request. 🙏
Thanks in advance.