Resigned my IT job after 1 year to prepare for GATE DA full-time. Was this too bold move?

Hello guys,

I graduated from a Tier-1 college in a non-circuital (non-CS) branch, but I've been heavily interested in AI/ML since my B.Tech days. I landed an on-campus IT job and just completed my 1-year mark there.

All this time, I was hoping to balance my job with GATE DA prep, but I honestly couldn't manage both effectively. I had no luck preparing for the 2026 attempt while working, so I recently made the decision to quit my job and dedicate myself entirely to preparing for GATE DA 2027 full-time.

My only reason for leaving the job is my eagerness to pursue an M.Tech in AI from a top institute and secure better career opportunities in the future.

With about 4 months left until the exam, I feel like I have a decent head start. I’m currently wrapping up Linear Algebra concepts, and thanks to my background, I’m already very familiar with DSA, Python, and core ML algorithms. Because of this, I feel confident that covering the rest of the syllabus won't be too overwhelming.

However, a few of my friends and former colleagues mentioned that this is a very bold (and risky) move. Their main concern is that if things go wrong, finding another job in the current market with a gap might be difficult.

I just wanted to get your thoughts and suggestions on this. Has anyone else here taken a similar leap?

Hoping for some positive insights!

Thanks in advance!