during the zygotene stage of meiotic Prophase I, homologous chromosomes start pairing together through a process called synapsis . This process is accompanied by the formation of a structure called the synaptonemal complex, and the resulting pair of synapsed chromosomes is known as a bivalent or a tetrad . Other options represent distinct cellular components: kinetochores are disc-shaped attachment sites on centromeres , the axoneme is the structural core of cilia or flagella , and the equatorial plate is the plane of chromosome alignment during metaphase . Understanding these specific meiotic stages is a high-priority strategy for medical aspirants, as NCERT textbooks serve as the primary source for approximately 95% of NEET Biology questions .