BIOLOGY (BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY)

Unit : 1 Diversity in Living World

Biology – its meaning and relevance to mankind

What is living; Taxonomic categories and aids (Botanical gardens, herbaria, museums, zoological parks); Systematics and Binomial system of nomenclature.

Introductory classification of living organisms (Two-kingdom system, Five-kingdom system); Major groups of each kingdom alongwith their salient features (Monera, including Archaebacteria and Cyanobacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia); Viruses; Lichens

Plant kingdom – Salient features of major groups (Algae to Angiosperms);

Animal kingdom – Salient features of Nonchordates up to phylum, and Chordates up to class level.

Unit : 2 Cell : The Unit of Life ; Structure and Function

Cell wall; Cell membrane; Endomembrane system (ER, Golgi apparatus/Dictyosome, Lysosomes, Vacuoles); Mitochondria; Plastids; Ribosomes; Cytoskeleton; Cilia and Flagella; Centrosome and Centriole; Nucleus; Microbodies.

Structural differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic, and between plant and animal cells. Cell cycle (various phases); Mitosis; Meiosis.

Biomolecules – Structure and function of Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic acids.

Enzymes – Chemical nature, types, properties and mechanism of action.

Unit : 3 Genetics and Evolution

Mendelian inheritance; Chromosome theory of inheritance; Gene interaction; Incomplete dominance; Co-dominance; Complementary genes; Multiple alleles;

Linkage and Crossing over; Inheritance patterns of hemophilia and blood groups in humans.

DNA –its organization and replication; Transcription and Translation; Gene expression and regulation; DNA fingerprinting.

Theories and evidences of evolution, including modern Darwinism.

Unit : 4 Structure and Function – Plants

Morphology of a flowering plant; Tissues and tissue systems in plants;

Anatomy and function of root, stem(including modifications), leaf, inflorescence, flower (including position and arrangement of different whorls, placentation), fruit and seed; Types of fruit; Secondary growth;

Absorption and movement of water (including diffusion, osmosis and water relations of cell) and of nutrients; Translocation of food; Transpiration and gaseous exchange; Mechanism of stomatal movement.

Mineral nutrition – Macro- and micro-nutrients in plants including deficiency disorders; Biological nitrogen fixation mechanism.

Photosynthesis – Light reaction, cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation; Various pathways of carbon dioxide fixation; Photorespiration; Limiting factors .

Respiration – Anaerobic, Fermentation, Aerobic; Glycolysis, TCA cycle; Electron transport system; Energy relations.

Unit : 5 Structure and Function – Animals

Tissues;

Elementary knowledge of morphology, anatomy and functions of different systems of earthworm, cockroach and frog.

Human Physiology – Digestive system – organs, digestion and absorption; Respiratory system – organs, breathing and exchange and transport of gases. Body fluids and circulation – Blood, lymph, double circulation, regulation of cardiac activity; Hypertension, Coronary artery diseases.

Excretion system – Urine formation, regulation of kidney function

Locomotion and movement – Skeletal system, joints, muscles, types of movement.

Control and co-ordination – Central and peripheral nervous systems, structure and function of neuron, reflex action and sensory reception; Role of various types of endocrine glands; Mechanism of hormone action.

Unit : 6 Reproduction, Growth and Movement in Plants

Asexual methods of reproduction; Sexual Reproduction – Development of male and female gametophytes; Pollination (Types and agents); Fertilization; Development of embryo, endosperm, seed and fruit (including parthenocarpy and apomixis).