The NEET Biology syllabus is a crucial component for aspirants aiming to secure a seat in prestigious medical colleges across India. With its vast scope, the syllabus covers a wide range of topics, from the intricacies of cell structure and function to the complexities of human physiology and genetics. Understanding these topics is not just about clearing an exam but also about building a strong foundation in the life sciences, which will be essential in a medical career.

The syllabus is designed to test students’ knowledge, analytical abilities, and application of biological concepts. It includes subjects like Ecology, where students learn about the environment and its interrelationships, Evolution, which delves into the origins and development of life, and Biotechnology, which explores the cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of medicine. Additionally, the syllabus addresses vital topics like Human Health and Diseases, emphasizing the importance of understanding the human body’s functioning and the factors affecting it.

For NEET aspirants, mastering the Biology syllabus is key to achieving high scores. This blog post will guide you through the syllabus, highlighting the essential topics and providing tips on how to effectively study and prepare for this critical exam.

UNIT 1: Diversity in Living World

1.1 What is living?

Biodiversity; Need for classification; Three domains of life; Taxonomy & Systematics; Concept of species and taxonomical hierarchy; Binomial nomenclature; Tools for study of Taxonomy – Museums, Zoos, Herbaria, Botanical gardens.

1.2 Five kingdom classifications

salient features and classification of Monera; Protista and Fungi into major groups; Lichens; Viruses and Viroids.

1.3 Salient features and classification of plants into major groups

Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms (three to five salient and distinguishing features and at least two examples of each category); Angiosperms- classification up to class, characteristic features, and examples).

1.4 Salient features and classification of animals

Nonchordate up to phyla level and chordate up to class level (three to five salient features and at least two examples).

UNIT 2: Structural Organization in Animals and Plants

2.1 Morphology and modifications

Tissues; Anatomy and functions of different parts of flowering plants: Root, stem, leaf, inflorescence- cymose and racemose, flower, fruit, and seed (To be dealt along with the relevant practical of the Practical Syllabus).

2.2 Animal tissues

UNIT 3: Cell Structure and Function

3.1

3.2 Chemical constituents of living cells

Biomolecules-structure and function of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids; Enzymes-types, properties, enzyme action.

3.3 B Cell division

UNIT 4: Plant Physiology

4.1 Transport in plants

Movement of water, gases, and nutrients; Cell to cell transport-Diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport; Plant – water relations – Imbibition, water potential, osmosis, plasmolysis; Long distance transport of water – Absorption, apoplast, symplast, transpiration pull, root pressure, and guttation; Transpiration-Opening and closing of stomata; Uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients-Transport of food, phloem transport, Mass flow hypothesis; Diffusion of gases (brief mention).

4.2 Mineral nutrition

Essential minerals, macro and micronutrients, and their role; Deficiency symptoms; Mineral toxicity; Elementary idea of Hydroponics as a method to study mineral nutrition; Nitrogen metabolism-Nitrogen cycle, biological nitrogen fixation.

4.3

4.4 Respiration

Exchange gases; Cellular respiration-glycolysis, fermentation (anaerobic), TCA cycle and electron transport system (aerobic); Energy relations-Number of ATP molecules generated; Amphibolic pathways; Respiratory quotient.

4.5 Plant growth and development

Seed germination; Phases of Plant growth and plant growth rate; Conditions of growth; Differentiation, differentiation, and redifferentiation; Sequence of developmental process in a plant cell; Growth regulators-auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, ABA; Seed dormancy; Vernalisation; Photoperiodism

UNIT 5: Human Physiology

5.1 Digestion and absorption:

Alimentary canal and digestive glands; Role of digestive enzymes and gastrointestinal hormones; Peristalsis, digestion, absorption, and assimilation of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; Caloric value of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; Egestion; Nutritional and digestive disorders – PEM, indigestion, constipation, vomiting, jaundice, diarrhea.

5.2 Breathing and Respiration

Respiratory organs in animals (recall only); Respiratory system in humans; Mechanism of breathing and its regulation in humans-Exchange of gases, transport of gases and regulation of respiration Respiratory volumes; Disorders related to respiration-Asthma, Emphysema, Occupational respiratory disorders.

5.3 Body fluids and circulation

Composition of the blood, blood groups, coagulation of blood; Composition of lymph and its function; Human circulatory system-Structure of human heart and blood vessels; Cardiac cycle, cardiac output, ECG, Double circulation; Regulation of 38 cardiac activity; Disorders of circulatory system-Hypertension, Coronary artery disease, Angina pectoris, Heart failure.

5.4 Excretory products and their elimination

Modes of excretion- Ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism; Human excretory system structure and function; Urine formation, Osmoregulation; Regulation of kidney function-Renin-angiotensin, Atrial Natriuretic Factor, ADH and Diabetes insipidus; Role of other organs in excretion; Disorders; Uraemia, Renal failure, Renal calculi, Nephritis; Dialysis and artificial kidney.

5.5 Locomotion and Movement

Types of movement- ciliary, flagellar, muscular; Skeletal muscle- contractile proteins and muscle contraction; Skeletal system and its functions (To be dealt with in the relevant practical of Practical syllabus); Joints; Disorders of muscular and skeletal system-Myasthenia Gravis, Tetany, Muscular dystrophy, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Gout.

5.6 Neural control and coordination

Neurons and nerves; Nervous system in humans- central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and visceral nervous system; Generation and conduction of nerve impulse; Reflex action; Sense organs; Elementary structure and function of eye and ear.

5.7 Chemical coordination and regulation

Endocrine glands and hormones; Human endocrine system-Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Pineal, Thyroid, Parathyroid, Adrenal, Pancreas, Gonads; Mechanism of hormone action (Elementary Idea); Role of hormones as messengers and regulators, Hypo-and hyperactivity and related disorders (Common disorders e.g. Dwarfism, Acromegaly, Cretinism, goiter, exophthalmic goiter, diabetes, Addison’s disease).
(Imp: Diseases and disorders mentioned above to be dealt with in brief.)

Class 12 Topics

UNIT 1: Reproduction

1.1 Reproduction in organisms: Reproduction, a characteristic feature of all organisms for continuation of species; Modes of reproduction – Asexual and sexual; Asexual reproduction; Modes-Binary fission, sporulation, budding, gemmule, fragmentation; vegetative propagation in plants.

1.2 Sexual reproduction in flowering plants: Flower structure; Development of male and female gametophytes; Pollination-types, agencies, and examples; Outbreeding devices; Pollen-Pistil interaction; Double fertilization; Post fertilization events-Development of endosperm and embryo, Development of seed and formation of fruit; Special modes-apomixis, parthenocarpy, polyembryony; Significance of seed and fruit formation.

1.3 Human Reproduction: Male and female reproductive systems; Microscopic anatomy of testis and ovary; Gametogenesis-spermatogenesis & oogenesis; Menstrual cycle; Fertilisation, embryo development up to blastocyst formation, implantation; Pregnancy and placenta formation (Elementary idea); Parturition (Elementary idea); Lactation (Elementary idea).

1.4 Reproductive health: Need for reproductive health and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD); Birth control-Need and Methods, Contraception and Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP); Amniocentesis; Infertility and assisted reproductive technologies – IVF, ZIFT, GIFT (Elementary idea for general awareness).

UNIT 2: Genetics and Evolution

2.1 Heredity and variation: Mendelian Inheritance; Deviations from Mendelism-Incomplete dominance, Co-dominance, Multiple alleles and Inheritance of blood groups, Pleiotropy; Elementary idea of polygenic inheritance; Chromosome theory of inheritance; Chromosomes and genes; Sex determination-In humans, birds, honey bee; Linkage and crossing over; Sex-linked inheritance-Haemophilia, Colour blindness; Mendelian disorders in humans-Thalassemia; Chromosomal disorders in humans; Down’s syndrome, Turner’s and Klinefelter’s syndromes.

2.2 Molecular basis of Inheritance: Search for genetic material and DNA as genetic material; Structure of DNA and RNA; DNA packaging; DNA replication; Central dogma; Transcription, genetic code, translation; Gene expression and regulation-Lac Operon; Genome and human genome project; DNA fingerprinting.

2.3 Evolution: Origin of life; Biological evolution and evidence for biological evolution from Paleontology, comparative anatomy, embryology, and molecular evidence); Darwin’s contribution, Modern Synthetic theory of Evolution; Mechanism of evolution variation (Mutation and Recombination) and Natural Selection with examples, types of natural selection; Gene flow and genetic drift; Hardy-Weinberg’s principle; Adaptive Radiation; Human evolution.

UNIT 3: Biology and Human Welfare

3.2 Improvement in food production: Plant breeding, tissue culture, single cell protein, Biofortification; Apiculture and Animal husbandry.

3.3 Microbes in human welfare: In household food processing, industrial production, sewage treatment, energy generation, and as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers.

UNIT 4: Biotechnology and Its Applications

4.1 Principles and process of Biotechnology: Genetic engineering (Recombinant DNA technology).

4.2 Application of Biotechnology in health and agriculture: Human insulin and vaccine production, gene therapy; Genetically modified organisms-Bt crops; Transgenic Animals; Biosafety issues-Biopiracy and patents.

UNIT 5: Ecology and environment

5.1 Organisms and environment: Habitat and niche; Population and ecological adaptations; Population interactions-mutualism, competition, predation, parasitism; Population attributes-growth, birth rate and death rate, age distribution.

5.2 Ecosystem: Patterns, components; productivity and decomposition; Energy flow; Pyramids of number, biomass, energy; Nutrient cycling (carbon and phosphorous); Ecological succession; Ecological Services-Carbon fixation, pollination, oxygen release.

5.3 Biodiversity and its conservation: Concept of Biodiversity; Patterns of Biodiversity; Importance of Biodiversity; Loss of Biodiversity; Biodiversity conservation; Hotspots, endangered organisms, extinction, Red Data Book, biosphere reserves, National parks, and sanctuaries.

5.4 Environmental issues: Air pollution and its control; Water pollution and its control; Agrochemicals and their effects; Solid waste management; Radioactive waste management; Greenhouse effect and global warning; Ozone depletion; Deforestation; Any three case studies as success stories addressing environmental issues.