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BITSAT Biology Syllabus

The Biology syllabus for BITSAT in full: 10 chapters, 46 topics and 87 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 51 Biology flashcards with answers.

10Chapters

46Topics

87Sub-topics

51Flashcards

Biology syllabus: all 10 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

Diversity in Living World
5 topics
- Biology – its meaning and relevance to mankind
- What is living
  - Taxonomic categories and aids
  - Systematics and Binomial system of nomenclature
- Introductory classification of living organisms
  - Two-kingdom system
  - Five-kingdom system
- Plant kingdom
  - Salient features of major groups (Algae to Angiosperms)
- Animal kingdom
  - Salient features of Nonchordates up to phylum
  - Chordates up to class level
Cell: The Unit of Life; Structure and Function
5 topics
- Cell wall; Cell membrane; Endomembrane system
  - ER, Golgi apparatus/Dictyosome, Lysosomes, Vacuoles
- 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
Genetics and Evolution
5 topics
- 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
  - Organization and replication
  - Transcription and Translation
- Gene expression and regulation
  - DNA fingerprinting
- Theories and evidences of evolution, including modern Darwinism
Structure and Function – Plants
5 topics
- Morphology of a flowering plant
  - Tissues and tissue systems in plants
  - Anatomy and function of root, stem, leaf, inflorescence, flower, fruit and seed
- Absorption and movement of water
  - Diffusion, osmosis and water relations of cell
  - 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
Structure and Function - Animals
1 topic
- Human Physiology
  - Digestive system
  - Respiratory system
  - Body fluids and circulation
  - Excretion system
  - Locomotion and movement
  - Control and co-ordination
Reproduction, Growth and Movement in Plants
3 topics
- Asexual methods of reproduction
- Sexual Reproduction
  - Development of male and female gametophytes
  - Pollination
  - Fertilization
  - Development of embryo, endosperm, seed and fruit
- Growth and Movement
  - Growth phases
  - Types of growth regulators and their role in seed dormancy, germination and movement
Reproduction and Development in Humans
4 topics
- Male and female reproductive systems
  - Menstrual cycle
  - Gamete production
  - Fertilisation
  - Implantation
- Embryo development
- Pregnancy and parturition
- Birth control and contraception
Ecology and Environment
7 topics
- Meaning of ecology, environment, habitat and niche
- Ecological levels of organization
  - Characteristics of Species, Population, Biotic Community and Ecosystem
  - Succession and Climax
- Ecosystem
  - Biotic and abiotic components
  - Ecological pyramids
  - Food chain and Food web
- Energy flow
- Major types of ecosystems including agroecosystem
- Ecological adaptations
  - Structural and physiological features in plants and animals of aquatic and desert habitats
- Biodiversity and Environmental Issues
  - Conservation strategies
  - Air and Water Pollution
  - Global warming and Climate change
  - Ozone depletion
  - Noise pollution
  - Radioactive pollution
  - Methods of pollution control
  - Deforestation
  - Extinction of species (Hot Spots)
Biology and Human Welfare
6 topics
- Animal husbandry
  - Livestock, Poultry, Fisheries
  - Major animal diseases and their control
- Pathogens of major communicable diseases of humans
  - Fungi, Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoans and Helminthes
  - Control
- Cancer; AIDS
- Adolescence and drug/alcohol abuse
- Basic concepts of immunology
- Plant Breeding and Tissue Culture in crop improvement
Biotechnology and its Applications
5 topics
- Microbes as ideal system for biotechnology
- Microbial technology
  - Food processing
  - Industrial production
  - Sewage treatment
  - Energy generation
- Steps in recombinant DNA technology
  - Restriction enzymes
  - NA insertion by vectors and other methods
  - Regeneration of recombinants
- Applications of R-DNA technology in human health
  - Production of Insulin, Vaccines and Growth hormones
  - Organ transplant
  - Gene therapy
- Applications in Industry and Agriculture
  - Production of expensive enzymes
  - Strain improvement to scale up bioprocesses
  - GM crops by transfer of genes for nitrogen fixation, herbicide-resistance and pest-resistance including Bt crops

BITSAT Biology flashcards — 51 questions with answers

What are the two key defining characteristics that distinguish all living organisms from non-living things?
Metabolism (sum of all chemical reactions) and the ability to self-replicate/reproduce. Other shared features include growth, responsiveness to stimuli, organization (cellular structure), and homeostasis.
What are the three domains of life in modern classification?
Archaea, Bacteria (Eubacteria), and Eukarya. These are based largely on rRNA sequence and cell structure differences.
List the five kingdoms of Whittaker's classification and the basis for the scheme.
Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. Basis: cell structure (prokaryotic/eukaryotic), body organization, mode of nutrition, reproduction, and phylogenetic relationships.
How do prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells differ in their genetic material?
Prokaryotes have a single circular DNA molecule (nucleoid) with no nuclear membrane and lack histones (in bacteria); eukaryotes have multiple linear chromosomes enclosed in a true membrane-bound nucleus, wrapped around histone proteins.
Name three structural features present in a plant cell but absent in an animal cell.
Cellulose cell wall, large central vacuole, and plastids (e.g., chloroplasts). Animal cells uniquely have centrioles (in most) and lack these three.
What is the chemical composition of the cell wall in plants, fungi, and bacteria?
Plants: cellulose; Fungi: chitin; Bacteria: peptidoglycan (murein).
What does the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane (Singer & Nicolson) describe?
A phospholipid bilayer in which proteins are embedded (integral) or attached (peripheral), with both lipids and proteins able to move laterally, giving the membrane fluidity and a mosaic appearance.
Which organelles constitute the endomembrane system?
Endoplasmic reticulum (rough and smooth), Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and vacuoles. (Mitochondria, chloroplasts, and peroxisomes are excluded.)
What are the four phases of the eukaryotic cell cycle, and which is the longest?
G1, S (DNA synthesis), G2, and M (mitosis). Interphase (G1+S+G2) is the longest phase; G1 is typically the most variable in duration.
What happens during the S phase of the cell cycle?
DNA replication occurs, doubling the DNA content (each chromosome becomes two sister chromatids). Histone proteins are also synthesized. Chromosome number stays the same.
Distinguish mitosis from meiosis in terms of products and chromosome number.
Mitosis: one division yielding 2 genetically identical diploid daughter cells. Meiosis: two divisions yielding 4 genetically variable haploid cells (gametes); halves the chromosome number.
Name the four major classes of biomolecules and their monomer units.
Carbohydrates (monosaccharides), proteins (amino acids), lipids (fatty acids + glycerol, not true polymers), and nucleic acids (nucleotides).
What are enzymes and how do they speed up reactions?
Enzymes are biological catalysts (mostly proteins) that lower the activation energy of a reaction by binding substrate at the active site, without being consumed; they are highly specific.
State the lock-and-key and induced-fit models of enzyme action.
Lock-and-key: the substrate fits the rigid, complementary active site exactly. Induced-fit (Koshland): the active site changes shape to mould around the substrate upon binding.
What is the difference between competitive and non-competitive enzyme inhibition?
Competitive inhibitor resembles the substrate and binds the active site (overcome by raising substrate concentration). Non-competitive inhibitor binds elsewhere (allosteric site), altering enzyme shape, and is not overcome by more substrate.
State Mendel's Law of Segregation.
The two alleles of a gene separate (segregate) during gamete formation, so each gamete carries only one allele of each gene; alleles unite randomly at fertilization.
State Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment.
Alleles of different genes assort independently of one another during gamete formation (applies to genes on different chromosomes or far apart).
In a monohybrid and dihybrid cross of heterozygotes, what are the classic F2 phenotypic ratios?
Monohybrid F2: 3:1. Dihybrid F2: 9:3:3:1.
What is genetic linkage and how does it relate to crossing over?
Linkage is the tendency of genes located close together on the same chromosome to be inherited together. Crossing over (exchange of segments between homologous chromosomes during meiosis I) separates linked genes, producing recombinants; closer genes cross over less often.
How is recombination frequency used to map genes, and what is 1 map unit?
Recombination frequency (% of recombinant offspring) is proportional to the distance between genes. 1 map unit (centimorgan) = 1% recombination frequency.

Show the other 31 Biology flashcards

State the base-pairing rules in DNA and the type of bonds involved.
Adenine pairs with Thymine (2 hydrogen bonds); Guanine pairs with Cytosine (3 hydrogen bonds). A=T and G≡C (complementary base pairing).
What is the structure of DNA according to Watson and Crick?
A right-handed antiparallel double helix; two sugar-phosphate backbones outside, nitrogen base pairs inside; ~10 base pairs per turn, pitch 3.4 nm, 0.34 nm between adjacent bases.
Define the central dogma of molecular biology.
Genetic information flows from DNA to RNA (transcription) to protein (translation). DNA can also be copied (replication); reverse transcription (RNA to DNA) is an exception.
What is the lac operon and how is it regulated in E. coli?
An inducible operon for lactose metabolism with promoter, operator, and genes z, y, a. Without lactose, a repressor binds the operator and blocks transcription; lactose (allolactose) inactivates the repressor, allowing transcription (negative regulation).
List three major lines of evidence for organic evolution.
Homologous and analogous structures (comparative anatomy), fossils (palaeontological record), and molecular/biochemical similarities (DNA, proteins). Also embryological and biogeographical evidence.
What is the core idea of Darwin's theory of natural selection (modern Darwinism)?
Heritable variations exist in populations; organisms overproduce offspring; those with favorable variations survive and reproduce more (survival of the fittest), so beneficial traits accumulate over generations. Modern (Neo-)Darwinism adds genetic mutation and recombination as the source of variation.
What is the difference between homologous and analogous organs? Give an example of each.
Homologous organs share common ancestry but differ in function (e.g., forelimbs of human, whale, bat) and show divergent evolution. Analogous organs differ in origin but serve similar function (e.g., wings of insect and bird) and show convergent evolution.
What is the basic morphology of a typical angiosperm root system vs. shoot system?
Root system (underground): tap or fibrous roots for anchorage and absorption. Shoot system (aerial): stem with nodes/internodes bearing leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits.
What are the three types of aestivation and the parts of a typical flower?
Aestivation (arrangement of sepals/petals in bud): valvate, twisted, imbricate, vexillary. A typical flower has four whorls: calyx (sepals), corolla (petals), androecium (stamens), and gynoecium (carpels).
Differentiate apoplast and symplast pathways of water movement.
Apoplast: water moves through cell walls and intercellular spaces without crossing membranes (faster). Symplast: water moves through cytoplasm via plasmodesmata, crossing plasma membranes.
What is transpiration pull and its role in water ascent?
The cohesion-tension mechanism: evaporation of water from leaf stomata creates negative pressure (tension) that, via cohesion of water molecules in xylem, pulls a continuous water column upward from roots to leaves.
Distinguish macronutrients and micronutrients in plants with examples.
Macronutrients are needed in large amounts (C, H, O, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S). Micronutrients are needed in trace amounts (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, Cl, Ni).
Write the overall balanced equation of photosynthesis.
6CO2 + 12H2O → (light, chlorophyll) → C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O. (Simplified: 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2.)
Where do the light reactions and the Calvin cycle of photosynthesis occur?
Light reactions occur in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts (producing ATP, NADPH, O2). The Calvin cycle (dark/light-independent reactions) occurs in the stroma (fixing CO2 into sugar).
What is the difference between C3 and C4 plants in CO2 fixation?
C3 plants fix CO2 directly via RuBisCO into 3-carbon 3-PGA (first product). C4 plants first fix CO2 into 4-carbon oxaloacetate (via PEP carboxylase) in mesophyll, then release CO2 to the Calvin cycle in bundle-sheath cells, minimizing photorespiration.
Write the overall equation of aerobic respiration and the net ATP yield per glucose.
C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy. Net yield is about 36–38 ATP per glucose molecule under aerobic conditions.
Name the stages of aerobic respiration and where each occurs in a eukaryotic cell.
Glycolysis (cytoplasm), pyruvate oxidation and Krebs/citric acid cycle (mitochondrial matrix), and oxidative phosphorylation/electron transport chain (inner mitochondrial membrane).
Compare aerobic and anaerobic respiration end products.
Aerobic: CO2 + H2O, ~36–38 ATP. Anaerobic (fermentation): in muscles → lactic acid; in yeast → ethanol + CO2; yields only 2 ATP per glucose.
Name the chambers of the human heart and the valves between atria and ventricles.
Four chambers: right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle. Right AV valve = tricuspid; left AV valve = bicuspid (mitral). Semilunar valves guard the aorta and pulmonary artery.
What is the functional unit of the kidney and its primary functions?
The nephron. It performs filtration (glomerulus/Bowman's capsule), reabsorption, and secretion to form urine, regulating water, ions, and removing nitrogenous wastes (urea).
Distinguish asexual from sexual reproduction and give two asexual methods.
Asexual: single parent, no gametes, offspring genetically identical (clones), fast. Sexual: two parents (usually), gamete fusion, genetic variation. Asexual methods: binary fission, budding, fragmentation, spore formation, vegetative propagation.
Name the parts of the human male reproductive system and the main male hormone.
Testes (sperm + testosterone), epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, bulbourethral glands, urethra, and penis. Main hormone: testosterone.
Name the parts of the human female reproductive system and the site of fertilization.
Ovaries, fallopian tubes (oviducts), uterus, cervix, and vagina. Fertilization normally occurs in the ampulla of the fallopian tube.
Outline the early stages of human embryonic development from zygote to implantation.
Zygote undergoes cleavage to form a morula, then a blastocyst (with inner cell mass and trophoblast). The blastocyst implants into the uterine endometrium (~day 7); gastrulation then forms the three germ layers.
What are the three primary germ layers and one derivative of each?
Ectoderm (skin epidermis, nervous system), mesoderm (muscles, bones, blood, kidneys), and endoderm (gut lining, liver, lungs).
What hormones maintain pregnancy and what triggers parturition?
Progesterone (with estrogen, hCG, and placental lactogen) maintains pregnancy. Parturition (childbirth) is triggered by the foetal-placental signal leading to oxytocin release, which causes strong uterine contractions (a positive feedback reflex).
Classify common contraceptive methods with one example each.
Barrier (condom, diaphragm), hormonal (oral pills, injections), intrauterine devices (Cu-T, LNG-IUD), natural (rhythm/periodic abstinence), and surgical/sterilization (vasectomy, tubectomy).
Define ecology, habitat, and niche.
Ecology: study of interactions between organisms and their environment. Habitat: the physical place where an organism lives. Niche: the functional role and range of conditions/resources an organism uses (its 'profession').
List the ecological levels of organization from simplest to most complex.
Organism → population → community → ecosystem → biome → biosphere.
What are the trophic levels in an ecosystem and the 10% law of energy flow?
Producers (T1) → primary consumers/herbivores (T2) → secondary consumers (T3) → tertiary consumers (T4) → decomposers. Energy flow is unidirectional; only ~10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level (Lindeman's 10% law).
List the steps of recombinant DNA technology and name two applications in human health.
Steps: (1) isolation of DNA, (2) cutting with restriction enzymes, (3) inserting into a vector (ligation), (4) transferring into a host (transformation), (5) selection and culturing of transformed cells, (6) extraction of product. Health applications: production of recombinant insulin (Humulin) and gene therapy/vaccines (e.g., recombinant hepatitis B vaccine).

BITSAT Biology FAQ

What is in the BITSAT Biology syllabus?

BITSAT Biology is split into 10 chapters: Diversity in Living World, Cell: The Unit of Life; Structure and Function, Genetics and Evolution, Structure and Function – Plants, Structure and Function - Animals, Reproduction, Growth and Movement in Plants, Reproduction and Development in Humans, Ecology and Environment, Biology and Human Welfare and Biotechnology and its Applications. Together they contain 46 topics and 87 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in BITSAT Biology?

10 chapters, containing 46 topics and 87 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Ecology and Environment, with 7 topics.

Are there flashcards for BITSAT Biology?

Yes — a 51-card Biology deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.