CUET UG Biology Syllabus

Biology syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Biology in CUET UG, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Reproduction

   3 topics

   • Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants
     • Structure of flower and pollination
     • Double fertilisation
     • Seed and fruit formation
   • Human Reproduction
     • Male and female reproductive systems
     • Gametogenesis and menstrual cycle
     • Fertilisation and embryonic development
   • Reproductive Health
     • Contraception and population control
     • Assisted reproductive technologies
2. 2

   Genetics and Evolution

   3 topics

   • Principles of Inheritance and Variation
     • Mendelian inheritance and deviations
     • Chromosomal theory and linkage
     • Genetic disorders
   • Molecular Basis of Inheritance
     • DNA structure and replication
     • Transcription and translation
     • Gene expression and regulation
   • Evolution
     • Origin of life and evidences
     • Darwinism and Hardy-Weinberg principle
     • Adaptive radiation and human evolution
3. 3

   Biology and Human Welfare

   3 topics

   • Human Health and Disease
     • Pathogens and common diseases
     • Immunity and vaccines
     • Drugs and alcohol abuse
   • Microbes in Human Welfare
     • Microbes in food and industry
     • Microbes in sewage and biogas
   • Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production
     • Animal husbandry
     • Plant breeding and tissue culture
4. 4

   Biotechnology

   3 topics

   • Biotechnology Principles and Processes
     • Recombinant DNA technology
     • Tools and bioreactors
   • Biotechnology and Its Applications
     • Applications in agriculture
     • Applications in medicine
     • Transgenic organisms and ethics
   • Genetic Engineering Techniques
     • PCR and gel electrophoresis
     • Cloning vectors and gene transfer
5. 5

   Ecology and Environment

   3 topics

   • Organisms and Populations
     • Adaptations and population attributes
     • Population interactions
   • Ecosystem
     • Energy flow and ecological pyramids
     • Nutrient cycling
   • Biodiversity and Conservation
     • Patterns and importance of biodiversity
     • Conservation strategies

Biology flashcards for CUET UG

22 of 77 cards from the Biology deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In angiosperms, what is the male gametophyte and how many cells does a mature pollen grain typically contain at shedding?

   The pollen grain is the male gametophyte. At shedding it is usually 2-celled (a vegetative/tube cell and a generative cell); in ~60% of species it sheds at the 3-celled stage (generative cell already divided into two male gametes).

2. Describe the structure of a typical mature embryo sac (female gametophyte) in flowering plants.

   It is 7-celled, 8-nucleate: one egg cell + two synergids (the egg apparatus at the micropylar end), three antipodal cells at the chalazal end, and one central cell with two polar nuclei.

3. What is double fertilization in angiosperms?

   One male gamete fuses with the egg cell to form the diploid zygote (syngamy); the other male gamete fuses with the two polar nuclei in the central cell to form the triploid primary endosperm nucleus (triple fusion). Both events occur in the same embryo sac.

4. Define apomixis and polyembryony in plants.

   Apomixis is the formation of seeds without fertilization (asexual reproduction mimicking sexual). Polyembryony is the occurrence of more than one embryo in a single seed (e.g., in many citrus and mango varieties).

5. What are the layers of an anther wall, and which one nourishes the developing pollen?

   From outside in: epidermis, endothecium, middle layers, and tapetum. The tapetum (innermost) provides nourishment to the developing pollen grains.

6. Differentiate geitonogamy from xenogamy.

   Geitonogamy is pollen transfer between two flowers of the same plant (genetically self-pollination but functionally cross-pollination by an agent). Xenogamy is pollen transfer to the stigma of a flower on a genetically different plant (true cross-pollination).

7. What is the function of the corpus luteum in the human female, and what does it become if pregnancy does not occur?

   The corpus luteum secretes large amounts of progesterone (essential to maintain the endometrium for implantation). If pregnancy does not occur, it degenerates into the corpus albicans, causing progesterone to fall and triggering menstruation.

8. Name the four phases of the human menstrual cycle in order and the dominant hormone of each.

   Menstrual phase (low hormones), follicular/proliferative phase (estrogen rising, FSH), ovulatory phase (LH surge ~day 14), and luteal/secretory phase (progesterone from corpus luteum).

9. What is spermatogenesis and where does it occur?

   Spermatogenesis is the formation of sperm from spermatogonia in the seminiferous tubules of the testes: spermatogonia (2n) → primary spermatocyte (2n) → secondary spermatocytes (n) → spermatids (n) → spermatozoa (via spermiogenesis).

10. Describe the structure of a human sperm.

    It has a head (haploid nucleus capped by the acrosome containing enzymes), a middle piece packed with mitochondria (energy), and a tail (flagellum for motility). A plasma membrane covers the whole cell.

11. What is the role of the acrosome and the mitochondrial middle piece in a sperm?

    The acrosome contains hydrolytic enzymes that help the sperm penetrate the egg's layers at fertilization; the mitochondria in the middle piece generate ATP for the propelling movement of the tail.

12. At which stage of meiosis is the human secondary oocyte arrested, and when does it complete division?

    The secondary oocyte is arrested in metaphase II. It completes the second meiotic division only after a sperm enters it (fertilization).

13. Define gestation and implantation in human reproduction.

    Gestation is the period of pregnancy from fertilization to birth (~9 months in humans). Implantation is the attachment of the blastocyst to the uterine endometrium, which occurs about 6-7 days after fertilization.

14. Name two hormones secreted by the placenta during pregnancy.

    Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human placental lactogen (hPL), estrogens, progestogens, and relaxin (any two).

15. What is the full form of ART, and give two examples of assisted reproductive technologies.

    ART = Assisted Reproductive Technology. Examples: IVF (in vitro fertilization), ZIFT (zygote intra-fallopian transfer), GIFT (gamete intra-fallopian transfer), ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection), IUI (intra-uterine insemination).

16. Distinguish ZIFT from GIFT.

    In ZIFT, the zygote or early embryo (up to 8 blastomeres) is transferred into the fallopian tube. In GIFT, an ovum (collected from a donor) along with sperm is transferred into the fallopian tube of a female who cannot produce ova.

17. What do the abbreviations IUD, IVF, and STD stand for in reproductive health?

    IUD = Intra-Uterine Device (contraceptive). IVF = In Vitro Fertilization. STD = Sexually Transmitted Disease (also called STI).

18. What is amniocentesis and why is its misuse legally banned in India?

    Amniocentesis is a prenatal test that analyzes amniotic fluid (foetal cells) to detect chromosomal/genetic disorders and the sex of the foetus. It is banned for sex determination because it is misused for female foeticide.

19. Name two hormonal contraceptive methods and one surgical (terminal) method of birth control.

    Hormonal: oral pills (e.g., Saheli/Mala D) and injectables/implants. Surgical/terminal: vasectomy (in males) and tubectomy (in females).

20. State Mendel's Law of Segregation.

    During gamete formation, the two alleles of a gene (factors) segregate (separate) so that each gamete receives only one allele; the alleles do not blend and reunite at fertilization. Hence it is also called the law of purity of gametes.

21. State Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment.

    When two pairs of contrasting traits are considered together, the segregation of one pair of alleles is independent of the other pair (true for genes on different chromosomes). Demonstrated by Mendel's dihybrid cross.

22. What are the phenotypic ratios of a monohybrid and a dihybrid cross in the F2 generation?

    Monohybrid cross F2 = 3:1; dihybrid cross F2 = 9:3:3:1.

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