Module 1 | Diversity of Living Organisms | 1) Five Kingdom Classification- (a) Salient features and classification of Monera, Protista and Fungi into major groups (b) Salient features and classification of plants into major groups – Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms- three to five salient and distinguishing features of each category and at least two examples of each (c) Angiosperms – classification up to classes, characteristic features and examples (d) Salient features and classification of animals --- Non chordate up to phyla level and chordate up to classes level ( three to five salient features and at least two examples). 2) Classification of Living Organism - (a) Concept of diversity ( b) Need for classification (c) Taxonomy & Systematics; Concept of species and taxonomic hierarchy (d) Binomial nomenclature (e) Tools for study of taxonomy- Museums, Zoos, Herbaria, botanical gardens ( f) Lichens, Virus and\ viroids |
Module 2 | Structural Organisation in Animals and Plants | 1) Tissues in animals and plants. 2) Morphology and modifications of flowering plants- Root, Stem and leaf; functions of different parts of flowering plants, microscopic anatomy of Root, Stem and Leaf. 3) Morphology, anatomy and functions of different systems (digestive, circulatory, respiratory, nervous and reproductive) of an insect (cockroach). (Brief account only). 4) (a) Inflorescence- Cymose and racemose (b) Flower – Different parts of the flower, Classification of flower based on symmetry and position of the ovary on the thalamus (c) Fruit – Types of fruits- Legume, Drupe, Sorosis, Parthenocarpic fruit (d) Seed -Structure of Dicot and monocot seed. |
Module 3 | Cell Structure and Function | 1) Cell theory and cell as the basic unit of life. 2) Cell organelles - Structure and function : (a) Endomembrane system- endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, Lysosomes, vacuoles (b) Mitochondria, plastids, ribosomes (c) Cytoskeleton, cilia and flagella, centrioles (Ultrastructure and function) (d) Nucleus -- nuclear membrane, chromatin, nucleolus. 3) Cell envelope, cell membrane, cell wall. 4) Cell division -- Cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis and their significance 5) Chemical constituents of living cells- (a) Biomolecules - Structure and function of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acids (b) Enzymes - Types, properties, enzyme action. 6) Structure of a prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell, Plant cell and animal cell. (Brief). |
Module 4 | Plant Physiology | 1) Mineral nutrition- (a) Essential minerals, macro-and micronutrients and their role; Deficiency symptoms (b) Toxicity of micronutrients c)Elementary idea of Hydroponics as a Method to study mineral nutrition (d) Nitrogen cycle- Non- biological nitrogen fixation, Biological nitrogen fixation. 2) Transport in plants- (a) Means of transport and Plant -- water relations:- Diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport. Imbibition, water potential, osmosis, plasmolysis (b) Long-distance transport- Apoplast, symplast, root pressure, transpiration pull (c) Transpiration - Opening and closing of stomata (K+ ion Hypothesis), Guttation (d) Uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients- Phloem transport -Mass flow hypothesis. 3) Photosynthesis- (a) Autotrophic nutrition, Site of Photosynthesis, Photosynthetic pigments (Elementary idea) (b) Photochemical and biosynthetic phases of photosynthesis, Cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation, Chemiosmotic hypothesis (c)Photorespiration, C3 and C4 pathways (e) Factors affecting photosynthesis, Law of limiting factors. 4) Plant Respiration- (a) Cellular respiration -- Glycolysis, Fermentation (anaerobic), TCA cycle and electron transport system (aerobic), Number of ATP molecules generated (b) Amphibolic pathways c) Respiratory quotient of nutrients. 5) Plant growth and development- (a) Phases of plant growth and plant growth rate, Conditions of growth, (b) Differentiation, dedifferentiation and redifferentiation (c) Growth regulators (Elementary idea) - Auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, ABA (d) Photoperiodism, Role of Phytochrome in flowering (f) Seed germination, Seed dormancy (g) Vernalisation (Elementary idea). |
Module 5 | Human Physiology | 1) Body fluids and circulation- (a) Composition of blood, Blood groups, coagulation of blood (b) Composition of Lymph and its function (c) Structure of human heart and blood vessels (d) Cardiac cycle, Cardiac output, ECG (d) Double circulation (e) Regulation of cardiac activity (f) Disorders of circulatory system (in brief) – Hypertension, Coronary artery disease, Angina pectoris, heart failure. 2) Breathing and Respiration- (a) Respiratory system in humans (b) Mechanism of Breathing (c) Exchange and transport of gases (d) Regulation of respiration in humans (d) Respiratory volumes (e) Disorders related to respiration (in brief) – Asthma, Emphysema, Occupational Respiratory disorders. 3) Digestion and Absorption-(a)Human alimentary canal and Digestive glands (b) Digestion, absorption and assimilation of proteins, carbohydrates and fats (c) Role of Gastrointestinal hormones (d) Peristalsis (e) Calorific value of proteins, carbohydrates and fats (f) Nutritional and digestive disorders(in brief) -- P E M, indigestion, constipation, vomiting, jaundice. 4) Excretory products and their elimination- (a) Modes of excretion – Ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism (b) Human excretory system-structure and function (c) Urine formation, Osmoregulation (d) Regulation of kidney function- Renin-angiotensin, Antinatriuretic factor, ADH and Diabetes insipidus (e) Role of other organs in excretion- Skin, Liver, Lung (f) Disorders(in brief) --- Uraemia, Renal failure, Renal Calculi, Nephritis (g) Dialysis and artificial kidney. 5) Neural control and coordination- (a) Neuron and nerves (b) Nervous system in humans: Central Nervous system, Peripheral Nervous system and Visceral Nervous system (c) Generation and conduction of nerve impulse (d) Reflex action (e) Sense organs and Sensory Perception (e) Elementary structure and function of eye and ear. 6) Locomotion and Movement- (a) Types of movement in human beings --- ciliary, flagellar, muscular (b) Skeletal muscle -- contractile proteins and muscle contraction (c) Skeletal system and its functions (d) Joints (e) Disorders of the muscular and skeletal system (in brief) – Myasthenia gravis, Tetany, Muscular dystrophy, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Gout. 7) Chemical coordination and regulation- (a) Endocrine glands and hormones (b) Human endocrine system – Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Pineal, Thyroid, Parathyroid, Adrenal, Pancreas, Gonads (c) Mechanism of hormone action (Elementary Idea) (d) Role of hormones as messengers and regulators (e) Brief idea on Hypo and hyperactivity and related disorders (Common disorders e.g. Dwarfism, Acromegaly, Cretinism, Goiter, Exopthalmic goitre, Diabetes, Addison’s disease). |
Module 6 | Reproduction | 1) Asexual Reproduction- Binary fission, sporulation, budding, gemmule, fragmentation, regeneration, and Vegetative propagation in plants. 2) Reproduction in Organisms- Reproduction, is a characteristic feature of all organisms for the continuation of species. Mode of reproduction- Asexual and Sexual. 3) Sexual reproduction in flowering plants- (a) Flower structure, Development of male and female gametophytes (b) Pollination – types, agencies and examples (c) Outbreeding devices (d) Pollen – Pistil Interaction (e) Double fertilization, Post Fertilization events- Development of endosperm & embryo (f) Development of seed and formation of fruit (g) Special modes – apomixis, parthenocarpy, polyembryony (I) Significance of seed and fruit formation 4) Reproductive Health –(a) Need for reproductive health and prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases-(STD) (b) Birth Control – Need and Methods, Contraception & Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP), Amniocentesis (c) Infertility and assisted reproductive technologies – IVF, ZIFT, GIFT (Elementary idea for general awareness). 5) Human Reproduction- (a)Male and female reproductive systems, Microscopic anatomy of testis and ovary (b) Gametogenesis – spermatogenesis & oogenesis (c) Menstrual cycle, Fertilisation, embryo development up to blastocyst formation, implantation (d) Pregnancy and placenta formation (Elementary Idea), Parturition (Elementary Idea), Lactation (Elementary Idea). |
Module 7 | Genetics and Evolution | 1) Evolution- (a) Origin of life (b) Biological evolution and evidence for biological evolution from Paleontology, comparative anatomy, embryology and molecular evidence (b) Darwin’s contribution, Modern Synthetic theory of Evolution (c) Mechanism of evolution – Variation (Mutation & Recombination) and Natural Selection with examples, types of natural selection (d) Gene flow and genetic drift (e) Hardy – Weinberg’s principle (f) Adaptive Radiation, Human evolution. 2) Molecular basis of Inheritance- (a) DNA as genetic material, Structure of DNA and RNA, DNA packaging, DNA replication (b) Central dogma-- Transcription, genetic code, translation (c) Gene expression and regulation (d)Genome and Elementary idea of Human Genome project (e) DNA fingerprinting. 3) Heredity and variation:- (a) Mendelian Inheritance, Deviations from Mendelism: Incomplete, dominance, co-dominance, Multiple alleles and Inheritance of blood groups, Pleiotropy, Elementary idea of Polygenic Inheritance (b) Chromosome Theory of Inheritance (c) Chromosomes and genes. d)Sex determination- In humans, birds, honey bees (d) Linkage and crossing over (e) Sex-linked inheritance-Haemophilia, Colour blindness (f) Chromosomal disorders in humans- Down’s syndrome, Turner’s and Klinefelter’s syndromes. |
Module 8 | Biology And Human Welfare | 1) Microbes in human welfare- - In household food processing, industrial production, sewage treatment, energy generation and as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers. 2) Insects and human welfare-- Silk, Honey, Lac. 3) Improvement in Food production- (a) Plant breeding, tissue culture, single cell protein (b) Biofortification, Animal husbandry. 4) Health and Disease- (a)Pathogens and parasites causing human diseases (Malaria, Filariasis, Ascariasis, Typhoid, Pneumonia, common cold, amoebiasis, ring worm (b) Basic concepts of immunology – vaccines; Cancer, HIV and AIDS; Adolescence, drug and alcohol abuse. |
Module 9 | Biotechnology and Its Application | 1) Principles and process of Biotechnology- Genetic engineering (Recombinant DNA technology). 2) Application of Biotechnology in health and agriculture- (a) Human insulin and vaccine production, gene therapy (b) Genetically modified organisms – Bt crops (c) Biosafety Issues (d) Biopiracy and patents. |
Module10 | Ecology and Environment | 1) Ecosystems- (a) components, Energy flow, Pyramids of number, biomass, energy, decomposition, and productivity (b) nutrient cycling (carbon and phosphorous) (c) Ecological succession (d) Ecological Services: Carbon fixation, Pollination, Oxygen release. 2) Organism and Environment- (a) habitat and niche (b) Population and ecological adaptations (c) Population Interactions – mutualism, competition, predation, parasitism (d) Population attributes – growth, birth rate, and death rate (e) Age distribution. 3) Biodiversity and its conservation – (a) Need for biodiversity conservation b) Hotspots, endangered organisms, extinction, Red Data Book (c) Biodiversity conservation – biosphere reserves, national parks, and sanctuaries. 4) Environmental Issues- (a) Air Pollution and its control, Water pollution, and its control (b) Agrochemicals and their effects, Solid waste management, Radioactive waste management (c) Greenhouse effect and global warming, Ozone depletion, deforestation. |
