Diversity of plant life

Five-kingdom system of classification with their merits and demerits. Structure, reproduction and economic importance of Bacteria and Viruses. Life history of representative members of different plant groups: Spirogyra, Saccharomyces, Funaria, Dryopteris, Cycas.

Morphology of angiosperms 

Normal and Modified roots, stems, and leaves, Inflorescence, Flower and its parts, Pollination, Fertilization, Fruits. 

Taxonomy of flowering plants 

Principles and units of classification (species, genus, family) Binomial nomenclature, Studies of important families: Malvaceae, Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Liliaceae.

Cell 

Structure and functionCell Theory, Totipotency, Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cell, Structure of typical plant cell: Cell Wall, Cell Membrane, Cell Organelles (Plastids, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, Golgi bodies, Lysosomes, Peroxisomes). Important compounds of the cell: Structure and functions of water, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.Properties and chemical nature of enzymes. Mode of enzyme action.

 Continuity of life 

Cell division: Mitosis, Meiosis and their significance, Mendel’s laws of inheritance: Monohybrid and Dihybrid cross, Incomplete dominance, Multipleallelism.

Genetic material 

Structure of nucleic acids. Evidence to establish ‘DNA as genetic material’ (Griffith and Avery’s experiment). The concept of gene, Transcription, and translation in Prokaryotes. Regulation of gene expression – induction and repression. Recombinant DNA and Tissue culture technique: Recombinant DNA techniques and its significance. Genebank, Production of Transgenic plants with examples, Tissue culture technique. 

Complexities of plant life 

Meristematic and tissues, Internal structures of dicot and monocot stems, roots and Isobilateral and Dorsiventral leaves, Normal secondary growth in dicot stem. Processes in plants: Diffusion, Osmosis, Plasmolysis, Imbibition, Absorption, and transport of water and minerals, Transpiration and its significance, Life energy, and ATP, Respiration, and Fermentation, Photosynthesis, Biological nitrogen fixation. Growth and development: Growth regulators – Physiological effects of Auxins, Gibberellin, Cytokinin, Ethylene and Abscisic acid. Elementary idea of photoperiodism and vernalization. Plant movements (with special reference to geotropism and phototropism). 

Ecology 

Man and environment, Ecological adaptations (Hydrophytes and Xerophytes), plant succession (Hydrosere, Xeresere), Structure and function of Ecosystem. 

Economic Botany 

Economic importance of plants like Rice, Gram (green gram) Jute, Groundnut, Mango, Tulsi. 

Common plant diseases 

Symptoms and control measure of following plant diseases: Powdery mildew of peas, a Bacterial blight of rice, Mosaic disease of Papaya 

Animal world  

Definition, Scope, and branches of Zoology. Characteristics of living organisms (the elementary idea of metabolism, transfer of energy at the molecular level, open and closed system, homeostasis, growth & reproduction, adaptation, survival, and death). 

Classification (Artificial, Natural, Phylogenetic) Two-Kingdoms & Five-Kingdoms – their merits and demerits. Species concept, binomial nomenclature, scientific names of some common animals: Fishes – Rohi, Bakura, Mirikali, Kau. Amphibians – Frog, Toad. Reptiles – House Lizard, Garden Lizard, Crocodile, Turtle, Cobra, Krait. Birds – Fowl, Peacock, Pigeon, Crow. Mammals – Tiger, Elephant, Cat, Dog, Rabbit, and Man.

Diversity of Animal life 

Introductory Concept:

(1) The concept of the body plan, symmetry, coelom, germ layers, homeothermic and poikilothermic

animals.

(2) Salient features of Non-chordate phyla with examples, General characters of chordates

up to class levels with examples. 

Animal Morphology

Morphology of Paramecium, Sycon, Hydra Planaria, Ascaris, Earthworm, Cockroach, Pila, Starfish, Amphioxus, Bony fish, Cartilaginous fish, Frog, Calotes, Pigeon & Rabbit. 

Animal Histology

Types – Epithelial, Connective (details about blood and lymph), Muscular & Nervous – Organs and Organ Systems. 

Animal Locomotion

Joints and Muscles in the movement of man, mechanism of muscle contraction, Disorders – Arthritis and Osteoporosis

Animal Physiology

Animal Nutrition – Intracellular and Intercellular digestion, the Digestive system of cockroach, Digestive system and process in human (ingestion, digestion, absorption, assimilation, and egestion) role of hormones indigestion, malnutrition and under-nutrition. 

Animal Respiration 

Types of respiration (cutaneous, tracheal, bronchial and pulmonary), Structure and function of a respiratory system in man: Respiratory organs, mechanism of pulmonary respiration, pulmonary exchange of gas, transport of gases. Common respiratory disorders – prevention and cure. 

Animal Circulation 

Open Circulation, closed circulatory system in man, Structure of Heart, Cardiac Cycle, Arteries, Veins, Capillaries, Portal System, Coronary Circulation, Blood Pressure, Respiratory pigments, Blood groups (A B O & Rh), Blood Coagulation, Blood-related disorder – Hypertension, Atherosclerosis & Arteriosclerosis, Pacemaker. 

Animal Excretion

Types of Excretion (Ammonotelism, ureotelism, and uricotelism), Excretion in the cockroach, Excretion in human – Structure, and function of the kidney, Role of liver in excretion: Ornithine Cycle. Disorders related to excretion – kidney failure, dialysis, kidney transplantation, Role of ADH.

Control and Co-ordination 

Nervous system of cockroach, Nervous system of human – central, peripheral & autonomic, transmission of nerve impulse, reflex action, sense organs (Eye and Ear). 

Human Endocrine System

Endocrine glands (Name, Location, Hormones and their functions), hormones as messengers and regulators, feedback controls, hormonal disorders. 

Genetics

Mendelism, linkage, and crossing over, recombination, sex chromosomes, sex determination, sex-linked inheritance, chromosomal aberrations (structural).

Animal Reproduction and Human Development

Types of reproduction – Asexual reproduction (Binary fission, multiple fission, budding), Sexual reproduction in human – male and female reproductive system, menstrual cycle. 

Human development

 Gametogenesis (spermatogenesis, oogenesis), fertilization, development up to 3 germ layers, the fate of germ layers, extraembryonic membranes, structure and function of the placenta.

Cellular growth

Hormonal control of growth, Types of regeneration and mechanism (in Planaria), aging (Senescence).

Biology in Human welfare (Elementary idea) 

Common problems of adolescence (drugs, alcohols and tobacco), social and moral implications, mental and addictive disorders, the risk of indiscriminate use of drugs and antibiotics.

Biotechnology

Animal tissue culture, bio-war, biopiracy, cloning and transgenic animals. Elementary idea - organ transplantations, immunity and immune disorders, vaccines and vaccination (recent advances).

Modern techniques in diseases diagnosis 

Basic methods of estimation of hemoglobin, sugar, and urea in blood, ELISA, and WIDAL tests.

Basic principles of ECG, EEG, CT SCAN, MRI, Ultra Sound and Endoscopy, DNA Finger Printing.

Human Diseases: Types, Causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatments – AIDS, STD, Cancer, and Diabetes.