UNIT I: Diversity in Living World
• 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.
• Five kingdom classification; salient features and classification of Monera; Protista and Fungi into major
groups; Lichens; Viruses and Viroids.
• 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).
• Salient features and classification of animals-nonchordate up to phyla level and chordate up to classes
level (three to five salient features and at least two examples).
UNIT II: Structural Organisation in Animals and Plants
• Morphology and modifications; Tissues; Anatomy and functions of different parts of flowering plants:
Root, stem, leaf, inflorescence- cymose and recemose, flower, fruit and seed (To be dealt along with
the relevant practical of the Practical Syllabus).
• Animal tissues; Morphology, anatomy and functions of different systems (digestive, circulatory,
respiratory, nervous and reproductive) of an insect (cockroach). (Brief account only)
UNIT III: Cell Structure and Function
• Cell theory and cell as the basic unit of life; Structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell; Plant cell and
animal cell; Cell envelope, cell membrane, cell wall; Cell organelles-structure and function;
Endomembrane system-endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, lysosomes, vacuoles; mitochondria,
ribosomes, plastids, micro bodies; Cytoskeleton, cilia, flagella, centrioles (ultra structure and function);
Nucleus-nuclear membrane, chromatin, nucleolus.
• Chemical constituents of living cells: Biomolecules-structure and function of proteins, carbodydrates,
lipids, nucleic acids; Enzymes-types, properties, enzyme action.
• B Cell division: Cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis and their significance.
UNIT IV: Plant Physiology
• 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).
• 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.
• Photosynthesis: Photosynthesis as a means of Autotrophic nutrition; Site of photosynthesis take place;
pigments involved in Photosynthesis (Elementary idea); Photochemical and biosynthetic phases of
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photosynthesis; Cyclic and non cyclic and photophosphorylation; Chemiosmotic hypothesis;
Photorespiration C3 and C4 pathways; Factors affecting photosynthesis.
• 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.
• Plant growth and development: Seed germination; Phases of Plant growth and plant growth rate;
Conditions of growth; Differentiation, dedifferentiation and redifferentiation; Sequence of
developmental process in a plant cell; Growth regulators-auxin,gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, ABA;
Seed dormancy; Vernalisation; Photoperiodism.
UNIT V: Human Physiology
• 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.
• 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.
• Body fluids and circulation: Composition of 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 cardiac activity; Disorders of circulatory
system-Hypertension, Coronary artery disease, Angina pectoris, Heart failure.
• Excretory products and their elimination: Modes of excretion- Ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism;
Human excretory system-structure and fuction; 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.
• Locomotion and Movement: Types of movement- ciliary, fiagellar, muscular; Skeletal musclecontractile proteins and muscle contraction; Skeletal system and its functions (To be dealt with the
relevant practical of Practical syllabus); Joints; Disorders of muscular and skeletal system-Myasthenia
gravis, Tetany, Muscular dystrophy, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Gout.
• Neural control and coordination: Neuron and nerves; Nervous system in humanscentral 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.
• Chemical coordination and regulation: Endocrine glands and hormones; Human endocrine systemHypothalamus, 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,
exopthalmic goiter, diabetes, Addison’s disease).
(Imp: Diseases and disorders mentioned above to be dealt in brief.)
BIOLOGY: CONTENTS OF CLASS XII SYLLABUS
UNIT I: Reproduction
• 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.
• 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.
• Human Reproduction: Male and female reproductive systems; Microscopic anatomy of testis and ovary;
Gametogenesis-spermatogenesis & oogenesis; Menstrual cycle; Fertilisation, embryo development
upto blastocyst formation, implantation; Pregnancy and placenta formation (Elementary idea);
Parturition (Elementary idea); Lactation (Elementary idea).
• 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 II: Genetics and Evolution
• 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 inheritanceHaemophilia, Colour blindness; Mendelian disorders in humans-Thalassemia; Chromosomal disorders
in humans; Down’s syndrome, Turner’s and Klinefelter’s syndromes.
• 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 finger printing.
• Evolution: Origin of life; Biological evolution and evidences 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 III: Biology and Human Welfare
• Health and Disease; Pathogens; parasites causing human diseases (Malaria, Filariasis, Ascariasis.
Typhoid, Pneumonia, common cold, amoebiasis, ring worm); Basic concepts of immunology-vaccines;
Cancer, HIV and AIDS; Adolescence, drug and alcohol abuse.
• Improvement in food production; Plant breeding, tissue culture, single cell protein, Biofortification;
Apiculture and Animal husbandry.
• Microbes in human welfare: In household food processing, industrial production, sewage treatment,
energy generation and as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers.
UNIT IV: Biotechnology and Its Applications
• Principles and process of Biotechnology: Genetic engineering (Recombinant DNA technology).
• 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 V: Ecology and environment
• 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.
• Ecosystem: Patterns, components; productivity and decomposition; Energy flow; Pyramids of number,
biomass, energy; Nutrient cycling (carbon and phosphorous); Ecological succession; Ecological ServicesCarbon fixation, pollination, oxygen release.
• 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.
• 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.
History of man is only about 50,000 years old. In the course of human history there have been three major explosions, each corresponding to a major changes in the environment. The first population explosion occurring about 20,000 years ago. It …
1.3 Origin and Evolution of Life Origin of Universe and Earth Philosophers and scientists have been busy to solve the riddle as to how the universe and our earth were formed and how and when ‘life’ originated …
