Units
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Topic
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Sub-Topic
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1.
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Reproduction
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Chapter-1: Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants – Flower structure; development of male and female gametophytes; pollination: types, agencies and examples; out breeding 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 dispersal and fruit formation.
Chapter-2: Human Reproduction – Male and female reproductive systems; microscopic anatomy of testis and ovary; gametogenesis (spermatogenesis and oogenesis); menstrual cycle; fertilisation, embryo development up to blastocyst formation, implantation; pregnancy and placenta formation (elementary idea); parturition (elementary idea); lactation (elementary idea). Chapter-3: Reproductive Health – Need for reproductive health and prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs); 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). |
2.
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Genetics and Evolution
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Chapter-4: Principles of Inheritance and Variation – Heredity and variation: Mendelian inheritance; deviations from Mendelism (incomplete dominance, co-dominance, multiple alleles, inheritance of blood groups, pleiotropy); elementary idea of polygenic inheritance; chromosome theory of inheritance; chromosomes and genes; sex determination in humans, birds and honey bees; linkage and crossing over; sex-linked inheritance (haemophilia, colour blindness); Mendelian disorders (e.g., thalassemia); chromosomal disorders (Down's syndrome, Turner's and Klinefelter's syndromes).
Chapter-5: 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 projects (Human and rice genomes); DNA fingerprinting. Chapter-6: Evolution – Origin of life; biological evolution and evidences (paleontology, comparative anatomy, embryology, molecular evidences); Darwin's contribution; modern synthetic theory of evolution; mechanisms – variation (mutation and recombination) and natural selection with examples, types of natural selection; gene flow and genetic drift; Hardy-Weinberg principle; adaptive radiation; human evolution. |
3.
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Biology and Human Welfare
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Chapter-7: Human Health and Disease – Pathogens; parasites causing human diseases (malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filariasis, ascariasis, typhoid, pneumonia, common cold, amoebiasis, ringworm) and their control; basic concepts of immunology (vaccines); cancer, HIV and AIDS; adolescence – drug and alcohol abuse.
Chapter-8: Microbes in Human Welfare – Role of microbes in food processing, industrial production, sewage treatment, energy generation; use of microbes as bio-control agents and bio-fertilizers; antibiotics – production and judicious use. |
4.
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Biotechnology and its Applications
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Chapter-9: Biotechnology: Principles and Processes – Genetic Engineering (Recombinant DNA Technology).
Chapter-10: Biotechnology and its Applications – Application of biotechnology in health and agriculture: human insulin and vaccine production, stem cell technology, gene therapy; genetically modified organisms (Bt crops); transgenic animals; biosafety issues, biopiracy and patents. |
5.
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Ecology and Environment
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Chapter-11: Organisms and Populations – Population interactions (mutualism, competition, predation, parasitism); population attributes (growth, birth rate, death rate, age distribution). (Topics excluded: Organism and its Environment, Major Abiotic Factors, Responses to Abiotic Factors, Adaptations)
Chapter-12: Ecosystem – Ecosystem patterns, components; productivity and decomposition; energy flow; pyramids of number, biomass, energy. (Topics excluded: Ecological Succession and Nutrient Cycles) Chapter-13: Biodiversity and Conservation – Biodiversity: concept, patterns, importance; loss of biodiversity; biodiversity conservation; hotspots, endangered organisms, extinction; Red Data Book; Sacred Groves; biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and Ramsar sites. |