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Home > Articles > CBSE Class 12 Biology - Syllabus, Tips and Tricks, Question Paper Pattern, and Deleted Chapters
Updated on 15th July, 2024 , 6 min read
Class XIIth exams are extremely important because firstly it is a board class and secondly, the score obtained in class 12th opens the gateway to several good IITs, Arts, or Medical Colleges. With competition increasing by the day, the students must give equal importance to all subjects and prepare well. Though Biology is considered to be a relatively easy subject, students should not underestimate the subject and should not take it lightly.
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The class 12th Biology Syllabus was recently revised by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and a few chapters have been deleted from the curriculum. Now the Biology syllabus for Class 12th entails 13 chapters which are divided into 5 units. The total exam is scored out of 100, where 70 marks are allotted for theory, and the remaining 30 is for practical exam. The below table gives a brief description of the units covered in the Biology Syllabus class 12th, along with the weightage.
Biology Syllabus Theory - Course Structure | ||
Unit | Topic | Marks |
6 | Reproduction | 16 |
7 | Genetics and Evolution | 20 |
8 | Biology and Human Welfare | 12 |
9 | Biotechnology and its Applications | 12 |
10 | Ecology and Environment | 10 |
Total | 70 |
Biology Practical Evaluation | |
Parameter | Marks |
Major Experiment | 5 |
Minor Experiment | 4 |
Slide Preparation | 5 |
Spotting | 7 |
Practical Record + Viva Voce | 4 |
Investigatory Project & its Project Record + Viva Voce | 5 |
Total | 30 |
Similar Articles: Class 12 Syllabus,
The Theory Syllabus for Biology entails 5 units in total. The topics covered in each unit are mentioned below. Students should not leave any topic for preparation and each chapter should be given equal importance when studying for the Board Exams, especially Class 12th.
Unit VI - Reproduction | ||
Chapter No. | Chapter Name | Topics Covered |
2 | 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 |
3 | Human Reproduction | Male and female reproductive systems; microscopic anatomy of testis and ovary; gametogenesis -spermatogenesis and oogenesis; menstrual cycle; fertilization, embryo development up to blastocyst formation, implantation; pregnancy and placenta formation (elementary idea); parturition (elementary idea); lactation (elementary idea) |
4 | 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) |
Unit VII - Genetics & Evolution | ||
Chapter No. | Chapter Name | Topics Covered |
5 | Principles of Inheritance & Variation | 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 and honey bee; linkage and crossing over; sex-linked inheritance - haemophilia, color blindness; Mendelian disorders in humans - thalassemia; chromosomal disorders in humans; Down's syndrome, Turner's and Klinefelter's syndromes |
6 | Molecular Bases 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, Human, and rice genome projects; DNA fingerprinting |
7 | Evolution | Origin of life; biological evolution and evidence for biological evolution (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 VIII - Biology & Human Welfare | ||
Chapter No. | Chapter Name | Topics Covered |
8 | Human Health & Diseases | Pathogens; parasites causing human diseases (malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filariasis, ascariasis, typhoid, pneumonia, common cold, amoebiasis, ring worm) and their control; Basic concepts of immunology - vaccines; cancer, HIV and AIDS; Adolescence - drug and alcohol abuse
|
10 | Microbes in Human Welfare | Microbes in food processing, industrial production, sewage treatment, energy generation and microbes as bio-control agents and bio-fertilizers. Antibiotics; production and judicious use |
Unit IX - Biotechnology & Its Applications | ||
Chapter No. | Chapter Name | Topics Covered |
11 | Biotechnology - Principles and Processes | Genetic Engineering (Recombinant DNA Technology) |
12 | Biotechnology & 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 |
Unit X - Ecology & Environment | ||
Chapter No. | Chapter Name | Topics Covered |
13 | Organisms and Populations | Population interactions - mutualism, competition, predation, parasitism; population attributes - growth, birth rate, death rate, age distribution |
14 | Ecosystem | Ecosystems: Patterns, components; productivity and decomposition; energy flow; pyramids of number, biomass, energy |
15 | Biodiversity and its 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 |
The Biology Practical is divided into 2 major parts, Part A and Part B. The overall syllabus covers a major and minor experiment, Viva Voce, Spotting, Slide Preparation, etc. The below table gives a detailed description of each part.
Category | Practical Name | Details |
Part A | List of Experiments |
|
Part B | Study and Observe the Following (Spotting) |
|
Check CBSE Class 12 Chemistry Practical Syllabus
The Exam Pattern for Class XIIth Biology is fairly simple and is divided into 3 major sections. The question paper is designed to understand the basic knowledge in Biology, Analysis, and creativity skills of the students. Below mentioned is the weightage that each competency carries.
Competency | Weightage |
Demonstrate Knowledge and Understanding | 50% |
Application of Knowledge/Concepts | 30% |
Analyse, Evaluate and Create | 20% |
Total | 100% |
The Theory Section of Biology is for 70 Marks. The question paper division is given in the table below. Students are advised to go through the pattern thoroughly and prepare accordingly.
Type of Questions | No. of Questions | Marks |
1 Mark (MCQ/, One Word or One Liner) | 16 | 16 |
2 Marks (Very Short Answers, 4-5 lines) | 5 | 10 |
3 Marks (Short Answers, Diagrams) | 7 | 21 |
4 Marks (Long Answers) | 2 | 8 |
5 Marks (Detailed Answers) | 3 | 15 |
Total | 70 |
The below table covers all the topics that have been deleted from the class 12th Biology subject.
Deleted Theory Syllabus | ||
Unit | Chapter | Topics Deleted |
6 - Reproduction | 1 - Reproduction in Organisms | Whole Chapter |
8 - Biology and Human Welfare | 9 - Strategies for Enhancement in Food production | Whole Chapter |
10 - Ecology and Environment | 13 - Organisms & Population | Organism and its Environment, Major Abiotic Factors, Responses to Abiotic Factors, Adaptations |
14 - Ecosystem | Ecological Succession and Nutrient Cycles | |
Practical Part A | List of Experiments |
|
Practical Part B | Spotting |
|
Preparing for Class 12th Board Exams can sometimes get overwhelming. Below mentioned are a few preparation tips to score well in your biology exam.
Tip 1: Understand your syllabus well and start preparing with the difficult chapters, as they take time
Tip 2: Make short notes or flashcards of all relevant facts, figures, and diagrams. These will come in handy when you start revising the syllabus
Tip 3: Though diagrams are relatively easy to prepare, you should always be well-prepared and thorough with the diagrams. They can fetch you good marks in the exam if drawn and explained accurately.
Tip 4: In case of any doubts do not hesitate to clarify with your teachers or even peers if required.
Tip 5: Do not follow too many books and be through with NCERT. Most of the exam papers in CBSE Class 12 are from NCERT only. Try not to overload yourself with books.
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The biology syllabus for class 12th covers 5 units in total, namely - Reproduction, Genetics and Evolution, Biology and Human Welfare, Biotechnology and its Applications, and Ecology and Environment
Reproduction in Organisms, Strategies for Enhancement in Food production , Organism and its Environment, Major Abiotic Factors, Responses to Abiotic Factors, Adaptations, Ecological Succession and Nutrient Cycles are the chapters that have been deleted from the biology class 12 syllabus.
Yes, as a student of class 12th, NCERT is more than enough to cover the entire biology syllabus for the upcoming CBSE Board Exams. Students can refer to another book if prescribed by the school.
The total Marks for CBSE Class 12th Biology Exam are 100, out of which 70 are dedicated to theory and the remaining 30 are allotted to the practical exam.
The difficulty of the exam depends on each individual's personal strength and weaknesses. However, as compared to other subjects in CBSE Class 12th and Class 12th being a Board Year, Biology is considered to be easier. But also, as compared to Class 11th, Biology is a challenging subject.