The present curriculum provides the students with updated concepts along with an extended exposure to contemporary areas of the subject. The curriculum also aims at emphasizing the underlying principles that are common to animals, plants and microorganisms as well as highlighting the relationship of Biology with other areas of knowledge. The format of the curriculum allows a simple, clear, sequential flow of concepts. It relates the study of biology to real life through the use of technology.

The syllabus consists of five units:

(i) Diversity of Living Organisms,

(ii) Structural Organization in Plants & Animals,

(iii) Cell: Structure and Function,

(iv) Plant Physiology, and

(v) Human Physiology.

                                                              TERM I

Unit I: Diversity of Living Organism

Chapter-1: The Living World

What is living? Biodiversity; Need for classification; three domains of life; concept of species and taxonomical hierarchy; binomial nomenclature.

Chapter-2: Biological Classification

Five kingdom classification; Salient features and classification of Monera, Protista and Fungi into major groups; Lichens, Viruses and Viroids.

Chapter-3: Plant Kingdom

Salient features and classification of plants into major groups - Algae, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta and Gymnospermae. (salient and distinguishing features and a few examples of each category).

Chapter-4: Animal Kingdom

Salient features and classification of animals, non-chordates up to phyla level and chordates up to class level (salient features and distinguishing features of a few examples of each category). (No live animals or specimen should be displayed.) 

Unit 2: Structural Organization in Animals and Plants

Chapter-5: Morphology of Flowering Plants

Morphology of inflorescence and flower, Description of 01 family: Solanaceae or Liliaceae (to be dealt along with the relevant experiments of the Practical Syllabus).

Chapter-7: Structural Organization in Animals

Animal tissues.

Unit 3: Cell Structure and Function

Chapter-8: Cell-The Unit of Life

Cell theory and cell as the basic unit of life, structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; 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, microbodies; cytoskeleton, cilia, flagella, centrioles (ultrastructure and function); nucleus.

Chapter-9: Biomolecules

Chemical constituents of living cells: biomolecules, structure and function of proteins, carbodydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, enzymes, types, properties, enzyme action.

                                                                 TERM II

Unit 3: Cell Structure and Function

Chapter-10: Cell Cycle and Cell Division

Cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis and their significance.

Unit 4: Plant Physiology

Chapter-13: Photosynthesis in Higher Plants

Photosynthesis as a means of autotrophic nutrition; site of photosynthesis, pigments involved in photosynthesis (elementary idea); photochemical and biosynthetic phases of photosynthesis; cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation; chemiosmotic hypothesis; photorespiration; C3 and C4 pathways; factors affecting photosynthesis.

Chapter-14: Respiration in Plants

Exchange of gases; cellular respiration - glycolysis, fermentation (anaerobic), TCA cycle and electron transport system (aerobic); energy relations - number of ATP molecules generated; amphibolic pathways; respiratory quotient.

Chapter-15: Plant - Growth and Development

Growth regulators - auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, ABA. 

Unit 5: Human Physiology

Chapter-17: Breathing and Exchange of Gases

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 volume; disorders related to respiration - asthma, emphysema, occupational respiratory disorders.

Chapter-18: 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.

Chapter-19: Excretory Products and Their Elimination

Modes of excretion - ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism; human excretory system - structure and function; urine formation, osmoregulation; regulation of kidney function - renin - angiotensin, atrial natriuretic factor, ADH and diabetes insipidus; role of other organs in excretion; disorders - uremia, renal failure, renal calculi, nephritis; dialysis and artificial kidney.

Chapter-20: Locomotion and Movement

Types of movement - ciliary, flagellar, muscular; skeletal muscle-contractile proteins and muscle contraction; skeletal system and its functions; joints; disorders of muscular and skeletal system - myasthenia gravis, tetany, muscular dystrophy, arthritis, osteoporosis, gout.

Chapter-21: Neural Control and Coordination

Neuron and nerves; Nervous system in humans - central nervous system; peripheral nervous system and visceral nervous system; generation and conduction of nerve impulse; reflex action; sensory perception; sense organs; elementary structure and functions of eye and ear.

Chapter-22: Chemical Coordination and Integration

Endocrine glands and hormones; human endocrine system - hypothalamus, 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; dwarfism, acromegaly, cretinism, goiter, exophthalmic goiter, diabetes, Addison's disease.

                                                                      PRACTICAL COURSE

TERM I

1. Study and describe a locally available common flowering plant, from any one family: Solanaceae or Liliaceae (Poaceae, Asteraceae or Brassicaceae can be substituted in case of particular geographical location) including dissection and display of floral whorls, anther and ovary to show number of chambers (floral formulae and floral diagrams).

2. Study of osmosis by Potato osmometer.

TERM II

3. Separation of plant pigments through paper chromatography.

4. Study of distribution of stomata in the upper and lower surfaces of leaves.

5. Study of the rate of respiration in flower buds/leaf tissue and germinating seeds.

6. Test for presence of sugar in urine.

7. Test for presence of albumin in urine.