CUET Biology Syllabus 2026
CUET Biology Syllabus 2026 is officially released by NTA and consists of five units based on Class 12 NCERT: Reproduction, Genetics and Evolution, Biology and Human Welfare, Biotechnology and its Applications, and Ecology and Environment.
The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG Biology (Subject Code: 304) is a domain subject for admission to undergraduate programs like B.Sc. (Hons.) Botany, Zoology, Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, and related courses in central and participating universities.
Direct Link to CUET Biology Syllabus 2026: Click Here
Overview of CUET Biology 2026
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Name | CUET UG 2026 |
| Subject | Biology / Biological Science / Biotechnology / Biochemistry (304) |
| Syllabus Based on | NCERT Class 12 |
| Mode of Exam | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Number of Questions | 50 (All compulsory) |
| Duration | 60 Minutes |
| Marking Scheme | +5 for correct, -1 for incorrect |
CUET Biology Exam Pattern 2026
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of Examination | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Number of Questions | 50 (All questions compulsory) |
| Duration | 60 Minutes |
| Type of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total Marks | 250 |
| Marking Scheme | +5 for each correct answer -1 for each incorrect answer |
CUET Biology Syllabus 2026 – Complete Detailed Topics
Unit-I: Reproduction
1. Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants: Pre-fertilisation: structure and events stamen, microsporangium and pollen grain, pistil, megasporangium and embryo sac; Development of male (microsporogenesis) and female gametophyte (megasporogenesis); Pollination types, agents and examples; Out breeding devices; Pollen-pistil interaction; Double fertilisation; Post fertilisation: structure and events development of endosperm and embryo ; Formation of seed and fruit and parthenocarpy ; Significance of seed in angiosperms; Apomixis and polyembryony.
2. Human Reproduction : Male and female reproductive system; Microscopic anatomy of testis and ovary; Gametogenesis spermatogenesis and oogenesis; Menstrual cycle; Fertilisation, embryo development up to blastocyst formation, implantation; Pregnancy and embryonic development and placenta; Parturition and lactation.
3. Reproductive Health: Problems and strategies amniocentesis; Population stabilisation and birth control various methods of contraception; Medical termination of pregnancy (MTP); Sexually transmitted infections (STIs); Infertility Assisted reproductive technologies (IVF, ZIFT, GIFT, ICSI and IUI).
Unit-II: Genetics and Evolution
1. Principles of Inheritance and Variation: Mendel’s law of inheritance: Inheritance of one gene Law of dominance, law of segregation (test and back cross) ; Deviation from Mendelism incomplete dominance and co -dominance; Multiple alleles and inheritance of blood groups; Inheritance of two genes law of independent assortment, dihybrid cross ; Chromosomal theory of inheritance; Linkage and recombination; Polygenic inheritance; Pleiotropy; Sex determination in humans, birds and honey bee; Mutation; Genetic disorders pedigree analysis, Mendelian disorders (colour blindness, haemophilia, sickle-cell anaemia, phenylketonuria and thalassemia), chromosomal disorders in humans (aneuploidy, polyploidy, Down's syndrome, Turner's syndrome and Klinefelter's syndrome).
2. Molecular Basis of Inheritance: Structure and packaging of DNA helix; Search for genetic material (transforming principle and Hershey -Chase experiment); Properties of genetic material; Replication (Meselson and Stahl’s experiment); Transcription transcription unit and gene; RNA world types of RNA and process of transcription; Genetic code and mutations; tRNA; Translation; Regulation of gene expression Lac operon; Human Genome Project (goals, salient features and applications); DNA fingerprinting (polymorphism and VNTR).
3. Evolution: Origin of life Miller’s experiment; Concepts of evolu tion ( Darwin's contribution); E vidences for evolution ( embryology, paleontology, comparative anatomy, divergent and convergent evolution and industrial evolution); Adaptive radiation; Biological evolution; Natural selection; Mechanism of evolution; Hardy -Weinberg principle and affecting factors (gene migration, genetic drift, mutation, recombination and natural selection); Evolution of plants and vertebrates through geological periods; Origin and evolution of man.
Unit-III: Biology and Human Welfare
Human Health and Disease: Introduction about health; Common diseases in humans (typhoid, pneumonia, common cold, malaria, amoebiasis, ascariasis, filariasis and ringworms); Immunity innate and acquired immunity, active and passive immunity, vaccination and immunisation, allergies, auto -immunity and immune system in human; AIDS; Cancer; Drugs and alcohol abuse - adolescence, addiction, effects of drug abuse, prevention and control.
2. Microbes in Human Welfare : Microbes in household products; Microbes in industrial products beverages, antibiotics, enzymes and bioactive molecules; Microbes in sewage treatment and production of biogas, Microbes as biocontrol agents and biofertilisers.
Unit-IV: Biotechnology and its Applications
1. Biotechnology: Principles and Processes Principles of biotechnology; Tools of recombinant DNA technology restriction enzymes, cloning vectors, competent host; Processes of rDNA technology isolation, amplification of gene (PCR), insertion of rDNA in host and bioreactors; Downstream processing.
2. Biotechnology and its Applications : Application of biotechnology in agriculture tissue culture, genetically modified organisms, *Bt* cotton, RNA interference; Biotechnology in medicine insulin, gene therapy and molecular diagnosis; Transgenic animals; Ethical issues biopiracy and patents.
Unit-V: Ecology and Environment
1. Organisms and Populations : Population attributes birth and death rate, age pyramids Population growth exponential and logistic growth; Life history variation; Population interactions predation, competition, parasitism, commensalism, mutualism and amensalism.
2. Ecosystem: Structure and function; Productivity; Decomposition; Energy flow different trophic levels, food chain and food web; Ecological pyramids pyramid of energy, biomass and number.
3. Biodiversity and Conservation: Biodiversity concept, patterns and importance; Causes of biodiversity loss; Biodiversity conservation approaches (narrowly utilitarian, broadly utilitarian and ethical) ; Methods of biodiversity conservation *in situ* (endemism, hotspots and sacred groves etc.), *ex situ* (Wildlife safaris, zoological parks and cryopreservation etc.).
