Basic Biology Fundamentals

• There is one question paper with 100 questions.
• All questions are compulsory.
• The question paper has two parts: Part A and Part B.
• Part A has 25 questions based on language comprehension, verbal ability, general awareness, mathematical/quantitative ability, and analytical skills.
• Part B has 75 questions based on subject-specific knowledge.

Basic Biology

• Spontaneous Generation Theory looks at prokaryotes vs eukaryotes
• Functional anatomy studies the structure and organization of bacteria, fungi, and algae
• Bacteria, fungi, and algae have economic importance
• Methods of sterilization
• The rhizosphere is the soil region close to plant roots and contains microorganisms
• Plant-microbe interactions occur in the soil
• Microbes transform nutrients in soil
• Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and amino acids occur and are classified
• Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism includes glycolysis, TCA cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, ETC, and oxidative phosphorylation
• Secondary metabolites occur, and are classified by their functions and applications

Ecology

• Ecology involves physical and biotic environments
• Interactions between biotic and abiotic elements
• Habitat and niche concepts, including niche width and overlap
• Fundamental and realized niche concepts
• Resource partitioning and character displacement in ecology
• Population characteristics, growth curves, and regulation
• Life history strategies in populations are studied
• Metapopulation concepts: demes and dispersal
• Intergenic extinctions and age-structured populations are relevant
• Types of ecological interactions: interspecific competition, herbivory, carnivory, pollination, and symbiosis
• The nature of communities, including community structure and attributes
• Levels of species diversity and its measurement
• Edges and ecotones in ecological contexts
• Succession types, mechanisms, and the concept of climax communities
• Structure and function in ecology encompass energy flow and mineral cycling
• Primary production and decomposition processes
• The structure and function of some Indian ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic
• Major terrestrial biomes are considered
• The theory of island biogeography
• Biogeographical zones of India

Plant Biology

• Light harvesting complexes in photosynthesis
• Mechanisms of electron transport in photosynthesis
• Photoprotective mechanisms in plants
• Carbon dioxide fixation pathways: C3, C4, and CAM
• Citric acid cycle
• Plant mitochondrial electron transport and ATP synthesis
• Alternate oxidase in plants
• Photorespiratory pathway
• Nitrate and ammonium assimilation
• Amino acid biosynthesis in plants
• Plant hormones biosynthesis, storage, breakdown, and transport
• Physiological effects and mechanisms of action of plant hormones
• Structure, function, and mechanisms of action of phytochromes, cryptochromes, and phytotropins
• Stomatal movement regulated by various factors
• Photoperiodism and biological clocks in plants
• Solute transport and photoassimilate translocation: uptake, transport, and translocation of water, ions, solutes, and macromolecules from soil, through cells, across membranes, through xylem and phloem
• Transpiration process
• Mechanisms of loading and unloading of photoassimilates
• Secondary metabolites include the biosynthesis of terpenes, phenols, and nitrogenous compounds, and their roles
• Responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses
• Mechanisms of resistance to biotic stress and tolerance to abiotic stress
• Plant tissue culture and its applications
• Molecular marker technology in plants
• Transgenic technology of GMOs and transgenic plants for biotic and abiotic stress resistance
• Quality improvement in transgenic plants
• Molecular pharming for production of vaccines, therapeutic proteins, industrial enzymes, and bioplastics

Microscopic Techniques

• Light microscopy visualizes cells and subcellular components
• Microscopes have different resolving powers
• Microscopy of living cells techniques
• Scanning and transmission microscopes
• Different fixation and staining techniques for EM
• Freeze-etch and freeze-fracture methods for EM
• Image processing methods in microscopy

Methods in Field Biology

• Methods for estimating population density of animals and plants
• Ranging patterns through direct, indirect, and remote observations
• Sampling methods in the study of behavior
• Habitat characterization including ground and remote sensing methods

Horticulture

• Horticulture's scope and importance
• The global scenario of horticultural crops
• Classifications of horticultural crops and their nutritive values
• Horticulture zones of India
• Systematic botany terminology
• Morphology description and classification of root, stem, leaf, and inflorescence

Flower and Fruits

• Flowering mechanism
• Modes of pollination
• Asexual and vegetative reproduction
• Floral biology: fertilization and fruit set
• Principles involved in nomenclature

Landscaping and Gardening

• Importance and scope of gardening
• Gardens in India
• Concepts of landscape gardening
• Styles and types of gardens, including Hindu, Mughal, English, Italian, Persian, and Japanese gardens
• Ornamental landscaping in environmental protection

Food Technology

• Food processing industries, institutions, and important food scientists in India
• Causes of food spoilage
• Methods of food preservation
• Post-harvest and storage of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Preparations of fruits and vegetables for processing
• Technology of foods of animal origin