CUET Biology Syllabus 2025: Important Topics, Exam Pattern and Books to Prepare
Common University Entrance Test 2025 ( CUET )
CUET 2025 exams will be scheduled in the last third week of May 2025. Candidates planning to get admission in CUET participating colleges based on the CUET Biology Exam must check the CUET 2025 Biology Syllabus and exam pattern. Read the article to learn about important topics, previous years' question papers, and some recommended books to prepare for the exam.
CUET 2025 Biology Syllabus
CUET Biology Syllabus 2025: CUET is an undergraduate entrance exam held by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for students to get admission at different universities/colleges across India. NTA will likely conduct the CUET UG 2025 in the third week of May 2025. The mode of examination will be Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. Candidates interested in taking UG courses requiring Biology as one of the domain subjects must check the CUET Biology Syllabus. NTA will release the CUET exam date 2025 for Biology on its official website.
CUET Biology Syllabus includes important topics such as reproduction, biotechnology, ecology and environment, health and disease, and many more. Candidates preparing for the CUET exam must check the CUET 2025 Eligibility Criteria before filling out the Application Form, which will be tentatively released in the second week of February 2025. Candidates must regularly check NTA's official website for CUET 2025 Exam Notification.
LATEST UPDATE: CUET UG 2025 Major Changes Announced; Check Deleted Subjects, Duration, Questions, Mode
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Q: Are NCERT books enough to cover CUET syllabus?
Since the CUET syllabus is in line with the Class 12 Board exam syllabus, it can be safely assumed that the NCERT books are enough to cover the syllabus of the exam. Candidates must note that, CUET exam tests students' understanding of the concepts and ability to apply them in various situations.
Therefore, to prepare well and get a good score, it is advised that students refer to other study materials and books designed for national level competitive entrance exams. The CUET UG syllabus is in tune with the Class 12 Board exam syllabus. The chapters and topics are similar to Class 12 syllabus. Unlike other UG entrance exams, CUET UG syllabus does not include Class 11 syllabus.
Q: is it enough to learn from NCERT textbooks to clear CUET?
Since the CUET UG 2025 syllabus is in line with the Class 12 Board exam syllabus, it can be safely assumed that the NCERT books are enough to clear CUET UG 2025 exam. Candidates must note that, CUET exam tests students' understanding of the concepts and ability to apply them in various situations. Therefore, to prepare well and get a good score, it is advised that students refer to other study materials and books designed for national level competitive entrance exams. The CUET UG syllabus is in tune with the Class 12 Board exam syllabus. The chapters and topics are similar to Class 12 syllabus. Unlike other UG entrance exams, CUET UG syllabus does not include Class 11 syllabus.
CUET UG Biology Syllabus 2025
The CUET Biology Syllabus includes 16 chapters and is distributed among 5 units. Candidates can take a look at the detailed CUET Biology Syllabus here.
Unit I: Reproduction
- Reproduction in Organisms: Reproduction, acharacteristic feature of all organisms for the continuation of species; Modes of reproduction –Asexual and sexual; Asexual reproduction; Modes- Binary fission, sporulation, budding, gemmule, fragmentation; vegetative propagation in plants.
- Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants: Flower structure; Development of male and female gametophytes; Pollination–types, agencies and examples; Outbreedings 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 and fruit formation.
- Human Reproduction: Male and female reproductive systems; Microscopic anatomy of testis and ovary; Gametogenesis- spermatogenesis & oogenesis; Menstrual cycle; Fertilisation, embryo development upto blastocyst formation, implantation; Pregnancy and placenta formation (Elementary idea); Parturition (Elementary idea); Lactation (Elementary idea).
- Reproductive Health: Need for reproductive health and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD); 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 II: Genetics and Evolution
- 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, honeybee; Linkage and crossing over; Sex-linked inheritance - Haemophilia, Colour blindness; Mendelian disorders in humans – Thalassemia; Chromosomal disorders in humans; Down syndrome, Turner’s and Klinefelter’s syndromes.
- 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 and human genome project; DNA fingerprinting.
- Evolution: Origin of life; Biological evolution and evidence for biological evolution (Paleontological, 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’sprinciple; Adaptive Radiation; Human evolution.
Unit III: Biology and Human Welfare
- Health and Disease: Pathogens; parasites causing human diseases (Malaria, Filariasis, Ascariasis, Typhoid, Pneumonia, common cold, amoebiasis, ring worm); Basic concepts of immunology–vaccines; Cancer, HIV and AIDs; Adolescence, drug and alcohol abuse. Improvement in food production: Plant breeding, tissue culture, single cell protein, Biofortification; Apiculture and Animal husbandry.
- Improvement in Food Production: Plant breeding, tissue culture, single cell protein, Biofortification; Apiculture and Animal husbandry.
- Microbes in Human Welfare: In household food processing, industrial production, sewage treatment, energy generation, and as biocontrol agents and biofertilizers.
Unit IV: Biotechnology and its Applications
- Principles and Process of Biotechnology: Genetic engineering (Recombinant DNA technology).
- Application of Biotechnology in health and agriculture: Human insulin and vaccine production, gene therapy; Genetically modified organisms-Bt crops; Transgenic Animals; Biosafety issues–Biopiracy and patents.
Unit V: Ecology and Environment
- Organisms and Environment: Habitat and niche; Population and ecological adaptations; Population interactions – mutualism, competition, predation, parasitism; Population attributes–growth, birth rate and death rate, age distribution.
- Ecosystems: Patterns, components; productivity and decomposition; Energy flow; Pyramids of number, biomass, energy; Nutrient cycling (carbon and phosphorous); Ecological succession; Ecological Services– Carbon fixation, pollination, oxygen release.
- Biodiversity and its Conservation: Concept of Biodiversity; Patterns of Biodiversity; Importance of Biodiversity; Loss of Biodiversity; Biodiversity conservation; Hotspots, endangered organisms, extinction, Red Data Book, biosphere reserves, National parks, and sanctuaries.
- Environmental Issues: Air pollution and its control; Water pollution and its control; Agrochemicals and their effects; Solid waste management; Radioactive waste management; Greenhouse effect and global warming; Ozone depletion; Deforestation; Any three case studies as success stories addressing environmental issues.
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CUET Biology Syllabus PDF Download
NTA releases the CUET Biology Syllabus at nta.ac.in. Refer to the link below to download the CUET Biology Syllabus PDF:
CUET Biology Syllabus PDF in English
CUET Biology Syllabus in Hindi
Also Read: CUET Biology Question Paper
CUET 2025 Biology Exam Pattern
According to the revised CUET UG exam pattern, the Biology Question Paper will consist of 50 questions. The candidates will be given no options in questions and must complete the exam in 60 minutes. Check the below table to learn about the CUET 2025 exam pattern.
| Particulars |
Details |
|---|---|
| CUET Exam Conduction Body |
National Testing Agency |
| Mode of the examination |
Computer-based test mode |
| Language of exam |
13 languages - English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu |
| Type of questions |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Total number of Questions |
50 questions (all compulsory) |
| Duration of Exam |
60 minutes |
| Maximum Score |
250 |
| Negative marking |
Yes |
| Marking Scheme |
+5 for each correct answer -1 for each incorrect answer |
| CUET Biology Mapping for Courses |
B.Sc. in Biology or Zoology |
For better mapping of subjects, candidates must read Stream-wise Best UG Courses for Engineering, Science, Commerce, Arts.
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Q: Are there any recommended books for CUET KTPI Exam?
Yes, there are several recommended books for the CUET Knowledge Tradition and Practices of India (KTPI) exam. These include:
- NCERT books on Indian History, Culture, and Tradition.
- "Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India" by CBSE, which offers comprehensive material on various knowledge
- systems.
- Indian Heritage and Culture textbooks for Class XI-XII, focusing on India's intellectual and cultural traditions.
- Specialized guides and previous year papers for KTPI-specific preparation.
These resources can help candidates understand India's ancient traditions and practices, which are the focus of the CUET KTPI paper.
Download CUET Section/Domain Wise Syllabus and Question Paper
Candidates preparing for CUET can download the CUET Syllabus 2025 and CUET UG Question Papers for the Language Paper, 23 CUET Domain Subjects, and General Paper mentioned in the table below:
Also Read: CUET UG Exam Notification 2025
Recommended Books for CUET UG Biology 2025
The CUET 2025 exam is generally based on the Class 12 syllabus and books. However, to prepare well for the exam, students planning to take the CUET Biology exam can refer to the books listed below:
- NCERT class 12 Biology Textbook
- Pradeep’s A Text Book of Biology class 12 by P.S. Dhami
- Together with Biology by S. Chand
- Biology by Campbell and Reece
- S. Chand’s Biology for class XII by B.P. Pandey
Check Out: CUET UG 2025 Best Books for Science
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How to Prepare for CUET Biology Exam 2025
Listed below are some points that candidates preparing for the CUET 2025 Biology Exam should keep in mind to attain good scores in the CUET UG 2025 exam and get admission to the CUET Accepting College of their choice based on the selected course.
- Know the Syllabus and Exam Pattern: The first and foremost preparation strategy for any exam or subject is to know the exam pattern and syllabus. Once you do, deciding on the preparation strategy will be easier
- Know the Important Chapters and Topics: Go through the CUET Previous Years’ Question Papers and CUET UG Exam Analysis to understand the question types, important topics, and topics with higher weightage. These will help you understand the difficulty level of the CUET exam.
- Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: By now, you must have completed the syllabus and identified your areas of strengths and weaknesses. Based on that, you must decide which chapters to prepare thoroughly and which to leave out. Ideally, you should focus more on the areas of strength and leave out those in which you are not confident. However, before deciding on the topics to leave out, check the CUET Biology Chapter-wise weightage or importance of those areas. If your weak areas carry a high weightage, you must try to improve them. In case of a lower weightage, you can leave them and concentrate on preparing for the stronger areas.
- Practice and Solve Mock Tests and Question Papers: After completing the syllabus, the next step for CUET Biology preparation is to practice by taking regular CUET UG Mock Tests and solving the previous year’s question papers. Only practice is not enough. After taking tests, get those analyzed by mentors or teachers to understand the areas of improvement and how to be more accurate and manage time more effectively.
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FAQs on CUET Biology Syllabus
Q. What is the exam pattern for CUET Biology?
Ans. The exam pattern for CUET Biology consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). The paper includes 50 questions and candidates must attempt all questions. Each correct answer carries 5 marks and 1 mark is deducted for every incorrect answer.
Q. Which books are recommended for CUET Biology preparation?
Ans. Candidates preparing for the CUET Biology Exam can refer to the following recommended books to attain good score in the exam:
- NCERT Biology for Class 11 & 12 – This is the primary source as CUET follows the NCERT syllabus closely.
- Trueman's Elementary Biology – Helpful for in-depth understanding and practice.
- Dinesh Objective Biology – Good for MCQ practice and revision.
- MTG Objective NCERT at your Fingertips – Useful for quick revision and practicing MCQs.
- Pradeep’s Biology – Offers detailed explanations and examples for thorough preparation.
Q. Can I take Biology as my domain subject for all universities?
Ans. Yes, you can take Biology as a domain subject in CUET for many universities. However, each university may have specific requirements for different programs. It is essential to review the university's eligibility criteria and subject mapping guidelines to ensure that Biology is accepted for the course you're applying for. Universities offering life sciences, biotechnology, and medical-related programs are more likely to accept Biology as a domain subject. Always check the CUET subject mapping for the specific university before applying.
Q. Can CUET Biology be paired with other subjects?
Ans. Yes, CUET Biology can be paired with other subjects, especially for students aiming for science-related courses. Common combinations include Biology with Chemistry and Physics, which are ideal for pursuing medical, life sciences, or biotechnology programs. You can also map it with Mathematics or other domain subjects depending on the course requirements of the specific university. Always check the subject requirements of your desired university to ensure your combination aligns with the eligibility criteria for the programs you wish to apply for.
Q. What are the career options after clearing CUET Biology?
Ans. After clearing CUET Biology, students can pursue various career options depending on the courses they choose for higher education. Some of the common career paths include:
- Medical Careers – MBBS, BDS, Nursing, Pharmacy, or Ayurvedic Medicine.
- Biotechnology and Genetics – Research and Development, Genetic Engineering, or Biotechnology roles.
- Environmental Science – Careers in Ecology, Wildlife Conservation, and Environmental Policy.
- Agriculture and Food Science – Careers in Agricultural Research, Food Science, or Nutrition.
- Allied Health Sciences – Physiotherapy, Radiology, or Laboratory Technology.
These options lead to roles in hospitals, research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and government sectors.
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