NEET syllabus 2024: Biology (updated as per recent change)

NEET Syllabus 2024 Overview

The NEET syllabus comprises of majorly three main subjects: Physics, Biology, and Chemistry. The NEET 2024 exam pattern will remain almost the same as the previous year, the NEET 2023. However, recently, there has been an update in the syllabus. Check the syllabus updates here.

NEET UG 2024 Overview

Reduced or Not?

Yes, there has been a reduction in the NEET syllabus 2024. Rumors were going around among the students, all started by a PDF on social media. After a few days, NMC released a notice that put these rumors to rest. This notice confirmed the changes in the syllabus and answered the doubts of the aspirants.

According to the PDF available online, the NMC has implemented certain changes to the NEET Syllabus for 2024. You can find the link to the comprehensive NMC-approved NEET 2024 Syllabus PDF in this post. To stay updated on upcoming changes to the NEET Syllabus for 2024, candidates should bookmark this page or follow the official NMC website.

List of Deleted Topics from NEET UG Biology Syllabus 2024

Below is the list of topics that have been REMOVED from the NEET UG Biology Syllabus 2024. Candidates can also access the NEET Syllabus 2024 PDF for reference.

Excluded Topics:

1. Taxonomic Aid 
2. Angiosperm 
3. Secondary Growth (Class 11)
4. Transport in Plants except Xylem and Phloem (Class 11)
5. Mineral Nutrition (Class 11)
6. Vernalization and Seed Dormancy  (Class 11)
7. Sense Organs  (Class 11)
8. Digestion and Absorption (Class 11)
9. Reproduction in Organisms (Class 12)
10. Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production (Class 12)
11. Succession  (Class 12)
12. Environmental Issues (Class 12)

It is important to highlight that no entire chapter has been removed from the NEET Biology syllabus for 2024. Only specific Class 11 and 12 Biology syllabus topics have been excluded.

Added topics in NEET Biology Syllabus 2024 vs NCERT Biology 2024

The following list outlines the newly incorporated topics in the NEET UG Biology Syllabus for 2024:

Some of these topics are not included in the new NCERT Biology Book. Aspirants must refer to old NCERT textbooks and get help from their teachers and other online resources to learn these topics.

NEET Syllabus 2024 Classwise Biology: An Overview

The classwise syllabus for biology has been given below. These topics form the basis for medicine and must thus be studied thoroughly to clear NEET.

NEET Syllabus 2024 Classwise Biology: Detailed

This has been copied directly from the PDF for the syllabus that NTA has released, I have also attached the PDF below for reference.

UNIT 1: Diversity in Living World

• What is living?; Biodiversity; Need for classification; Taxonomy & Systematics; Concept of species and taxonomical hierarchy; Binomial nomenclature
• Five kingdom classification: Salient features and classification of Monera, Protista, and Fungi into major groups; Lichens; Viruses and Viroids.
• Salient features and Classification of plants into major groups: Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms (three to five salient and distinguishing features and at least two examples of each category).
• Salient features and Classification of animals: Non-chordate up to phyla level and chordate up to classes level (three to five salient features and at least two examples).

UNIT 2: Structural Organisation in Animals and Plants

• Morphology and modifications; Tissue, Anatomy and functions of different parts of flowering plants: Root, stem, leaf, inflorescence- cymose and racemose, flower, fruit, and seed. Family (Malvaceae, Cruciferae, Leguminosae, Compositae, Graminae).
• Animal tissues; Morphology, anatomy, and functions of different systems (digestive, circulatory, respiratory, nervous, and reproductive) of an insect (Frog) (Brief account only)

UNIT 3: Cell Structure and Function

• Cell theory and cell as the basic unit of life; Structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell; Plant cell and animal cell; cell envelope; cell wall; Cell organelles-structure and function; Endomembrane system-endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, lysosomes, vacuoles; mitochondria, ribosomes, plastids, micro bodies; cytoskeleton, cilia, flagella, centrioles (ultrastructure and function); Nucleus-nuclear membrane, chromatin, nucleolus.
• Chemical constituents of living cells: biomolecules—structure and function of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids.
• Enzymes: Types, properties, enzyme action, classification and nomenclature of enzymes.
• Cell division: Cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis, and their significance.

UNIT 4: Plant Physiology

• Photosynthesis: as means of Autotrophic nutrition, site, pigments involved, phases, cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation, chemiosmotic hypothesis, photorespiration, C3 and C4 pathways, factors affecting photosynthesis.
  
• Respiration: Exchange gases, cellular respiration, fermentation, TCA cycle and Electron transport system energy relations, amphibolic pathways, respiratory quotient
  
• Plant growth and development: Seed germination, growth phases and rate, conditions of growth, differentiation dedifferentiation and re-differentiation, sequence of developmental processes in a plant cell, growth regulators (auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, ABA).

UNIT 5: Human Physiology

• Breathing and Respiration: Respiratory organs, system in humans, mechanism of breathing and regulation in humans-Exchange of gases, transport of gases, and regulation of respiration, respiratory volumes, disorders (Asthma, Emphysema, Occupational respiratory disorders).
• Body fluids and circulation: Composition of blood, blood groups, coagulation, lymph function and composition, human circulatory system structure of human heart and blood vessels, cardiac cycle, cardiac output, ECG, double circulation, regulation, disorders (Hypertension, coronary artery disease, Angina pectoris, Heart failure).
  
• Excretory products and their elimination: Modes of excretion Ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism, human excretory system, urine formation, osmoregulation, kidney function regulation Renin-angiotensin, AtrialNatriuretic Factor’ ADH and Diabetes insipidus; Role of other organs in excretion, disorders (Uraemia, Renal failure, Renal calculi, Nephritis, Dialysis, artificial kidney).
  
• Locomotion and Movement: Types of movement ciliary, flagellar, muscular; skeletal muscle, skeletal system contractile proteins and muscle contraction; skeleton system and its functions, joints, disorders (Myasthenia gravis, Tetany, Muscular dystrophy, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Gout).
• Neural control and coordination: Neurons and nerves, nervous system in humans CNS, PNS and visceral nervous system; generation and conduction of nerve impulse.
  
• Chemical coordination and regulation: Endocrine glands and hormones, human endocrine system- hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, gonads; hormone action, role as messenger and regulator, disorders (Dwarfism, Acromegaly, Cretinism, Goiter, Exophthalmic goiter, Diabetes, Addison’s disease).

UNIT 6: Reproduction

• Sexual reproduction in flowering plants: Flower structure, gametophytes development, pollination- types, agencies and examples, outbreeding 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, menstrual cycle, fertilization, embryo development upto blastocyst formation, implantation, pregnancy, placenta formation, parturition, lactation.
• Reproductive health: Need for reproductive health, STD prevention, birth control methods, contraception, MTP, amniocentesis, infertility, assisted reproductive technologies (IVF, ZIFT, GIFT).

UNIT 7: Genetics and Evolution

• Heredity and variation: Mendelian inheritance, deviations; Incomplete dominance, Co-dominance, Multiple alleles and Inheritance of blood groups, Pleiotropy; Elementary idea of polygenic inheritance, chromosome theory, sex determination- in humans birds, honey bee; linkage and crossing over, sex-linked inheritance-Haemophilia color blindness; Mendelian disorders-Thalassemia; chromosomal disorders: Down’s syndrome, Turner’s and Klinefelter’s syndromes
  
• Molecular basis of Inheritance: Genetic material, DNA and RNA structure, DNA packaging; replication, transcription, genetic code, translation, gene expression and regulation- Lac operon, Genome and human genome project, DNA fingerprinting, protein biosynthesis
  
• Evolution: Origin of life, biological evolution and evidence for biological evolution from Paleontology, comparative anatomy, embryology, and molecular evidence, Darwin’s contribution, modern synthetic theory, 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; AdaptiveRadiation; human evolution.

UNIT 8: Biology and Human Welfare

• Health and Disease: Pathogens, parasites (Malaria, Filariasis, Ascariasis. Typhoid, Pneumonia, common cold, amoebiasis, ringworm, dengue, chikungunya); immunology, vaccines, cancer, HIV and AIDS, adolescence, drug and alcohol abuse. Tobacco abuse
• Microbes in human welfare: In household food processing, industrial production, sewage treatment, energy generation, biocontrol agents, bio fertilizers.

UNIT 9: Biotechnology and Its Applications

• Principles and process of Biotechnology: Genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology.
• Application in health and agriculture: Human insulin and vaccine production, gene therapy, GMOs- Bt crops; Transgenic Animals; biosafety issues, biopiracy, patents.

UNIT 10: Ecology and Environment

• Organisms and environment: Population interactions-mutualism, competition, predation, parasitism, attributes growth. birth rate and death rate, age distribution.
• Ecosystem: patterns and components, productivity, decomposition, energy flow, pyramids of numbers, biomass, energy.
• Biodiversity and its conservation: Concept of biodiversity, patterns, importance, loss, conservation methods, hotspots, endangered organisms, extinction, Red Data Book, biosphere reserves, national parks, sanctuaries, Sacred Groves.

How to go about it

I want you guys to do one thing today. I hope you all have brought your NCERTS, if not, buy them today. Just go through the book, open the syllabus pdf, and start marking. Put a tick next to the sections that are included in the syllabus and a cross next to the ones that have been deleted. Write down the names of the topics that have been included in the syllabus but are not given in the NCERT. Write these down in your Textbook index, so that you do not forget to incorporate them into your preparation.

This is the first step and now, your preparation begins.

Head over to the weightage blog to know the next step.