The syllabi of the Sections of this paper
are as follows:
SECTION H. CHEMISTRY (Compulsory)
Atomic structure and periodicity: Quantum
chemistry; Planck's quantum theory, wave
particle duality, uncertainty principle,
quantum mechanical model of hydrogen atom;
electronic configuration of atoms; periodic
table and periodic properties; ionization
energy, election affinity, electronegativity,
atomic size.
Structure and bonding: Ionic and covalent
bonding M.O. and V.B. approaches for
diatomic molecules, VSEPR theory and shape
of molecules, hybridisation, resonance,
dipole moment, structure parameters such as
bond length, bond angle and bond energy,
hydrogen bonding, van der Waals
interactions. Ionic solids; ionic radii,
lattice energy (Born-Haber Cycle).
s.p. and d Block Elements: Oxides, halides
and hydrides of alkali and alkaline earth
metals, B, Al, S, N, P and S, silicones,
general characteristics of 3d elements,
coordination complexes: valence bond and
crystal field theory, color, geometry and
magnetic properties.
Chemical Equilibria: Colligative properties
of solutions, ionic equilibria in solution,
solubility product, common ion effect,
hydrolysis of salts, pH, buffer and their
applications in chemical analysis.
Electrochemistry: Conductance, Kohlrausch
law, Half Cell potentials, emf, Nernst
equation, galvanic cells, thermodynamic
aspects and their applications.
Reaction Kinetics: Rate constant, order of
reaction, molecularity, activation energy,
zero, first and second order kinetics,
equilibrium constants (Kc, Kp and Kx) for
homogeneous reactions, catalysis and
elementary enzyme reactions.
Thermodynamics: First law, reversible and
irreversible processes, internal energy,
enthalpy, Kirchoff's equation, heat of
reaction, Hess law, heat of formation,
Second law, entropy, free energy, and work
function. Gibbs-Helmholtz equation,
Clausius-Clapeyron equation, free energy
change and equilibrium constant, Troutons
rule, Third law of thermodynamics.
Mechanistic Basis of Organic Reactions:
Elementary treatment of SN1, SN2, E1 and E2
reactions, Hoffmann and Saytzeff rules,
Addition reactions, Markonikoff rule and
Kharash effect, Diels-Alder reaction,
aromatic electrophilic substitution,
orientation effect as exemplified by various
functional groups.
Structure-Reactivity Correlations: Acids and
bases, electronic and steric effects,
optical and geometrical isomerism,
tautomerism, concept of aromaticity
SECTION I. BIOCHEMISTRY
Organization of life. Importance of water.
Cell structure and organelles. Structure and
function of biomolecules: Carbohydrates,
Lipids, Proteins and Nucleic acids.
Biochemical separation techniques.
Spectroscopic methods; UV-visible and
fluorescence. Protein structure, folding and
function: Myoglobin, Hemoglobin, Lysozyme,
ribonuclease A, Carboxypeptidase and
Chymotrypsin. Enzyme kinetics and
regulation, Coenzymes.
Metabolism and bioenergitics. Generation and
utilization of ATP. Photosynthesis. Major
metabolic pathways and their regulation.
Biological membranes. Transport across
membranes. Signal transduction; hormones and
neurotransmitters.
DNA replication, transcription and
translation. Biochemical regulation of gene
expression. Recombinant DNA technology and
applications. Genomics and Proteomics.
The immune system. Active and passive
immunity. Complement system. Antobody
structure, function and diversity. Cells of
the immune system: T, B and macrophages. T
and B cell activation. Major
histocompatibilty complex. T cell receptor.
Immunological techniques: Immunodiffusion,
immunoelectrophoresis, RIA and ELISA.
SECTION J. BIOTECHNOLOGY
Recombinant DNA technology for the
production of therapeutic proteins. Micro
array technology. Heterologous protein
expression systems in bacteria, yeast etc.
Architecture of plant genome; plant tissue
culture techniques; methods of gene transfer
into plant cells; manipulation of phenotypic
traits in plants; plant cell fermentations
and production of secondary metabolites
using suspension/ immobilized cell culture;
methods for plant micro propagation; crop
improvement and development of transgenic
plants. Expression of animal proteins in
plants.
Animal cell metabolism and regulation; cell
cycle; primary cell culture; nutritional
requirements for animal cell culture;
techniques for the mass culture of animal
cell lines; production of vaccines; growth
hormones and interferons using animal cell
culture; cytokines- production and
therapeutic uses; hybridoma technology;
vectors for gene transfer and expression in
animal cells. Transgenic animals and
molecular pharming.
Microbial production of industrial enzymes;
methods for immobilization of enzymes;
kinetics of soluble and immobilized enzymes;
application of soluble and immobilized
enzymes; enzyme-based sensors.
Microbial growth kinetics; batch, fed batch
and continuous culture of microbial cells;
media for industrial fermentations;
sterilization of air and media; design
features and operation of stirred tank,
air-lift and fluidized bed reactors;
aeration and agitation in aerobic
fermentations; recovery and purification of
fermentation products- filtration,
centrifugation, cell disintegration, solvent
extraction and chromatographic separations;
industrial fermentations for the production
of ethanol, citric acid, lysine, penicillin
and other biomolecules; simple calculations
based on material and energy balance of
fermentation processes; application of
microbes in the management of domestic and
industrial wastes.
SECTION K. BOTANY
Anatomy: Roots, stem and leaves of land
plants, meristems, vascular system, their
ontogeny, structure and functions. Plant
cell structure, organisation, organelles,
cytoskeleton, cell wall and membranes.
Development: Cell cycle, cell division,
senescence, hormonal regulation of growth;
life cycle of an angiosperm, pollination,
fertilization, embryogenesis, seed
formation, seed storage proteins, seed
dormancy and germination. Concept of
cellular totipotency, organogenesis and
somatic embryogenesis, somaclonal variation,
embryo culture, in vitro fertilization.
Physiology and Biochemistry: Plant water
relations, transport of minerals and
solutes, N2 metabolism, proteins and nucleic
acid, respiration, photophysiology,
photosynthesis, photorespiration;
biosynthesis, mechanism of action and
physiological effects of plant growth
regulators.
Genetics: Principles of Mendelian
inheritance, linkage, recombination and
genetic mapping; extrachromosomal
inheritance; eukaryotic genome organization
(chromatin structure) and regulation of gene
expression, gene mutation, chromosome
aberrations (numerical and structural),
transposons.
Plant Breeding: Principles, methods -
selection, hybridization, heterosis; male
sterility, self and inter-specific
incompatibility; haploidy; somatic cell
hybridization; molecular marker-assisted
selection; gene transfer methods viz. direct
and vector-mediated, transgenic plants and
their applications in agriculture.
Economic Botany: Economically important
plants - cereals, pulses, plants yielding
fiber, timber, sugar, beverages, oils,
rubber, dyes, gums, drugs and narcotics - a
general account.
Systematics: Systems of classification (non-phylogenetic
vs. phylogenetic - outline), plant groups,
molecular systematics.
Plant Pathology: Nature and classification
of plant diseases, diseases of important
crops caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses,
and their control measures, mechanism(s) of
pathogenesis and resistance, molecular
detection of pathogens; plant-microbe
beneficial interactions.
Ecology and Plant Geography: Ecosystems -
types, dynamics, degradation, ecological
succession; food chains; vegetation types of
the world; pollution and global warming;
speciation and extinction, conservation
strategies, cryopreservation.
SECTION L. MICROBIOLOGY
Historical perspective - Discovery of the
microbial world; Controversy over
spontaneous generation; Role of
microorganisms in transformation of organic
matter and in the causation of diseases.
Methods in microbiology - Pure culture
techniques; Theory and practice of
sterilization; Principles of microbial
nutrition; Construction of culture media;
Enrichment culture techniques for isolation
of chemoautotrophs, chemoheterotrophs and
photosynthetic microorganisms.
Microbial evolution, systematics and
taxonomy - Evolution of earth and earliest
life forms; Primitive organisms and their
metabolic strategies; New approaches to
bacterial taxonomic classification including
ribotyping; Nomenclature.
Microbial diversity - Bacteria, archea and
their broad classification; Eukaryotic
microbes, yeast, fungi, slime mold and
protozoa; Viruses and their classification.
Microbial growth -The definition of growth,
mathematical expression of growth, growth
curve, measurement of growth and growth
yields; Synchronous growth; Continuous
culture.
Nutrition and metabolism - Overview of
metabolism; Microbial nutrition; Energy
classes of microorganisms; Culture media;
Energetics, modes of ATP generation; ATP
generation by heterotrophs; Fermentation;
Glycolysis; Respiration; The citric acid
cycle; Electron transport systems; Alternate
modes of energy generation; Pathways
(anabolism) in the biosynthesis of amino
acids, purines, pyrimidines and fatty acids.
Metabolic diversity among microorganisms -
Photosynthesis in microorganisms; Role of
chlorophylls, carotenoids and phycobilins;
Calvin cycle; Chemolithotrophy; Hydrogen-
iron- nitrite-oxidizing bacteria; Nitrate
and sulfate reduction; Methanogenesis and
acetogenesis.
Prokaryotic cells: structure-function -
Cells walls of eubacteria (peptidoglycan)
and related molecules; Outer-membrane of
gram-negative bacteria; Cell wall and cell
membrane synthesis; Flagella and motility;
Cell inclusions like endospores, gas
vesicles.
Microbial diseases and host parasite
relationships - Normal microflora of skin;
Oral cavity; Gastrointestinal tract; Entry
of pathogens into the host; Infectious
disease transmission; Respiratory infections
caused by bacteria and viruses;
Tuberculosis; Sexually transmitted diseases
including AIDS; Diseases transmitted by
animals (Rabies, plague), insects and ticks
(rikettsias, Lyme disease, malaria); Food
and water borne diseases; Public health and
water quality; Pahtogenic fungi; Emerging
and resurgent infectious diseases.
Chemotherapy/Antibiotics - Antimicrobial
agents; Sulfa drugs; Antibiotics; Pencillins
and cephalosporins; Broad-spectrum
antibiotics; Antibiotics from prokaryotes;
Antifungal antibiotics; Mode of action;
Resistance to antibiotics.
Microbial genetics - Genes, mutation and
mutagenesis - UV and chemical mutagnes;
Types of mutations; Ames test for
mutagenesis; Methods of genetic analysis.
Bacterial genetic system - Transformation;
Conjugation; Transduction; Recombination;
Plasmids and Transposons; Bacterial genetic
map with reference to E. coli. Viruses and
their genetic system - Phage λ and its
life cycle; RNA phages; RNA viruses;
Retroviruses; Genetic systems of yeast and
Neurospora; Extrachromosomal inheritance and
mitochondrial genetics; Basic concept of
genomics.
SECTION M. ZOOLOGY
Animal world: Animal diversity,
distribution, systematic and classification
of animals, the phylogenetic relationship.
Evolution: Origin of life, history of life
on earth, evolutionary theories, natural
selection, adaptation, speciation.
Genetics: Principles of inheritance,
molecular basis of heredity, the genetic
material, transmission of genetic material,
mutations, cytoplasmic inheritance.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Nucleic
acids, proteins and other biological
macromolecules. Replication, transcription
and translation, regulation of gene
expression, organization of genome, Kreb's
cycle, glycolysis, enzyme catalysis,
hormones and their action.
Cell Biology: Structure of cell, cellular
organelles and their structure and function,
cell cycle, cell division, cellular
differentiation, chromosome and chromatin
structure. Eukaryotic gene organisation and
expression.
Animal Anatomy and Physiology: Comparative
physiology, the respiratory system,
circulatory system, digestive system, the
nervous system, the excretory system, the
endocrine system, the reproductive system,
the skeletal system, osmoregulation.
Parasitology and Immunology: Nature of
parasite, host-parasite relation, protozoan
and helminthic parasites, the immune
response, cellular and humoral immune
response, evolution of the immune system.
Development Biology: Embryonic development,
cellular differentiation, organogenesis,
metamorphosis, genetic basis of development.
Ecology: The ecosystem, habitats the food
chain, population dynamics, species
diversity, zoogeography, biogeochemical
cycles, conservation biology.
Animal Behaviour: Types of behaviours,
courtship, mating and territoriality,
instinct, learning and memory, social
behaviour across the animal taxa,
communication, pheromones, evolution of
animal behaviour.
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