UPSC Zoology Syllabus 2024- Detailed Zoology Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2

UPSC Zoology Syllabus 2024- Detailed Zoology Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2

Edited By Vishnukumar V | Updated on Feb 14, 2024 06:08 PM IST | #UPSC CSE
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By referring the UPSC Zoology 2024 syllabus pdf, candidates can prepare their study schedule and exam preparation strategy. Union Public Service Commission prescribes the UPSC zoology syllabus in an official notification pdf. The syllabus of UPSC IAS for zoology is released separately for paper 1 and paper 2 in the pdf file.
Download - UPSC Zoology syllabus pdf

This Story also Contains
  1. Highlights of Zoology Syllabus 2024
  2. UPSC Zoology Paper I Syllabus 2024
  3. UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2024 - For Prelims & Mains Exam
UPSC Zoology Syllabus 2024- Detailed Zoology Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2
UPSC Zoology Syllabus 2024- Detailed Zoology Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2

Aspirants should refer the UPSC zoology 2024 syllabus for the mains exam of UPSC IAS. It becomes important to cover the syllabus in detail as UPSC IAS question papers are prepared from it only. Go to the below-given article to know about the Civil Services exam and other important details of the zoology syllabus.

Highlights of Zoology Syllabus 2024

  • According to UPSC IAS 2024 exam pattern there will be no negative marking in mains exam.

  • This syllabus will be useful only to those applicants who qualify in the UPSC IAS 2024 result.

  • The syllabus of zoology subject is divided in two parts - paper I and II

  • The weightage of both the papers in the exam is the same which is 250 marks.

UPSC Subject-wise Questions for various Subjects

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UPSC Zoology Paper I Syllabus 2024

Applicants can check various topics and sub topics of Zoology subjects from the given table below.

UPSC Zoology Paper 1 syllabus

Topics

Sub topics

Ecology

  • Biosphere: concept of biosphere; biomes, Biogeochemical cycles, Human induced changes in atmosphere including greenhouse effect, biomes and ecotones, ecological succession, community ecology.

  • Concept of ecosystem; structure and function of ecosystem, types of ecosystem, ecological succession, ecological adaptation.

  • Population; characteristics, population dynamics, population stabilization.

  • Biodiversity and diversity conservation of natural resources.

  • Wildlife of India.

  • Remote sensing for sustainable development.

  • Environmental biodegradation; pollution and its impact on biosphere and its prevention.

Non-chordata and Chordata

(a) Classification and relationship of various phyla up to subclasses: Acoelomate and Coelomate, Protostomes and Deuterostomes, Bilateria and Radiata; Status of Protista, Parazoa, Onychophora and Hemichordata; Symmetry.

(b) Protozoa: Locomotion, nutrition, reproduction, sex; General features and life history of Paramaecium, Monocystis. Plasmodium and Leishmania.

(c) Porifera: Skeleton, canal system and reproduction.

(d) Cnidaria: Polymorphism, defensive structures and their mechanism; coral reefs and their formation; metagenesis; general features and life history of Obelia and Aurelia.

(e) Platyhelminthes: Parasitic adaptation; general features and life history of Fasciola and Taenia and their-Pathogenic symptoms. (f) Nemathelminthes: General features, life history, parasitic adaptation of Ascaris and Wuchereria.

(g) Annelida: Coelom and metamerism; modes of life in polychaetes; general features and life history of Nereis, earthworm and leech.

(h) Arthropoda: Larval forms and parasitism in Crustacea; vision and respiration in arthropods (Prawn, scorpion & cockroach); modification of mouth, parts in insects (cockroach, housefly, mosquito, honey bee and butterfly), metaphor phosis in insect and its hormonal regulation, social behaviour ofApis and termites.

(i) Molluscs: Feeding, respiration, locomotion, general features and life history of Lamellidens, Pila and Sepia. Torsion and detorsion in gastropods.

(j) Echinodermata: Feeding, respiration, locomotion, larval forms, general features and life history of Asterias.

(k) Protochordata: Origin of chordates; general features and life history of Branchiostoma and Herdmania.

(l) Pisces: Respiration, locomotion and migration.

(m) Amphibia: Origin of tetrapods, parental care, paedomorphosis.

(n) Reptilia; Origin of reptiles, skull types, status of Sphenodon and crocodiles.

(o) Aves: Origin of birds, flight adaptation, migration.

(p) Mammalia: Origin of mammals, dentition, general features of egg laying mammals, pouched mammals, aquatic mammals and primates, endocrine glands (pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, gonads) and their interrelationships.

(q) Comparative functional anatomy of various systems of vertebrates. (integument and its derivatives, endoskeleton, locomotory organs, digestive system,. respiratory system, circulatory system including heart and aortic arches, urinogenital system, brain and sense organs (eye & ear).

Ethology

(1) Behaviour: Sensory filtering, responsiveness, sign stimuli, learning, and memory, instinct, habituation, conditioning, imprinting.

(2) Role of hormones in drive; role of pheromones in alarm spreading; crypsis, predator detection, predator tactics, social hierarchies in primates, social organization in insects;

(3) Orientation, navigation, homing; biological rhythms: biological clock, tidal, seasonal and circadian rhythms.

(4) Methods of studying animal behaviour including sexual conflict, selfishness, kinship and altruism.

Biostatistics

  • Designing of experiments.

  • Null hypothesis

  • Correlation

  • Regression

  • Distribution and measure of central tendency

  • Chi square

  • Student-test

  • F-test (one-way & two-way F-test).

Instrumentation methods

(a) Spectrophotometer, phase contrast & fluorescence microscopy, radioactive tracer, electrophoresis, ultracentrifuge, PCR, ELISA, FISH and chromosome painting.

(b) Electron microscopy (TEM, SEM).

Economic Zoology

(a) Apiculture, sericulture, lac culture, pearl culture, carp culture, prawn culture, vermiculture.

(b) Major infectious and communicable diseases (malaria,tuberculosis, filaria, cholera and AIDS) their vectors, pathogens and prevention.

(c) Cattle and livestock diseases, their pathogen (helminths) and vectors (ticks, mites, Tabanus, Stomoxys).

(d) Pests of sugarcane (Pyrilla perpusilla), oil seed (Achaeajanata) and rice (Sitophilus oryzae).

(e) Transgenic animals.

(f) Medical biotechnology, human genetic disease and genetic counselling, gene therapy.

(g) Forensic biotechnology.

UPSC Zoology 2024 Paper 2 syllabus

Topics

Sub topics

Evolution

  • Theories of origin of life.

  • Theories of evolution; Natural selection, role of mutation in evolution, evolutionary patterns, molecular drive, mimicry, variation, isolation and speciation.

  • Evolution of horse, elephant and man using fossil data.

  • Continental drift and distribution of animals.

  • Hardy-Weinberg Law.

Systematics

Zoological nomenclature

International code

Cladistics

Molecular taxonomy & biodiversity

Cell Biology

(a) Structure & function of cell and its organelles (nucleus, plasma membrane, mitochondria, Golgi bodies, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes and lysosomes), cell division (mitosis and meiosis), mitotic spindle and mitotic apparatus, chromosome movement chromosome type polytene and lampbrush, organization of chromatin, heterochromatin, Cell cycle regulation.

(b) Nucleic acid topology, DNA replication, transcription, DNA motif, RNA processing, translation, protein foldings and transport.

Genetics

(a) Modern concept of gene, split gene, genetic,genetic regulation, code.

(b) Sex chromosomes and their evolution, sex determination in Drosophila and man.

(c) Mendel’s laws of inheritance, recombination, linkage, multiple alleles, genetics of blood groups, pedigree analysis, hereditary diseases in man.

(d) Mutations and mutagenesis.

(e) Recombinant DNA technology, plasmid, cosmid, artificial chromosomes as vectors, transgenics, DNA cloning and whole animal cloning (principles and methods).

(f) Gene regulation and expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

(g) Signal molecules, cell death, defects in signaling pathway and consequences.

(h) RFLP, RAPD and AFLP and application of RFLP in DNA finger-printing, ribozyme technologies, human genome project, genomics and proteomics.

Biochemistry

(a) Structure and role of carbohydrates, fats, fatty acids, cholesterol, proteins and amino-acids, nucleic acids. Bioenergetics.

(b) Glycolysis and Krebs cycle, oxidation and reduction, oxidative phosphorylation; energy conservation and release, ATP, cycl cyclic AMP-its structure and role.

(c) Hormone classification (steroid and peptide hormones), biosynthesis and functions.

(d) Enzymes: types and mechanisms of action.

(e) Vitamins and coenzymes.

(f) Immunoglobulin and immunity.



Physiology (with special reference to mammals)

  • Composition and constituents of blood; blood groups and Rh factor in man; factors and mechanism of coagulation; iron metabolism, acid-base balance, thermoregulation, anticoagulants.

  • Haemoglobin: Composition, types and role in transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

  • Digestion and absorption: Role of salivary glands, liver, pancreas and intestinal glands.

  • Excretion: nephron and regulation of urine formation; osmo-regulation and excretory product.

  • Muscles: Types, mechanism of contraction of skeletal muscles, effects of exercise on muscles.

  • Neuron: nerve impulse—its conduction and synaptic transmission; neurotransmitters.

  • Vision, hearing and olfaction in man.

  • Physiology of reproduction, puberty and menopause in humans.

Developmental Biology

(a) Gametogenesis; spermatogenesis, composition of semen, in vitro and in vivo capacitation of mammalian sperm, Oogenesis, totipotency; fertilization, morphogenesis and morphogen; blastogenesis, establishment of body axes formation, fate map, gastrulation in frog and chick; genes in development in chick homeotic genes, development of eye and heart, placenta in mammals.

(b) Cell lineage, cell to cell interaction, Genetic and induced teratogenesis, role of thyroxine in control of metamorphosis in amphibia, paedogenesis and neoteny, cell death, aging.

(c) Developmental genes in man, in vitro fertilization; and embryo transfer; cloning.

(d) Stem cells: Sources, types and their use in human welfare.

(e) Biogenetic law.

Also read: UPSC Mock Tests Series for UPSC

UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2024 - For Prelims & Mains Exam

As per the official UPSC Civil Services Exam notification, the UPSC IAS prelims exam has multiple choice questions whereas the UPSC IAS mains exam is descriptive type questions. The prelims CSE is of 400 marks in total whereas IAS mains is of 2350 marks. For more details on the prelims and mains UPSC IAS exam pattern 2024 check the tables below.

UPSC IAS prelims exam pattern

Papers

Subjects

Marks

Duration

Paper 1

General Studies 1

200

2 hrs

Paper 2

General Studies 2

200

2 hrs

UPSC CSE mains exam pattern

Papers

Subjects

Marks

Duration

Paper 1

General English

300

3 hrs

Paper 2

Language (regional language)

300

3 hrs

Paper 3

Essay

250

3 hrs

Paper 4

General Studies 1

250

3 hrs

Paper 5

General Studies 2

250

3 hrs

Paper 6

Optional subject 1

250

3 hrs

Paper 7

Optional subject 1

250

3 hrs

Paper 8

Optional subject 2

250

3 hrs

Paper 9

Optional subject 2

250

3 hrs

Also read: Information about category-wise career exams

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Where can I download the UPSC Civil Services syllabus?

Aspirants can download UPSC IAS syllabus from the official website - upsc.gov.in.

2. When will the commission release the admit card?

The commission will release UPSC IAS admit card in online mode tentatively by 20 days prior to the exam.

3. What is the use of UPSC CSE zoology syllabus?

Applicants have to prepare for the zoology subject syllabus to qualify Civil Services mains examination.

4. What is the UPSC IAS salary?

Applicants should know that UPSC IAS salary basic pay is Rs. 56,100

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Questions related to UPSC CSE

Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?

Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.

Hope this helps!

To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.

UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):

This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).

Any Bachelor's Degree:

A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.

Beneficial Degrees:

Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.

Optional Subject:

You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.

Hope it helps!!

Hello!!

That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.

Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:

1. Understand the Exam Structure

The UPSC CSE has three stages:

Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)

Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)

Interview: Personality Test

2. Check Eligibility

Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)

Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)

3. Choose Your Optional Subject

Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).

Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.

4. Build a Study Plan

Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.

Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.

Focus on:

NCERTs (6th–12th)

Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)

Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)

5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)

For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.

6. Practice Answer Writing

Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.

7. Appear for the Exam

Notification comes out around February.

Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.

How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:

Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.

Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.

If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:

BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.

KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.

After 10th for IAS

Hello aspirant,

For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.

To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:

https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse

All the best!!

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