IIT JAM Biotechnology Syllabus [Latest]
The Biotechnology (BT) Test Paper comprises Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.
BIOLOGY (10+2+3 level)
Cell Biology: Structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; Membrane structure and
function; Organelles and internal organization of the eukaryotic cell Protein
trafficking in a eukaryotic cell; Cell communication – signalling pathways: endocrine
and paracrine signalling; Extracellular matrix and apoptosis; Cell cycle – stages of
mitosis and meiosis, and control of cell division cycle.
Biochemistry: Structure and function of biological macromolecules; Allostery;
Enzymes – basic mechanisms of enzyme catalysis, Michaelis-Menten kinetics,
enzyme inhibition, vitamins as coenzymes, and regulation; Bioenergetics – free-
energy change, high-energy compounds, biological oxidation-reduction reactions and
reduction potential; Metabolism – glycolysis, TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation,
photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, urea cycle, and regulation of glycolysis and TCA
cycle.
Genetics: Mendel’s laws; Inheritance patterns of polygenic traits; Mendelian
inheritance patterns of human disorders; Pedigree analysis; Chromosomal basis of
inheritance; Genetic recombination; Mapping genes on chromosomes based on
linkage analysis; Plant breeding.
Molecular Biology: Landmark experiments that established DNA is the genetic
material; DNA replication; Proofreading and repair of DNA; DNA recombination;
Transcription; RNA processing; Translation; Regulation of gene expression including
operons bacteria and differential gene expression in multicellular eukaryotes.
Evolution: Darwinian view – natural selection, fossil record and descent with
modification; Population genetics – sources of genetic variation, gene pools and allele
frequencies, Hardy-Weinberg equation, genetic drift, gene flow and adaptive
evolution; Different types of speciation; Phylogenetic classification; Origin of life –
abiotic synthesis of biological macromolecules, protocell, dating fossils and origin of
multicellularity.
Microbiology: Isolation; Cultivation; Structural features of viruses, bacteria, fungi
and protozoa; Pathogenic microorganisms; Nutrition-based classification of microbes;
Microbial metabolism; Growth kinetics; Submerged fermentation techniques;
Microbial genetics.
Plant Biology: Types of tissues and organs; Primary and secondary growth;
Morphogenesis; Transport in vascular plants; Plant nutrition; Development of
flowering plants – gametophytic and sporophytic generations, different
developmental phases, genetic control of flowering, gametogenesis, incompatibility,
embryogenesis, dormancy, germination and environmental influence; Plant hormones;
Photobiology; Plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses
Animal Biology: Digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, nervous, reproductive
and endocrine systems; Basics of immunology – Innate and adaptive immunity,
Immune cells and Immunoglobulins; Animal development – Fertilization, embryonic
pattern formation, cleavage, gastrulation, cellular differentiation and morphogenesis.
Ecology: Climate patterns; Terrestrial and aquatic biomes; Environmental constraints
on species distribution; Factors affecting population density; Interactions among
communities; Ecosystems; Ecological remediation.
Biotechnology: Plant tissue culture; Cloning of animals through somatic cell nuclear
transfer; Applications of recombinant DNA technology in medicine, agriculture and
forensic science.
Methods in Biology:
Cell Biology: Microscopy (light microscopy and electron microscopy);
Staining proteins with antibodies; Visualizations using the GFP reporter.
Biochemical techniques: UV spectrophotometry; Biomolecular
chromatography; cell fractionation by centrifugation; Electrophoresis; and
Western blotting.
Molecular biology techniques: DNA cloning – plasmid vectors, and
restriction enzymes; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Expression of cloned
eukaryotic genes in bacteria; Hybridization techniques; DNA sequencing.
CHEMISTRY (10+2+3 level)
Structure and properties of Atoms: Bohr's theory; Periodicity in properties.
Bonding in molecules: Chemical bonding; Complex formation; Physical and
chemical basis of molecular interactions.
Chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium: Chemical equilibrium;
Chemical thermodynamics (first and second law); and Chemical kinetics (zero and
first order reactions).
Physical and chemical properties of compounds: Chemical catalysis; Acid-base
concepts; Concepts of pH and buffer; Conjugative effects and resonance; Inductive
effects; Electromeric effects; Photochemistry; and Electrochemistry.
Chemistry of organic compounds: Hydrocarbons; Alkyl halides; Alcohols;
Aldehydes; Ketones; Carboxylic acids; Amines and their derivatives; Aromatic
hydrocarbons, halides, nitro and amino compounds, phenols, diazonium salts,
carboxylic and sulphonic acids; Soaps and detergents; Stereochemistry of carbon
compounds.
Instrumental techniques - Spectroscopy: fundamentals of molecular spectroscopy,
emission and absorption spectroscopy, UV-Vis, IR and 1-D proton NMR
spectroscopy, basics of mass spectrometry; Basics of calorimetry; Basic concepts of
crystallography.
MATHEMATICS (10+2 level)
Sets; Relations and Functions; Mathematical Induction; Logarithms; Complex
numbers; Linear and Quadratic equations; Sequences and Series; Trigonometry;
Cartesian System of Rectangular Coordinates; Straight lines and Family; Three
Dimensional Geometry; Permutations and Combinations; Binomial Theorem;
Vectors; Matrices and Determinants; Boolean Algebra; Functions; Limits and
Continuity; Differentiation; Ordinary Differential Equations; Application of
Derivatives; Integration as inverse process of differentiation; Definite and
indefinite integrals; Methods of Integration; Integration by parts.
Statistics: Measures of dispersion; Mean Deviation for grouped and ungrouped
data; Variance and Standard Deviation; and Analysis of Frequency Distribution.
Probability: Random Experiments; Event; Axiomatic Approach to Probability;
Conditional Probability and its properties; Multiplication Theorem on Probability;
Independent Events; Bayes’ Theorem; Random Variables and its Probability
Distributions; Bernoulli Trails and Binomial Distributions.
PHYSICS (10+2 level)
Units and measurements; Motion in one and two dimensions; Laws of motion;
Work and kinetic energy; Conservation of energy; System of particles and
rotational motion; Mechanical properties of solids and fluids;
Thermal properties of matter; Heat and laws of thermodynamics; Kinetic theory
of gases;
Electric charge and field; Electric potential and capacitance; Current, resistance
and simple circuits; Moving charges and magnetic field; Magnetism and matter;
Electromagnetic induction; Electromagnetic waves; Alternating currents;
Optics: Geometrical Optics – Reflection by spherical mirrors, Refraction at
spherical surfaces and lenses, Total internal reflection and Optical instruments;
Wave optics – Reflection and refraction of plane waves, Interference, Diffraction,
Polarization, and Young’s experiment:
Dual nature of radiation and matter; Atoms, nuclei and nuclear physics;
Semiconductor materials, devices and simple circuits.
