Thursday 21 April 2016

Strategy For Zoology Paper 2

Strategy For zoology paper 2

Download e-books for Zoology for UPSC Mains examination


Hello!
I am sharing my strategy for zoology paper 2, I am emphasizing on ‘my’ word because this strategy need not to be foolproof and universal. I should better use the word ‘jugaad’, this jugaad worked for me and so I hope this may help you in creating your own customized jugaad.

Why optional papers are so important? Because they are going to stay for IFS exam irrespective of any change going to be introduced in civil services exams.

Let’s have a look on the detailed syllabus first:

PAPER-II

Section-A

I. Cell Biology :

  •  Structure and function of cell and ganelles(nucleus, plasma membrane, mitochondria, Golgibodies, endoplasmic reticulum,ribosomes and Iysosomes),
  •  celldivision (mitosis and meiosis),mitotic spindle and mitotic apparatus,chromosome movement.
  • Watson-Crick model of DNA,
  •  replicationof DNA, 
  • protein synthesis,
  • transcription and transcription factors.

II. Genetics

  •  Gene structure and functions; 
  • genetic code.
  •  Sex chromosomes and sex determinationin Drosophilla, nematodes and man.
  •  Mendel's laws of inheritance
  • ,recombination, linkage, linkagemaps,
  • multiple alleles, cistronconcept;
  •  genetics of blood groups.
  •  Mutations and mutagenesis : radiationand chemical.
  •  Cloning technology, plasmids andcosmids as vectors, transgenics, transposons,
  •  DNA sequencecloning and whole animal cloning (Principles and methodology).
  •  Regulation and gene expressionin pro-and eukaryotes.
  •  Signal transduction; pedigreeanalysis; congenital diseases inman.
  •  Human genome mapping; DNAfinger-printing. 

III. Evolution

  •  Origin of life
  •  Natural selection, role of mutationin evolution,
  •  mimicry, variation, isolation, speciation.
  • Fossils and fossilization;
  •  evolutionof horse, elephant and man.
  •  Hardy-Weinberg Law, causes of change in gene frequency.
  • Continental drift and distribution ofanimals.

IV. Systematics

  •  Zoological nomenclature;
  •  internationalcode;
  •  cladistics.

Section-B

I. Biochemistry

  •  Structure and role of carbohydrates,fats, lipids, proteins,amino acids, nucleic acids; saturatedand unsaturated fatty acids,cholesterol.
  •  Glycolysis and Krebs cycle, oxidationand reduction, oxidative phosphorylation; energy conservationand release, ATP, cyclicAMP-its structure and role.
  • Hormone classification (steroidand peptide hormones), biosynthesis and function.
  •  Enzymes : types and mechanismsof action;
  •  immunoglobulinand immunity; 
  • vitamins and coenzymes.
  •  Bioenergetics.

II Physiology (with special reference
to mammals)

  1. Circulatory system
  •  Composition and constituents ofblood;
  •  blood groups and Rh factorin man; 
  • coagulation, factors and mechanism of coagulation;
  •  acidbase  balance, thermo regulation.
2. Respiratory System
  • Oxygen and carbon dioxide transport; 
  • haemoglobin : constituents nd role in regulation.

3. Nutrition and digestion
  • Nutritive Requirements
  •  role ofsalivary glands, liver, pancreas and intestinal glands in digestion and absorption.

4.Excretion and osmoregulation

  •  Excretory products;
  •  nephron andregulation of urine formation;
  • osmoregulation.
5. Muscular system
  •  Types of muscles,
  •  mechanism ofcontraction of skeletal muscles.


6. Control and coordination  (source- Tortora)
  •  Neuron, nerve impulse-its conduction
  •  synaptic transmission;
  • neurotransmitters.
  •  Vision, hearing and olfaction in man. (Source-Guyton)
  •  Mechanism of hormone action.

7. Reproduction
  •  Physiology of reproduction, (Source- Guyton)
  •  roleof hormones and phermones.

III. Developmental Biology

  •  Differentiation from gamete to neurula stage; (source: Tortora's)
  •  dedifferentiation; metaplasia, induction,
  •  morphogenesis and morphogen; (source: Gilbert's Dev bio)
  • fate maps of gastrulae in frog and chick; (source: kotpal's vertebrates)
  • organogenesis of eye and heart, placenation in mammals. (source: kotpal's vertebrate)
  •  Role of cytoplasm in and genetic control of development;
  •  cell lineage;
  • causation of metamorphosis n frog and insects; (Source- kotpal's vertebrates and anthropoda)
  • paedogenesia  and neoteny; ( source- kotpal's vertebrates)
  •  growth, degrowth and cell death; ageing;  (Source: cell biology book)
  • Blastogenesis; regeneration; teratogenesis;neoplasia.
  • Invasiveness of placenta;
  •  in vitrofertilization; embryo transfer,cloning. ( source: wikipedia)
  •  Baer's law; evo-devo concept. (source: wikipedia)


·    

This paper has very diverse topics. And the topics like cell biology, physiology etc are such that we start studying these in school in class 8th-10th itself and so we are very familiar with these topics. It is the same golgi bodies or ATP or mitosis and meiosis that we studied in class 9th is asked in the UPSC mains exam. So, the major problem we face is that we don’t know what should be the level of the answer. How much should our answer differ from answer writing a board exam or college examination when question like structure of DNA is asked?This is where we are trapped.

The solution is answer should be very simple like a that of student writing board exam but it should also cover almost everything (as it is expected in general studies)- This can be done using flow charts and diagrams(colored if one can manage).


For example: in one of the mock test in Evolution institute question was asked write a short note of Genetics of blood group. And this is the image of my answer copy.

TIPS AND TRICKS

FOR CELL BIOLOGY: 

The syllabus is divided into two parts:
1)      cell and its organelles that can be easily covered even from a book meant for PMT (Albert’s is just too vast). I have my handwritten notes of this portion written in less than 20 pages. I will be sharing them in the upcoming articles.
2)      Cell division and chromosome movements, DNA motifs, DNA structure, replication etc can be covered from books of genetics and biochemistry like lehningers, Griffiths etc ( I am sharing the ebooks, scroll down) and will also share my notes in upcoming articles.

FOR GENETICS:

 It is very broad topic, there is not one single book covering all of it. Find the link to the folder ‘genetics’, it has several chapters individually covering topics like mutagenesis, mendel’s laws etc and this can be supplemented with Griffiths( too good for pedigree analysis, sex determination. This topic needs a separate article as it is very interesting, scoring but tricky.

FOR ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF LIFE:
I tried to keep it very simple using side books used for 11-12th class and Booklet of BN Pandey(This booklet came as a life saver at the time of revision).

FOR BIOCHEMISTRY

Structure of carbohydrates (left entirely as couldn’t mug up that much and was lucky that no question was there from this portion), structure of lipids, proteins and nucleic acid (satyanarayan’s book along with lehninger’s as lehninger’s have more beautiful diagrams). No I didn’t try to remember structure of every amino acids.
Covered rest of the topics from satyanarayan and Lehningers. Could able to cover less than 50% of the entire biochem topics. Cycles are important (no need to remember the structures of the intermediates), no need to study whole kuby for immunology even satyanarayan has one chapter on it. I have made a few notes from selected topics (will share them along with article on biochemistry)

FOR PHYSIOLOGY

I love this topic, because I love making diagrams and I think this topic also fetch marks. Tortora is  really a good book (ebook can be downloaded, scroll down for the link). My notes will be also be uploaded soon.

FOR DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY:

Completely jugaad, mainly relied on internet. Made a very few short notes for few topics. Can be covered using Gilbert’s. And topics like spermatogenesis can be covered using tortora, fate maps and placenta in from kotpal’s vertebrates.
BNPandey booklet was also used for last minute rescue.

POST SCRIPT:

Again the trick was to focus more on one section, I am more comfortable with section A, so my ‘jugaad’ permitted me to skip major portion of developmetal biology which I don’t like.

People having Zoology as the second optional : You may first cover the topics from any side book meant for PMT exams along with NCERT of class 11-12th if you are running short of time.

Source for the ebooks:

Click on the links to download ebooks

For Strategy for zoology paper 1 Click here


19 comments:

  1. hi, Zoology Paper 1 link is taking to cell biology page.

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  2. Hi, and also plz could you advice for Botany as well, esp the Taxonomy/family part and economic botany part.
    Thanks

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  3. Thank u very much for ur endeavour of giving back to the community. Wish u very good luck for all ur endeavours in future

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  4. Thank you very much for your valuable guidance. Wish you success.

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  5. Thank you very much for your valuable guidance. Wish you success.

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  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. Hi Mam', had you attended any coaching for zoology?Will it be helpful if I join one?

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  8. Plz let's us know how to prepare for paper 1 specifically ethology.

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  9. Plz let's us know how to prepare for paper 1 specifically ethology.

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  10. Thank you so much for such valuable information and notes.

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  11. Mam can you please post your remaining handwritten notes please
    Just like cell biology would be of great help

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  12. Hello students i want to help you by providing ZOOLOGY and BOTANY lectures and materials course of 6 month. I will share my ID and password with serious aspirant. Free to contact me. I am doing coaching for IFS and i thought i can share my account with those who are ready to work hard for their dream so free to feel contact me.Thank you mam.
    hardiksuthar00@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you mam, please share your strategy for botany optional as well.

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  14. mam please share ur zoology notes...

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  15. Madam, i am bsc(h) computer science graduate am i eligible for indian forest exam???? Pls answer , i need help🙏 , I know this is not the right place to ask this!

    i have read eligibility criteria provided by UPSC but i am still confused

    But will i be able to give IFos exam??

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  16. Please write something for Botany as well

    ReplyDelete