NEET Biology Chapter-wise Weightage 2026: Your Strategic Guide

Biology contributes 360 marks out of 720 in NEET, making it the most scoring and important subject. Understanding which chapters carry more weightage helps you prioritize your preparation strategically. This analysis is based on the last 10 years of NEET papers (2015-2024).

Overall Weightage Distribution

Class 11 vs Class 12 Biology

Key Insight: While Class 12 has slightly higher weightage, Class 11 foundation (especially Diversity in Living World) is equally important.

Unit-wise Weightage

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Detailed Chapter-wise Analysis

Unit 1: Diversity in Living World (12-15 Questions)

This unit is often underestimated but contributes significantly to the paper.

High-Yield Topics:

• Five Kingdom Classification
• Salient features of each kingdom
• Plant Kingdom - Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms
• Animal Kingdom - Non-chordates and Chordates characteristics
• Examples in each phylum/division

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Classification tables (memorize completely)
• Life cycles of Marchantia, Funaria, Fern
• Examples of each animal phylum
• Diagrams of representative organisms

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Unit 2: Structural Organisation (5-7 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Root, Stem, Leaf modifications
• Types of inflorescence
• Tissue systems in plants
• Anatomy of dicot and monocot
• Cockroach anatomy and physiology

NCERT Focus Areas:

• All diagrams of root, stem, leaf
• Tissue system diagrams
• Cockroach - complete NCERT coverage
• Floral diagrams and formulas

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Unit 3: Cell Structure and Function (8-10 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Cell organelles and their functions
• Difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
• Structure of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids
• Enzymes - classification and properties
• Mitosis and Meiosis stages
• Cell cycle regulation

NCERT Focus Areas:

• All cell organelle diagrams
• Biomolecule structure diagrams
• Cell cycle phases with checkpoints
• Meiosis stages and significance

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Unit 4: Plant Physiology (9-12 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Photosynthesis - Light and Dark reactions
• C3, C4, and CAM pathways
• Photorespiration
• Glycolysis, Krebs Cycle, ETS
• Plant hormones and their effects
• Photoperiodism and vernalization

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Z-scheme diagram
• C4 pathway (Hatch-Slack)
• Krebs cycle with all intermediates
• Respiratory quotient calculations
• Plant hormone effects table

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Unit 5: Human Physiology (18-22 Questions) - HIGHEST WEIGHTAGE

This is the MOST IMPORTANT unit for NEET Biology.

High-Yield Topics:

• Digestive system enzymes and their actions
• Mechanism of breathing, respiratory volumes
• Cardiac cycle, ECG, blood pressure
• Nephron structure and urine formation
• Countercurrent mechanism
• Skeletal muscle structure, muscle contraction
• Neuron structure, nerve impulse transmission
• Synapse, reflex arc
• Endocrine glands and hormones
• Disorders of each system

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Every diagram in Human Physiology
• All enzyme tables
• Cardiac cycle graph
• Nephron diagram with labeling
• Brain parts and functions
• Hormone table with functions and disorders

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Unit 6: Reproduction (10-12 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Microsporogenesis and Megasporogenesis
• Development of male and female gametophyte
• Double fertilization
• Embryo development in plants
• Human reproductive system anatomy
• Gametogenesis - spermatogenesis and oogenesis
• Menstrual cycle
• Pregnancy and embryonic development
• Contraceptive methods

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Pollen grain and embryo sac diagrams
• Double fertilization process
• Spermatogenesis vs Oogenesis
• Menstrual cycle graph
• Embryonic development stages

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Unit 7: Genetics and Evolution (15-18 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Mendelian genetics problems
• Chromosomal theory of inheritance
• Linkage and crossing over
• Sex determination
• Genetic disorders
• DNA structure and replication
• Transcription and translation
• Lac operon
• Origin of life theories
• Evolution evidence and mechanisms
• Hardy-Weinberg principle

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Punnett squares for all types of crosses
• DNA replication fork diagram
• Transcription process
• Translation steps
• Lac operon diagram
• Human evolution timeline

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Unit 8: Biology in Human Welfare (5-7 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Common diseases - causative agents, symptoms
• Immunity types
• AIDS, Cancer
• Drugs and alcohol abuse
• Animal husbandry
• Plant breeding
• Single cell protein
• Biogas production

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Disease table (pathogen, symptoms, prevention)
• Immunity types with examples
• Antibody structure
• Fermented products table

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Unit 9: Biotechnology (6-8 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Tools of recombinant DNA technology
• Restriction enzymes and their types
• Cloning vectors - plasmid, bacteriophage
• PCR steps
• Gel electrophoresis
• Transgenic organisms
• Gene therapy
• Bt crops, Golden rice
• Biopiracy

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Restriction enzyme cutting sites
• PCR cycle diagram
• rDNA technology steps
• Applications diagram

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Unit 10: Ecology (10-12 Questions)

High-Yield Topics:

• Population attributes and growth curves
• Population interactions
• Energy flow in ecosystem
• Ecological pyramids
• Nutrient cycling
• Ecological succession
• Biodiversity - types, patterns, importance
• Hotspots
• Environmental pollution
• Greenhouse effect, ozone depletion

NCERT Focus Areas:

• Population growth curves
• Ecological pyramid diagrams
• Carbon and nitrogen cycle
• Biodiversity hotspots of India

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Strategic Prioritization for NEET 2026

Must Master (Very High Priority) - 60% Questions

1. Human Physiology (all chapters)
2. Genetics - Principles + Molecular Basis
3. Plant Kingdom and Animal Kingdom
4. Cell Biology
5. Reproduction - Plants and Humans
6. Ecology - Ecosystem

Should Master (High Priority) - 25% Questions

1. Plant Physiology
2. Evolution
3. Biotechnology
4. Biodiversity
5. Human Health and Disease

Cover Well (Medium Priority) - 15% Questions

1. Structural Organisation
2. Biological Classification
3. Microbes in Human Welfare
4. Environmental Issues

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Month-wise Chapter Completion Strategy

For Last 6 Months Preparation:

Month 1 (December):

• Human Physiology (complete)
• Cell Biology (complete)

Month 2 (January):

• Genetics (complete)
• Reproduction (complete)

Month 3 (February):

• Ecology (complete)
• Biotechnology (complete)

Month 4 (March):

• Plant Physiology (complete)
• Evolution (complete)

Month 5 (April):

• Diversity chapters (complete)
• Human Welfare (complete)
• First revision of all chapters

Month 6 (May - Before Exam):

• Multiple NCERT revisions
• Mock test based practice
• Error correction

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The 340+ Biology Formula

Accounting for -1 negative marking on 6-8 wrong attempts = 340-350 marks

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Final Tips for Biology Preparation

1. Read NCERT like a novel - Every line, every example
2. Draw diagrams daily - At least 5 diagrams
3. Memorize tables and lists - Use mnemonics
4. Solve PYQs chapter-wise - Identify patterns
5. Revise Human Physiology most - Highest ROI
6. Don't skip any chapter - Even low-weightage chapters give 5-10 marks

Want detailed chapter-wise notes and practice questions? Join our NEET Biology program with AIIMS faculty guidance!