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UPSC Botany — Previous Year Questions

Every question from Botany papers in UPSC Civil Services Mains (2021–2026), organised by year. 96 questions in total, each with directive-word analysis, model answer points, and a full evaluation rubric.

96Questions
6Years covered

2026 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2026

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) Blue-green algae are also considered as bacteria. Discuss their major similarities with bacteria. (10 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What are the major characteristics of Anthocerotopsida? Describe the gametophytic and sporophytic generations of… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Name the organism that causes stalk rot disease in maize. Describe its symptoms, disease cycle, control and… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Explain the APG IV classification. State briefly how it differs from existing classifications. Discuss its merits… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Describe the androecium of Orchidaceae and Asclepiadaceae. Highlight the differences between them. (10 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Mention the diagnostic features of family Apiaceae and Solanaceae. Write the botanical names and uses of five… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Briefly explain the method of herbaria preparation. What is its role in modern taxonomic research? (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) What is the role played by media and growth regulators in micropropagation? How to control exudation and… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Frame Shift mutation (10 marks) (b) Lampbrush chromosome and its significance (10 marks) (c) Reporter genes (10… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Give a detailed account on sex linked inheritance ? (20 marks) (b) Explain the structural variations of chromosomes… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) (i) Write in detail the chemical composition of microtubules. (10 marks) (ii) Elaborate the functions of… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Discuss on the tools and techniques involved in PCR and FISH. (20 marks) (b) Explain the causes of Heterosis and… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Munch hypothesis (10 marks) (b) Correlation and Regression (10 marks) (c) Heat Shock Proteins (HSP's) (10 marks)… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) (i) Explain the significance of Nod factors and the process of root nodule formation. (10 marks) (ii) Describe the… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) (i) Explain the factors affecting enzyme activity. (10 marks) (ii) Describe the mechanism of enzyme action. (10… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) (i) What is the basic concept of phytogeography ? (5 marks) (ii) Give a detailed account on various… 50 marks

2025 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2025

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) How many types of gametophytes are found in Lycopodium ? Why is it difficult to collect such prothalli in nature ?… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Enumerate the types of fruiting bodies of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Write the various steps of ascus formation… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Discuss how progressive sterilization of sporogenous tissue occurs in bryophytes, with suitable diagrams and… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Describe the causal organisms, disease cycle and control measures of Early Blight of Potato and Blast of Rice… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Give an account of post-fertilization changes leading to formation of seeds in angiosperms. 10 (b) What are the… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) What are the diagnostic characters of the families – Cucurbitaceae and Poaceae ? Write the botanical names and… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Write the botanical name, family, morphology of useful parts and uses of the following plants: (i) Safflower (ii)… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) What is micropropagation and how does it differ from traditional plant propagation methods ? Give an account of the… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Nuclear pore complex (10 marks) (b) Epistasis (10 marks) (c) Synaptonemal complex (10 marks) (d) Amphidiploidy (10… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What are the different methods of DNA sequencing? Elaborate the shotgun sequencing method. (20 marks) (b) Describe… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Elucidate the molecular basis of sex determination in plants. Explain the role of homomorphic and heteromorphic sex… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) What is organic evolution? Discuss in detail the indirect evidences of organic evolution with suitable examples… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Tests of significance (10 marks) (b) Kranz anatomy and its significance (10 marks) (c) Vernalization (10 marks) (d)… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) What are transgenic crops? Discuss the prospects and risks involved in their cultivation. (20 marks) (b) What is… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) What are the different gene transfer methods in plants? Give a brief account of direct gene transfer methods. (20… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Define biodiversity. Explain the various ex situ and in situ methods of conserving biodiversity. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks

2024 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2024

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) How are viruses classified based on their symmetry? With a suitable diagram, explain the structure of T4 phage… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Describe the five distinct stages in the life cycle of Puccinia graminis with suitable diagrams. 20 (b) With… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Enumerate the beneficial and harmful effects of algae. Add a note on their commercial cultivation. 10+5+5=20 (b)… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Describe the male and female gametophytes of Pinus. How are the processes of pollination and fertilization… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) What are the consequences of domestication of plants? Explain. 10 (b) Describe how successive cambia cause… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Describe different types of endosperm development in angiosperms. What is the significance of aleurone tissue?… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Write an explanatory account of ethnobotany. Give a critical account of whether ethnobotany is a faith, myth or… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Basal media, growth regulators, sterilization and culture conditions are essential components of plant tissue… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Explain the types of variations found in the structure of chromosomes and discuss their importance and… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Explain briefly the process and importance of the following : 5+5+5=15 (i) Male sterility and heterosis breeding. 5… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Describe along with illustrated diagrams the structure and function of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Discuss briefly the following and comment on their significance : 10+5+5=20 (i) In what way the transfer of genes… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Explain what is secondary active transport. Discuss its importance in ion acquisition in plants. 10 (b) Discuss… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Explain the compartmentation of biochemical reactions in photorespiration. Comment upon the significance of the… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Define leaf senescence. Describe important physiological and biochemical changes taking place during this process… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a)(i) What are allosteric enzymes ? Explain in detail on the allosteric enzyme modulation. 8 (a)(ii) Describe the… 50 marks

2023 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2023

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) What are prions? How do they differ from viruses? Mention few diseases caused by prions in animals and human… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What is lichen? With suitable diagrams, describe its types and structure. Write a note on the economic importance… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Define microbial biopesticides. What are their types? With suitable examples, evaluate the potential of microbial… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Diagrammatically present the Geological Time Scale up to 'Epoch'. Write a note on the different types of fossils… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Alphonse de Candolle classified plants of economic importance into various classes. List these classes and state… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) What are the different means of pollination in plants? Which natural devices ensure cross-pollination? (20 marks)… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Describe the botanical features, ecology and propagation of rubber tree. How is rubber obtained and processed from… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) What factors affect in vitro stages of micropropagation? Discuss the applications and limitations of… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Cell-cell adhesion mechanism 10 (b) Structure and functions of cytoskeleton 10 (c) Characteristics of triplet codon… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Differentiate between polytene chromosomes and normal chromosomes. 15 (b) Describe polygenic inheritance by giving… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) What are the major requirements for a successful back-crossing programme ? Describe its procedure, advantages and… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Describe the structure, kinds, chemical nature, origin and functions of lysosomes. 20 (b) Explain multiple alleles… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Biological significance of mineral elements in plants 10 (b) Photo-oxidation of water by photosystem II through… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) What are nastic movements, their types and mechanism ? Explain. 15 (b) How is the transport of electrons and… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) How can the reaction equilibria and reaction rates be explained by using free energy diagram in a simple enzymatic… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) (i) How do the three stages in fatty acid oxidation converge to conserve energy as ATP ? 5 (ii) What is β-oxidation… 50 marks

2022 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2022

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) What is mycoplasma? Describe its types and importance in plant pathogenesis. 2+8=10 (b) Describe the ultrastructure… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) What is brown spot disease of rice? Describe its causal organism, symptoms, disease cycle and its control. How does… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) What is dikaryotization in fungi? Describe different methods of dikaryotization in basidiomycetes. How does… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) What are the characteristic features of the family Orchidaceae? How did the classification systems of Bentham and… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Mention the role of embryo rescue in interspecific hybridization. (b) Explain 'cybridization'. Write one example of… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Write a detailed account of homospory, anisospory, incipient heterospory and heterospory. Elaborate on the… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Write the uses, botanical name, family and morphology of useful parts of the following plants : 20 (i) Cloves (ii)… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Describe the protocol involved in rooting and acclimatization of plants produced using in vitro culture. Elaborate… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Semi-autonomous cell organelles (10 marks) (b) Multiple factor hypothesis (10 marks) (c) Structure and functions of… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Discuss the different processes by which solute moves across cell membrane. (10+10=20 marks) (b) What are… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) What is organic evolution ? Highlight the mechanisms governing organic evolution. (5+10=15 marks) (b) Explain the… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) How male sterility helps in heterosis breeding ? Discuss the application of barnase-barstar system in achieving… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Symptoms of mineral deficiencies (10 marks) (b) RAPD PCR – strength, weakness and application. (10 marks) (c)… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Differentiate between enzymes and coenzymes and describe their mechanisms of action. (10+10=20 marks) (b) Define… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Describe the key goals of the convention on Biological Diversity. What steps have been taken in India to implement… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Define the terms photoperiodism and florigen. Describe the mechanism of response in short day and long day plants… 50 marks

2021 Mains

16 questions · 800 marks

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Paper I 8 Qs · 400 marksPaper II 8 Qs · 400 marks
All 16 questions from 2021

Paper I

  1. Q1 (a) Describe the structure and functions of cyphellae and cephalodia in lichens. (b) What are prions? How are these… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Explain conjugation and transformation in bacteria. Write a brief note on their significance. (20 marks) (b)… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Discuss about the names of causal organisms, symptoms, disease cycle and management of loose smut of wheat. What… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Explain with the help of schematic diagrams haplontic, diplontic, isomorphic, heteromorphic and triphasic types of… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Enumerate different kinds of trichomes and explain their taxonomic importance. (b) Discuss the advanced features of… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Describe the development of female gametophyte in angiosperms with the help of suitable illustrations. (20 marks)… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) Describe the economic botany of fibre and gum yielding plants (five species each). (20 marks) (b) Discuss the… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) Compare and contrast 'preservation' and 'conservation' of plants. Explain the importance of both in the utilization… 50 marks

Paper II

  1. Q1 (a) Cell adhesion molecules 10 (b) Ribosomal RNA processing in nucleolus 10 (c) Genetic consequences of Inversion 10… 50 marks
  2. Q2 (a) Describe types and composition of chromatin. How is DNA packaged in a eukaryotic cell ? 10+10=20 (b) Explain… 50 marks
  3. Q3 (a) Describe properties of genetic code and briefly explain Wobble hypothesis. 15+5=20 (b) What are the characteristic… 50 marks
  4. Q4 (a) Describe various methods of gene transfer in plants. 20 (b) Give an account of Operon model for regulation of gene… 50 marks
  5. Q5 (a) Alkaloids and their significance 10 (b) Role of growth substances in agri-horticulture 10 (c) Plant indicators 10… 50 marks
  6. Q6 (a) Describe C₄ cycle of photosynthesis and differentiate amongst C₃, C₄ and CAM plants. 10+10=20 (b) Define… 50 marks
  7. Q7 (a) What is unique of Indian plant biodiversity ? Discuss briefly the threats and various conservation strategies… 50 marks
  8. Q8 (a) What are the different types and causes of seed dormancy ? Describe various methods used to overcome it. Is it an… 50 marks

How Botany answers are marked

The shape the examiner expects, what earns the marks and the traps that lose them: the same card our rubrics for this subject are written from.

Answer skeleton

  1. Define
  2. Structure or process
  3. Labelled diagram
  4. Significance

What earns the marks

  • Put a labelled diagram in most answers
  • Use exact binomials, italicised
  • Give pathways and cycles stepwise
  • Link to crops, biotechnology or conservation

What earns the extra mark

  • Named species or cultivar
  • Recent biotech application

Traps that cost marks

  • Unlabelled diagrams
  • Loose common names
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