UPSC Zoology Syllabus PDF Download: UPSC Mains Zoology Syllabus
Choosing Zoology as an optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Examination can be both a rewarding and strategic decision. This UPSC Zoology syllabus attracts those candidates who are pursuing a biologically-oriented course. It offers clarity and concreteness in their study as the definitions are clearly defined through diagrams and factual data, it might provide for a structured approach to study and scoring.
The UPSC Zoology syllabus is vast, ranging from the different aspects of Animal Biology, evolution to ecology. For all those who studied Zoology during their graduation, it provides a systematic approach to utilizing knowledge gained. The Zoology optional syllabus for UPSC also goes hand-in-hand with some parts of the General Studies papers, giving extra advantage. Also, since the structure of the Zoology optional UPSC syllabus is predetermined, candidates can prepare in an orderly and systematic way, covering one topic at a time.
Check the detailed UPSC IAS Mains Syllabus here.
Overview of UPSC Zoology Syllabus 2025
The UPSC Zoology syllabus for 2025 involves diverse topics including animal physiology, genetics, and evolution, and ecological principles and applied Zoology. Such a broad approach ensures that the candidates become well-acquainted with the basic and advanced concepts in Zoology. UPSC CSE Zoology syllabus emphasizes understanding the living world and the interaction of animals with the environment. This is necessary for a holistic approach to preparation.
There will be 2 papers for the syllabus of Zoology for UPSC. Each paper of the Zoology syllabus UPSC would comprise 250 marks, which makes it 500 marks in total. The time duration to attempt the UPSC Zoology paper is 3 hours. Each paper would have objective answer-type questions. There is no negative marking.
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Overview of UPSC Zoology Optional Syllabus 2025 |
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Sl. No. |
UPSC IAS Mains Papers |
Subject |
Marks |
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1. |
Paper VI |
Optional Subject Paper-I |
250 |
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2. |
Paper VII |
Optional Subject Paper-II |
250 |
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TOTAL |
500 |
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Time Duration |
3 hours |
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Check the detailed UPSC IAS exam pattern here.
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UPSC Zoology Optional Syllabus for Papers 1 & 2
The UPSC Zoology optional syllabus is divided into two papers. Paper 1 primarily deals with non-chordates and chordates, covering their structure, function, and classification. While the subjects covered in paper 2 include genetics, evolution, physiology, and applied Zoology subjects such as the economic importance of insects, fish, and wildlife conservation. Both papers together provide a holistic understanding pertinent to the UPSC syllabus for Zoology.
UPSC Zoology Syllabus PDF Download!
UPSC Syllabus for Zoology Optional Paper 1
Paper 1 of the UPSC Zoology optional syllabus deals with the diversity of animal life, from non-chordates to chordates. This deals with their features and classification including biologically important processes. Various animal phyla, comparative anatomy, physiology, and the development of vertebrates and invertebrates are studied. Detailed topics include classifications, functional anatomy, and the evolutionary relationships among various groups of organisms.
The table below gives a detailed view of the the key topics of the UPSC IAS Zoology syllabus for UPSC Paper 1:
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UPSC Zoology Optional Syllabus for Paper 1 |
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Topics |
Details |
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Non-chordata and Chordata |
Classification and relationship of various phyla up to subclasses: Acoelomate and Coelomate, Protostomes and Deuterostomes, Bilateria and Radiata; Status of Protista, Parazoa, Onychophora andHemichordata; Symmetry |
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Protozoa: Locomotion, nutrition, reproduction, sex; General features and life history of paramecium, Monocystis, Plasmodium and Leishmania |
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Porifera: Skeleton, canal system and reproduction |
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Cnidaria: Polymorphism, defensive structures and their mechanism; coral reefs and their formation; metagenesis; general features and life history of Obelia and Aurelia |
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Platyhelminthes: Parasitic adaptation; general features and life history of Fasciola and Taenia and their pathogenic symptoms |
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Nemathelminthes: General features, life history, parasitic adaptation of Ascaris and Wuchereria |
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Annelida: Coelom and metamerism; modes of life in polychaetes; general features and life history of Nereis, earthworm and leech |
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Arthropoda: Larval forms and parasitism in Crustacea; vision and respiration in arthropods (Prawn, cockroach and scorpion); modification of mouth parts in insects (cockroach, mosquito, housefly, honey bee and butterfly); metamorphosis in insect and its hormonal regulation, social behaviour of Apis and termites |
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Mollusca: Feeding, respiration, locomotion, general features and life history of Lamellidens, Pilaand Sepia, torsion and detorsion in gastropods |
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Echinodermata: Feeding, respiration, locomotion, larval forms, general features and life history ofAsterias |
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Protochordata: Origin of chordates; general features and life history of Branchiostoma andHerdmania |
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Pisces: Respiration, locomotion and migration |
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Amphibia: Origin of tetrapods, parental care, paedomorphosis |
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Reptilia; Origin of reptiles, skull types, status of Sphenodon and crocodiles |
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Aves: Origin of birds, flight adaptation, migration |
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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 |
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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, urino-genital system, brain and sense organs (eye and ear) |
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Ecology |
Biosphere: Concept of biosphere; biomes, Biogeochemical cycles, Human induced changes in atmosphere including greenhouse effect, ecological succession, biomes and ecotones, community ecology |
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Concept of ecosystem; structure and function of ecosystem, types of ecosystem, ecological succession, ecological adaptation |
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Population; characteristics, population dynamics, population stabilization |
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Biodiversity and diversity conservation of natural resources |
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Wildlife of India |
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Remote sensing for sustainable development |
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Environmental biodegradation, pollution and its impact on biosphere and its prevention |
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Ethology |
Behaviour: Sensory filtering, responsiveness, sign stimuli, learning and memory, instinct,habituation, conditioning, imprinting |
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Role of hormones in drive; role of pheromones in alarm spreading; crypsis, predator detection,predator tactics, social hierarchies in primates, social organization in insects |
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Orientation, navigation, homing, biological rhythms, biological clock, tidal, seasonal and circadian rhythms |
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Methods of studying animal behaviour including sexual conflict, selfishness, kinship and altruism |
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Economic Zoology |
Apiculture, sericulture, lac culture, carp culture, pearl culture, prawn culture, vermiculture |
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Major infectious and communicable diseases (malaria, filaria, tuberculosis, cholera and AIDS) their vectors, pathogens and prevention |
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Cattle and livestock diseases, their pathogen (helminthes) and vectors (ticks, mites, Tabanus,Stomoxys) |
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Pests of sugarcane (Pyrilla perpusilla) oil seed (Achaea janata) and rice (Sitophilus oryzae) |
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Transgenic animals |
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Medical biotechnology, human genetic disease and genetic counselling, gene therapy |
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Forensic biotechnology |
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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) |
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Instrumentation Methods |
Spectrophotometer, phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy, radioactive tracer, ultra centrifuge, gel electrophoresis, PCR, ELISA, FISH and chromosome painting. (b) Electron microscopy (TEM, SEM) |
UPSC Syllabus for Zoology Optional Paper 2
Paper 2 is more specialized to genetics, evolution, and environmental biology. The topics include chromosomal theories, genetic disorders, evolutionary biology, ethology, and animal behavior. The physiology of different systems, such as digestion, respiration, circulation, excretion, nervous coordination, and reproductive biology, are studied. Topics in applied Zoology include the economic importance of different species of animals, aquaculture, and principles of wildlife conservation.
The table below highlights the key topics of the Zoology Optional UPSC syllabus for Paper 2:
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Syllabus of Zoology for UPSC Mains Paper 2 |
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Topics |
Details |
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Cell Biology |
Structure and 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 movements, chromosome type polytene and lampbrush,organization of chromatin, heterochromatin, Cell cycle regulation |
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Nucleic acid topology, DNA motif, DNA replication, transcription, RNA processing, translation,protein foldings and transport |
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Genetics |
Modern concept of gene, split gene, genetic regulation, genetic code |
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Sex chromosomes and their evolution, sex determination in Drosophila and man |
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Mendel’s laws of inheritance, recombination, linkage, multiple alleles, genetics of blood groups,pedigree analysis, hereditary diseases in man |
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Mutations and mutagenesis |
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Recombinant DNA technology; plasmid, cosmid, artificial chromosomes as vectors, transgenic,DNA cloning and whole animal cloning (principles and methods) |
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Gene regulation and expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes |
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Signal molecules, cell death, defects in signaling pathway and consequences |
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RFLP, RAPD and AFLP and application of RFLP in DNA fingerprinting, ribozyme technologies,human genome project, genomics and proteomics |
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Evolution |
Theories of origin of life |
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Theories of evolution; Natural selection, role of mutations in evolution, evolutionary patterns,molecular drive, mimicry, variation, isolation and speciation |
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Evolution of horse, elephant and man using fossil data |
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Hardy-Weinberg Law |
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Continental drift and distribution of animals |
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Systematics |
Zoological nomenclature, international code, cladistics, molecular taxonomy and biodiversity |
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Biochemistry |
Structure and role of carbohydrates, fats, fatty acids and cholesterol, proteins and amino-acids,nucleic acids. Bioenergetics |
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Glycolysis and Kreb cycle, oxidation and reduction, oxidative phosphorylation, energy conservation and release, ATP cycle, cyclic AMP – its structure and role |
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Hormone classification (steroid and peptide hormones), biosynthesis and functions |
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Enzymes: types and mechanisms of action |
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Vitamins and coenzymes |
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Immunoglobulin and immunity |
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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, thermo-regulation, anticoagulants |
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Hemoglobin: Composition, types and role in transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide |
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Digestion and absorption: Role of salivary glands, liver, pancreas and intestinal glands |
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Excretion: nephron and regulation of urine formation; osmo-regulation and excretory product |
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Muscles: Types, mechanism of contraction of skeletal muscles, effects of exercise on muscles |
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Neuron: nerve impulse its conduction and synaptic transmission, neurotransmitters |
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Vision, hearing and olfaction in man |
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Physiology of reproduction, puberty and menopause in human |
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Developmental Biology |
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 inchick, homeotic genes, development of eye and heart, placenta in mammals |
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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 |
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Developmental genes in man, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, cloning |
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Stem cells: Sources, types and their use in human welfare |
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Biogenetic law |
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Prepare for the exam using the UPSC IAS mains strategy here.
How to Prepare for the Zoology Optional Syllabus for UPSC?
Preparation for the Zoology optional syllabus involves a thorough understanding of fundamental concepts, regular revision, and practice of previous years' question papers. Here are some steps to follow:
- Understand the Syllabus Thoroughly: First and foremost, read the entire syllabus for Zoology in UPSC without missing a single point. Knowing the scope and depth required for each topic is of prime importance.
- Standard Textbooks: For general sections of the animal kingdom, one can use such standard texts like "Modern Textbook of Zoology" by R.L. Kotpal or "A Manual of Zoology" by E.L. Jordan and P.S. Verma.
- Concise Notes: While studying, create concise and well-organized notes. They will be invaluable for quick revisions. Highlight key diagrams and mechanisms.
- Regular Revision: Periodic revision is crucial to retain critical concepts. Revisit your notes and key textbooks frequently.
- Current Affairs: Stay updated with recent discoveries and developments in Zoology. This helps particularly with questions in applied Zoology.
- Previous Year Question Papers: Practice previous year papers to understand the question patterns and frequently asked topics. Regular practice enhances one's answer writing skills.
- Mocks and Test Series: Participate in test series and experience exam situations. This enhances one's time management and identifies areas that need to be improved.
- Answer Writing Practice: Practice answer writing with more details and concisely while diagramming wherever necessary. Clear and well-structured answers score better marks.
- Discussion and Study Groups: Engaging in study groups or discussions can provide new perspectives and reinforce your understanding by teaching others.
UPSC Zoology Previous Year Question Papers
The previous year question paper analysis is greatly required to understand the pattern of the exam and important topics. From this, the important areas in the IAS Zoology syllabus that often crop up in the exams can be identified, hence directed preparation is done. Practice of such papers increases familiarity with the kind of questions usually asked and helps in time management in the actual exam.
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Zoology Optional Previous Year Question Papers |
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Year |
Paper |
Download Link |
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2021 |
Zoology Paper I |
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Zoology Paper II |
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2022 |
Zoology Paper I |
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Zoology Paper II |
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2023 |
Zoology Paper I |
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Zoology Paper II |
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2024 |
Zoology Paper I |
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Zoology Paper II |
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Check some more UPSC IAS Previous Year’s Question Papers for other subjects here!
List of Books for UPSC Optional Zoology Syllabus
To prepare well for the UPSC optional Zoology syllabus, there are some textbooks which are un-replaceable. These books generally give complete coverage and are always recommended by experts and successful candidates.
Books for Zoology Paper 1
The below mentioned books can be referred for the UPSC Optional Zoology syllabus Paper 1:
- For Invertebrate Zoology, refer to P. S. Verma and E. L. Jordan "Invertebrate Zoology."
- For Chordate Zoology, refer to P. S. Verma and E. L. Jordan "Chordate Zoology".
- For Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates, study "Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution" by K. Kardong.
- For Ecology, read "Ecology and Environment" by Dr. P.D. Sharma.
- For Ethology, read "Animal Behaviour (Ethology)" by Agarwal V.K.
- For Economic Zoology, refer to "Applied And Economic Zoology" by Dr. V. B. Upadhyay and Dr. G. S. Shukla.
- For Bioinstrumentation, consult "Bioinstrumentation" by Bhawana Pandey and M.H. Fulekar.
- For Biostatistics, study "Fundamentals of Biostatistics" by Veer Bala Rastogi.
Books for Zoology Paper 2
The below mentioned books can be referred for the Zoology optional UPSC syllabus:
- For Cell Biology, read "Karp's Cell Biology" by Gerald Karp.
- For Molecular Cell Biology, read "Molecular Cell Biology" by David Baltimore and Harvey Lodish.
- For Genetics, refer to "Concepts of Genetics" by Klug and Cummings.
- For Evolutionary Biology, study "Organic Evolution" by Veer Bala Rastogi.
- For Biochemistry, refer to "Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry" (selected chapters) by David L. Nelson and Michael M. Cox.
- For Biochemistry, read "Biochemistry" by U. Satyanarayana.
- For Animal Physiology (with special reference to mammals), refer "Tortora's Principles of Anatomy and Physiology" by Bryan H. Derrickson and Gerard J. Tortora.
- For Developmental Biology, refer "Developmental Biology" by Scott F. Gilbert.
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