Biology — Cell Biology & Plant Physiology for the NEET Exam — Texas candidates

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

• !Confusing the stages of mitosis (PMAT) with meiosis I and meiosis II, especially crossing-over in prophase I
• !Misidentifying chloroplast vs mitochondria structure (thylakoid stacking, cristae)
• !Mixing up the C3, C4, and CAM photosynthesis pathways — forgetting which plants use which and where CO₂ fixation occurs
• !Forgetting the role of specific plant hormones (auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, ABA, ethylene) in their respective processes
• !Confusing cyclic vs non-cyclic photophosphorylation and their products

Study tips

• 1Read NCERT Biology Class 11 Chapter 8 (Cell: The Unit of Life) and Chapter 10 (Cell Cycle and Cell Division) at least three times — NEET questions are verbatim or near-verbatim from these chapters.
• 2Draw the chloroplast structure, labelling grana, thylakoid, stroma, inner and outer membranes. NEET frequently tests organelle sub-structure.
• 3Make a comparison table of mitosis vs meiosis I vs meiosis II: number of divisions, chromosome movement, genetic outcome.
• 4Memorise the site of each photosynthesis reaction: light reactions in thylakoid membrane; Calvin cycle in stroma.
• 5Drill plant hormone effects: auxin = cell elongation; cytokinin = cell division; gibberellin = stem elongation/seed germination; ABA = stomata closure; ethylene = fruit ripening.
• 6For CDL: book your skills test at a TxDPS megacenter (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin) or one of the 200+ third-party testers; megacenter wait times average 4–6 weeks.
• 7For NCLEX-RN: the Texas Board of Nursing requires fingerprinting via IdentoGO before authorization-to-test (ATT) is issued — start that process the same day you submit your application.
• 8Spanish-language CDL written tests are offered in Texas; the skills/road portion is conducted in English. Many CDL training programs in the Rio Grande Valley teach a bilingual track.

Sample NEET Biology — Cell Biology & Plant Physiology questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real NEET questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

1. 1

   In which phase of meiosis does crossing over (exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes) occur?

   • AProphase II
   • BMetaphase I
   • CProphase ICorrect
   • DAnaphase II
   Why this answer?

   Crossing over occurs during Prophase I of meiosis, specifically at the pachytene sub-stage. Homologous chromosomes pair up (synapsis) to form bivalents, and non-sister chromatids exchange segments at chiasmata. This is the NTA NEET standard answer derived from NCERT.

2. 2

   The primary acceptor of CO₂ in the Calvin cycle (C3 plants) is:

   • APhosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)
   • BOxaloacetate (OAA)
   • CRibulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP)Correct
   • DPyruvate
   Why this answer?

   In C3 photosynthesis, CO₂ is fixed by the enzyme RuBisCO onto RuBP (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate) to form two molecules of 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA). PEP is the primary CO₂ acceptor in C4 plants, not C3.

3. 3

   The thylakoid membrane is the site of:

   • ACalvin cycle reactions
   • BLight-dependent reactions of photosynthesisCorrect
   • CGlycolysis
   • DKrebs cycle
   Why this answer?

   Light-dependent reactions (light reactions) occur in the thylakoid membrane, where pigments absorb light energy to drive the splitting of water (photolysis), release O₂, produce ATP (via photophosphorylation), and generate NADPH. The Calvin cycle occurs in the stroma.

4. 4

   Which plant hormone is responsible for apical dominance?

   • ACytokinin
   • BEthylene
   • CGibberellin
   • DAuxinCorrect
   Why this answer?

   Auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) produced by the apical meristem suppresses the growth of lateral buds — this is apical dominance. When the apex is removed, auxin levels drop and lateral buds become active. NCERT explicitly states this in Class 11 Chapter 15.

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