UG TRB Zoology Syllabus
BT Assistant Zoology Syllabus
Preparing for the UG TRB / TRB BT Assistant / Graduate Teacher / BRTE Zoology Exam starts with mastering the complete, updated TRB Zoology Syllabus. This structured syllabus offers unit-wise clarity, helping aspirants plan their preparation with precision and stay fully aligned with the Tamil Nadu Teachers Recruitment Board exam pattern.
From Cell Biology, Genetics, Physiology, Biochemistry, Ecology, Evolution, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Immunology, Developmental Biology to Applied Zoology, every chapter is streamlined to support smart, result-oriented study.
Whether you are aiming for UG TRB Zoology, BT Assistant (Zoology), Graduate Teacher, or BRTE, this syllabus acts as your complete roadmap to score high in the 2026 examination.
Read here the BRTE Zoology Syllabus
Unit I – INVERTEBRATA
Principles of taxonomy – Bionomical nomenclature – Rules of nomenclature – Classification of Animal Kingdom – General Characters and classification up to orders from protozoa to Echinodermata – Protozontype study – Paramecium and Plasmodium – Parasite protozoans (Entamoeba, Trypanosoma and Leishmania – Porifera – Type study Leucosolenia – General Topic – History, Skeleton and canal system in sponges – Coelenterata – Type study – Obelia and Aurelia – General topic – Coral and coral reefs – Polymorphism, Economic importance – Platyhelminthes – Type Study – Fasciola and Taenia – General Topic: Parasitic adaptation – Aschelminthes – Type Study – Ascaris – General Topic – Nematode parasites and diseases (Enterobius vermicularis, Ancylostoma duodenale and Wuchereria bancrofti) – Annelida -Type study – Earthworm and Hirudinaria General Topic – Metamerism – Trochophore larva and its significance – vermiculture – Nephridia – Econonic importance – Arthropoda – Type study – Penaeus – General topic – Affinities of Peripatus – Crustacean larvae and their significance – Mouth parts of insects – Economic importance of insects – social life of insects – Mollusca – Type study – Pila and Lamellidens – General Topics – Foot in Mollusca – Economic importance – Torsion in Gastropods – Echinodermata – Type study – Asterias – General Topic – Echinoderm larvae and their significance – water vascular system in Echinoderms.
UNIT II – CHORDATA
Origin of chordates – General characters and outline classification of Phylum chordata with examples – General characters and classification up to mammalia. Prochordates – Type study – Hemichordata – Balanoglossus – Urochordata – Ascidian – Cephalochordata – Branchiostoma (Amphioxus). Agnatha – Type study – Petromyzon – General topic – Affinities of cyclostomata. Pisces – Type study – Scoliodon sorrokowah and Mugil cephalus – General Affinities of Dipnoi – Types of scales and fins – Accessory respiratory organs – Air bladder – Migration- Parental care – Economic Importance. Amphibia – Type study Rana hexadactyla – General – Origin of Amphibia – Adaptive features of Anura; Urodela and Apoda – Neoteny in urodela – Parental care in Amphibia. Reptilia – Type Study – Calotes versicolor – General – Origin of reptiles – snakes of India – poison apparatus and biting mechanism of snakes. Aves – Type study – Columba livia – General topics: Origin of birds – Ratitae – Flight adaptation – Migration in birds – Palate in birds – Birds are glorified reptiles. Mammalia – Type study – Rabbit – General topics – Adaptive radiation in mammals. Egg laying mammals – Marsupials – Aquatic mammals – flying mammals – Dentition in mammals.
Unit III – CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Compound microscope – Phase contrast microscope – Electron microscope – Light and Dark field microscopes – Cytological techniques – fixation – staining – centrifugation- sedimentation co-efficient – History of cell biology – Cell theory – cell as the basic unit of living organism – Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cell – ultrastructure of an animal cell – plasma membrane – Lipid bilayer, unit membrane, fluid mosaic and functions of plasma membrane – Cell organelles – ERC – Ribosomes – Golgi complex – Lysosomes – Centrioles and mitochondria – Nucleus – Nucleolus – structure and functions of chromosomes – heterochromatin and euchromatin – Giant chromosome – Polytene and Lambrush chromosome – cell cycle – mitosis and meiosis. Cancer – types – causes – diagnosis – characteristics and treatment – Gene responsible for aging – stem cells. Nucleic acids – Molecular structure of DNA and RNA – Types of RNA – DNA replication – Role of RNA and ribosome in protein synthesis – Regulation of Protein synthesis.
UNIT IV – GENETICS
Mendelian principles – Gene interactions – Multiple alleles – ABO blood group and Rh factor – Multiple factors – skin colour – Sex determination – Linkage and crossing over – chromosomal aberrations. Extra chromosomes – Allosomal and Autosomal aberrations – Mendelian traits – Pedigree studies – Eugenics – Genetics and society. Nucleic acids – DNA and RNA – Chemical basis of hereditary – Gene mutation – Genetics of bacteria – Genetic code – Gene action – Regulation of gene expression – Insertion elements and transposons – Genetic cloning.
UNIT V – ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
Nutrition – Types of nutrition – food – feeding mechanism. Digestive enzymes and their role in digestion – Respiration – Respiratory organs – Mechanism of respiration – Transport of gases – chloride shifting – Haldane and Bohr’s effect. Circulation – Structure of human heart – cardiac cycle – origin of heart beat – pace maker regulation of heart beat – ECG – Blood pressure. Blood – excretion – kidney – nephron – mechanism of urine formation in mammals – hormonal control of excretion. Osmoregulation and thermoregulation. Muscular system – Types of muscles – structure and chemical composition of skeletal muscle – mechanism of muscle contraction. Nervous system – Structure of neuron – Types of neuron – nerve impulse in myelinated and non- myelinated neuron – action potential – synapse – neuromuscular junction and reflex action – reflex arc. Photoreceptor – phonoreceptor – physiology – equilibrium – chemoreceptors. Endocrine
system – endocrine glands – hormones of pituitary gland – pineal gland – thyroid gland – parathyroid gland – thymus – adrenal gland – pancreas. Defects of hormones – Human reproductive hormones – Menstrual cycle in humans.
UNIT VI – BIOCHEMISTRY & BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biological properties – Classification – Structure of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. Glycolysis – Glycogenolysis – Gluconeogenesis – Glycogenesis. Kreb’s cycle – Oxidative phosphorylation – Electron transport system. Deamination – Transamination – fate of keto acids. Nitrogen metabolism – Beta oxidation of fatty acids – BMI and BMR – Biotechnology – Scope and importance of Biotechnology – DNA Recombinant Technology – Application of genetic recombinant technology in human health and agriculture – Genetic engineering – Restriction enzymes – ligase – polymerase and reverse transcriptase – PCR, Gene cloning – cloning vectors – plasmids – cDNA library – Gene Bank. Production of biotechnological products – SCP – Biofertilizers – Biofuel – Biopesticides – Biogas production – Solid and liquid waste management. Enzyme Biotechnology – Sources and production of commercially important enzymes – cellulase, amylase, pectinase and proteinase.
UNIT VII – DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
Origin of germ cells – Gametogenesis – Process of spermatogenesis and oogenesis – Types of sperms – Types of eggs and egg membranes – Structure of sperm and ovum in mammals – Fertilization – Acrosomal reaction – Cortical reaction, physiological and biochemical changes and significance. Cleavage – Types of cleavage patterns – Controlling factors and laws in cleavage – Fate maps in frog and chick. Blastulation and gastrulation in amphioxus, frog and chick. Organogenesis – Development of brain, eye and ear in vertebrate animals – Extra-embryonic membranes – Placentation in mammals – Mechanism of induction – Human reproduction – Puberty – Menstrual cycle- Menopause – Pregnancy and related problems – Artificial insemination – Cryopreservation – IVF – Embryo transfer and its advantages – Test tube baby – Amniocentesis – Super ovulation – Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) and embryo manipulation – Ethics in ART – Stem cells.
UNIT VIII – ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY & EVOLUTION
Scope – Concept – Branches in Ecology – Autecology and Synecology – Micro and macro environment. Types of media and substratum – their influence on animals. Biosphere – Hydrosphere, Lithosphere, Stratosphere – Biocoenosis and biogeocoenosis – Abiotic factors – Water, soil, light and temperature – Biotic factors. Animal relationships – Symbiosis, Commensalism, Mutualism, Antagonism, Predation, Parasitism and Competition. Biogeochemical cycles – Nitrogen, Carbon and Oxygen – Ecosystem – Pond ecosystem – Primary and secondary production – food chain – food web. Trophic levels – Energy flow – Ecological pyramids – Biomass, number and energy. Terrestrial Ecology – Biomes – Characters – tundra, grass land, forest and desert biomes – Types of forests in India – Adaptations of animals inhabiting deserts – Freshwater, Marine and Estuarine Ecology – their characteristics – Biotic communities and their adaptations. Population Ecology – Community Ecology – Pollution – air, water and land – wild life management. Preservation – laws enforced – sanctuaries – natural resources management. Renewable and non-renewable resources. Evolution – Theories and trends – Lamarckism and Neo Lamarckism – Darwinian theory – Geological time Scale – Fossil and Fossilization – Dating of fossil – living and extinct fossils. Mimicry & coloration – Convergent, Divergent and parallel Evolution – Coevolution – Isolating Mechanisms – different types – species concept – definition and origin of species – Allopatric and sympatric speciation – genetic drift – Founder’s principle.
UNIT IX- ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY AND PEST CONTROL
Economic importance of honey bees, silkworm and lac insects. Insects damage to the plants, animals and man – Insects pests of stored grains – Insect vector of plants, animals and man – Insects affecting health of domestic animals and human – Pest control methods – Physical, mechanical and chemical methods – Classification of pesticides and their modes of action – Plant protection appliances. Basic principles of insecticide formulations and their application in pest control – pesticides and environmental pollution – precautions in handling pesticides – integrated post management.
UNIT X- ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY
Poultry Farming: Important breeds of poultry – chick rearing – Role of egg in human nutrition – processing of egg, meat and by-products of poultry – major diseases of chick. Dairy Farming: Important breeds of dairy – Nutritive value of milk and meat – dairy by-products. Aquaculture: Important culturable freshwater, brackish water and marine fishes and shell fishes – Polyculture, integrated culture – live feed organisms in aquaculture. Nutritive value of fish meat – fishery by-products. Pearl and edible oyster culture: Culture of pearl – Biology of Pinctada fucata – Preparation of graft, tissue and nucleus. Techniques of edible oyster culture – induced breading – Harvesting.
UNIT –XI – MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
Classification of microbes – structure of bacteria – economic importance of bacteria. Viruses – Types of viruses – Herpes Virus, TMV, Polyoma viruses, Bacteriophages and virion. Sterilization – Physical and chemical methods. Types of bacterial culture. Microorganisms of different soils in extreme environments – Thermophilic, Methanogenic and Halophilic. Food borne infections and intoxications – Clostridium, Salmonella – Staphylococcus – Common bacterial, viral and fungal diseases of humans. History of immunology – Blood transfusion – Rh factor – Compatibilities – Innate and acquired Immunity. Structure, composition and functions of cells and organs involved in the immune system – virulence and host resistance related immunity. Antigens – types, properties – haptens – adjuvants – vaccines – types – toxoids – antitoxins. Immunoglobulinsstructure, types and properties – theories of antibody production – complement structure- properties – function and pathway. Antigen – antibody reaction – in vitro methods – agglutination – precipitation – complement fixation – Immunofluorescence – ELISA – RIA – Western blot.
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