Biology is one of the most important parts of General Awareness and General Studies in competitive exams. It deals with the study of life, living organisms, plants, animals, human body systems, and related concepts. In SSC, RRB exams, Biology questions are usually fact-based and can be solved easily with quick memorization and understanding.
What Is Biology in General Awareness/General Studies?
Biology is the branch of science that explains living organisms, their structure, growth, functions, evolution, and interactions.
In competitive exams, Biology-based GA/GS questions test your knowledge of:
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Diseases and nutrition
- Plant systems
- Basic genetics and environment
Skills required to solve Biology GA/GS questions:
- Memorizing facts and definitions
- Visualization (human body parts, organs, systems)
Why Is Biology Important in Competitive Exams?
Biology is important because it frequently appears in SSC, Railway, State PSC, and other exams. Most questions are direct factual, but some are applied or mixed with current affairs (like diseases, vaccines, Nobel Prize in Medicine, etc.).
| Exam | No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| SSC CGL / CHSL | 1–2 | Easy |
| SBI PO / IBPS PO (Mains) | 1 | Moderate |
| RRB NTPC / Group D | 1 | Easy |
| State PSC / Police | 1–2 | Moderate |
Biology General Awareness/General Studies Important Topics
Biology covers many subtopics, but in exams, questions are asked only from a few selected topics.
| Term | Details |
| Cell | Structural & functional unit of life |
| Photosynthesis | Process by which plants prepare food |
| Human Digestive System | System responsible for digestion and absorption |
| Diseases & Deficiency | Malaria, Tuberculosis, Vitamin Deficiency |
| Blood Circulation | Heart, arteries, veins, capillaries |
| Genetics | Mendel’s laws, DNA, RNA |
| Human Reproduction | Male & female reproductive system |
| Nutrition | Carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals |
Quick Memorizing Tips
Biology has too many facts, so short notes are useful.
| Concept | Details |
| Cell | Basic unit of life (Discovered by Robert Hooke) |
| Mitochondria | Powerhouse of cell, site of respiration |
| Photosynthesis | Occurs in chloroplast, releases oxygen |
| Hemoglobin | Red pigment in blood that carries oxygen |
| Vitamin C | Deficiency causes Scurvy |
| DNA | Genetic material discovered by Watson & Crick |
What Are the Types of Biology Questions in General Awareness/General Studies?
In Exams questions from biology can be asked in multiple ways:
- Direct – One-line factual (e.g., “Deficiency of Vitamin D causes?”)
- Indirect – Linked to functions (e.g., “Which vitamin helps in clotting of blood?”)
- Story-based – Short case-type questions (e.g., “A patient suffers from weak bones. Which vitamin is deficient?”)
- Mixed-concept – Combining biology with GK/Current Affairs (e.g., “COVID-19 vaccine targets which virus?”)
Biology Easy Tips for General Awareness/General Studies
Tips to memorize the facts of biology are as follows:
- Always connect facts with real-life examples (e.g., Vitamin A with eyesight).
- Prepare short charts for vitamins, hormones, and diseases.
- Use mnemonics like ABC = A (Eyesight), B (Energy), C (Immunity).
- Revise NCERT Class 6–10 Biology basics.
Biology Tricks for SSC CGL and Other Exams
Some of the easier tricks to memorize the vast concepts of biology are as follows:
- Use flow charts for human body systems (Respiration, Digestion).
- Group vitamins & diseases for easy recall.
- Reverse mapping – If disease is given, recall the vitamin/mineral.
- Eliminate options not related to Biology (e.g., Chemistry/Physics terms).
- Current relevance – Note Nobel Prize winners, latest diseases, vaccines.
Solved Biology Questions from 2024–25 Exams
- SSC CGL 2024 (Tier 1, Shift 2 – Memory Based):
Q. Deficiency of Vitamin D leads to which disease?
Answer: Rickets
Explanation: Vitamin D helps in calcium absorption. Deficiency weakens bones. - RRB NTPC 2024 (Shift 1 – Memory Based):
Q. RBCs are formed in which part of the human body?
Answer: Bone marrow
Explanation: Bone marrow is the site of blood cell formation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid while Solving Biology Questions
Basic mistakes aspirants make while studying biology for competitive exams are as follows:
- Confusing Vitamins and Diseases (e.g., Vitamin B12 vs. Vitamin D).
- Mixing up Cell organelles (e.g., Golgi Body vs. Mitochondria).
- Forgetting scientist names (e.g., Mendel, Robert Hooke).
- Ignoring applied Biology (diseases, vaccines, Nobel Prize).
- Not revising NCERT basics, which cover 80% of questions.
FAQs
By memorizing tables and mnemonics (e.g., Vitamin chart).
Vitamins, Diseases, Human Systems.
Prepare a one-page chart (e.g., Pasteur – Germ Theory, Mendel – Genetics).
Diseases, Nobel Prize in Medicine, Vaccines.
Make tables, revise vitamins/diseases daily, solve PYQs.
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