The Uttar Pradesh state education board or Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP), also called the Board of High School and Intermediate Education Uttar Pradesh(BHSIEUP), conducts the board exams for class 12 every year. The UPMSP Class 12 Exams indicate completion of higher secondary education. They also facilitate admissions into undergraduate programs in various universities and colleges.
Biology is one of the main subjects in the UP Board class 12 Science stream. Biology is of great importance to students aspiring to pursue medicine. To excel in UP Board class 12 Biology, students must plan meticulously and prepare for their board exams. A complete understanding of the UP board exam pattern and the marking scheme will be helpful to prepare for your exams.
Hence, we give you an overview of the UP Board Biology Class 12 Question Papers to help you with the syllabus, exam pattern, weightage of topics, and more.
In this article, we will discuss the exam pattern, sectional weightage, and evaluation method for UP board class 12 Biology with the help of UP Board Biology Class 12 Previous Year Question Papers. Also, we will discuss the Biology – theory syllabus and the evaluation scheme for theory and practical exams.
UP Board Biology Class 12 – Marks Overview
Total 100 marks
Theory exam – 70 marks ( 35 Marks – Botany / 35 Marks Zoology)
Practical exam – 30 marks ( 15 marks internal / 15 marks external evaluation )
UP Board- Changes in the Assessment Pattern – Class 12
The Covid 19 pandemic has brought in a lot of changes in the field of education. The classes are getting held online, and there is a lot of uncertainty about conducting examinations. Considering these factors, the Uttar Pradesh Board had made some changes in the exam pattern of UP Board Class 12 in the academic year 2020-2021.
- The duration of the exam has been reduced to 1.5 hours( 90 minutes ) from three hours.
- Students have the choice of attempting three questions out of 10
However, the Board exams in 2021 got canceled due to the pandemic. Since the situation is very uncertain, the students should follow the updates regarding the academic year 2021-2022. Make a note of the changes given by the UP Board.
Though there may be changes, students need to know the exam pattern, the distribution of marks, and the type of questions. Understanding the pattern of the question papers will help you prepare for your exam in a planned manner. Solving the previous year’s question papers and model papers will help the students to manage time effectively. Also, it helps in self-evaluation and to correct your mistakes.
UP Board Biology Class 12 Previous Year Question Papers 2021- Overview.
· Theory part carries 70 marks, and the practical exam is conducted for 30 marks.
· Theory part gets divided into two parts – Paper 1 and paper 2
- Paper 1- Zoology
Marks – 35
Number of questions 19
- Paper 2- Botany
Marks – 35
Number of questions 19
Uttar Pradesh Board Biology Class 12 Previous Year Question Papers 2021 – Pattern
| S.No | Type | Marks | Number of questions | Total |
| 1 | MCQ | 1 mark | 4 | 4 marks |
| 2 | Very short answers | 1 mark | 5 | 5 marks |
| 3 | Short answers | 2 marks | 8 | 16 marks |
| 4 | Long answers | 5 marks | 2 | 10 marks |
| Total | 19 questions | 35 marks (Each for paper 1 and 2 ) |
Considering the pandemic, the board has reduced the syllabus by 30 %. Having a clear idea about the syllabus will help you plan your preparation. Given below is the syllabus for the theory part, along with the distribution of marks.
UP Board Class 12 Biology Syllabus
Distribution of Marks
2020-21
| S. No | Unit | Marks | |
| 1 | Reproduction | Chapter-2: Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants Chapter-3: Human Reproduction Chapter-4: Reproductive Health | 14 |
| 2 | Genetics and Evolution | Chapter-5: Principles of Inheritance and Variation Chapter-6: Molecular Basis of Inheritance | 18 |
| 3 | Biology in Human Welfare | Chapter-8: Human Health and Diseases Chapter-10: Microbes in Human Welfare | 14 |
| 4 | Biotechnology | Chapter-11: Biotechnology – Principles and processes Chapter-12: Biotechnology and its Application | 10 |
| 5 | Ecology | Chapter-13: Organisms and Populations Chapter-15: Biodiversity and its Conservation | 14 |
| Total | 70 Marks |
*The UP Board reduced 30% of the syllabus in 2020-2021 due to the ongoing pandemic.
Uttar Pradesh Board Biology Class 12 Practical Exam Evaluation Scheme
Time – 3 hours
Marks – 30
Evaluator – 15 marks – internal examiner + 15 marks – external examiner
| Examiner | Activity | Marks |
| External Examiner | Slide Preparation | 5 |
| Spotting | 6 | |
| Sessional work | 2 | |
| Oral | 2 | |
| Total | 15 marks | |
| Internal Examiner | One long experiment | 5 |
| One short experiment | 4 | |
| Project work | 4 | |
| Oral | 2 | |
| Total | 15 marks | |
| Grand total | 30 marks |
Approach to solve Uttar Pradesh Board Class 12 Biology paper
- Concept clarity- Biology is one of the main subjects in class 12 in the Science stream. Have a thorough understanding of the concepts while preparing for the exam. Students aspiring to pursue medicine must note that Biology has 50 % weightage in the NEET UG exam. Therefore, learn the subject with a good understanding of concepts, rather than learning by heart.
- Use acronyms and mnemonics to remember scientific names and other vital concepts. Appropriate use of these terms in your answers will boost your score.
- Solve previous year’s question papers- Complete the syllabus on time and solve UP Board Biology Class 12 Question Papers. The UP Boardprovides model question papers also. Solving previous year’s question papers and model papers will boost your confidence and help you assess your level of preparedness. It helps in your time management also.
- Practice diagrams – Biology topics include diagrams. Give considerable practice to drawing and labeling the diagrams. Present your diagrams neatly.
- MCQ – The UP Board follows the NCERT syllabus. The question paper is based on the NCERT textbook. To score well in the MCQ part, read the NCERT textbook thoroughly and make notes. You can use other reference books for more practice.
- Short Answers- Short answers include 1 mark / 2 marks questions. Read the important terms and definitions from the NCERT textbook. Give suitable examples wherever required.
- Long answers – Long answers carry 5 marks. Elaborate your answer as per the word limit. Present your answers in points and underline the keywords and subheadings. Wherever required, including relevant diagrams will benefit you.
- Answer precisely – Answer the questions precisely as per the marks allotted. Do not overload the answer with too many unwanted details. However, answer according to the required word limit.
- Be updated – There may be changes in the syllabus and the exam pattern because of the COVID pandemic. Hence, check the official website of the UP Board and be updated with the changes.
Frequently asked questions of Class 12 Biology
1. What is the evaluation scheme in practical exams for UP Board class 12 Biology?
Practical exams carry 30 marks. Internal examiners evaluate for 15 marks, and external examiners do for the remaining 15 marks. Students must submit the practice workbook and project work during UP Board practical examinations.
2. Which book does the Uttar Pradesh Board follow for class 12?
The Uttar Pradesh Board follows the NCERT textbooks for class 12.
3. What is the medium of instruction for UP Board class 12- Hindi or English?
The UP Board offers education in both English and Hindi medium for class 12
4. Is there any reduction of the syllabus for class 12 Biology?
Considering the ongoing pandemic and the difficulties in conducting classes, the UP board has reduced 30 % of the syllabus.