AFMC 2023 Syllabus: Check Subject-Wise Syllabus, Exam Pattern

Diversity in Living World

Biology – it's meaning and relevance to mankind What is living; Taxonomic categories and aids (Botanical
gardens, herbaria, museums, zoological parks); Systematics and Binomial system of nomenclature.
Introductory classification of living organisms (Two-kingdom system, Five-kingdom system); Major
groups of each kingdom along with their salient features (Monera, including Archaebacteria and
Cyanobacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia); Viruses; Lichens Plant kingdom – Salient features of major groups (Algae to Angiosperms); Animal kingdom – Salient features of Nonchordates up to phylum, and Chordates up to class level

Cell: The Unit of Life; Structure and Function

Cell wall; Cell membrane; Endomembrane system (ER, Golgi apparatus/Dictyosome, Lysosomes,
Vacuoles); Mitochondria; Plastids; Ribosomes; Cytoskeleton; Cilia and Flagella; Centrosome and
Centriole; Nucleus; Microbodies. Structural differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic, and
between plant and animal cells. Cell cycle (various phases); Mitosis; Meiosis. Biomolecules – Structure
and function of Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic acids. Enzymes – Chemical nature, types,
properties and mechanism of action. 

Genetics and Evolution 

Mendelian inheritance; Chromosome theory of inheritance; Gene interaction; Incomplete dominance;
Co dominance; Complementary genes; Multiple alleles; Linkage and Crossing over; Inheritance patterns
of hemophilia and blood groups in humans. DNA –its organization and replication; Transcription and
Translation; Gene expression and regulation; DNA fingerprinting. Theories and evidence of evolution,
including modern Darwinism. 

 Structure and Function – Plants

Morphology of a flowering plant; Tissues and tissue systems in plants; Anatomy and function of the root,
stem(including modifications), leaf, inflorescence, flower (including position and arrangement of
different whorls, placentation), fruit and seed; Types of fruit; Secondary growth; Absorption and
movement of water (including diffusion, osmosis, and water relations of the cell) and of nutrients;
Translocation of food; Transpiration and gaseous exchange; Mechanism of stomatal movement. Mineral
nutrition – Macro- and micro-nutrients in plants including deficiency disorders; Biological nitrogen fixation mechanism. Photosynthesis – Light reaction, cyclic and non-cyclic photophosphorylation;
Various pathways of carbon dioxide fixation; Photorespiration; Limiting factors. Respiration –
Anaerobic, Fermentation, Aerobic; Glycolysis, TCA cycle; Electron transport system; Energy relations.

Structure and Function - Animals

Tissues; Elementary knowledge of morphology, anatomy, and functions of different systems of
earthworm, cockroach, and frog. Human Physiology – Digestive system - organs, digestion and
absorption; Respiratory system – organs, breathing and exchange and transport of gases. Body fluids
and circulation – Blood, lymph, double circulation, regulation of cardiac activity; Hypertension, Coronary
artery diseases. Excretion system – Urine formation, regulation of kidney function Locomotion and
movement – Skeletal system, joints, muscles, types of movement. Control and co-ordination – Central
and peripheral nervous systems, structure, and function of a neuron, reflex action, and sensory reception;
Role of various types of endocrine glands; Mechanism of hormone action.

Reproduction, Growth, and Movement in Plants

Asexual methods of reproduction; Sexual Reproduction - Development of male and female
gametophytes; Pollination (Types and agents); Fertilization; Development of embryo, endosperm, seed, and fruit (including parthenocarpy and apomixis). Growth and Movement – Growth phases; Types of
growth regulators and their role in seed dormancy, germination, and movement; Apical dominance;
Senescence; Abscission; Photoperiodism; Vernalisation; Various types of movements. 

Reproduction and Development in Humans 

Male and female reproductive systems; Menstrual cycle; Gamete production; Fertilisation; Implantation;
Embryo development; Pregnancy and parturition; Birth control and contraception. 

 Ecology and Environment 

Meaning of ecology, environment, habitat, and niche. Ecological levels of organization (organism to
biosphere); Characteristics of Species, Population, Biotic Community and Ecosystem; Succession and
Climax. Ecosystem – Biotic and abiotic components; Ecological pyramids; Food chain and Food web;
Energy flow; Major types of ecosystems including agroecosystem. Ecological adaptations – Structural
and physiological features in plants and animals of aquatic and desert habitats. Biodiversity – Meaning,
types, and conservation strategies (Biosphere reserves, National parks, and Sanctuaries) Environmental
Issues – Air and Water Pollution (sources and major pollutants); Global warming and Climate change;
Ozone depletion; Noise pollution; Radioactive pollution; Methods of pollution control (including an idea
of bioremediation); Deforestation; Extinction of species (Hot Spots). 

 Biology and Human Welfare 

Animal husbandry – Livestock, Poultry, Fisheries; Major animal diseases and their control. Pathogens of
major communicable diseases of humans caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and helminths, 
and their control. Cancer; AIDS. Adolescence and drug/alcohol abuse; Basic concepts of immunology.
Plant Breeding and Tissue Culture in crop improvement. Biofertilizers (green manure, symbiotic and
free-living nitrogen-fixing microbes, mycorrhizae); Biopesticides (micro-organisms as biocontrol agents
for pests and pathogens); Bioherbicides; Microorganisms as pathogens of plant diseases with special
reference to rust and smut of wheat, bacterial leaf blight of rice, late blight of potato, bean mosaic, and
root-knot of vegetables. Bioenergy – Hydrocarbon - rich plants as substitutes for fossil fuels. 

Biotechnology and its Applications 

Microbes as an ideal system for biotechnology; Microbial technology in food processing, industrial
production (alcohol, acids, enzymes, antibiotics), sewage treatment, and energy generation. Steps in
recombinant DNA technology – restriction enzymes, DNA insertion by vectors, and other methods,
regeneration of recombinants. Applications of R-DNA technology. In human health –Production of
Insulin, Vaccines, and Growth hormones, Organ transplant, Gene therapy. In Industry – Production of
expensive enzymes, strain improvement to scale up bioprocesses. In Agriculture – GM crops by transfer
of genes for nitrogen fixation, herbicide-resistance, and pest-resistance including Bt crops. 

English Language and Comprehension

This measures your ability to read and comprehend written material in the English language. This
section tests your recognition of correct grammatical usage, vocabulary, and familiarities with
words. It includes:

• Reading comprehension
• Sentence Correction
• Word meaning – antonyms, synonyms, analogies – your ability to recognize relationships among words and concepts, parallel relationships, etc.
• Sentence completions – your ability to recognize words or phrases that both logically and stylistically complete the meaning of a sentence 

Intelligence, Logic and Reasoning

This section consists of Logical Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Decision Making
questions. The topic included in this section are:

• Arrangements
• Family Tree
• Numerical grid
• Coding
• Series

The Verbal Reasoning questions are the following:

• Statement-Conclusion
• Syllogisms
• Critical Reasoning