NEET BotanyUpdated 19 Oct 2026

Cell Cycle and Cell Division: NEET PYQs and weightage

Cell Cycle and Cell Division carries 6.4 of 100 Botany marks in NEET by past-paper share: 51 of the 793 tagged NEET Botany PYQs in the ViJEEta bank (NEET 2013–2026). It ranks 6 of 21 Botany chapters.

Removed from NEET in this chapter: Amitosis, Life cycles. Still in NCERT and school exams, not asked in NEET now.

Take the 25-question Cell Cycle and Cell Division test Key facts ↓All NEET Botany chapters

6.4/100 Weight in Botany

Exam importance (4/5, by past-paper share)

51 NEET PYQs

451 Practice questions

385 With measured difficulty

How the weight is computed: this chapter's tagged NEET PYQs divided by all tagged NEET Botany PYQs in the bank (51 of 793), times 100, with repeated questions counted once. The bank does not store the year of each NEET question, so none is printed. Computed from the bank at build time. Updated 19 Oct 2026.

Cell Cycle and Cell Division: key facts for NEET

16 facts the paper keeps asking, each with how it is asked. Copy it onto one page of your notebook: that page is this chapter's handbook.

Duration of the cell cycle
Human cells in culture complete one cycle in about $24 h$ (yeast in about $90 min$ ); the M phase takes only about $1 h$ , and interphase takes more than $95%$ of the cycle.
Asked as: "How long does one cycle of a human cell in culture take, and how long for yeast?" or "Which phase occupies $> 95%$ of the cycle?"
Interphase and G1
Interphase $= G_{1} \to S \to G_{2}$ . In $G_{1}$ the cell is metabolically active and grows, but its DNA is not copied.
Asked as: "The gap between mitosis and the start of DNA replication is called?" ( $G_{1}$ )
S phase: DNA content vs chromosome number
In the S phase, DNA doubles from $2 C$ to $4 C$ , but the chromosome number stays $2 n$ .
Asked as: "A cell has $2 C$ DNA and $2 n$ chromosomes at $G_{1}$ . What are the values after S?" ( $4 C$ , $2 n$ )
S and G2 events in animal cells
In animal cells, during S, DNA replicates in the nucleus while the centriole duplicates in the cytoplasm. In $G_{2}$ , proteins are made for mitosis.
Asked as: "Centriole duplication occurs in which phase?" (S)
Quiescent stage (G0)
Cells that stop dividing leave $G_{1}$ and enter the quiescent stage ( $G_{0}$ ), e.g., heart cells. They stay metabolically active but do not proliferate.
Asked as: "Cells that are metabolically active but not dividing are in?" ( $G_{0}$ )
Where mitosis occurs
In animals, mitosis occurs in diploid somatic cells. The exception is male honey bees, whose haploid cells divide by mitosis. Plants show mitosis in both haploid and diploid cells.
Asked as: "Give an example of an animal whose haploid cells divide by mitosis."
Equational division and end of prophase
Mitosis is called equational division because parent and daughter cells have the same chromosome number. At the end of prophase, the Golgi, ER, nucleolus and nuclear envelope are not seen.
Asked as: "Which organelles are not visible at the end of prophase?"
Asters and mitotic apparatus
Each centrosome radiates microtubules called asters. The two asters plus the spindle fibres form the mitotic apparatus.
Asked as: "Asters $+$ spindle fibres together are called?"
Metaphase and kinetochores
Metaphase is the best stage to study chromosome morphology. Spindle fibres attach at the kinetochores, small disc-shaped structures on the centromere, and the chromosomes line up on the metaphase plate.
Asked as: "Which stage is used to study the morphology of chromosomes?" / "What are the sites of spindle attachment?"
Anaphase and telophase
In anaphase, the centromeres split and the chromatids move to opposite poles. The centromere leads and the arms trail behind. In telophase, the nuclear envelope, nucleolus, Golgi and ER reform.
Asked as: "Centromere splits and chromatids separate. Name the stage." (anaphase)
Cytokinesis and syncytium
Animal cytokinesis is by a furrow in the plasma membrane; plant cytokinesis is by a cell plate that starts in the centre, grows outward and represents the middle lamella. Karyokinesis without cytokinesis gives a multinucleate syncytium, e.g., liquid endosperm of coconut.
Asked as: "Cell plate vs. furrow: which cell type uses which?" / "Liquid endosperm of coconut is an example of?" (syncytium)
Meiosis overview
Meiosis has two nuclear and cell divisions (meiosis I and II) but only one cycle of DNA replication, and it gives four haploid cells.
Asked as: "How many DNA replications and how many divisions occur in meiosis?"
Prophase I sub-stages and zygotene
Prophase I has five sub-stages: leptotene, zygotene, pachytene, diplotene, diakinesis. In zygotene, synapsis occurs, the synaptonemal complex forms, and the paired homologues are called a bivalent (tetrad).
Asked as: "Synapsis and the synaptonemal complex appear in which sub-stage?" (zygotene)
Pachytene and crossing over
In pachytene, recombination nodules appear and crossing over takes place between non-sister chromatids of homologues. It is an enzyme-mediated process using recombinase.
Asked as: "Crossing over occurs in which stage, and which enzyme is involved?" (pachytene, recombinase)
Diplotene and diakinesis
In diplotene, the synaptonemal complex dissolves and X-shaped chiasmata are seen; in the oocytes of some vertebrates this stage can last months or years. Diakinesis shows terminalisation of chiasmata.
Asked as: "Terminalisation of chiasmata occurs in?" (diakinesis) / "Which stage can last for years in oocytes?" (diplotene)
Anaphase I, interkinesis and anaphase II
In anaphase I, homologous chromosomes separate while sister chromatids stay joined at the centromere. There is no DNA replication in interkinesis. In anaphase II, the centromeres split.
Asked as: "In which anaphase do homologues separate without the centromere splitting?" (anaphase I)

Trap

S phase doubles the DNA (2C → 4C) but not the chromosome number (2n stays 2n). Onion root tip cells have 16 chromosomes at G1, after S and after M; their DNA is 2C at G1 and 4C after S and at G2.

How does NEET ask Cell Cycle and Cell Division?

8 real previous-year questions from this chapter, as printed in the paper, each with its worked solution. Answer the first one here with no sign-in.

Q1BotanyNEET UG PYQMeiosis

Try right here · No sign-in

Which of the following stages of meiosis involves division of centromere?

Answer key (B) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option B

Anaphase II begins with the simultaneous splitting of the centromere of each chromosome (which was holding the sister chromatids together), allowing them to move toward opposite poles of the cell by shortening of microtubules attached to kinetochores.

Q2BotanyNEET UG PYQLife cycles

Match the plant with the kind of life cycle it exhibits. Choose the correct answer from the options given below: List - IList - II(a) Spirogyra(i)Dominant diploid sporophyte vascular plant, with highly reduced male or female gametophyte(b)Fern(ii)Dominant haploid free-living gametophyte(c)Funaria(iii)Dominant diploid sporophyte alternating with reduced gametophyte called prothallus(d)Cycas(iv)Dominant haploid leafy gametophyte alternating with partially dependent multicellular sporophyte

A(a)- (iv); (b) - (i); (c) - (ii); (d) - (iii)

B(a)- (ii); (b) - (iii); (c) - (iv); (d) - (i)

C(a)- (iii); (b) - (iv); (c) - (i); (d) - (ii)

D(a)- (ii); (b) - (iv); (c) - (i); (d) - (iii)

Answer key (B) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option B

Spirogyra: Sporophytic generation is represented only by the one-celled zygote. There are no free-living sporophytes. The dominant, photosynthetic phase in such plants is the free-living gametophyte. Fern: The diploid sporophyte is represented by a dominant, independent, photosynthetic, vascular plant body. It alternates with multicellular, saprophytic/autotrophic, independent but short-lived haploid gametophyte. Funaria: Dominant haploid leafy gametophyte alternating with partially dependent multicellular sporophyte. Cycas: Dominant diploid sporophyte vascular plant, with highly reduced male or female gametophyte. This is found in all gymnosperms (Cycas) and angiosperms.

Q3BotanyNEET UG PYQMeiosis

The process of appearance of recombination nodules occurs at which substage of prophase I in meiosis?

APachytene

BDiplotene

CDiakinesis

DZygotene

Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

During pachytene, the four chromatids of each bivalent chromosomes becomes distinct and clearly appears as tetrads. This stage is characterised by the appearance of recombination nodules, the sites at which crossing over occurs between non-sister chromatids of the homologous chromosomes.

Q4BotanyNEET UG PYQPhases of Cell Cycle

Match List -I with LIst – II List IList II(a) S phase(i)Proteins are synthesized(b) G

_{2}

phase(ii)Inactive phase(c) Quiescent stage(iii)Interval between mitosis and initiation of DNA replication(d) G

_{1}

phase(iv)DNA replication

A(a)-(iv), (b)-(i), (c)- (ii), (d)-(iii)

B(a)-(ii), (b)-(iv), (c)- (iii), (d)-(i)

C(a)-(iii), (b)-(ii), (c)- (i), (d)-(iv)

D(a)-(iv), (b)-(ii), (c)- (iii), (d)-(i)

Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

S or synthesis phase marks the period during which DNA synthesis or replication takes place. During this time the amount of DNA per cell doubles. During the G

_{2}

phase, proteins are synthesized in preparation for mitosis while cell growth continues. These cells that do not divide further exit the G

_{1}

phase to enter an inactive stage called the quiescent stage (G

_{0}

) of the cell cycle. G

_{1}

phase corresponds to the interval between mitosis and initiation of DNA replication. During the G

_{1}

phase, the cell is metabolically active and continuously grows but does not replicate its DNA.

Q5BotanyNEET UG PYQMeiosis

Regarding Meiosis, which of the statement(s) is incorrect?

AThere are two stages in Meiosis, Meiosis-I and II

BDNA replication occurs in S phase of Meiosis-II

CPairing of homologous chromosomes and recombination occurs in Meiosis-I

DFour haploid cells are formed at the end of Meiosis-II

Answer key (B) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option B

In meiosis, a cell undergoes two divisions, i.e. meiosis I and II. Meiosis I is reduction division and meiosis II is equational division (similar to mitosis). However, DNA replicates only once during meiosis, i.e. before meiosis I in S phase.

Q6BotanyNEET UG PYQMeiosis

Which stage of meiotic prophase shows terminalisation of chiasmata as its distinctive feature?

ADiakinesis

BPachytene

CLeptotene

DZygotene

Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

In meiosis, I, chiasmata (X-shaped structure) is formed in the diplotene stage while it terminalizes in the diakinesis stage. Bivalents are formed in the zygotene stage and crossing over takes place in the pachytene stage. Compaction of chromosomal material occurs in the leptotene stage.

Q7BotanyNEET UG PYQMitosis

Which one of the following never occurs during mitotic cell division?

ASpindle fibres attach to kinetochores of chromosomes

BMovement of centrioles towards opposite poles

CPairing of homologous chromosomes

DCoiling and condensation of the chromatids

Answer key (C) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option C

In mitosis, homologous chromosomes do not pair together. They line up end-to-end so that when they divide, each daughter cell receives a sister chromatid from both members of the homologous pair.

Q8BotanyNEET UG PYQMeiosis

The number of autosomes in human primary spermatocyte is

A46

B44

C23

D22

Answer key (B) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option B

The human primary spermatocyte is a diploid cell that is about to undergo meiosis. Since it is diploid, it contains 44 autosomes.

Which topics in Cell Cycle and Cell Division carry the most questions?

All 8 topics, by tagged PYQs, then practice questions. Counted from the bank. Updated 19 Oct 2026.

Topic	PYQs	Practice questions
Meiosis	19	178
Phases of Cell Cycle	17	80
Mitosis	9	138
Introduction to Cell Cycle	4	26
Life cyclesNot in NEET now	2	4
Cytokinesis	0	14
Miscellaneous Examples	0	8
AmitosisNot in NEET now	0	3

Why does Cell Cycle and Cell Division show "–" until you answer 3 questions?

Unknown is not zero. Until you answer at least 3 graded questions in Cell Cycle and Cell Division, ViJEEta shows – instead of a zero or a 50% default. Book exercises can raise chapter mastery up to 0.60, adaptive practice up to 0.75, and only a timed chapter test or mock can certify 0.80 and above.

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What happens when you test Cell Cycle and Cell Division?

Every chapter test is 25 questions. It starts at moderate difficulty and adapts after each saved answer. If you open a solution before answering, that attempt earns no credit, so your mastery stays honest.

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Chapters either side of Cell Cycle and Cell Division by weight

Principles of Inheritance and Variation Weight 7.9/100 Biological Classification Weight 7.1/100 Sexual Reproduction in Flowering plants Weight 6.4/100 Biodiversity and Its Conservation Weight 5.3/100

Cell Cycle and Cell Division: NEET PYQs and weightage

Cell Cycle and Cell Division: key facts for NEET

Duration of the cell cycle

Interphase and G1

S phase: DNA content vs chromosome number

S and G2 events in animal cells

Quiescent stage (G0)

Where mitosis occurs

Equational division and end of prophase

Asters and mitotic apparatus

Metaphase and kinetochores

Anaphase and telophase

Cytokinesis and syncytium

Meiosis overview

Prophase I sub-stages and zygotene

Pachytene and crossing over

Diplotene and diakinesis

Anaphase I, interkinesis and anaphase II

How does NEET ask Cell Cycle and Cell Division?

Which topics in Cell Cycle and Cell Division carry the most questions?

Why does Cell Cycle and Cell Division show "–" until you answer 3 questions?

What happens when you test Cell Cycle and Cell Division?

Chapters either side of Cell Cycle and Cell Division by weight