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NEET BotanyUpdated 19 Oct 2026

The Living World: NEET PYQs and weightage

The Living World carries 1.9 of 100 Botany marks in NEET by past-paper share: 15 of the 793 tagged NEET Botany PYQs in the ViJEEta bank (NEET 2013–2026). It ranks 20 of 21 Botany chapters.

Take the 25-question The Living World testKey facts ↓All NEET Botany chapters
1.9/100 Weight in Botany
2 of 5 Exam importance (2/5, by past-paper share)
15 NEET PYQs
319 Practice questions
263 With measured difficulty

How the weight is computed: this chapter's tagged NEET PYQs divided by all tagged NEET Botany PYQs in the bank (15 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.

The Living World: 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.

  1. Number of known species

    Species known and described so far: – million; new ones keep being found, even in old areas.

    Asked as: "Number of species known and described is approximately…?"

  2. Identification and nomenclature

    Identification means describing an organism correctly so we know which organism a name belongs to. Nomenclature means giving it a standard name used everywhere in the world.

    Asked as: "Which process must come before nomenclature?"

  3. ICBN and ICZN

    Plant names follow ICBN (International Code for Botanical Nomenclature). Animal names follow ICZN (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature).

    Asked as: Match the code with plants or animals.

  4. Binomial nomenclature

    Binomial nomenclature (Carolus Linnaeus) gives every name two parts: the generic name and the specific epithet. Example: Mangifera indica (genus Mangifera, epithet indica).

    Asked as: "In Mangifera indica, 'indica' represents…?"

  5. Writing scientific names

    Scientific names are Latin or Latinised and printed in italics. When handwritten, each word is underlined separately. The genus starts with a capital letter and the epithet with a small letter.

    Asked as: "Which is correctly written: Mangifera Indica / Mangifera indica?"

  6. Author citation

    The author's name goes at the end, abbreviated: Mangifera indica Linn. This means Linnaeus described the species first.

    Asked as: "What does 'Linn.' after a scientific name indicate?"

  7. Basic processes of taxonomy

    Taxonomy is built on four basic processes: characterisation, identification, classification and nomenclature. Modern taxonomy uses external and internal structure, cell structure, development and ecological information.

    Asked as: "Which is NOT a basis of modern taxonomic studies?"

  8. Systematics

    Systematics comes from the Latin 'systema', meaning systematic arrangement. Linnaeus titled his book Systema Naturae. Systematics takes evolutionary relationships into account.

    Asked as: "Which branch considers evolutionary relationships between organisms?"

  9. Taxonomic hierarchy

    The hierarchy runs kingdom phylum (division in plants) class order family genus species. Species is the lowest category for all organisms.

    Asked as: Pick the correct ascending sequence (e.g., Species Genus Order Phylum).

  10. Genus

    A genus is a group of closely related species. Panthera includes leo (lion), tigris (tiger) and pardus (leopard); cats are in Felis. Solanum includes tuberosum (potato), melongena (brinjal) and nigrum.

    Asked as: "Potato and brinjal belong to the same…?"

  11. Family

    Families are characterised by both vegetative and reproductive features. Solanum, Petunia and Datura are in Solanaceae. Panthera and Felis are in Felidae, while the dog is in Canidae.

    Asked as: "Petunia and Datura belong to family…?"

  12. Order

    Order Polymoniales contains Convolvulaceae and Solanaceae, grouped mainly on floral characters. Order Carnivora contains Felidae and Canidae.

    Asked as: "Solanaceae is placed in order…?"

  13. Class

    Class Mammalia contains order Primata (monkey, gorilla, gibbon) along with order Carnivora (tiger, cat, dog).

    Asked as: "Gibbon and gorilla belong to order…?"

  14. Phylum and division

    Phylum Chordata (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) is defined by a notochord and a dorsal hollow neural system. In plants, the matching category is Division.

    Asked as: "Common feature placing fishes and mammals in one phylum?"

  15. Shared characters across ranks

    Moving from species up to kingdom, the number of shared characters decreases. Higher categories also make relationships harder to work out.

    Asked as: "Members of which taxon share the maximum characters?"

  16. Table 1.1 examples

    Table 1.1 gives four examples: Man (Homo sapiens): Hominidae, Primata, Mammalia, Chordata. Housefly (Musca domestica): Muscidae, Diptera, Insecta, Arthropoda. Mango: Anacardiaceae, Sapindales, Dicotyledonae, Angiospermae. Wheat (Triticum aestivum): Poaceae, Poales, Monocotyledonae, Angiospermae.

    Asked as: "Order of housefly / family of mango / family of wheat is…?"

Trap

Mango and wheat share the same division (Angiospermae) but belong to different classes (Dicotyledonae vs Monocotyledonae). Also, mango's order is Sapindales, not Polymoniales. Polymoniales is the order for Solanaceae.

How does NEET ask The Living World?

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 PYQTaxonomic Categories
Try right here · No sign-in
Which of the following represents the order of 'Horse' ?
Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

Horse belongs to order Perissodactyla of class Mammalia. Perissodactyla includes odd-toed mammals. Classification of Horse is as follows: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Order: Perissodactyla
Q2BotanyNEET UG PYQDiversity in the Living World
Which one of the following statements is not true about the universal rules of binomial nomenclature?
ABoth the words in a biological name, when handwritten, are separately underlined or printed in italics
BThe specific epithet in the biologial name starts with a small letter
CThe first word in the biological name represents the specific epithet, while the second component denotes the genus
DBiological names are generally in Latin
Answer key (C) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option C

According to universal rules of nomenclature, the first word denoting the genus starts with a capital letter with the second components denotes the specific epithet and starts with small letter.
Q3BotanyNEET UG PYQTaxonomic Categories
Match Column-I with Column-II for housefly classification and select the CORRECT option using the codes given below: Column-IColumn-II(a)Family(i)Diptera(b)Order(ii)Arthropoda(c)Class(iii)Muscidae(d)Phylum(iv)Insecta
A(a)-(iii), (b)-(ii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)
B(a)-(iv), (b)-(iii), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i)
C(a)-(iv), (b)-(ii), (c)-(i), (d)-(iii)
D(a)-(iii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(ii)
Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

Housefly belongs to phylum Arthropoda characterised by the segmented body, jointed appendages and a chitinous exoskeleton. It has an articulated, tracheated hexapod and has the head, thorax, and abdomen as body segments. It belongs to class Insecta and order Diptera as functional forewings for flying, small hindwings and mouth adapted for sucking. It belongs to the family Muscidae due to the presence of sucking mouth appendages. Hence correct matching is: (a)-(iii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(ii)
Q4BotanyNEET UG PYQTaxonomic Categories
In the taxonomic categories which hierarchical arrangement in descending order is correct in the case of animals?
AKingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
BKingdom, Class, Phylum, Family, Order, Genus, Species
CKingdom, Order, Class, Phylum, Family, Genus, Species
DKingdom, Order, Phylum, Class, Family, Genus, Species
Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

In the animal kingdom, there are seven main taxonomic ranks: kingdom, phylum or division, class, order, family, genus, species.
Q5BotanyNEET UG PYQDiversity in the Living World
Match the items given in Column I with those in Column II and select the correct option given below. Column IColumn II(a)Herbarium(i)It is a place having a collection of preserved plants and animals(b)Key(ii)A list that enumerates methodically all the species found in an area with brief description aiding identification.(c)Museum(iii)Is a place where dried and pressed plant specimens mounted on sheets are kept.(d)Catalogue(iv)A booklet containing a list of characters and their alternatives which are helpful in identification of various taxa
Aa → (iii); b → (ii); c → (i); d → (iv)
Ba → (ii); b → (iv); c → (iii); d → (i)
Ca → (i); b → (iv); c → (iii); d → (ii)
Da → (iii); b → (iv); c → (i); d → (ii)
Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

Herbarium is taxonomic aid, which is the collection of dried and pressed plant specimens. The Key is taxonomic aid, which helps in the identification of various taxa. The museum is also taxonomic aid where plant and animal specimens are preserved. Catalogue is also taxonomic aid, which is a list that enumerates methodically all the species found in an area with brief description aiding identification.
Q6BotanyNEET UG PYQDiversity in the Living World
Nomenclature is governed by certain universal rules. Which one of the following is contrary to the rules of nomenclature?
ABiological names can be written in any language
BThe first word in a biological name represents the genus name, and the second is a specific epithet
CThe names are written in Latin and are italicized
DWhen written by hand, the names are to be underlined
Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

Binomial nomenclature means naming an organism with two words. The first word represents the genus and the second word represents species. The first letter of the genus is always written in the capital letter and the first letter of species in small letters. The names are generally written in the Latin language as they are mostly derived from Latin and Greek. These are italicized in the font. If written with the hand, they are underlined. These can't be written in any other languages as these are rules followed worldwide in nomenclature.
Q7BotanyNEET UG PYQTaxonomic Categories
Arrange the following taxonomic categories in ascending order. (a) Genus (b) Class (c) Order (d) Phylum (e) Family (f) Kingdom (g) Species Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
A(a), (c), (d), (g), (f), (b), (e)
B(g), (c), (d), (b), (e), (a), (f)
C(f), (c), (b), (g), (d), (e), (a)
D(g), (a), (e), (c), (b), (d), (f)
Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

The following is the arrangement of taxonomic categories in ascending order. Species (g), Genus (a), Family (e), Order (c), Class (b), Phylum (d), Kingdom (f).
Q8BotanyNEET UG PYQDiversity in the Living World
Study the four statements (A-D) given below and select the two CORRECT ones out of them A. Definition of biological species was given by Ernst Mayr. B. Photoperiod does not affect reproduction in plants. C. Binomial nomenclature system was given by R.H. Whittaker. D. In unicellular organisms, reproduction is synonymous with growth. The two correct statements are
AC and D
BA and D
CA and B
DB and C
Answer key (B) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option B

Photoperiod affects the reproduction in plants by regulating the flowering timing of the plants. The binomial system of nomenclature was given by Carolus Linnaeus. R. H. Whittaker proposed 5 kingdom classification of living organisms. So, the correct option is 'a and d'.

Which topics in The Living World carry the most questions?

All 4 topics, by tagged PYQs, then practice questions. Counted from the bank. Updated 19 Oct 2026.

TopicPYQsPractice questions
Taxonomic Categories8163
Diversity in the Living World689
What is Living?129
Miscellaneous Examples038

Why does The Living World show "–" until you answer 3 questions?

Unknown is not zero. Until you answer at least 3 graded questions in The Living World, 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.

How ViJEEta scores you

What happens when you test The Living World?

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.

Start the The Living World test

Chapters either side of The Living World by weight

Transport in Plants Weight 2.0/100Mineral Nutrition Weight 1.9/100Reproduction in Organisms Weight 1.5/100