NEET 2025 Paper: How were the Biology Questions?
The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2025 has concluded. Aspiring Pre-medical students across India have an immediate question. They want to know how Biology fared this year. The Biology section is crucial for NEET. This section often holds the key to a good rank. Let’s analyse the biology questions in NEET 2025 paper.
NEET 2025 Paper Analysis: 90 Biology Questions
The NEET 2025 paper had 180 Multiple-Choice questions (MCQs), 45 of which were from physics, 45 from chemistry, and 90 from Biology. Each question carried 4 marks for a correct answer and -1 for an incorrect answer. The biology syllabus of the NEET 2025 paper was based on the Biology syllabus of Class 11 and 12.
Questions pattern
The question pattern of the NEET 2025 paper is of 6 types.
| Question type | No. of questions |
|---|---|
| Single Correct | 37 |
| Column matching | 11 |
| Correct / Incorrect statement | 16 |
| Statement I & Statement II | 8 |
| Assertion & Reason | 5 |
| Diagram based | 4 |
| Event based | 3 |
| Numerical based | 3 |
| Multiple example based | 3 |
Class-wise questions distribution:
As the NEET 2025 biology syllabus is based on the Class 11 and Class 12 NCERT syllabus, I have analysed the class-wise questions distribution, which is balanced. 44.4% come from the class 11th syllabus, and 55.5% come from the class 12th syllabus in the NEET 2025 paper. So, more questions come from class 12 than class 11.
Unit-wise question distribution:
As the NEET 2025 biology syllabus is based on the NCERT curriculum, I have analysed all the questions as per the NCERT Biology textbooks for classes 11 and 12. Each textbook is divided into five units. Here, I have mentioned the unit-wise question distribution of the biology questions in NEET 2025 Paper.
| Unit | Unit Name (Class 11) | No. of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diversity in the Living World | 9 |
| 2 | Structural organisation in Plants and Animals | 6 |
| 3 | Cell: Structure and Functions | 8 |
| 4 | Plant Physiology | 6 |
| 5 | Human Physiology | 9 |
| Unit | Unit Name (Class 12) | No. of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Reproduction | 11 |
| 7 | Genetics & Evolution | 13 |
| 8 | Biology in Human Welfare | 10 |
| 9 | Biotechnology | 9 |
| 10 | Ecology | 9 |
Chapter-wise question distribution:
| Chapter | Chapter Name (Class 11) | No. of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Biological Classification | 1 |
| 3 | Plant Kingdom | 5 |
| 4 | Animal Kingdom | 3 |
| 5 | Morphology of Flowering Plants | 2 |
| 6 | Anatomy of Flowering Plants | 1 |
| 7 | Structural Organisation in Animals | 3 |
| 8 | Cell: The Unit of Life | 4 |
| 9 | Biomolecules | 3 |
| 10 | Cell Cycle and Cell Division | 1 |
| 13 | Photosynthesis in Higher Plants | 2 |
| 14 | Respiration in Plants | 1 |
| 15 | Plant Growth and Development | 3 |
| 17 | Breathing and Exchange of Gases | 1 |
| 18 | Body Fluids and Circulation | 1 |
| 19 | Excretory Products and Their Elimination | 1 |
| 20 | Locomotion and Movement | 1 |
| 21 | Neural Control and Coordination | |
| 22 | Chemical Coordination and Integration | 5 |
| Chapter | Chapter Name (Class 12) | No. of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants | 5 |
| 3 | Human Reproduction | 5 |
| 4 | Reproductive Health | 1 |
| 5 | Principles of Inheritance and Variation | 4 |
| 6 | Molecular Basis of Inheritance | 8 |
| 7 | Evolution | 1 |
| 8 | Human Health and Disease | 6 |
| 10 | Microbes in Human Welfare | 4 |
| 11 | Biotechnology: Principles and Processes | 6 |
| 12 | Biotechnology and Its Applications | 3 |
| 13 | Organisms and Populations | 4 |
| 14 | Ecosystem | 3 |
| 15 | Biodiversity and Conservation | 2 |
Difficulty level-wise question distribution
| Difficulty level | Class 11 | Class 12 |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 18 (47.36%) | 18 (34.61%) |
| Moderate | 14 (36.84%) | 19 (36.54%) |
| Difficult | 6 (15.78%) | 13 (25%) |
Overall Difficulty Level: A Balanced Challenge
This year’s biology questions of NEET 2025 paper did not heavily favour recall-based questions or complex application problems. Instead, it blended both types of questions. This approach tested students’ understanding of fundamental concepts and assessed their ability to apply knowledge to new situations.
Is NEET 2025 paper maintaining the Trend?
The distribution of questions between class 11 and 12 in NEET 2025 paper not similar to previous years. NEET usually gives equal weightage to both classes syllabus. But, this year class 12 portion got more Weightage as compared to class 11 portion. Some questions were mixed with miscellaneous topic. The mixing was at 2 level. Few questions were mixed by miscellaneous topic of different chapter of a same class. Another few questions were mixed up by various topics of different chapter from different classes. This ensures that students have a good understanding of all major areas. This year, the paper not followed the traditional trend.
Key Areas of Focus: Expecting the Unexpected (and the Expected)
Based on initial feedback, certain key areas seemed to have received significant attention.
- Human Physiology: As always, this unit remained a crucial component, with questions ranging from the intricacies of the digestive system to the complexities of neural and endocrine control. Expect detailed questions requiring a thorough understanding of processes and their regulation. For instance, a question might have asked about the specific hormones involved in the menstrual cycle and their sequential action.
- Genetics and Evolution: This unit, known for its conceptual depth and problem-solving potential, likely featured questions on Mendelian inheritance, molecular genetics, and evolutionary mechanisms. Students might have encountered questions involving pedigree analysis or the application of Hardy-Weinberg principles.
- Ecology and Environment: Given the increasing global emphasis on environmental issues, this unit continues to gain importance. Questions likely covered topics such as ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity conservation, and environmental pollution. A potential question could have focused on the impact of specific pollutants on different trophic levels.
- Plant Physiology: This section probably tested students’ understanding of essential plant processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and plant growth regulators. Questions might have involved the comparison of C3 and C4 pathways or the role of different phytohormones in plant development.
- Cell Biology and Biotechnology: Questions from these areas likely assessed students’ knowledge of cell structure and function, cell cycle regulation, and the principles and applications of biotechnology. For example, a question could have explored the mechanism of action of a specific enzyme involved in DNA replication or the different types of vectors used in recombinant DNA technology.
- Diversity in Living Organisms: This broad unit, encompassing the classification of plants and animals, likely featured questions requiring a good understanding of the characteristics of different phyla and divisions. Students might have been asked to identify organisms based on their specific features or life cycles.
While these areas are consistently important, the NEET exam often throws in a few unexpected questions to test the breadth of a student’s preparation. Aspirants must have covered the entire syllabus diligently.
Question Types: A Mix of Recall and Application
The NEET 2025 Biology paper likely featured a mix of question types:
- Direct Recall: These questions test the students’ ability to remember basic facts, definitions, and examples directly from the NCERT textbooks.
- Conceptual Understanding: These questions require students to understand the underlying principles and concepts and apply them to different scenarios.
- Diagram-Based Questions: Identifying parts of diagrams, understanding processes depicted visually, and interpreting graphical data are essential skills tested through such questions.
- Assertion-Reason Questions: These questions test the ability to analyse the relationship between a given assertion and a reason.
- Matching Type Questions: These questions require students to correctly pair items from two columns, often testing their knowledge of related concepts.
NCERT: The Unwavering Foundation
As with previous years, the NCERT textbooks likely remained the primary source for the biology questions of NEET 2025 paper. While some application-based questions might require critical thinking beyond the direct content, a thorough understanding of the NCERT concepts is indispensable for success. Students who have diligently studied and revised their NCERT textbooks are likely to have found a significant portion of the paper familiar.
Looking Ahead: What the Analysis Means for Aspirants
The Biology questions of NEET 2025 paper, by all accounts, presented a fair and balanced challenge. It emphasised the importance of a strong foundation in NCERT, coupled with the ability to apply those concepts. Future aspirants should take note of the consistent focus on core areas like Human Physiology, Genetics, Ecology, and Plant Physiology. A holistic preparation strategy that includes thorough NCERT study, conceptual clarity, and ample practice on over the NEET 2025 OMR Sheet with diverse question types remains the key to acing the Biology section of NEET.