HSST Botany Syllabus Kerala PSC|Botany Higher Secondary School Teacher Kerala PSC Syllabus

DETAILED SYLLABUS FOR THE POST OF HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER (JUNIOR) IN BOTANY HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
(Cat.No.292/2020,737/2021)

Main Topics HSST Botany Syllabus

Contents:

Part I – Botany – 70 Marks
Part II – Research Methodology & Teaching Aptitude – 10 Marks
Part III – Salient features of Indian Constitution and Social Welfare
Legislations & Programmes – 10 Marks
Part IV – General Knowledge ,Current Affairs & Renaissance in
Kerala– 10 Marks
Maximum Marks : 100
Duration : 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Medium of Question : English
Mode of Exam : OMR/ONLINE (Objective Multiple Choice)

PART I-BOTANY MODULE -1 – 10 Marks

PHYCOLOGY

Classification of algae – Fritsch and Smith Recent trends in classifications

General features of algae – thallus organization, vegetation, sexual and asexual
reproduction and life cycle

Pattern of life cycle and salient features of the following classes: Cyanophyta,
Chlorophyta, Xanthophyta, Bacillariophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta

Economic importances of algae : Biofertilizers, Food industry, Industrial and
medicinal importances, algal bloom

MYCOLOGY

Classification of fungi – Alexopoulos and Mims (1979), Ainsworth and
Bisby (1983)

General features of fungi – thallus structure, cell wall structure, heterothallism,
parasexuality and reproduction

Salient features of following classes- Myxomycota, Mastigomycota,
Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Deuteromycota

Fungal associations – symbiosis, saprophytism, mycorrhiza, endophytes,
lichens

Economic importances of fungi – degradation of pesticides and wastes,
decomposition of organic matter, degradation of lignin, significances in
medicine and industry, fungal toxins and human health

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Principles of plant pathology – biotic and abiotic agents and various symptoms
of plant diseases

Process of infection and defense mechanisms – enzymes, toxins, structural and
biochemical defense systems

Disease management – chemical, biological and quarantine measures

Common diseases of crops in Kerala – paddy, coconut, rubber, arecanut,
pepper, ginger, cardamom, coffee and tea

BRYOLOGY

General account on morphology, anatomy and life cycle of the following
groups: Hepaticopsida, Anthoceratopsida and Bryopsida

Origin, evolution and economic importances of bryophytes – indicators of
pollution, horticulture, medicine etc..

PTERIDOLOGY

General account on morphology, anatomy and life cycle of the following
groups -Psilopsida, Psilotopsida, Lycopsida, Sphaenopsida and Pteropsida

Heterospory, seed habit, stelar evolution

Economic importances of pteridophytes – as biofertilizers, in horticulture,
medicine, ecological indicators, as weed, in food industry

GYMNOSPERMS

General account on morphology, anatomy and life cycle of the following groups
-cycadopsida, coniferopsida and gnetopsida

Economic importances of gymnosperms

MICROBIOLOGY

Bacteria: ultra structure, major groups, nutritional types and reproduction

Viruses: ultrastructure, major groups, nutritional types, replication

Brief account on phones, viroids, virions, mycoplasmas, interferons,
actinomycetes, bacteriophages

Economic importances of microbes- in ecology, food, industry, medicine,
agriculture and other industries

PALAEOBOTANY

Geological time scale and evolution of plant groups

Types of fossilization

Fossil pteridophytes and gymnosperms

MODULE-II – 10 Marks ANGIOSPERM ANATOMY

Tissues

meristem, secretory and excretory tissues, primary and secondary
tissues

Anatomy of stem, root and leaf – both primary and secondary structure in stem
and root

Anomalous secondary growth in dicot and monocot stems

Brief account of nodal anatory, wood anatomy and floral anatomy

MICROTECHNIQUE

Tools in microtechnique -microscopy, micrometry, camera lucida, cryostat,
microtomes (rotary and sledge)

Fixing, killing, dehydration, clearing, embedding, staining and mounting –
reagents used in each step

Brief account on vital staining, double staining, whole mount, maceration
and histochemical tests for carbohydrates, proteins and lipids

EMBRYOLOGY

Microsporogenesis and male gametophyte development

Megasporogenesis and embryosac development

Pollination, fertilization and embryogeny in both monocots and dicots

Endosperm types, polyembryony, parthenocarpy and apmixis

PALYNOLOGY

Ultrastructure of pollen wall, pollen morphology, – NPC system of classification of
pollen apertures

Contributions of Dr. PKK. Nair to palynology

Palynology in relation to taxonomy

Aeropalynology and melittopalynology and pollen allergy

PLANT BREEDING

Methods in crop improvement and achievements – plant introduction, selection,
mutation breeding, polyploidy breeding and hybridization

Consequences of inbreeding, heterosis and incompatibility

Back cross breeding, resistance breeding (disease resistance and stress resistance),
vertical and horizontal resistances

Seed production and certification, major centres of crop production in India

Plant breeder’s rights, national biodiversity policy

Methods of vegetative propagation of plants

EVOLUTION

Origin of life – theories of evolution, classical and modern Speciation

MODULE-III- 10 Marks TAXONOMY

Principles of taxonomy – plant nomenclature, taxonomic hierarchy, phylogeny of
angiosperms, taxonomic keys

Classification systems – artificial, natural and phylogenetic

Interdisciplinary approaches to angiosperm systematic (anatomy, embryology,
morphology, cytology, palynology, chemotaxonomy, numerical taxonomy, molecular
taxonomy)

Study of the following families and their characteristic features: Ranunculaceae,
Magnoliaceae, Capparidaceae, Polygalaceae, Cryophyllaceae, Malvaceae,
Leguminosae, Myrtaceae, Melastomaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Rubiaceae, Asteraceae,
Asclepiadaceae, Boraginaceae, Lamiaceae, Amaranthaceae, Euphorbiaceae,
Orchidaceae, Scitamineae, Liliaceae, Commelinaceae, Arecaceae, Araceae,
Cyperaceae, Poaceae.

MORPHOLOGY

Flower as a modifiedshoot

Floral whorls and their parts – fruits and seed morphology

Vegetative morphology = leaf, root and stem

ECONOMIC BOTANY

Common cereals, millets and pulses

Vegetables, spices, beverages crops

Timbers, fibres, sugar and oil yielding crops Medicinal plants

ETHONOBOTANY

Methods of ethnobotanical studies Contributions of SK. Jain to ethnobotany ,Common plants of ethnobotanical importance in Kerala,Sacred groves and their importance

PHYTOGEOGRAPHY

Factors affecting plant distribution Phytogeographic zones of India Soil, climate and vegetation of India

FOREST BOTANY

Major and minor forest products with special reference to Kerala Significances of forest on environment, Consequences of deforestation and industrialization

ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY

Habitat ecology – terrestrial, fresh water, wet land and marine

Population ecology – community ecology and ecological succession

Ecosystems – structure, function and types and biomes ,

Species interactions – competitions, herbivory, carnivory, symbiosis etc..

Biogeochemical cycles and environmental pollution – air, water and noise

Global environmental problems – ozone depletion, global warming, acid rain,
nuclear hazards, El-nino, climate change,

Environmental impact assessment and major programmes – UNEP, IUCN, MAB, Earth Summit, CBD

MODULE – IV- 10 Marks CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

A brief account on structure, function of cells and cell organelles, – prokaryotic
and eukaryotic cells, cytoskeleton – organization and mobility

Origin, Ultrastructure and function of cell membrane, cell organelles

Chemistry of chromosome – DNA, RNA, kinetochore, NOR and
constriction of chromosomes

Numerical and structural variations of chromosomes

Cell divisions – stages, synaptonemal complexe, theories and mechanism of
crossing over and molecular mechanism of crossing over

Cell differentiation – characteristics and mechanisms

Prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA replication

Molecular nature of genes

Molecular tools for studying genes and gene activities
Techniques of DNA analysis – preparation of DNA and RNA probes, hybridization, autoradiography, DNA finger printing
DNA sequencing, chemical synthesis of nucleotides
PCR and FISH and their applications

GENETICS

Mendelian genetics and gene interation Linkage and crossing over, gene mapping

Polygenic inheritance Extra chromosomal inheritanace

Microbial genetics – transduction, transformation and conjugation in bacteria,
Lysogeny and lytic cycle in viruses

Nucleic acids – DNA and RNA types, structure, function and replication,Mutations, DNA damage and repair

Genetic code and gene expressions – protein synthesis, gene regulations –
prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Translation, post translation and post transcription
Gene synthesis – Khorana -Kornberg
Population genetics – Hardey-Weinberg equilibrium – genetic drift, genetic
load, consanguinity and its genetic effects
Human genetics – blood group systems – ABO, Rh and MN blood groups,
human karyotype and syndromes caused by its aberrations, genetic counseling,
pedigree analysis
Brief account of human genome project

MODULE-V – 10 Marks PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

Water relation to plants – absorption and transpiration of water – opening and
closing of stomata – factors affecting water transport

Mineral nutrition – hydroponics, aeroponics

Nitrogen metabolism in plants

Photosynthesis – C3, C4 and CAM cycle in detail, photorespiration

Respiration – oxidative photophosphorylation

Ascent of sap – source and sink relationship

Growth and development – role of phytohormones, photoperiodism,
vernalization, florigines

Stress physiology – water, salt, hot and cold stress – heat shock proteins,
adaptations

Seed germination – physiological and biochemical changes

BIOCHEMISTRY

Carbohydrates – structure, function and metabolism, inter conversion

Lipids – structure, function and metabolism, biosynthesis of fatty acids, alpha
and beta oxidation

Amino acids and proteins – structure and properties and classification of amino
acids and proteins, amino acid metabolism, Ramachandran plot, verification of
proteins

Enzymes – major groups, relation of enzyme activity, enzyme kinetics, assay,
regulation, allosteric enzymes, isoenzymes, ribioenzymes, coenzymes

Vitamins – classification, function and sources of vitamins and their role as coenzymes

BIOPHYSICS

pH and buffers

Microscopy – bright field, phase contrast, fluorescent and electron microscope
(SEM and TEM), photometry, colorimetry

Chromatogram – gel filteration, ion exchange, affinity, TLC, GC, HPLC,
HPTLC, GCMS

Electrophoresis – AGE, PAGE, SDS-PAGE, isoelectrofocusing, ELISA

Centrifugation – density gradient and ultra centrifugation

Biophysical methods for analysis of biopolymers – x-ray diffraction,
fluorescent, NMR spectroscopy, UV, visible and ESR spectroscopy, ORD/CD,
atomic absorption and plasma emission spectroscopy

Radiation dosimetry, radioactive isotopes, autoradiography, Cerenkov
radiation, liquid scintillation techniques

BIOSTATISTICS

Sampling methods and errors

Process and presentation of data – tables and graphs

Measures of central tendency – mean, median, mode

Measures of dispersion – range, quartile deviation, mean deviation, standard
deviation and coefficient of variations

Probability – basic concept, theorems

Experimental design – randomnized block, latin square

Tests of significance – T-tests, Chi-square, F-tests, ANOVA

Correlation and regression analysis

MODULE – VI – 10 Marks BIOTECHNOLOGY

Plant tissue culture techniques – direct and indirect regeneration

Somatic cell genetics and somatic clonal variations

Somatic embryogenesis – artificial seeds, protoplast culture, somatic
hybridization, impacts in plant breeding

Haploid production- anther and ovule culture – applications

Production of secondary metabolites – cell immobilization – bioreactor
technology, in vitro strategies of germplasm conservation

Isolation of genomic and organellar DNA. Methods of gene identification –
vector mediated and vectorless PCR, genomioc and cDNA libraries

Gene transfer techniques – direct and indirect traspossors as vectors – gene
silencing

DNA markers – RFLP, RAPD, AFLP and Antisense RNA

Blotting techniques – Northern, Southern and West
Transgenic biology – gene cloning and transformation technique in plants-gene
targeting and sequence tag
Genetically modified organisms and foods, social and ethical considerations,
IPR issues, patents and biopiracy

BIOINFORMATICS

Introduction to data structures, data base concepts, tools for searching,
homology searching

Application of databases in biology

Sequence databases .sequence comparison, structural databases, proteomics
and genomics (elementary)

Major bioinformatic resources – NCBI, EBI, EMBL, GENBANK, DDBJ,
SWISSPROT, PDB

Tools in bioinformatics – BLAST, CLUSTAL -X, CLUSTAL-W, Phylip,
GENSCAN
Applications of bioinformatics – transcriptomix, metabolomics,
pharmacogenomics (brief account only)

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Computer application in biology

Computer packages for biostatistics and numerical taxonomy

Hardware and software parts of a computer

Internet online biology resources, public library of sciences, online
publications, electronic journals and books

MODULE – VII – 10 Marks Recent developments in Botany PART II (10 Marks)

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/TEACHING APTITUDE

I. TEACHING APTITUDE
 Teaching: Nature, objectives, characteristics and basic requirements;
 Learner’s characteristics;
 Factors affecting teaching;
 Methods of teaching;
 Teaching aids;
 Evaluation systems.
II. RESEARCH APTITUDE
 Research: Meaning, Characteristics and types;
 Steps of research;
 Methods of research;
 Research Ethics;
 Paper, article, workshop, seminar, conference and symposium;
 Thesis writing: its characteristics and format.

PART III (10 Marks) Salient Features of Indian Constitution

Salient features of the Constitution – Preamble- Its significance and its place in the
interpretation of the Constitution.
Fundamental Rights – Directive Principles of State Policy – Relation between Fundamental
Rights and Directive Principles – Fundamental Duties.
Executive – Legislature – Judiciary – Both at Union and State Level. – Other Constitutional
Authorities.
Centre-State Relations – Legislative – Administrative and Financial.
Services under the Union and the States.
Emergency Provisions.
Amendment Provisions of the Constitution.
Social Welfare Legislations and Programmes
Social Service Legislations like Right to Information Act, Prevention of atrocities against Women & Children,
Food Security Act, Environmental Acts etc. and Social Welfare Programmes like Employment Guarantee
Programme, Organ and Blood Donation etc.

PART IV (10 Marks) GENERAL KNOWLEDGE, CURRENT AFFAIRS AND RENAISSANCE IN KERALA

RENAISSANCE IN KERALA TOWARDS A NEW SOCIETY
Introduction to English education – various missionary organisations and their functioning funding of educational institutions, factories, printing press etc.
EFFORTS TO REFORM THE SOCIETY
(A) Socio-Religious reform Movements
SNDP Yogam, Nair Service Society, Yogakshema Sabha, Sadhu Jana Paripalana Sangham, Vaala
Samudaya Parishkarani Sabha, Samathwa Samajam, Islam Dharma Paripalana Sangham,
Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha, Sahodara Prasthanam etc.
(B) Struggles and Social Revolts
Upper cloth revolts.Channar agitation, Vaikom Sathyagraha, Guruvayoor Sathyagraha, Paliyam
Sathyagraha. Kuttamkulam Sathyagraha, Temple Entry Proclamation, Temple Entry Act. Malayalee
Memorial, Ezhava Memorial etc.
Malabar riots, Civil Disobedience Movement, Abstention movement etc.
ROLE OF PRESS IN RENAISSANCE
Malayalee, Swadeshabhimani, Vivekodayam, Mithavadi, Swaraj, Malayala Manorama,
Bhashaposhini, Mathnubhoomi, Kerala Kaumudi, Samadarsi, Kesari, AI-Ameen, Prabhatham,
Yukthivadi, etc
AWAKENING THROUGH LITERATURE
Novel, Drama, Poetry, Purogamana Sahithya Prasthanam, Nataka Prashtanam, Library movement
etc
WOMEN AND SOCIAL CHANGE
Parvathi Nenmenimangalam, Arya Pallam, A V Kuttimalu Amma, Lalitha Prabhu.Akkamma
Cheriyan, Anna Chandi, Lalithambika Antharjanam and others
LEADERS OF RENAISSANCE
Thycaud Ayya Vaikundar, Sree Narayana Guru, Ayyan Kali.Chattampi Swamikal, Brahmananda
Sivayogi, Vagbhadananda, Poikayil Yohannan(Kumara Guru) Dr Palpu, Palakkunnath Abraham
Malpan, Mampuram Thangal, Sahodaran Ayyappan, Pandit K P Karuppan, Pampadi John Joseph,
Mannathu Padmanabhan, V T Bhattathirippad, Vakkom Abdul Khadar Maulavi, Makthi Thangal,
Blessed Elias Kuriakose Chaavra, Barrister G P Pillai, TK Madhavan, Moorkoth Kumaran, C.
Krishnan, K P Kesava Menon, Dr.Ayyathan Gopalan, C V Kunjuraman, Kuroor Neelakantan
Namboothiripad, Velukkutty Arayan, K P Vellon, P K Chathan Master, K Kelappan, P. Krishna
Pillai, A K Gopalan, T R Krishnaswami Iyer, C Kesavan. Swami Ananda Theerthan, M C Joseph,
Kuttippuzha Krishnapillai and others
LITERARY FIGURES
Kodungallur Kunhikkuttan Thampuran, KeralaVarma Valiyakoyi Thampuran, Kandathil Varghese
Mappila. Kumaran Asan, Vallathol Narayana Menon, Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer, G Sankara
Kurup, Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, Chandu Menon, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. Kesav Dev,
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, Ponkunnam Varky, S K Pottakkad and others
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE AND CURRENT AFFAIRS

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