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A limited number of UPSC aspirants choose Botany as an optional subject in UPSC Mains Exam. Here, it is important to understand that students who have studied biology or Botany earlier should choose Botany as their optional subject. It will help students understand the concepts easy and better. Yearly, 100 or less students choose this subject as it is specialised. In this blog, we will walk you through to understand how to prepare for UPSC Botany Optional subject.
Table of Contents
Botany as UPSC Optional Subject 🌱
As mentioned above, not every UPSC exam student chooses Botany as their optional subject. You’ll have pros and cons of this. First you need to understand this and then we will proceed to strategy.
Pros ✔️
- A high-scoring subject
- A big portion of the Botany syllabus is static.
- If your basic concept is clear then you will get an advantage in exam.
- No tricky questions as in this subject you will face direct and fundamental questions only.
Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC Prelims?
Cons ❌
- Less people to guide you in this subject.
- If you are not good in making diagram then this can create trouble for you.
- The syllabus is huge and will take 5 months at least to cover.
Also Read: UPSC Previous Year Question Papers For Last 10 Years
Success Rate of Botany Optional in UPSC 📑
Below, we have mentioned a few numbers that will help you to understand trends of Botany as Optional subject. In the table below, we have mentioned the number of students who took Botany as Optional Subject in UPSC mains exam and relevant data.
| Year | No. of Aspirants | Number of Aspirants Passed | Success Percentage (%) |
| 2011 | 135 | 9 | 6.7 |
| 2012 | 104 | 12 | 11.5 |
| 2013 | 50 | 7 | 14 |
| 2014 | 58 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 56 | 5 | 8.9 |
| 2016 | 312 | 14 | 4.5 |
| 2017 | 44 | 5 | 11.4 |
Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC?
Understanding Syllabus of Botany Optional
UPSC Botany Syllabus Optional Paper 1:
| Botany Topics | Detailed Syllabus |
| Microbiology and Plant Pathology | Structure and reproduction/multiplication of viruses, viroids, bacteria, fungi, and mycoplasma; Applications of microbiology in agriculture, industry, medicine, and in control of soil and water pollution; Prion and Prion hypothesis.Important crop diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, fungi, and nematodes; Modes of infection and dissemination; Molecular basis of infection and disease resistance/defense; Physiology of parasitism and control measures; Fungal toxins; Modelling and disease forecasting; Plant quarantine. |
| Cryptogams | Algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, pteridophytes-structure and reproduction from evolutionary viewpoint; Distribution of Cryptogams in India and their ecological and economic importance. |
| Phanerogams | Gymnosperms: Concept of Progymnosperms; Classification and distribution of gymnosperms; Salient features of Cycadales, Ginkgoales, Coniferales and Gnetales, their structure and reproduction; General account of Cycadofilicales, Bennettitales, and Cordaitales; Geological time scale; Type of fossils and their study techniques.Angiosperms: Systematics, anatomy, embryology, palynology, and phylogeny.Taxonomic hierarchy; International Code of Botanical Nomenclature; Numerical taxonomy and chemotaxonomy; Evidence from anatomy, embryology, and palynology.Origin and evolution of angiosperms; Comparative account of various systems of classification of angiosperms; Study of angiospermic families, Mangnoliaceae, Ranunculaceae, Brassicaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Apiaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Verbenaceae, Solanaceae, Rubiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, Arecaceae, Liliaceae, Musaceae, and Orchidaceae.Stomata and their types; Glandular and non-glandular trichomes; Unusual secondary growth; Anatomy of C3 and C4 plants; Xylem and phloem differentiation; Wood anatomy.Development of male and female gametophytes, pollination, fertilization; Endosperm – its development and function; Patterns of embryo development; Polyembroyony and apomixes; Applications of palynology; Experimental embryology including pollen storage and test-tube fertilization. |
| Plant Resource Development | Domestication and introduction of plants; Origin of cultivated plants; Vavilov’s centers of origin; Plants as sources for food, fodder, fiber, spices, beverages, edible oils, drugs, narcotics, insecticides, timber, gums, resins and dyes, latex, cellulose, starch, and its products; Perfumery; Importance of Ethnobotany in the Indian context; Energy plantations; Botanical Gardens and Herbaria. |
| Morphogenesis | Totipotency, polarity, symmetry, and differentiation; Cell, tissue, organ, and protoplast culture; Somatic hybrids and Cybrids; Micropropagation; Somaclonal variation and its applications; Pollen haploids, embryo rescue methods, and their applications. |
UPSC Mains Optional Botany Syllabus for Paper 2 :
| Botany Topics | Detailed Syllabus |
| Cell Biology | Techniques of cell biology; Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells-structural and ultrastructural details; Structure and function of extracellular matrix (cell wall), membranes-cell adhesion, membrane transport, and vesicular transport; Structure and function of cell organelles (chloroplasts, mitochondria, ER, dictyosomes ribosomes, endosomes, lysosomes, peroxisomes); Cytoskeleton and microtubules; Nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear pore complex; Chromatin and nucleosome; Cell signaling and cell receptors; Signal transduction; Mitosis and meiosis; Molecular basis of cell cycle; Numerical and structural variations in chromosomes and their significance; Chromatin organization and packaging of the genome; Polytene chromosomes; B-chromosomes’ structure, behavior and significance. |
| Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Evolution | Development of genetics; Gene versus allele concepts (Pseudoalleles); Quantitative genetics and multiple factors; Incomplete dominance, polygenic inheritance, multiple alleles; Linkage and crossing over; Methods of gene mapping, including molecular maps (the idea of mapping function); Sex chromosomes and sex-linked inheritance, sex determination and molecular basis of sex differentiation; Mutations (biochemical and molecular basis); Cytoplasmic inheritance and cytoplasmic genes (including genetics of male sterility).Structure and synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins; Genetic code and regulation of gene expression; Gene silencing; Multigene families; Organic evolution evidence, mechanism, and theories.Role of RNA in origin and evolution. |
| Plant Breeding, Biotechnology, and Biostatistics | Methods of plant breeding: Introduction, selection, and hybridization (pedigree, backcross, mass selection, bulk method); Mutation, polyploidy, male sterility, and heterosis breeding; Use of apomixes in plant breeding; DNA sequencing; Genetic engineering, methods of transfer of genes; Transgenic crops and biosafety aspects; Development and use of molecular markers in plant breeding; Tools and techniques – probe, southern blotting, DNA fingerprinting, PCR and FISH. Standard deviation and coefficient of variation (CV); Tests of significance (Z-test, t-test, and chi-square test); Probability and distributions (normal, binomial, and Poisson); Correlation and regression. |
| Physiology and Biochemistry | Water relations, mineral nutrition, and ion transport, mineral deficiencies; Photosynthesis, photochemical reactions; photophosphorylation and carbon fixation pathways; C3, C4, and CAM pathways; Mechanism of phloem transport; Respiration (anaerobic and aerobic, including fermentation); electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation; Photorespiration; Chemiosmotic theory and ATP synthesis; Lipid metabolism; Nitrogen fixation and nitrogen metabolism; Enzymes, coenzymes; Energy transfer and energy conservation; Importance of secondary metabolites; Pigments as photoreceptors (plastidial pigments and phytochrome); Plant movements; Photoperiodism and flowering, vernalization, senescence; Growth substances, their chemical nature, role and applications in agri-horticulture; Growth indices, growth movements; Stress physiology (heat, water, salinity, metal); Fruit and seed physiology; Dormancy, storage and germination of seed; Fruit ripening, its molecular basis, and manipulation. |
| Ecology and Plant Geography | Concept of ecosystem; Ecological factors; Concepts and dynamics of the community; Plant succession; Concept of biosphere; Ecosystems; Conservation; Pollution and its control (including phytoremediation); Plant indicators; Environment (Protection) Act.Forest types of India-Ecological and economic importance of forests, afforestation, deforestation, and social forestry; Endangered plants, endemism, IUCN categories, Red Data Books; Biodiversity and its conservation; Protected Area Network; Convention on Biological Diversity; Farmers? Rights and Intellectual Property Rights; Concept of Sustainable. Development; Biogeochemical cycles; Global warming and climatic change; Invasive species; Environmental Impact Assessment; Phytogeographical regions of India. |
How To Prepare for Botany Optional?
Below we have mentioned a list of tips and suggestions to follow while preparing for botany optional:
- Conduct thorough research on Botany syllabus , understanding topics to prepare effectively for UPSC Civil Services Exam.
- Refer to websites, market books, and online resources for comprehensive Botany syllabus coverage.Analyze UPSC previous papers to understand question patterns.
- Focus on charts in Paper I, providing Indian species examples .Key areas in Phanerogams include Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.
- Paper I demands a focus on charts, emphasizing Indian species.Key areas in Phanerogams include Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.
- Prioritize the molecular aspect in cell science. Genetics, evolution, and molecular science are also important with high-scoring potential.
- In Physiology and Biochemistry, emphasize biochemical physiology. Cover hormones and developmental physiology in topics like flowering, seed germination, and fruit aging.
Five Step Preparation Strategy for Botany Optional
Here we have listed out a five step strategy to prepare for botany optional:
- Rely on syllabus understanding and analyze last 10 years of CSE/IFoS PYQ.
- Categorize PYQs under each syllabus section for effective boundary setting.
- Draw botanical diagrams extensively, crucial for presentation and explanation in exam answers.
- Allocate time wisely for classical (revision-heavy) and applied (concept-focused) topics in preparation.
- Use direct study from books, limited UPSC-specific notes, and prioritize concise, science-oriented answers.
Best Books To Prepare for Botany Optional
Here we have listed out the best books to prepare for Botany Optional:
| Botany Books | Publisher |
| Cell Biology | De Robertis & Ambrose and Easy or Powar |
| Cryptograms | B.R. Vasista |
| Economic botany in the tropics | S. L. Kochhar |
| Embryology Of Angiosperms | S P Bhatnagar |
| Genetics | Strickberger |
| Elements of Genetics | Dr. Veer Bala Rastogi |
| Microbiology | Powars |
| Plant Anatomy | B.P. Pandey |
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