12PB25BIO03

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN ERNAKULAM REGION

MARKING SCHEME (2025-26)
CLASS XII PREBOARD I EXAMINATION
BIOLOGY (044)
[Link]. Answers Marks
1. (D) Pollen grain 1
→ Male gametophyte in angiosperms is the pollen grain (haploid structure with
vegetative & generative cells).
2. (B) Maize 1
→ Maize is monoecious (male & female flowers on the same plant). Hence
pollination may be geitonogamy or xenogamy.
3. (D) a → c → e → d → b 1
→ Order of events: FSH secretion → follicle growth & oogenesis → LH surge →
ovulation → corpus luteum formation.
4. (C) Hybrid: Heavy = 1: 31 1
→ After six generations in ¹⁵N medium (semiconservative replication of DNA in E.
coli), ratio of hybrid to heavy DNA = 1: 31.
5. (D) Removal of introns in RNA and occurs in eukaryotes 1
→ Splicing = removal of non-coding introns from hnRNA → mature mRNA in
eukaryotes.
6. (D) Australopithecines 1
→ Fossil with >700 cc brain & tool use cannot be Australopithecus (≈400 cc). Fits
Homo habilis or later.
7. (C) 50 % Pink: 50 % White 1
→ Cross between pink (Rr) × white (rr) shows incomplete dominance → ½ pink, ½
white.
8. (B) Insertion of G after C in codon 4 1
→ Addition or deletion of a single base shifts the reading frame → frameshift
mutation.
9. (A) Only Q (Ascariasis) 1
→ Ascariasis transmitted by ingesting eggs in contaminated food/water; others
(malaria, filariasis, dengue) spread via mosquito bite.
10. (B) UAC & AUG 1
→ Codon on mRNA = AUG (start codon for methionine); anticodon on tRNA =
UAC (complementary).
11. (B) I, III and V 1
→ Restriction enzymes cut a little away from centre of palindrome, at same sites on
opposite strands, leaving sticky ends.
12. (B) Cyclosporin A 1
→ Immuno-suppressant from fungus Trichoderma polysporum; prevents rejection in
organ transplants.
13. (C) Assertion true, Reason false 1
→ Cells of stamen never develop into embryo without fertltisation.
14. (C) Assertion true, Reason false 1
→ Hugo de Vries proposed mutation theory; mutations cause speciation but they are
sudden, not slow.
15. (C) A is true but R is false 1
→ Heroin = smack (True); but it is an opioid (False).
16. (A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A 1
→ Insertion of foreign DNA in β-galactosidase gene inactivates it → colourless
(white) colonies due to insertional inactivation.
17. A. (a) P1: Autogamy P2: Geitonogamy ½*4 =2
(b)Advantage: Ensures seed set even in absence of pollinators (since same plant
pollen used). Disadvantage: No genetic variation; offspring genetically similar to
OR
(a) The parts A, B and C are identified as
A – Synergids, B – Micropyle, C – Hilum
Any two (½+½)
(b) A represents synergids and possess special cellular thickenings at their micropylar tip
called filiform apparatus which guides the pollen tube to enter into the embryo sac. (½ + ½)
18. A. a–Hydrogen bonds. b–Purines, i.e., adenine or thymine. c–Pentose sugar ½*4 =2
(deoxyribose sugar). d—5' end.
OR
B. Turner’s syndrome
Female
Monosomy
Nondisjunction causing loss of one X chromosome (Chromosomal disorder)
19. A(a) Cannabinoid molecule. ½*4 =2
(b) By smoking or oral ingestion.
(c) Cannabinoids generally affect the cardiovascular system of body.
(d) Cannabis sativa
20. A. (i) Scientists – Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer (1972) → 1 mark 1+1=2
(ii) BAC (Bacterial Artificial Chromosome) – a cloning vector used to insert and
replicate large DNA fragments in E. coli → 1 mark
OR
B. Alien gene inserted at Pvu I site (in ampR region) → ampicillin resistance lost, ½+½+1
tetracycline resistance retained. Recombinant bacteria grow on tet but not on amp
plates (insertional inactivation).
21. Fish farm = artificial ecosystem is a man-maintained ecosystem, with biotic & ½+½=1
abiotic components.
Abiotic factors – any two (light, soil, pH) ½+½=1
22. (i) Oocyte donation / IVF with donor egg – for failure to produce normal egg → 1 m 3
(ii) ICSI / Donor sperm – for low sperm count → 1 m
(iii) IVF – for blocked fallopian tube → 1 m

23. (a) Apomixis ½m, apomictic seeds ½m 3

(b) maintain heterozygosity, no segregation of characters, no need to buy hybrid
seeds every year (any two - ½ + ½)
(c) Differs from parthenocarpy – Apomixis forms seeds, Parthenocarpy forms
seedless fruits → ½ m
Genetic aspect – Apomictic offspring clonal, parthenocarpic fruit no progeny
→½m
24. A. (a) Parental genotypes — (1 mark) 3

Purple plant = Pp (heterozygote) and Yellow plant = pp (homozygous recessive).

Cross Pp × pp → expected 1/2 Pp (purple) and 1/2 pp (yellow) → matches 2 purple :

2 yellow.

(b) Punnett square for cross between two purple offspring (Pp × Pp) — (1 mark)
P p
──────────
P | PP | Pp |
──────────
p | Pp | pp |
──────────
 (c) Ratios — (1 mark)
Genotypic ratio: 1 PP : 2 Pp : 1 pp.
Phenotypic ratio: 3 Purple : 1 Yellow.
25. (a) Factors disturbing H–W equilibrium – Mutation, Migration, Genetic drift, Non- 3
random mating/Natural selection → 1 m
(b) 2pq = 2 × 0.3 × 0.7 = 0.42; Observed 0.49 ≠ Expected 0.42 → Not in equilibrium
→2m
26. (a) False – Flocs reduce BOD → ½+½ 3
(b) False – Mycorrhiza mutualistic, not parasitic → ½+½
(c) False – Dragon flies are useful to get rid of mosquitoes → ½+½
27. (a) Enzyme – BamHI → 1 m 3
Explanation (Name logic from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain H) – 1m
(b) Cuts between two G’s of sequence GGATCC; produces sticky ends 5′-GATC-3′
→1m
28. (a) Plot population vs year – curve rises then levels off → 1 m(draw graph) 3
(b) Type – Logistic (S-shaped) growth → 1 m
Description – Initial slow, rapid phase, then stable at K → 1 m
29. (i) Impact – Rapid population growth / population explosion → 1 m 4
(ii) Ideal contraceptive – IUCD (Copper-T / Multiload 375); Reason – long-term,
reversible, safe for married women → 1 + 1 = 2 m
(iii) Importance – Controls population; ensures maternal–child health / economic
stability → 1 m
OR
iii) (a) Non-medicated IUD – Lippes Loop → 1/2 m
(b) Barrier method – Condom → 1/2 m
30. (a) Type of immunity – Artificially acquired active immunity → 1 m 4
The inoculum triggered the body to produce antibodies, which kill the new virus that
enters the body → 1 m
(b) Forms of immunity by vaccination – Active (acquired by vaccine) + Passive
(ready-made antibodies) → 2 m
OR
(b) (i) A foetus receives antibodies from its mother through the placenta → Naturally
acquired passive immunity (ready-made maternal IgG antibodies) → 1 mark

(ii) A person receives blood transfusion from a vaccinated donor → Artificially

acquired passive immunity (transfer of ready-made antibodies through serum) → 1
mark
31. A. (i) Alien species invasion causes biodiversity loss by out-competing native 5
species for food and habitat. → 1 m

Examples (any two):

Nile Perch – introduced into Lake Victoria, eliminated native cichlid fish. → 1 m

Lantana camara / Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) – block sunlight, deplete

oxygen, hinder native growth. → 1 m

Clarias gariepinus (African catfish) – predatory, threatens Indian catfishes. → 1 m

(ii) Regions declared biodiversity hotspots – contain high species richness and high
endemism; identified for conservation priority. → 1 m
Examples: Western Ghats, Eastern Himalayas. → 1 m
OR
B. (i) Ecological pyramid of biomass (values kg/m²):
Producers 4 → Herbivores 11 → Small fish 25 → Large fish 37; Trophic levels –
Producers → Primary → Secondary → Tertiary. → diagram 2 m
 Pyramid inverted. → 1 m

(ii) (a) Gross Primary Productivity = NPP + Respiration = 45000 + 40367 = 85367
kJ m⁻² y⁻¹ → 1 m
(b) Net production decreases from producers to top carnivores due to energy loss as
heat at each trophic level (10 % law). → 1 m
32. A. 5
(i) Bt = Bacillus thuringiensis → 1 m
A gene coding for insecticidal protein (cry gene) was isolated and inserted into
cotton genome → Cry I Ac & Cry II Ab. → 1 m

(ii) Mechanism of pest death → 3 m

Cry protein inactive in plant; when ingested by bollworm larvae, converted to active
toxin in alkaline mid-gut → 1 m

Binds to receptors on mid-gut epithelium → forms pores → cell lysis → gut rupture
→ death → 2 m
OR
B. (a) Defence mechanism – RNA interference (RNAi) → 1 m
Silencing of specific mRNA by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and prevent its
translation thereby stop the production of the harmful or undesired protein. → 1 m
(b) Done in tobacco plant → 1 m
(c) Pathogen – Nematode Meloidegyne incognitia → 1 m
(d) Vector – Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Ti plasmid) → 1 m
33. A) a. 5’ UCAGUACA3’- 1m. 5
3’ AGTCATGT 5’ – Template, 5’TCAGTACA 3’- coding – 1m
b. i) AUG & UAA/UAG/UGA – ½+ ½ m
ii) Methionine & no amino acids – ½+ ½ m
iii) UTR – untranslated regions -1m
OR
B.(a) Organic compound at point ‘c’ – Amino acids (glycine, alanine, etc.) → 1 m
(b) Temperature maintained ≈ 800 °C → 1 m
(c) Gases – CH₄, NH₃, H₂, and H₂O vapour → 1 m
(d) Hypothesis – Oparin–Haldane theory of chemical evolution → 1 m
Scientists who performed – Stanley Miller and Harold Urey (1953) → 1 m