For nearly two centuries, biologists used Linnaeus's two-kingdom system, sorting every organism into Plantae or Animalia on the basis of simple, visible traits — a cell wall and chlorophyll, or the ability to move from place to place. This scheme worked poorly: it could not separate prokaryotes from eukaryotes, unicellular organisms from multicellular ones, or photosynthetic algae
Biological Classification
Class 1112 previous-year questions from this chapter every option and the correct answer, free · where the marks are
1. Five-kingdom classification
Exam focus: Whittaker's five kingdoms are separated on five criteria — cell structure, body organisation, mode of nutrition, reproduction and phylogenetic relationships — and mode of respiration is not one of them, though options often slip it in. Viruses, viroids and lichens are deliberately left out of all five kingdoms because they don't fit a cellular definition of life.
Five-Kingdom Classification (Whittaker)
Sankalp NEET Vedantu
Full chapter one-shot; the five-kingdom system is covered early on, bundled with the rest of Biological Classification.
BotanyNEET 2025show ▾Each of the following characteristics represents a kingdom proposed by Whittaker. Arrange the following in increasing order of complexity of body organisation.
A. Multicellular heterotrophs with a cell wall made of chitin.
B. Heterotrophs with tissue/organ/organ-system level of body organisation.
C. Prokaryotes with a cell wall made of polysaccharides and amino acids.
D. Eukaryotic autotrophs with tissue/organ level of body organisation.
E. Eukaryotes with cellular body organisation.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
- A.A, C, E, B, D
- B.C, E, A, D, B✓
- C.A, C, E, D, B
- D.C, E, A, B, D
Solution
Monera (prokaryotes with peptidoglycan walls, C) → Protista (unicellular eukaryotes, E) → Fungi (multicellular with chitin walls, A) → Plantae (tissue/organ level autotrophs, D) → Animalia (organ-system level heterotrophs, B). So C, E, A, D, B.
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Save for spaced revision (free account)2. Monera, Protista and Fungi
Exam focus: Match fungal class to its sexual spore, not just to a genus name: zygospores or oospores in Phycomycetes, ascospores in an ascus for Ascomycetes, basidiospores on a basidium for Basidiomycetes — and Deuteromycetes are grouped separately for exactly one reason, that no sexual stage is known for them at all.
Monera, Protista and Fungi
Competition Wallah
Full-chapter video with distinct segments for Kingdom Monera, Protista and Fungi; also covers Plantae/Animalia/viroids as part of the same chapter.
BotanyNEET 2025show ▾Which of the following organisms cannot fix nitrogen?
A. Azotobacter · B. Oscillatoria · C. Anabaena · D. Volvox · E. Nostoc
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
- A.A only
- B.D only✓
- C.B only
- D.E only
Solution
Volvox is a green alga with no nitrogen-fixing ability. Azotobacter is a free-living fixer, and Oscillatoria, Anabaena and Nostoc are nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.
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Save for spaced revision (free account)BotanyNEET 2024show ▾Match List I with List II.
List I List II A. Rhizopus I. Mushroom B. Ustilago II. Smut fungus C. Puccinia III. Bread mould D. Agaricus IV. Rust fungus
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
- A.A-I, B-III, C-II, D-IV
- B.A-III, B-II, C-I, D-IV
- C.A-IV, B-III, C-II, D-I
- D.A-III, B-II, C-IV, D-I✓
Solution
Rhizopus is the bread mould (III), Ustilago the smut fungus (II), Puccinia the rust fungus (IV) and Agaricus the mushroom (I).
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Save for spaced revision (free account)BotanyNEET 2024show ▾Which one of the following is not a criterion for the classification of fungi?
- A.Mode of nutrition✓
- B.Mode of spore formation
- C.Fruiting body
- D.Morphology of mycelium
Solution
Fungi are classified on the morphology of the mycelium, the mode of spore formation and the fruiting body. Mode of nutrition is not a criterion — all fungi are heterotrophic.
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Save for spaced revision (free account)ZoologyNEET 2022show ▾Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Mycoplasma can pass through a filter of less than 1 micron size.
Statement II: Mycoplasma are bacteria with a cell wall.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
- A.Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
- B.Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
- C.Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect
- D.Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect✓
The worked solution is part of a paid pack.
ZoologyNEET 2022show ▾Identify the asexual reproductive structure associated with Penicillium:
- A.Buds
- B.Zoospores
- C.Conidia✓
- D.Gemmules
The worked solution is part of a paid pack.
ZoologyNEET 2022show ▾Which of the following is a correct statement?
- A.Mycoplasma have DNA, ribosomes and a cell wall
- B.Cyanobacteria are a group of autotrophic organisms classified under kingdom Monera✓
- C.Bacteria are exclusively heterotrophic organisms
- D.Slime moulds are saprophytic organisms classified under kingdom Monera
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BotanyNEET 2021show ▾Which of the following statements is correct?
- A.Fusion of two cells is called karyogamy
- B.Fusion of protoplasms between two motile or non-motile gametes is called plasmogamy✓
- C.Organisms that depend on living plants are called saprophytes
- D.Some of the organisms can fix atmospheric nitrogen in specialised cells called sheath cells
The worked solution is part of a paid pack.
BotanyNEET 2019show ▾Which of the following statements is incorrect?
- A.Morels and truffles are edible delicacies
- B.Claviceps is a source of many alkaloids and LSD
- C.Conidia are produced exogenously and ascospores endogenously
- D.Yeasts have filamentous bodies with long, thread-like hyphae✓
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3. Viruses, viroids and lichens
Exam focus: The one fact worth knowing cold: a viroid is infectious RNA with no protein coat at all, unlike a virus, which always packages its nucleic acid inside a protein capsid — that missing coat is the whole reason Diener's discovery was notable, and it's the detail options most often drop or reverse.
Viruses, Viroids and Lichens
Competition Wallah
Same full-chapter video, which includes a dedicated viroids-and-prions segment; viruses/lichens are covered as part of the NCERT chapter flow rather than a standalone video.
BotanyNEET 2020show ▾Which of the following is correct about viroids?
- A.They have RNA with a protein coat
- B.They have free RNA without a protein coat✓
- C.They have DNA with a protein coat
- D.They have free DNA without a protein coat
The worked solution is part of a paid pack.
BotanyNEET 2019show ▾Which of the following statements is incorrect?
- A.Viroids lack a protein coat
- B.Viruses are obligate parasites
- C.The infective constituent in viruses is the protein coat✓
- D.Prions consist of abnormally folded proteins
The worked solution is part of a paid pack.
BotanyNEET 2019show ▾Match Column I with Column II:
Column I Column II (a) Saprophyte (i) Symbiotic association of fungi with plant roots (b) Parasite (ii) Decomposition of dead organic material (c) Lichen (iii) Living on living plants or animals (d) Mycorrhiza (iv) Symbiotic association of algae and fungi
- A.(a)-(i), (b)-(ii), (c)-(iii), (d)-(iv)
- B.(a)-(iii), (b)-(ii), (c)-(i), (d)-(iv)
- C.(a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iii), (d)-(iv)
- D.(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)✓
The worked solution is part of a paid pack.