CBSE Class 11 Biology Syllabus 2026-27: Marks & Pattern
CBSE Class 11 Biology Syllabus 2026-27 (subject code 044) splits into 70 marks for theory and 30 marks for practical. This page was verified against the official CBSE curriculum document published on cbseacademic.nic.in on 2026-07-13; the unit-wise marks, practical split, and excluded topics below are copied from that document so you can plan your study without relying on stale copy-paste pages.
Course Structure and Marks Distribution
The theory paper carries 70 marks over a 3-hour exam (NCERT, p. 3). The official document groups the syllabus into five units. The exact marks for each unit are reproduced below.
| Unit | Title | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I | Diversity of Living Organisms | 15 |
| II | Structural Organization in Plants and Animals | 10 |
| III | Cell: Structure and Function | 15 |
| IV | Plant Physiology | 12 |
| V | Human Physiology | 18 |
| Total | 70 |
Human Physiology carries the highest weight at 18 marks, so it deserves the largest share of your revision time. Units I and III are tied at 15 marks each; Unit II is the lightest at 10 marks, which makes it a quick win if you prepare it well.
Chapter-wise Study Material for Every Unit Above
Chapter-wise study material for every unit above:
| Ch. | Chapter | Study material |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Living World | Coming soon |
| 2 | Biological Classification | Coming soon |
| 3 | Plant Kingdom | Coming soon |
| 4 | Animal Kingdom | Coming soon |
| 5 | Breathing and Exchange of Gases | Coming soon |
| 6 | Anatomy Of Flowering Plants | Coming soon |
| 7 | Structural Organisation In Animals | Coming soon |
| 9 | Biomolecules | Coming soon |
| 10 | Cell Cycle And Cell Division | Coming soon |
| 12 | Respiration In Plants | Coming soon |
| 13 | Plant Growth And Development | Coming soon |
| 15 | Body Fluids And Circulation | Coming soon |
| 16 | Excretory Products And Their Elimination | Coming soon |
| 17 | Locomotion And Movement | Coming soon |
| 18 | Neural Control And Coordination | Coming soon |
| 19 | Chemical Coordination And Integration | Coming soon |
Exam Pattern and Theory Paper Design
The theory exam is 70 marks and lasts 3 hours (NCERT, p. 3). CBSE has shifted away from textbook-driven recall toward competency-based assessment — questions increasingly ask you to apply, analyse, and evaluate information in real-life contexts rather than reproduce definitions.
The curriculum document does not lock the exact question paper design; that is notified separately through the sample question paper. The board confirms that competency questions will carry core competencies drawn only from the prescribed syllabus.
Class XI Grading Scale (Absolute)
Schools award grades for Class XI using an absolute grading scale — not the positional ranking used for Class XII boards. Knowing this scale helps you judge what percentage you need for an A1 or B1.
| Mark Range | Grade |
|---|---|
| 91-100 | A1 |
| 81-90 | A2 |
| 71-80 | B1 |
| 61-70 | B2 |
| 51-60 | C1 |
| 41-50 | C2 |
| 33-40 | D |
| 32 and below | Essential Repeat |
The minimum pass mark is 33; 32 or below is graded Essential Repeat. For a broader view of how Class 11 Biology fits into the senior secondary curriculum, our Class 11 notes hub lists every science subject.
Internal Assessment and Practical Exam Split
The practical exam is 30 marks and lasts 3 hours (NCERT, p. 6). The official evaluation scheme breaks those marks into six components, so you know exactly what to prepare for the lab exam.
| Component | Experiment Numbers | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| One Major Experiment (Part A) | 1, 3, 7, 8 | 5 |
| One Minor Experiment (Part A) | 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 | 4 |
| Slide Preparation (Part A) | 2, 4, 5 | 5 |
| Spotting (Part B) | — | 7 |
| Practical Record + Viva Voce | Credit for year-long work | 4 |
| Project Record + Viva Voce | — | 5 |
| Total | 30 |
List of Experiments (Part A)
- Solanaceae dissection — describe a locally available flowering plant: floral whorls, anther, ovary, floral formula and diagram, root and stem type, leaf arrangement (Exp. 1).
- TS preparation — study transverse sections of dicot and monocot roots and stems (Exp. 2).
- Osmosis — potato osmometer setup (Exp. 3).
- Plasmolysis — epidermal peels (Rhoeo, lily, or onion scale leaves) (Exp. 4).
- Stomata distribution — compare upper and lower leaf surfaces (Exp. 5).
- Transpiration rates — compare upper and lower leaf surfaces (Exp. 6).
- Biomolecule tests — sugar, starch, proteins, and fats in plant and animal materials (Exp. 7).
- Pigment separation — paper chromatography of plant pigments (Exp. 8).
- Respiration rate — flower buds, leaf tissue, germinating seeds (Exp. 9).
- Urine analysis — tests for urea (Exp. 10), sugar (Exp. 11), albumin (Exp. 12), bile salts (Exp. 13).
Spotting Scope (Part B)
- Parts of a compound microscope.
- Specimens and slides — Bacteria, Oscillatoria, Spirogyra, Rhizopus, mushroom, yeast, liverwort, moss, fern, pine, one monocot, one dicot, one lichen.
- Animal specimens — Amoeba, Hydra, liver fluke, Ascaris, leech, earthworm, prawn, silkworm, honey bee, snail, starfish, shark, rohu, frog, lizard, pigeon, rabbit.
- Mitosis slides — onion root tip and grasshopper cells.
- Inflorescence types — cymose and racemose.
- Human skeleton and joint types (virtual images or models only).
The official document also provides a separate set of practicals for visually impaired students, matched to their evaluation scheme.
Deletions and Changes: What Is Not in the Syllabus
From Chapter 9 (Biomolecules), the official document explicitly excludes four topics (NCERT, p. 4). These are reproduced verbatim so you do not waste time studying them.
- Nature of Bond Linking Monomers in a Polymer
- Dynamic State of Body Constituents — Concept of Metabolism
- Metabolic Basis of Living
- The Living State
The document also includes a key clarification that competitors typically miss: Digestion and Absorption is part of the syllabus but is assessed only formatively. Schools teach it and assess it for understanding, but it does not appear in the summative exam. CBSE provides this content in the Reading Material Biology Class XI booklet, not the main NCERT textbook (NCERT, p. 5).
| Common Confusion | What the Document Says | How to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Is Digestion and Absorption deleted? | Included but formative-only — not in the summative exam. | Check p. 5 of the Biology curriculum PDF. |
| Are the four Biomolecule subtopics deleted? | Yes — explicitly excluded under Chapter 9. | Check the parenthetical note on p. 4. |
| Is the practical pattern unchanged? | Same 30-mark scheme — 5 major, 4 minor, 5 slide, 7 spotting, 4 record, 5 project. | Compare against the evaluation table on p. 6. |
For chapter-wise explanations of every unit in this syllabus, our Class 11 Biology notes and the wider LearnCBSE notes library cover each topic in depth.
Prescribed Books and Reading Material
The CBSE document lists four resources (NCERT, p. 8). Use the main textbook for theory and the reading material for the formative-only topic.
- Biology Class-XI, published by NCERT — the primary textbook.
- Other NCERT books and manuals (including multimedia) — supplementary reference.
- Biology Supplementary Material (Revised) — available on the CBSE website.
- Reading Material Biology Class XI — covers formative-assessed topics like Digestion and Absorption.
The full curriculum PDF and the reading material are hosted on cbseacademic.nic.in, the official CBSE academic website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CBSE Class 11 Biology syllabus reduced for 2026-27 session?
The official document does not describe the 2026-27 syllabus as a reduction from a previous year. It does explicitly exclude four subtopics from Chapter 9 Biomolecules, and states that Digestion and Absorption is formative-only. These are the only content changes the document specifies.
Which unit carries the highest marks in Class 11 Biology theory?
Unit V — Human Physiology — carries 18 marks, the highest of any unit. Unit I (Diversity of Living Organisms) and Unit III (Cell: Structure and Function) are tied at 15 marks each.
What is the practical exam pattern for Class 11 Biology?
The practical exam is 30 marks over 3 hours. It consists of a major experiment (5 marks), minor experiment (4), slide preparation (5), spotting (7), practical record with viva (4), and project record with viva (5).
Which topics are excluded from the Biomolecules chapter in the new syllabus?
The document excludes four topics from Chapter 9: Nature of Bond Linking Monomers in a Polymer, Dynamic State of Body Constituents (Concept of Metabolism), Metabolic Basis of Living, and The Living State.
Is Digestion and Absorption included in the Class 11 Biology board exam?
No. Digestion and Absorption is included in the syllabus but assessed only formatively — it does not count toward the summative exam. CBSE provides this content in the Reading Material Biology Class XI booklet.
Reference: CBSE Class 11 Biology curriculum document, session 2026-27 as stated on cbseacademic.nic.in.