NETAJI SUBHAS OPEN UNIVERSITY

Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Post Graduate Zoology Course (PGZO)

Syllabus of M. Sc. in Zoology (PGZO)

Programme Objectives:

The specific objective of PGZO is to provide knowledge in the subjects to the learners at its basic and
advanced levels and help to create insights about the facts and processes of the subject. The course will
provide information about the frontier areas of development in the subject both at global and regional
scale to generate keenness to learn more and motivate learners to proceed towards more difficult areas of
the subject to understand and work on it. It is aimed that the theoretical and practical parts of the course
will help them to enhance the skills and command on the subject, which in turn also develop their research
aptitude and contributive participation.

Expected Programme Outcome:

By obtaining the M.Sc degree in Zoology this course enable students to obtain knowledge and skills to
obtain wider chances of employability with quality. This course will enable students for teaching and
research including M.Phil and Ph.D courses by qualify NET or GATE or other similar examinations.
Provide the opportunity and capability to get jobs through School or College or Public Service
Commissions.It may also help workforce learners to continue and progress in their educational and/or
professional fields. Overall, this will produce students who will serve the subjects with their thinking and
understanding and contribute in the progress of the subject through the process of science and for the
society.

Curriculum Design of PGZO

M.Sc. Part-I
Paper Group Broad Heading Marks Credit

Paper- I Group A Structural organization of chordates and non-chordates 50 4

Group B Taxonomy, Biodiversity and Conservation 50 4

Paper -II Group A Ecology, Environmental Biology & Toxicology 50 4
Group B Ethology and Evolution 50 4

Paper- Group A Physiology and Biochemistry 50 4

III
Group B Genetics and Molecular Biology 50 4
 Paper - Group A Basic Physical and Chemical principles 50 4
IV Group B Laboratory Course 50 4

Paper -V Group A Laboratory Course 50 4

Group B Laboratory Course 50 4

M.Sc. Part-II
Paper Group Broad Heading Marks Credit

Group A Quantitative Biology & Biotechnology 50 4

Paper- Group B Immunology & Microbiology 50 4
VI
Group A Developmental Biology 50 4
Paper -
Group B Endocrinology, Cell & Tissue Structure, Function 50 4
VII
Group A Parasitology & Public Health 50 4
Paper- Group B Agricultural Entomology & Aquatic Resource 50 4
VIII Management
Group A Review/Dissertation & Seminar 50 4
Paper- Group B Laboratory Course 50 4
IX
Group A Laboratory Course 50 4
Paper -X Group B Laboratory Course 50 4

Total Marks/ Part-I (500/ 40) + Part-II (500/ 40) 500+500 = 1000 Marks/ 80 Credits
Credits
Distribution of Theory Part-I (Theory 350 Marks: 28 credit) Part-II (Theory 350 Marks: 28 credit)
& Practical papers (Practical 150 Marks: 12 credit) (Practical 150 Marks: 12 credit)
Part-I (40) + Part-II (40) 40+40 = 80 Credit
Evaluation System Internal Assessment: Theory: 20% Term End Examination: (Theory):80%
NA Practical: 100%
Pass marks No assignment for practical Papers. Pass marks of any theory and
practical paper is 40%.
Examination System Total 2 Term End Examination 1000 Marks

Programme Duration: Course duration is 2 years. However, the students have the liberty to
complete its course within 5 years.
 Detailed Syllabus of PGZO

PAPER—I (100 Marks)

Group A (1/2) : Structure and functions of chordates
1.0 Origin of chordate
2.0 The nature of vertebrate morphology
3.0 Origin and classification of vertebrates
4.0 Vertebrate integument and its derivatives
5.0 General plan of circulation in various groups
6.0 Respiratory system
7.0 Skeletal system
8.0 Evolution of urogenital system in vertebrate series
9.0 Sense organs
10.0 Nervous system
Group A (2/2) : Structure and function of non chordates
1.0 Organization of coelom
2.0 Locomotion
3.0 Nutrition and Digestion
4.0 Respiration
5.0 Excretion
6.0 Nervous system
7.0 Invertebrate larvae
Group B : (1/2) Taxonomy
1.0 Definition and basic concepts of biosystematics and taxonomy
2.0 Trends in biosystematics—concepts of different conventional and newer aspects
3.0 Dimensions of speciation and taxonomic characters
4.0 Procedure keys in taxonomy
Group B (2/2) : Biodiversity and Conservation
1.0 The meanings of biodiversity
2.0 Threats to species diversity
3.0 Values and ethics of biodiversity
4.0 Global pattern of biodiversity
5.0 Theories of biodiversity variations
6.0 Regional and National approaches to conservation of Biodiversity - mega biodiversity
countries and biodiversity of hot spots of India
7.0 Biomes and Wildlife: characterization, faunal make up and adaptations
8.0 Wildlife conservation
9.0 Special projects for endangered species
10.0 Wildlife habitat management with special reference to Sundarbans
PAPER—II (100 Marks)
Group A : (1/2) Ecology
1.0 Ecology of population
2.0 Population growth
3.0 Life history strategies
4.0 Predation
5.0 Competition and niche theory
6.0 Mutualism
7.0 Population regulation - Extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms
8.0 Ecological modeling - Fundamentals of constructing models and testing them
Group A (2/2) : Environmental Biology and Toxicology
1.0 Environmental factors and their impact on physiological processes
2.0 Individual and its interaction with environment
3.0 Stress physiology
4.0 Environmental health problem
5.0 Environmental laws and ethics
Group B (1/2) : Ethology
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Innate behaviour
3.0 Perception of the environment
4.0 Neural and hormonal control of behaviour
5.0 Genetic and environmental components in the development of behaviour
6.0 Communication
7.0 Ecological aspects of behaviour
8.0 Social behaviour
9.0 Reproductive behaviour
10.0 Biological rhythms
11.0 Learning and memory
Group B (2/2) : Evolution
1.0 Concepts of evolution and theories of organic evolution with an emphasis on Darwinism
2.0 Neo-Darwinism
3.0 Quantifying genetic variability
4.0 Molecular population genetics
5.0 Genetics of speciation
6.0 Origin of higher categories
7.0 Molecular phylogenetics

PAPER—III (100 Marks)

Group A (1/2) : Animal Physiology
1.0 Aims and scope of comparative physiology
2.0 Thermoregulation
3.0 Communication among animals
4.0 Contractile elements, cells and tissues among different phylogenic groups
5.0 Adaptation
6.0 Physiological adaptations to different environments
Group A (2/2) : Biochemistry
1.0: - Glucose catabolism via EMP and MMP pathways; TCA cycle, 2oxidation of saturated
and unsaturated fatty acids. Catabolism of phenylalanine, purine; deamination,
transamination, transdeamination
2.0: - Biological oxidation with special reference to oxidative phosphorylation
3.0: - Active transport - characteristics, mechanism and significance. Excitation - exocytosis
coupling molecular mechanism of muscular contraction. Biosynthesis of i) urea ii) saturated
fatty acid iii) glutathione , iv) nonepinephrine v) epinephrine vi) serotonin vii) melatonin and
viii) brief outline of prostaglandin synthesis; glucogenesis, glycogenesis
4.0: - Specific activity of enzyme: enzyme-substrate complex, Km and its derivation for a single
substrate enzyme reaction. Allosteric modulation of enzyme activity, covalents modification
of enzyme activity, isozyme, ribozyme, rate-limiting enzyme
5.0: - Induction and repression in enzyme synthesis. Translation and posttranslation modification
in the biosynthesis of proteins
6.0: - Metabolism profile of adipose tissue
7.0: - Genetic disorder of phenylalanine, tyrosine and glycogen metabolism
Group B (1/2) : Cytogenetics
1.0 Biology of chromosomes
2.0 Sex chromosomes, sex determination and dosage compensation in C. elegans, Drosophila
and Humans
3.0 Imprinting of genes, chromosomes and genomes
4.0 Somatic cell genetics
5.0 Human cytogenetics
6.0 Cytogenetic implications and consequences of structural changes and numerical alterations of
chromosomes
7.0 Microbial genetics
8.0 Cytogenetic effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations
9.0 Molecular cytogenetic techniques
l0.0 Genome analysis
11.0 Linkage map, cytogenetic mapping
12.0 Genetics of cell cycle
Group B (2/2) : Molecular Biology
1. History and scope of molecular biology
2. DNA replication
3 Transcription
4. Post-transcriptional modification in RNA
5. Translation
6. Antisense and Ribozyme Technology
7. Recombination and repair
8. Molecular mapping of genome
PAPER—IV (100 Marks)
Group A : Basic physical and chemical principles
1. Energetics
2. Chemical thermodynamics
3. Idea of chemical bonds
4. Nuclear hazards
5. Ionic product
Group B : Laboratory Course
1. Major dissection
a) Nervous system of Crab and Acatina
b) Reproductive system in grasshopper and Acatina
c) Urinogenetal system, olfactory apparatus in tilapia
d) Arterial, autonomic nervous system in mouse
2. Minor dissections
a) Nephridia and spermatheca of earthworm
b) Otolith and pituitary gland in tilapia
3. Composition assessment of the taxonomic diversity in any habitat
4. Preparation of models showing the status of certain taxa or species in a particular habitat

PAPER—V (100 Marks)

Group A : Laboratory course
1. Identification and analysis of terrestrial and aquatic common groups
2. Estimation of primary productivity of a pond
3. Estimation of dissolve O2 and dissolve CO2, alkalinity and hardness of water bodies
4. Measurement of soil pH and organic carbon
5. Toxicity test- LC50/LD50 determination
6. Study of structural organisation of bee hive
7. Study of adaptive modifications / animal behaviour by film shows
Group B : Laboratory course
1. Chromosome preparations from polytene chromosomes of Drosophila
2. Handling of Drosophila, chromosome mapping, Drosophila genetic crosses
3. DNA isolation from blood.
4. Determination of unknown proteins by Lowry’s method
5. Determination of specific activity of an enzyme
6. Colorimetric estimation of RNA & DNA

PAPER VI : (100 marks)

Group A : Quantitative Biology & Biotechnology
Quantitative biology :
1. Basic mathematics: exponential functions
2. Biostatistics: general principals
3. Presentation & summarizing data, probability distribution and their properties
4. Statistical inference and estimated hypothesis testing, sampling theory
5. Analysis of variance
6. Correlation & regression
7. Probability theory
Biotechnology :
1. Principles of assay of DNA, RNA, Western, Southern, Northern blotting
2. Colorimeter, Spectrophotometer, Radioactivity, NMR & Raman spectroscopy
3. Fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, scanning & transmission microscopy
(working principal & application)
4. Biosensor-nature & application
5. Detection of apoptotic cell by commet assay, nuclear lamin assay, caspase activation,
cytochrome C release assay, Annexin V assay
6. Elementary idea of cryotechniques
7. Molecular separation techniques-TLC, Ion exchange, SDS-PAGE, Affinity, HPLC
8. Immunological techniques
9. Application of flurochrome for antigen localization, flow cytometry, FASC
10. Elementary idea of bioinformatics
Group B : Immunology & Microbiology
1. Overview of immune system, components of immunity, innate & adaptive immunity
2. Cells & organs of immune system
3. Antigenecity & immunogenecity: immunogen properties, adjuvant, epitope, hapten
4. Complement system, MAC mediate lysis
5. Structure of MHC (elementary idea)
6. Structural diversity of immunoglobulin
7. Hypersensitivity
8. Elementary concept of invertebrate immunity
9. Epidemiology of microbe-related disease
10. Host-microbe interaction, immune response to protozoa, bacteria & virus

PAPER VII : (100 Marks)

Group A : Developmental Biology
1. Differentiation of primordial germ cell & structure of mature gamete in Drosophila. Role of
polyplasm, influence of oskar gene, effect of grand childness mutation
2. Composition of semen, seminal protein, accessory reproductive structure of Drosophila
3. In vitro & in vivo capacitation of mammalian sperm
4. Role of fertilizine & ZP protein in fertilization
5. Role of nurse cell & follicular cell in yolk production in Drosophila
6. Teratogenesis— genetic & induced by drug thalidomide
7. Immunocontraception an overview
8. Role of thyroxin in metamorphosis in amphibians
9. Role of juvenile hormone & ecdysone in insect metamorphosis
10. Significance of totipotency & pleuropotency of cells during animal development
11. Role of maternal effect gene, segment polarity gene, zygotic gene, homeotic gene in
development of Drosophila
12. Elementary idea of stem cell & its importance
Group B : Endocrinology, Cell & Tissue Structure, Function
1. Hormone as messenger & their role in metabolic regulation
2. Thyroid hormone biosynthesis & function
3. Anterior pituitary structure, hormone & function
4. Adrenal cortical hormone, biosynthesis & function
5. Biosynthesis & function of epinephrine & nor-epinephrine
6. Biosynthesis of sex steroid hormone
7. GI hormone
8. Biomembrane
9. Basic mechanism of cell signaling pathway
10. Cell surface receptor, second messenger system, MAP kinase pathway
11. Apoptosis
12. Synthesis, sorting, trafficking of protein

PAPER VIII : (100 Marks)

Group A : Parasitology & Public Health
1. Introduction: Public health & parasites
2. Vectors and their importance in transmission of parasites
3. Biology and importance of Entamoeba histolytica, Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Giardia,
Leishmania, Ancylostoma, Xenopsylla, Rhipicephalus, Pediculus, Phlebotomus, Glossina,
Anopheles, Culex, Aedes
4. Epidemiology: classification, epidemiology of malaria, kala azar, filariasis
5. Zoonosis and its significance
6. Myiasis
7. Antigenic variation: molecular basis and diversity in parasites
8. Antigen-antibody reaction and its role in clinical parasitology ; common methods in
parasitology-GDP, CIEP, ELISA, Immunoblot, IFA, MCAB
9. Structure and functional expression of antibody, other various types of body cells and organs
in immune response
Outline knowledge of prevention and control of parasitic diseases in poultry and livestock
Group B : Agricultural Entomology & Aquatic Resource Management
1. Diversity, structure and functions of insects with reference to their pest status
2. Life history, population structure and management of insect pests
3. Non-insect pests of agricultural products
4. Aquatic resource
5. Culture of aquatic organisms
6. Fish culture
7. Prawn culture
8. Integrated fish culture
9. Innovative culture methods
PAPER IX : (100 marks)
Group A : Review/Dissertation & Seminar
Group B : Laboratory Course (Developmental Biology & Immunology)
1. Studies of activated chick egg of different hours
2. Studies of egg & sperm of mice or grasshopper
3. Macrophage isolation from potential fluid of mice
4. Identification of thymus, bursa, spleen
5. Antigen-antibody reaction by blood group test

PAPER X : (100 marks)

Group A : Laboratory Course (Endocrinology, Cell & Tissue Structure)
1. Staining & identification of different endocrine tissues
2. Identification of stages of estrous-cycle in rat
3. Identification of neurosecretory cell in cerebral ganglia (cockroach), demonstration of
neurosecretory centres
4. Identification of different blood cell types
Group B : Laboratory Course (Quantitative Biology & Biotechnology)
1. Correlation, regression, ANOVA
2. Gel electrophoresis of serum protein
3. Analysis & interpretation of southern, northern & western blotting from gel photograph
4. Data (protein & gene) bank analysis