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Principles of Inheritance and Variation: Class-XII


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MCQs on Principles of Inheritance and Variation: Class-XII for NEET Practice


Assertion (A):
In Thalassemia, the severity of the disease is considered a quantitative problem.
Reason (R):
Thalassemia is caused by mutation or deletion resulting in the reduced rate of synthesis of one of the globin chains ($\alpha$ or $\beta$).

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: Thalassemia is a quantitative problem of synthesising too few globin molecules. R explains the cause: mutation/deletion reduces the rate of synthesis of globin chains, hence it is a quantitative issue.

Assertion (A):
In honey bees, male drones do not have a father and cannot have sons.
Reason (R):
Males develop from unfertilised eggs by means of parthenogenesis and are haploid, producing sperm by mitosis.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: The facts about drones (no father, no sons, haploid, developed by parthenogenesis) are correct. R explains A because developing from an unfertilised egg (parthenogenesis) means no father, and producing sperm by mitosis means they cannot have sons (though they can have grandsons).

Assertion (A):
Down’s Syndrome is a monosomy of chromosome 21.
Reason (R):
Chromosomal disorders like Down’s Syndrome are caused by aneuploidy, due to the failure of chromatid segregation during the cell division cycle.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: D  [ D ]

    Remark: A is False: Down’s syndrome is a *trisomy* (additional copy) of chromosome 21.
    R is True: Aneuploidy (which includes trisomy) is caused by the failure of segregation of chromatids.

Assertion (A):
The work of Watson and Crick on the complementary double-helical configuration of DNA was a major contribution to the field of molecular biology.
Reason (R):
The entire body of molecular biology was a consequent development aimed at understanding the structure and basis of Mendel’s ‘factors’ and genotype-to-phenotype conversion.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: Watson and Crick proposed the double-helical configuration in 1953. R explains that molecular biology developed precisely to understand the structure of genetic material (Mendel's factors) and the structural basis of genotype/phenotype conversion.

Assertion (A):
The Law of Independent Assortment fails for genes that are closely located on the same chromosome.
Reason (R):
Closely located genes show tight linkage, resulting in high proportions of parental combinations and limited independent assortment.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: The Law of Independent Assortment does not hold true for genes located on the same chromosome. R explains why: tightly linked genes (close proximity) show very low recombination, leading to much higher parental combinations.

Assertion (A):
In XO type sex determination (e.g., Grasshopper), the sperm determines the sex of the offspring.
Reason (R):
Males produce sperm either carrying the X-chromosome or lacking an X-chromosome, while all eggs contain an X-chromosome.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: In the XO type, the sperm determines sex. R explains the difference in gametes: eggs bear an X, while sperm bear X or no X.

Assertion (A):
In Antirrhinum (Snapdragon), the F2 phenotypic ratio is 1:2:1 (Red: Pink: White).
Reason (R):
The allele R is not completely dominant over r, which makes it possible to distinguish the heterozygous (Rr) pink phenotype from the homozygous red (RR) and white (rr).

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: The F2 phenotypic ratio in Snapdragon is 1:2:1. This change from the typical 3:1 Mendelian ratio is because R is not completely dominant over r, allowing the intermediate (pink) phenotype to be expressed, which matches the genotypic ratio.

Assertion (A):
In a dihybrid cross, the four genotypes of gametes (RY, Ry, rY, ry) are produced each with a frequency of 25 per cent (1/4th).
Reason (R):
This equal frequency results from the independent segregation of the R/r gene pair from the Y/y gene pair during meiosis in the F1 hybrid.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: The F1 RrYy produces four gamete types, each 25%. R explains that this is because the segregation of the two pairs of genes (R/r and Y/y) is independent.

Assertion (A):
If a woman carries the gene for colour blindness and marries a normal man, her daughters will not normally be colour blind.
Reason (R):
Colour blindness is an X-linked recessive disorder, and daughters inherit a normal X chromosome from the father, suppressing the recessive gene from the mother.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: Daughters of a carrier mother and a normal father are not usually colour blind. R explains that the trait is X-linked recessive, and the normal father provides a matching dominant normal gene that suppresses the recessive gene from the mother.

Assertion (A):
The entire body of molecular biology developed subsequent to Mendel's work.
Reason (R):
This field focused on understanding the structure of genetic material and the structural basis of genotype and phenotype conversion.

[Principles-of-Inheritance-and-Variation] [class-xii ]

  • (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion
  • (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false
  • (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true
  • Correct Option: A  [ A ]

    Remark: The entire body of molecular biology was a consequent development (A). R explains that the primary focus of this development was understanding the nature of Mendel's factors and genotype/phenotype conversion.