This page carries the complete question list of the NIOS Class 12 Biology 314 TMA October 2026 paper exactly as it appears on the official assignment, along with two fully solved sample answers so you can see the expected structure before you begin writing. It forms part of our wider NIOS Class 12 solved tma collection. The remaining solutions are shared over WhatsApp by our NIOS desk. Every question below is reproduced verbatim, including the lesson reference printed under each part.
The video above walks through the same paper on screen, shows how the front page of the answer sheet should be set out and explains where marks are commonly lost. Watch it once, then work down this page question by question.
Quick Snapshot of the Biology 314 Assignment
| Subject and code | Biology (314), NIOS Senior Secondary |
| Assignment | Tutor Marked Assignment, October 2026 session |
| Total marks | 20 marks [VERIFY against the official TMA cover page] |
| Number of questions | 6, all compulsory, with internal choice in each |
| Answer length for Q1 to Q3 | About 40 to 60 words |
| Answer length for Q4 and Q5 | 100 to 150 words |
| Question 6 | Project work, any one of two options |
| Lessons drawn on | 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 18, 22, 23 |
How the NIOS Class 12 Biology 314 TMA Paper Is Built
The paper is not a random spread across the syllabus. It draws on a fixed set of lessons, and every question prints its lesson reference in brackets. That single detail tells you exactly which chapter to open before you write. The table below maps each question to its source lesson.
| Question | Choice | Topic | Lesson reference | Answer length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | a | Differential reproduction | Lesson 1 | 40 to 60 words |
| 1 | b | Prophase and anaphase in mitosis and meiosis | Lesson 4 | 40 to 60 words |
| 2 | a | Urine formation and nephron structure | Lesson 14 | 40 to 60 words |
| 2 | b | Isotonic and hypotonic solutions | Lesson 8 | 40 to 60 words |
| 3 | a | DNA fingerprinting and PCR enzyme | Lesson 23 | 40 to 60 words |
| 3 | b | Digestion of dal and chapati and end products | Lesson 13 | 40 to 60 words |
| 4 | a | Sliding filament theory of muscle contraction | Lesson 5 | 100 to 150 words |
| 4 | b | Organic biomolecules synthesised using nitrogen | Lesson 1 | 100 to 150 words |
| 5 | a | Thermoregulation and body temperature | Lesson 18 | 100 to 150 words |
| 5 | b | Concept of homeostasis | Lesson 18 | 100 to 150 words |
| 6 | Q1 | Project on ten plants and their morphology | Lesson 6 | Project |
| 6 | Q2 | Project on inherited features and pedigree chart | Lesson 22 | Project |
Complete Question List of the October 2026 Assignment
The questions below are reproduced word for word from the assignment. Attempt only one option from each of Questions 1 to 5, and only one project in Question 6.
1. Answer any one of the following questions in about 40-60 words.
a) Explain the term differential reproduction in two steps. (See Lesson-1)
b) Give any one point of difference between the following: (See Lesson-4)
i. Prophase of Mitosis and that of Meiosis.
ii. Difference between Mitotic Anaphase and Anaphase I of Meiosis2. Answer any one of the following questions in about 40-60 words.
a) The three steps of urine formation in humans are Tubular secretion, ultra-filtration and selective absorption. (See Lesson-14)
(i) Write them in the correct sequence of their occurrence.
(ii) Name the microscopic parts of the kidney where each of these steps occurs.b) Why does a cell remain stable when placed in isotonic solution? What happens to it if placed in a hypotonic solution? (See Lesson-8)
3. Answer any one of the following questions in about 40-60 words.
a) (i) Two men were claiming to be the father of a child named Mohan. (See Lesson-23)
(ii) Suggest to them a conclusive method to identify the real father and name the enzyme required to make copies of a piece of DNA for PCR required in the process. (See Lesson-23)b) (i) You ate a meal comprising pulses (dal) and chapatis (roti). In which parts of the digestive system would their digestion begin and be completed? (See Lesson-13)
(ii) Also name the end products. (See Lesson-13)4. Answer anyone of the following questions in 100-150 words.
a) Describe the role of thin and thick muscle fibres in the contraction of a striated muscle as explained by the sliding filament theory. (See Lesson-5)
b) Mention any five organic biomolecules which they synthesize using the nitrogen. (See Lesson-1)
5. Answer anyone of the following questions in 100-150 words.
a) The temperature in Delhi falls to even 5°C in winter and may go up to 45°C during summer but our body temperature remains at 37°C. How do we make it possible? (See Lesson-18)
b) Define the concept of homeostasis using the above example in a sentence or two. (See Lesson-18)
6. Prepare any one project as given below.
Q1. Collect ten plants of your choice, uproot them carefully, so that their roots are not damaged, and press them between full scape papers and leave under a pile of books. Now find out from elders, teachers, gardeners the common and scientific names of the plants and record their description as follows: Common name (Local / Hindi), Scientific name, Description, Roots, Stem, Leaves, Inflorescence, Flower, Fruit, Seed, Habitat, Adaptations, Utility/value - medicinal / cosmetic / ornament, Season when growing, Collection site, Month when collected, Any other notable characteristic feature. You may use your book or botany book or internet to describe types of the above-mentioned parts. (See Lesson-6)
Q2. Take photographs (or draw Portrait or write name) of one of your parents or siblings and yourself. Stick them close to each other. Now below each photograph enter the following, for the Inherited Features: 1. Whether can roll tongue, 2. Whether can flex thumb backwards, 3. Whether earlobe free or fixed, recorded for Father/Mother/Brother/Sister and for Yourself. (See Lesson-22)
i. What is genetics? Write the meaning of inheritance.
ii. Draw a pedigree chart to show inheritance of any of the characters studied in you and your siblings.
iii. Comment on whether you got the gene from the father or mother and write a sentence as evidence for the same.
Sample Solved Answer One: Differential Reproduction (Lesson 1)
Question 1 (a). Explain the term differential reproduction in two steps.
Answer. Differential reproduction is a basic principle of evolution. It means organisms with favourable variations survive and produce more offspring. In two steps:
- Variation. Individuals differ in traits due to heredity.
- Selection. Those with advantageous traits reproduce more successfully, passing traits to the next generation. This leads to gradual adaptation in populations.
Notice the shape of this answer. One opening line that defines the term, then the two steps as numbered points, then a closing line that links back to evolution. It sits inside the 40 to 60 word band and gives the evaluator every keyword worth a mark.
Sample Solved Answer Two: Mitosis and Meiosis (Lesson 4)
Question 1 (b) (i). Prophase of Mitosis and that of Meiosis.
| Basis | Prophase of Mitosis | Prophase of Meiosis I |
|---|---|---|
| Chromosome pairing | Homologous chromosomes do not pair. | Homologous chromosomes pair to form bivalents. |
| Crossing over | Absent | Present, introduces variation. |
Question 1 (b) (ii). Difference between Mitotic Anaphase and Anaphase I of Meiosis.
| Basis | Mitotic Anaphase | Anaphase I of Meiosis |
|---|---|---|
| Separation | Sister chromatids separate. | Homologous chromosomes separate. |
| Chromosome number | Number remains same (diploid to diploid). | Number reduces to half (diploid to haploid). |
Any question that says "difference between" should be answered in a table with a Basis column. Prose costs you space and clarity, and the evaluator is scanning for the point of difference. Two clean rows carry the marks that a paragraph would bury.
Get the Full Solved Assignment
The two answers above are samples. The solved set for the remaining questions, covering urine formation, isotonic and hypotonic solutions, DNA fingerprinting and PCR, digestion of dal and chapati, the sliding filament theory, nitrogen biomolecules, thermoregulation, homeostasis and both project options, is shared as a PDF by our NIOS desk. Handwritten versions of the assignment and the practical files are also available on request, and you can browse our full NIOS Solved TMA library across subjects.
Request the Biology 314 solved TMA on WhatsApp (9654279279) or message the alternate NIOS desk (9899436384). Mention your subject code and session so the correct file reaches you.
Rules for Writing the Assignment
- Write your name, the enrolment number from your NIOS Class 12 admission, AI centre name and subject at the top of the first page of the answer sheet. This is the first page of the answer sheet itself, not a separate cover page, and students lose marks by confusing the two.
- All answers must be handwritten. Printed or typed submissions are not accepted.
- Attempt one option per question. Attempting both wastes time and earns nothing extra.
- Respect the word band. Forty to sixty words means roughly five to seven lines, not half a page.
- Use a table with a Basis column for every comparison question.
- Label every diagram. An unlabelled pedigree chart or nephron diagram scores far below a labelled one.
- Write questions and headings in a darker pen so the evaluator can find each answer quickly.
- Work from your NIOS textbook. Lifted paragraphs and identical submissions between two students both attract mark deductions.
- Keep a photocopy of the completed assignment before you submit it at the study centre.
Where Students Lose Marks in the NIOS Class 12 Biology 314 TMA
- Overwriting. Turning a 40 to 60 word answer into 150 words does not add marks and eats your time.
- Prose instead of tables. Comparison questions written as paragraphs hide the point of difference.
- Skipping the lesson reference. The bracketed lesson number tells you where the expected keywords come from.
- Unlabelled diagrams. Common in the pedigree chart in project Q2 and in nephron based answers.
- Incomplete projects. Question 6 asks for ten plants across seventeen fields, or three inherited features plus a pedigree chart and three written sub-parts. Partial work is partly marked.
- Late submission. A missed deadline means the internal component is lost, and it cannot be recovered in the theory paper.
Related NIOS Resources
- NIOS study material and services
- About NIOS and the assignment structure
- NIOS previous year question papers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Biology 314 Tutor Marked Assignment compulsory?
Yes. The Tutor Marked Assignment is the internal component of your Biology result, and skipping it means losing those marks entirely, with no way to recover them through the theory paper. All six questions on the October 2026 assignment are compulsory, although each carries an internal choice, so you attempt only one option from each question.
How long should each answer be?
Questions 1 to 3 ask for about 40 to 60 words, which works out to roughly five to seven lines of neat handwriting. Questions 4 and 5 ask for 100 to 150 words. Question 6 is project work and follows the format printed in the question rather than a word count. Writing well past the band does not earn extra credit.
Which lessons does the October 2026 assignment cover?
The paper draws on Lessons 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 18, 22 and 23 of the Biology 314 course. Every question prints its lesson reference in brackets, so open that chapter before you write rather than searching the whole book. The lesson mapping table on this page lists each question against its source lesson.
Can I copy the answers directly from this page?
The two sample answers are shown so that you understand the structure, the length and the keywords an evaluator looks for. Copy the structure, not the sentences. Identical submissions between two students attract mark deductions from the evaluator, so read the relevant lesson first and then rewrite each answer in your own handwriting and your own phrasing. That is also how the content actually stays with you for the theory paper.
What must be written on the first page of the answer sheet?
Write your name, enrolment number, AI study centre name and the subject at the top of the first page of the answer sheet itself. Many students prepare an elaborate separate cover page and then leave the answer sheet unmarked, which is not what the instruction asks for. Getting this detail wrong can delay evaluation or cause the submission to be returned by the study centre, so check it before you hand the assignment in.
How do I get the remaining solved answers?
Message our NIOS desk on WhatsApp at 9654279279 or 9899436384 with your subject code and session. The complete solved set for Biology 314 October 2026 is shared as a PDF, and handwritten assignments and practical files can also be arranged. Send the request early so you have time to write and submit before your study centre deadline.
About This Page
Written by Prateek Talwar, Founder, Unnati Educations. Reviewed by Rohit Sharma, Senior NIOS Counsellor. Questions reproduced from the Biology (314) Tutor Marked Assignment, October 2026 session. Last updated July 2026.
Disclaimer: Unnati Educations is an independent academic support platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). Assignment questions are reproduced for study reference only. For the official assignment, submission deadlines and evaluation rules, always refer to nios.ac.in and to your allotted study centre.
