NEET Botany Principles of Inheritance and Variation PYQ Analysis 2020–2026: Topic-wise Trends & Practice
Principles of Inheritance and Variation (NEET Botany): 36 questions in 2020–2026, 8.9% of the subject. Topic-wise trends, difficulty split, repeated topics and PYQ practice.
Edurack Team
October 13, 2026
Principles of Inheritance and Variation gave 36 of the 405 NEET Botany questions asked between 2020 and 2026 (Re-NEET 2026 included). That is 8.9% of the subject and the #2 chapter out of 21 by weightage, about 4.5 questions per paper. It peaked at 7 in NEET 2026.
Of the 36 questions tagged for difficulty, 33% were easy, 50% medium and 17% hard, so this is a fairly balanced mix of easy and moderate questions.
Its weight has stayed steady: 4 questions per paper in 2020–2022 and 4.3 across 2025, 2026 and Re-NEET 2026.
Year-wise questions from Principles of Inheritance and Variation
| Paper | Questions |
|---|---|
| NEET 2020 | 4 |
| NEET 2021 | 2 |
| NEET 2022 | 6 |
| NEET 2023 | 5 |
| NEET 2024 | 6 |
| NEET 2025 | 3 |
| NEET 2026 | 7 |
| Re-NEET 2026 | 3 |
Difficulty split
| Level | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 12 | 33% |
| Medium | 18 | 50% |
| Hard | 6 | 17% |
Topic-wise analysis
Every topic tagged under Principles of Inheritance and Variation, most-asked first. "Papers" is the number of the 8 papers in which the topic appeared.
| Topic | Total Qs | Easy | Medium | Hard | Papers | Asked in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Co-Dominance) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2020, 2024, 2026 and Re-NEET 2026 |
| Genetic Disorders: Mendelian Disorders (Sickle-cell Anaemia) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2021 and 2026 |
| Genetic Disorders (Pedigree Analysis) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2023 and 2025 |
| Genetic Disorders: Chromosomal Disorders (Down's Syndrome) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2023 and Re-NEET 2026 |
| Genetic Disorders: Chromosomal Disorders (Klinefelter's Syndrome) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2023 and 2024 |
| Mendel's Laws of Inheritance (Selection of Pea Plant) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2020 and 2022 |
| Polygenic Inheritance and Pleiotropy (Polygenic Inheritance) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2025 and 2026 |
| Sex Determination in Other Organisms (Honey bee, Birds, etc.) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2022 and 2026 |
| Two Genes Interaction (w.r.t Post-Mendelism) (Linkage and Recombination, Recombination Map, etc.) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2022 and 2023 |
| Sex Determination (Sex Determination in Honey Bee) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2026 |
| Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Incomplete Dominance) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Genetic Disorders: Mendelian Disorders (Autosomal Recessive, Autosomal Dominant Disorders) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2022 |
| Genetic Disorders: Mendelian Disorders (Color Blindness) r– | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2022 |
| Genetic Disorders: Mendelian Disorders (Haemophilia) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2020 |
| Inheritance of One Gene (Concept of Factors, Law of Dominance, eetc.) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Inheritance of One Gene (Law of Dominance) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Inheritance of One Gene (Monohybrid Cross) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Re-NEET 2026 |
| Inheritance of One Gene (Punnett Square) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2021 |
| Inheritance of One Gene (Test Cross) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2024 |
| Inheritance of Two Gene (Dihybrid Cross) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2025 |
| Inheritance of Two Gene (Dihybrid Cross, Law of Independent Assortment, etc.) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Polygenic Inheritance and Pleiotropy (Pleiotropy) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2023 |
| Two Genes Interaction (w.r.t Post-Mendelism) (Chromosomal Theory of Inheritance and its Verificat…) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2020 |
Which topics matter most
Most-tested topics
- Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Co-Dominance): 4 Qs
- Genetic Disorders: Mendelian Disorders (Sickle-cell Anaemia): 3 Qs
- Genetic Disorders (Pedigree Analysis): 2 Qs
- Genetic Disorders: Chromosomal Disorders (Down's Syndrome): 2 Qs
- Genetic Disorders: Chromosomal Disorders (Klinefelter's Syndrome): 2 Qs
Topics that keep coming back
These appeared in three or more different papers:
- Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Co-Dominance): 4 papers (2020, 2024, 2026 and Re-NEET 2026)
What the latest papers asked
Topics from NEET 2026 and Re-NEET 2026:
- Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Co-Dominance)
- Genetic Disorders: Mendelian Disorders (Sickle-cell Anaemia)
- Genetic Disorders: Chromosomal Disorders (Down's Syndrome)
- Polygenic Inheritance and Pleiotropy (Polygenic Inheritance)
- Sex Determination in Other Organisms (Honey bee, Birds, etc.)
- Sex Determination (Sex Determination in Honey Bee)
- Inheritance of One Gene (Monohybrid Cross)
Where the hard questions came from
- Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Co-Dominance): 1 hard of 4
- Genetic Disorders (Pedigree Analysis): 1 hard of 2
- Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Incomplete Dominance): 1 hard of 1
- Inheritance of One Gene (Concept of Factors, Law of Dominance, eetc.): 1 hard of 1
- Inheritance of One Gene (Law of Dominance): 1 hard of 1
- Inheritance of Two Gene (Dihybrid Cross, Law of Independent Assortment, etc.): 1 hard of 1
How to use this data
- Only 1 topic appeared in three or more papers (11% of the chapter's questions), so repetition alone is a weak guide here. Cover the whole NCERT chapter.
- Re-solve the 7 topics from NEET 2026 and Re-NEET 2026, since they show the current style of questions.
- Then attempt the chapter's past questions under a timer and note which topics cost you marks.
Practise Principles of Inheritance and Variation PYQs
Solve every Principles of Inheritance and Variation question from 2020–2026 with solutions on Edurack:
- Practise Principles of Inheritance and Variation PYQs
- See the full Principles of Inheritance and Variation blueprint page
- NEET Botany PYQ analysis: all chapters
Related chapters
- Molecular Basis of Inheritance: #1 in Botany, 47 questions
- Cell: The Unit of Life: #3 in Botany, 27 questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions came from Principles of Inheritance and Variation in NEET 2020–2026?
Principles of Inheritance and Variation contributed 36 NEET Botany questions across the 8 papers from 2020–2026, which is 8.9% of the subject.
Which topics of Principles of Inheritance and Variation are asked most often?
The most-tested topics are Exceptions to Mendelian Principles (Co-Dominance): 4 Qs, Genetic Disorders: Mendelian Disorders (Sickle-cell Anaemia): 3 Qs and Genetic Disorders (Pedigree Analysis): 2 Qs.
Is Principles of Inheritance and Variation easy or difficult in NEET?
Of 36 difficulty-tagged questions, 33% were easy, 50% medium and 17% hard.
Was Principles of Inheritance and Variation asked in NEET 2026?
Yes. It had 7 questions in NEET 2026 and 3 questions in Re-NEET 2026.