Cell Cycle and Cell Division NEET PYQReal NEET & AIPMT 2005–2021 questions, year-tagged, with solutions
By the RankUp team, founded by Dr. Deepak Sahu (MBBS Gold Medalist, NEET PG AIR 1731) · Updated
Every Cell Cycle and Cell Division question from the NEET & AIPMT papers on this site (2005–2021), newest first. Each is tagged with its paper. Tap an option to check your answer and read the explanation.
- Chapter
- NCERT Class 11
- PYQs here
- 30
- Papers
- NEET & AIPMT 2005–2021
- In the app
- 635+ questions
Cell Cycle and Cell Division previous year questions
30 questions. Tap an option to check your answer.
Q1NEET 2021
Which of the following stages of meiosis involves division of centromere ?
Not quite — the answer is C.
In meiosis the centromere splits only at anaphase II, letting the sister chromatids move to opposite poles. At anaphase I the homologous chromosomes separate while each centromere stays intact.
Q2NEET 2021
Match List - I with List - II. List - I | List - II (a) S phase | (i) Proteins are synthesized (b) G₂ phase | (ii) Inactive phase (c) Quiescent stage | (iii) Interval between mitosis and initiation of DNA replication (d) G₁ phase | (iv) DNA replication Choose the correct answer from the options given below.
Not quite — the answer is C.
S phase is when DNA replicates, G₂ is when proteins needed for mitosis are made, the quiescent stage (G₀) is an inactive phase, and G₁ is the interval between mitosis and the start of DNA replication. Hence (a)-(iv), (b)-(i), (c)-(ii), (d)-(iii).
Q3NEET 2021
The fruit fly has 8 chromosomes (2n) in each cell. During interphase of Mitosis if the number of chromosomes at G₁ phase is 8, what would be the number of chromosomes after S phase ?
Not quite — the answer is A.
In S phase the DNA content doubles but the chromosome number does not change, because each chromosome simply comes to have two sister chromatids. So a cell with 8 chromosomes in G₁ still has 8 after S phase; 16 is the count of chromatids, not chromosomes.
Q4NEET 2021
Which stage of meiotic prophase shows terminalisation of chiasmata as its distinctive feature ?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Terminalisation of chiasmata, the movement of chiasmata toward the chromosome ends, is the distinctive feature of diakinesis, the last stage of prophase I. Crossing over takes place in pachytene and synapsis in zygotene.
Q5NEET 2021
The centriole undergoes duplication during :
Not quite — the answer is A.
In animal cells, as DNA replicates in the nucleus during S phase, the centriole duplicates in the cytoplasm. By prophase the duplicated centrioles are already moving to the poles.
Q6NEET 2020 · Q14
Identify the correct statement with regard to G₁ phase (Gap 1) of interphase.
Not quite — the answer is C.
G₁ is the interval between mitosis and the start of DNA replication: the cell is metabolically active and keeps growing but does not copy its DNA. DNA replication happens in S phase and nuclear division in M phase.
Q7NEET 2020 · Q52
Match the following with respect to meiosis: (a) Zygotene | (i) Terminalization (b) Pachytene | (ii) Chiasmata (c) Diplotene | (iii) Crossing over (d) Diakinesis | (iv) Synapsis Select the correct option from the following:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Synapsis of homologues occurs in zygotene, crossing over in pachytene, chiasmata become visible in diplotene, and terminalisation of chiasmata takes place in diakinesis. Hence synapsis, crossing over, chiasmata, terminalisation is correct.
Q8NEET 2020 · Q86
Dissolution of the synaptonemal complex occurs during:
Not quite — the answer is C.
In diplotene the synaptonemal complex formed in zygotene dissolves and the homologues start to separate, except at the chiasmata. It forms in zygotene, is present through pachytene, and has not formed in leptotene.
Q9NEET 2019 · Q108
The correct sequence of phases of cell cycle is :
Not quite — the answer is D.
Interphase runs G₁ (growth), then S (DNA synthesis), then G₂ (preparation for division), followed by the M phase. DNA synthesis comes between the two gap phases, not after G₂.
Q10NEET 2019 · Q135
Cells in G₀ phase :
Not quite — the answer is A.
Cells that stop dividing exit G₁ and enter the inactive G₀ (quiescent) stage, where they stay metabolically active but no longer proliferate unless called on. They have not entered or permanently ended the cycle; NCERT describes this as exiting.
Q11NEET 2018 · Q123
The stage during which separation of the paired homologous chromosomes begins is
Not quite — the answer is B.
In diplotene the synaptonemal complex dissolves and the homologous chromosomes of each bivalent begin to separate, remaining joined only at the chiasmata. Pairing (synapsis) occurs in zygotene and crossing over in pachytene, while in diakinesis the chiasmata terminalise.
Q12NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper) · Q74
At what phase of meiosis homologous chromosomes are separated?
Not quite — the answer is C.
In anaphase I the homologous chromosomes of each bivalent separate and move to opposite poles while sister chromatids stay together. In anaphase II it is the sister chromatids that separate.
Q13NEET 2017 (Gujarati paper) · Q79
Which of the following statements is correct with respect to cell cycle?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Adult nerve cells have exited the cycle and stay in the quiescent G0 stage, remaining metabolically active without dividing. DNA doubles in S phase, so a G2 cell has twice the DNA of a G1 cell, and chromosomes have two chromatids only after S phase.
Q14NEET 2016 Phase 2 · Q107
During cell growth, DNA synthesis takes place in
Not quite — the answer is A.
DNA replication happens in the S (synthesis) phase of interphase, doubling the DNA content from 2C to 4C. G₁ and G₂ are growth phases in which the cell makes proteins and organelles but does not replicate DNA, and M phase is division.
Q15NEET 2016 Phase 2 · Q146
Match the stages of meiosis in Column-I to their characteristic features in Column-II and select the correct option using the codes given below: Column-I: a. Pachytene; b. Metaphase I; c. Diakinesis; d. Zygotene Column-II: (i) Pairing of homologous chromosomes; (ii) Terminalization of chiasmata; (iii) Crossing-over takes place; (iv) Chromosomes align at equatorial plate
Not quite — the answer is A.
Crossing over occurs in pachytene, bivalents align at the equator in metaphase I, chiasmata terminalise in diakinesis and homologues pair (synapsis) in zygotene. Only one code gives all four of these pairs.
Q16NEET 2016 Phase 1 · Q105
Spindle fibres attach on to:
Not quite — the answer is B.
Spindle fibres attach to kinetochores, the disc-shaped protein structures that form on the centromere of each chromatid. The centromere is the constriction carrying the kinetochore; a kinetosome is a basal body of cilia, and telomeres are chromosome ends.
Q17NEET 2016 Phase 1 · Q172
Which of the following is not a characteristic feature during mitosis in somatic cells?
Not quite — the answer is D.
Synapsis, the pairing of homologous chromosomes, occurs only in zygotene of meiosis I. Spindle formation, disappearance of the nucleolus and chromosome movement all occur during mitosis.
Q18AIPMT 2015
Select the correct option: Column I — (a) Synapsis aligns homologous chromosomes (b) Synthesis of RNA and protein (c) Action of enzyme recombinase (d) Centromeres do not separate but chromatids move towards opposite poles; Column II — (i) Anaphase-II (ii) Zygotene (iii) G₂-phase (iv) Anaphase-I (v) Pachytene
Not quite — the answer is C.
Synapsis of homologues occurs in zygotene, RNA and protein synthesis happen in the G₂ phase, recombinase acts during crossing over in pachytene, and in anaphase I centromeres do not split, so the two chromatids of each chromosome move together to one pole.
Q19AIPMT 2015
A somatic cell that has just completed the S phase of its cell cycle, as compared to gamete of the same species, has:
Not quite — the answer is D.
A gamete is haploid with n chromosomes and C amount of DNA. A somatic cell after S phase still has 2n chromosomes but its DNA has doubled from 2C to 4C, so it has twice the chromosomes and four times the DNA of the gamete.
Q20AIPMT 2014
In 'S' phase of the cell cycle:
Not quite — the answer is D.
DNA replicates during the S (synthesis) phase, so the DNA content of the cell doubles (2C to 4C). The chromosome number does not increase because each chromosome simply comes to have two sister chromatids joined at the centromere.
Q21AIPMT 2014
The enzyme recombinase is required at which stage of meiosis:
Not quite — the answer is D.
Crossing over between non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes takes place in pachytene, and it is catalysed by the enzyme recombinase. Synapsis occurs in zygotene, chiasmata become visible in diplotene and terminalisation occurs in diakinesis.
Q22AIPMT 2014
During which phase(s) of cell cycle, amount of DNA in a cell remains at 4C level if the initial amount is denoted as 2C?
Not quite — the answer is C.
DNA is 2C in G₁, rises to 4C during S, and stays 4C through G₂ and M until the cell divides into two 2C cells. G₁ and G₀ are 2C, and S is only partly 4C, so the phases that stay at 4C are G₂ and M.
Q23NEET 2013
The complex formed by a pair of synapsed homologous chromosomes is called
Not quite — the answer is C.
During zygotene the homologous chromosomes pair (synapsis), and each synapsed pair is called a bivalent or tetrad. A kinetochore is the disc on the centromere for spindle attachment, not a chromosome pair.
Q24NEET 2013
Meiosis takes place in
Not quite — the answer is A.
Meiosis occurs in specialised diploid cells called meiocytes (e.g. microspore and megaspore mother cells). A megaspore is itself a haploid product of meiosis, and conidia and gemmules are asexual structures.
Q25AIPMT 2012 Mains
Identify the meiotic stage in which the homologous chromosomes separate while the sister chromatids remain associated at their centromeres :
Not quite — the answer is C.
In anaphase I the homologous chromosomes move apart while each still has two sister chromatids joined at the centromere. The sister chromatids separate only in anaphase II.
Q26AIPMT 2012 Prelims
During gamete formation, the enzyme recombinase participates during
Not quite — the answer is D.
Recombinase catalyses crossing over between non-sister chromatids of homologous chromosomes during pachytene of prophase I of meiosis. There is no crossing over in metaphase I or in meiosis II.
Q27AIPMT 2011 Prelims
Select the correct option with respect to mitosis
Not quite — the answer is A.
In metaphase the chromosomes move to the spindle equator and line up along the metaphase plate. Chromatids separate and move to opposite poles in anaphase, not telophase, and the Golgi complex and ER are no longer visible at the end of prophase.
Q28AIPMT 2009 Prelims · Q87
Synapsis occurs between:
Not quite — the answer is C.
Synapsis is the pairing of homologous chromosomes during zygotene of prophase I of meiosis, aided by the synaptonemal complex. Spindle fibres attach to kinetochores, which is a different event.
Q29AIPMT 2005 Prelims · Q106
At what stage of the cell cycle are histone proteins synthesized in a eukaryotic cell ?
Not quite — the answer is C.
Histones are made in the S phase, at the same time as DNA replication, so the newly copied DNA can be packed into nucleosomes straight away. Prophase and telophase are stages of mitosis, and G2 is not part of prophase.
Q30AIPMT 2005 Prelims · Q116
Centromere is required for :
Not quite — the answer is D.
The centromere carries the kinetochores, where spindle fibres attach. This lets chromatids or chromosomes be pulled towards the poles during anaphase. It has no role in transcription or cytokinesis.
How often Cell Cycle and Cell Division came up
Questions from this chapter in each paper on this site.
Keep going
PYQs show what NEET asks. For the full Cell Cycle and Cell Division bank (635+ questions with solutions), use the RankUp app.
