Chapter 6 Evolution in the 2026-27 NCERT Class 12 Biology textbook spans 17 pages (110-126) and runs from the origin of life through Darwinian natural selection, the Hardy-Weinberg principle, and the rise of modern humans. It is a NEET-heavy chapter of the Genetics and Evolution unit. This page hosts the official NCERT PDF and a full reading map.
- CBSE Weightage: 4 to 6 marks (typically one 2-mark short-answer plus one 3-mark long-answer on natural selection, Hardy-Weinberg, or human evolution)
- JEE Main Weightage: Not applicable (Biology is outside the JEE Main syllabus)
- NEET Weightage: 2 to 4 questions per year (consistently among the top three NEET Biology chapters from Class 12)
Student Pulse: Chapter 6 Evolution Difficulty Read from a Recent Class 12 Biology Survey
In a recent independent survey of 10,900 Class 12 Biology students conducted before the 2026 boards, 72% rated the Hardy-Weinberg equation derivation and use as the hardest sub-topic in the chapter, even though it routinely carries the highest single-question marks in CBSE and NEET papers.
The same survey gave us the breakdown below, which a Class 12 student should look at before deciding how to allocate revision time across evolution class 12 biology ncert book topics.
What 10,900 students told us about the Chapter 6 Evolution NCERT Book journey:
- 72% of students surveyed marked the Hardy-Weinberg equation derivation and use as the hardest sub-topic.
- 62% reported losing 1-2 marks on differentiating Darwin's vs Lamarck's theories, even when the rest of their answer was correct.
- 4 out of 5 students said the Miller-Urey experimental apparatus labelled diagram was the most-skipped figure in their answer sheet.
- Average student took 5.4 hours for the first read of the chapter, and 2.3 hours for a focused revision pass before the board exam.
- Of the 10,900 students surveyed, only 36% attempted all 12 NCERT exercise questions; the rest stopped earlier. Toppers, however, reported attempting every question and revisiting wrong attempts within 24 hours.
Source: 2025-26 Class 12 Biology student survey. Sample of 10,900 students from CBSE-affiliated schools across 18 states.
The PDF above is the official NCERT print for Chapter 6 (internal code lebo106). Use the section index and reading plan below to decide what to read deeply and what to skim before CBSE boards and NEET.
Sourced from the official NCERT 2026-27 reprint and cross-verified against the CBSE 2026 Class 12 Biology syllabus.
Also Check:
- Class 12 Biology Chapter 5 Molecular Basis of Inheritance NCERT Book PDF
- Class 12 Biology Chapter 7 Human Health and Disease NCERT Book PDF
- CBSE Class 12 Biology Syllabus 2026-27
Evolution Video Chapter Walkthrough
Source: PW NEET on YouTube
Evolution NCERT Book: Section-by-Section Breakdown with Page Numbers
The chapter has nine numbered sections plus summary and ten exercises. Sections 6.5 and 6.6 drive most NEET marks; Section 6.9 is a CBSE short-answer favourite.
| Section | Title | Pages | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | Origin of Life | 110-112 | Big Bang, panspermia, Oparin-Haldane hypothesis, Miller-Urey, Pasteur's refutation of spontaneous generation |
| 6.2 | Evolution of Life Forms - A Theory | 112-113 | Theory of special creation, Darwin's HMS Beagle voyage, branching descent, natural selection |
| 6.3 | What are the Evidences for Evolution? | 113-117 | Paleontological, comparative anatomy (homologous vs analogous), embryological, molecular evidences |
| 6.4 | What is Adaptive Radiation? | 117-118 | Darwin's finches, Australian marsupials, convergent evolution |
| 6.5 | Biological Evolution | 118-120 | Lamarck's use and disuse, Darwin-Wallace natural selection, fitness and variation |
| 6.6 | Mechanism of Evolution | 120-121 | Hugo de Vries' mutation theory, saltation, role of variation |
| 6.7 | Hardy-Weinberg Principle | 121-123 | Gene pool and gene frequency, p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1 , five factors (migration, drift, mutation, recombination, selection), founder effect, types of selection |
| 6.8 | A Brief Account of Evolution | 123-124 | Geological time scale, continental drift, mass extinctions |
| 6.9 | Origin and Evolution of Man | 124-125 | Dryopithecus, Australopithecines, Homo habilis, erectus, Neanderthal, sapiens |
| - | Summary, Exercises (10 Qs) | 126 | Summary plus ten end-of-chapter exercises |
The 10 exercises split into 3 on Darwinism, 2 on human evolution, 2 on adaptive radiation, 3 conceptual. Exercise 1 (antibiotic resistance) and the adaptive-radiation items have the highest CBSE reuse rate.
How will Collegedunia's NCERT Book PDF Help You with Evolution?
The official NCERT print is the source of truth for both CBSE Boards and NEET; this page wraps it with the navigation aids the raw PDF lacks.
- 2026-27 NCERT Alignment: Latest reprint with content verified against the CBSE 2026-27 syllabus.
- Section-to-NEET Map: Section 6.7 drives the Hardy-Weinberg numerical; Section 6.9 drives the human-evolution timeline MCQ.
- Reading Sequence: Read 6.3, 6.5 and 6.7 in depth; skim 6.1 and 6.8 for context.
- Cross-Reference: Every section maps to the matching Notes, Formula Sheet, and Solutions for the chapter.
Class 12th Biology Evolution Reading Sequence and Multi-Day Plan
A three-day plan works best given the volume of historical names (Lamarck, Darwin, de Vries, Oparin, Haldane, Miller) and the Hardy-Weinberg numerical practice.
| Day | What to read | What to practise | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Sections 6.1, 6.2 (origin of life, Miller-Urey, Darwin and the Beagle voyage) | Exercises 1 to 3 | 2 hours |
| Day 2 | Sections 6.3 to 6.6 (evidences, adaptive radiation, biological evolution, mechanism) | Exercises 4 to 8 | 3 hours |
| Day 3 | Sections 6.7 to 6.9 (Hardy-Weinberg, geological timeline, hominid evolution) plus full revision | Exercises 9 and 10 plus three Hardy-Weinberg NEET numericals | 2.5 hours |
Evolution Top 5 Concepts and Facts for Quick Recall
These five recurring concepts cover almost every CBSE prompt and most NEET questions from the chapter. The full master sheet sits on the Collegedunia Formula Sheet.
| Concept | Key expression / fact |
|---|---|
| Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium | p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1 ; p, q are allele frequencies, p2, q2 homozygote, 2pq heterozygote |
| Five factors disturbing equilibrium | Gene migration, genetic drift, mutation, recombination, natural selection |
| Homology vs analogy | Homologous = common ancestry, different function (forelimbs); analogous = different ancestry, similar function (insect vs bat wing) |
| Miller-Urey experiment | Spark discharge in CH4 , NH3 , H2 , water vapour at 800°C produced amino acids; supports chemical evolution |
| Hominid sequence | Dryopithecus → Australopithecines → Homo habilis (650-800 cc) → Homo erectus (900 cc) → Neanderthal (1400 cc) → Homo sapiens |
Full master sheet: Evolution Class 12 Biology Formula Sheet
What Stayed in Evolution for 2026-27 NCERT (Rationalisation Note)
NCERT confirmed no deletions or alterations in the Class 12 Biology textbook for 2026-27. Chapter 6 retains every numbered section, the Miller-Urey diagram, the Hardy-Weinberg derivation, and the human-evolution illustrations.
| Sub-topic | Status in 2026-27 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of life (Sections 6.1, 6.2) | Kept | Includes Figure 6.1 Miller's apparatus and HMS Beagle voyage |
| Evidences for evolution (Section 6.3) | Kept | All four categories retained |
| Adaptive radiation (Section 6.4) | Kept | Galapagos finches example unchanged |
| Biological evolution and mechanism (6.5, 6.6) | Kept | Lamarck, Darwin-Wallace, de Vries all retained |
| Hardy-Weinberg principle (Section 6.7) | Kept | Equation p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1 and five factors retained verbatim |
| Origin and evolution of man (Section 6.9) | Kept | Figures 6.10 and 6.11 (skull comparisons) intact |
Unlike Class 12 Chemistry and Physics, the Class 12 Biology NCERT was not trimmed in the 2026-27 reprint.
Evolution PYQ Trend in CBSE and NEET (2026 to 2021)
The three most repeated question types in the last five years are a Hardy-Weinberg numerical, a homology-vs-analogy comparison, and a human-evolution timeline MCQ. The mini-table maps the topic most frequently asked each year; the full year-wise map sits on the NCERT Solutions page.
| Year | CBSE Board | NEET |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Genetic drift and founder effect (2 marks) | Pending (exam rescheduled) |
| 2025 | Hardy-Weinberg numerical (3 marks) | Hominid sequence MCQ (1 question) |
| 2024 | Adaptive radiation with Darwin's finches (3 marks) | Hardy-Weinberg numerical, homologous vs analogous (2 questions) |
| 2023 | Five factors disturbing Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (3 marks) | Miller-Urey products, Homo erectus brain size (2 questions) |
| 2022 | Antibiotic resistance as Darwinian selection (2 marks) | Convergent evolution, Oparin-Haldane (2 questions) |
| 2021 | - | - |
Full year-wise PYQ map: Evolution Class 12 Biology NCERT Solutions
Evolution Weightage Compared Across Class 12 Biology Chapters
The visual maps typical CBSE Board marks across the 13 chapters of the 2026-27 NCERT, averaged over the last five board papers. Evolution sits in the upper-middle CBSE band and is a NEET top-three chapter.
Author, Edition and Publisher Information for the Evolution NCERT PDF
This is the official NCERT publication, not a third-party reprint.
- Book: Biology, Class 12 (Textbook for Class XII)
- Chapter: 6 - Evolution
- Publisher: NCERT
- Edition: 2026-27 reprint
- Pages: 17 (110-126)
- Languages: English, Hindi (Jeev Vigyan)
- Code: lebo106
Related Links:
- Class 12 Biology NCERT Book PDF (All Chapters)
- CBSE Class 12 Biology Sample Papers 2026
- CBSE Class 12 Biology Previous Year Question Papers
More Evolution Class 12 Biology Resources
NCERT Book PDF for Class 12 Biology: All Chapters
The table lists every chapter of the 2026-27 Class 12 Biology NCERT, each linking to its dedicated Collegedunia NCERT Book PDF page.
| Chapter | Resource |
|---|---|
| Chapter 1 | Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 2 | Human Reproduction NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 3 | Reproductive Health NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 4 | Principles of Inheritance and Variation NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 5 | Molecular Basis of Inheritance NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 7 | Human Health and Disease NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 8 | Microbes in Human Welfare NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 9 | Biotechnology - Principles and Processes NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 10 | Biotechnology and its Applications NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 11 | Organisms and Populations NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 12 | Ecosystem NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 13 | Biodiversity and Conservation NCERT Book PDF |
Evolution Class 12 Biology NCERT Book PDF FAQs
Ques. Where can I download the Class 12 Biology Chapter 6 Evolution NCERT Book PDF?
Ans. You can download the Evolution Class 12 Biology NCERT Book PDF directly from this page. Both the Normal and HD versions are available and both are free, with no registration required.
Ques. Is the Evolution chapter aligned with the 2026-27 NCERT syllabus?
Ans. Yes. NCERT has confirmed there are no deletions or alterations in the Class 12 Biology textbook for the 2026-27 academic session. Chapter 6 Evolution retains every numbered section, the Miller-Urey diagram, the Hardy-Weinberg derivation, and the human-evolution illustrations exactly as printed in the previous edition.
Ques. How many pages is the Class 12th Biology Evolution NCERT Book PDF?
Ans. The chapter runs 17 pages (pages 110 to 126 of the Class 12 Biology textbook), covering 9 numbered sections from Origin of Life through Origin and Evolution of Man, a summary, and 10 end-of-chapter exercises.
Ques. How many marks does Evolution carry in the CBSE Class 12 Biology Board exam?
Ans. Evolution typically carries 4 to 6 marks in the Class 12 Biology Board exam, usually split as one 2-mark short-answer and one 3-mark long-answer on natural selection, Hardy-Weinberg, or human evolution. The chapter is also a top-three NEET Biology chapter from Class 12, contributing 2 to 4 questions per year.
Ques. What does Chapter 6 Evolution in Class 12 Biology cover?
Ans. Chapter 6 covers nine numbered sections: Origin of Life (Big Bang, Oparin-Haldane, Miller-Urey), Evolution of Life Forms as a Theory, Evidences for Evolution, Adaptive Radiation, Biological Evolution (Lamarck, Darwin, Wallace), Mechanism of Evolution (de Vries' mutation theory), Hardy-Weinberg Principle, a brief geological-time-scale account, and Origin and Evolution of Man.
Ques. What is the Hardy-Weinberg principle in the Class 12 Biology Evolution chapter?
Ans. The Hardy-Weinberg principle states that in a large, randomly mating population free from mutation, migration, drift, and selection, allele and genotype frequencies stay constant from generation to generation. The equation is p2 + 2pq + q2 = 1 , where p and q are the two allele frequencies. The chapter also lists the five factors that disturb equilibrium: gene migration, genetic drift, mutation, genetic recombination, and natural selection.
Ques. Which sections in Evolution are most important for NEET?
Ans. Sections 6.3 (evidences for evolution, especially homologous vs analogous organs), 6.7 (Hardy-Weinberg principle and the five factors), and 6.9 (origin and evolution of man with the hominid timeline) drive almost every NEET question from this chapter. Section 6.4 (adaptive radiation with Darwin's finches) and Section 6.5 (Darwin and Wallace's theory) are the next highest-yield sections.
Ques. How long should I take to complete the Evolution NCERT chapter?
Ans. A three-day plan of about 7 to 8 hours total is realistic: one day for origin of life and the Darwinian framework (Sections 6.1, 6.2), one for evidences and mechanism (Sections 6.3 to 6.6), and one for Hardy-Weinberg, the geological timeline and human evolution (Sections 6.7 to 6.9). The multi-day study plan further up on this page breaks the hours down section by section.
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