Science & Technology
Life Science and Human Health
Life Science and Human Health — Quick Revision
One-page CGPSC quick revision for Life Science and Human Health: cells, body systems, vitamins, diseases, vectors, immunity, vaccines and health programmes.
Cells, body systems, nutrition, diseases, immunity and health programmes on one page. For explanations, go back to the chapter: Cell and Human Body Systems, Nutrition and Deficiency Diseases, Communicable Diseases and Health Programmes and Vaccines and Immunity.
How to use this sheet
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often. Every status marked “as of 2026” can change, so check the news before the exam.
Cell and Body Systems
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cell named | Robert Hooke, 1665 |
| Cell theory | Schleiden 1838, Schwann 1839; Virchow 1855 (“cells from cells”) |
| Mitochondria | Powerhouse (ATP); own DNA (as do chloroplasts) |
| Ribosome / Golgi / lysosome | Protein synthesis / packaging (“post office”) / “suicide bag” |
| Plant cell only | Cell wall (cellulose), chloroplasts, large central vacuole |
| Mitosis / meiosis | 2 identical diploid cells / 4 different haploid gametes |
| Human chromosomes | 46 (23 pairs); father’s X or Y decides sex |
| Largest gland | Liver (bile, no enzymes; emulsifies fat) |
| Master gland | Pituitary (GH: dwarfism, gigantism, acromegaly) |
| Thyroid | Thyroxine needs iodine; goitre, cretinism |
| Pancreas | Insulin (beta cells), glucagon (alpha cells); both exocrine and endocrine |
| Adrenal | Adrenaline: emergency, “fight or flight” hormone |
| RBC | Haemoglobin; no nucleus; about 120 days; destroyed in the spleen |
| Clotting | Platelets, calcium, vitamin K, fibrinogen; haemophilia is X-linked |
| Blood groups | ABO: Landsteiner (1900–01); Rh: 1940. O− universal donor, AB+ universal recipient |
| Heart | 4 chambers; SA node pacemaker; about 72 beats/min; BP 120/80 = systolic/diastolic |
| Pulmonary artery / vein | Deoxygenated / oxygenated blood (the exceptions) |
| Kidney | Nephron; urea (made in the liver); ADH lack = diabetes insipidus |
| Brain | Cerebrum (thinking), cerebellum (balance), medulla (heartbeat, breathing) |
| Bones | 206; femur longest; stapes smallest |
Nutrition
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Energy | Carbohydrate 4, protein 4, fat 9 kcal/g |
| Fat-soluble vitamins | A, D, E, K (stored) |
| A | Night blindness, xerophthalmia |
| B1 / B2 / B3 | Beriberi / cheilosis / pellagra (3 Ds) |
| B9 / B12 | Megaloblastic anaemia, neural tube defects / pernicious anaemia (cobalt; animal foods) |
| C | Scurvy; destroyed by heat; amla |
| D | Rickets (children), osteomalacia (adults); made in skin in sunlight |
| K | Clotting; made by gut bacteria |
| Iron / iodine / excess fluoride | Anaemia / goitre / fluorosis |
| Kwashiorkor / marasmus | Protein lack, oedema / calorie + protein lack, severe wasting |
| Stunting / wasting / underweight | Height-for-age (chronic) / weight-for-height (acute) / weight-for-age |
| NFHS-5 India (2019–21) | Stunting 35.5%, wasting 19.3%, underweight 32.1%; anaemia: children 67.1%, women 57.0% |
| NFHS-5 Chhattisgarh | Stunting about 35%, wasting about 19%, underweight about 31%; women’s anaemia 60.8% |
| ICDS / POSHAN Abhiyaan | 2 Oct 1975 / 8 Mar 2018 (Jhunjhunu) |
| Anaemia Mukt Bharat | 2018; 6×6×6 strategy |
| PM POSHAN | 2021 (Mid-Day Meal renamed) |
| Fortified rice | Iron, folic acid, B12; announced 15 Aug 2021 |
| Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan (CG) | 2 October 2019 |
Diseases
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bacterial | TB, leprosy, cholera, typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, plague |
| Viral | Polio, measles, rubella, AIDS, hepatitis, rabies, dengue, chikungunya, JE, COVID-19 |
| Protozoan | Malaria (Plasmodium), kala-azar (Leishmania), amoebiasis |
| Fungal | Ringworm, athlete’s foot, candidiasis, mucormycosis |
| Worms | Filariasis (Wuchereria), roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm |
| Anopheles (female) | Malaria |
| Aedes (day-biter, clean water) | Dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever |
| Culex | Filariasis, Japanese encephalitis |
| Sandfly / rat flea | Kala-azar / plague |
| Malaria history | Laveran 1880 (parasite); Ross 1897, Secunderabad; Nobel 1902 |
| TB | Koch 1882; World TB Day 24 March; WHO 2025 report: incidence 237 → 187 per lakh (2015–2024); 2025 target not met |
| Sickle cell disease | Genetic, recessive; mission 1 July 2023, Shahdol; screen 7 crore (0–40 yrs), 17 states; target 2047 |
| Hypertension | About 140/90 mmHg or above |
| NCD screening | Ages 30+: BP, diabetes, oral, breast, cervical cancers |
Elimination Status (as of 2026)
| Disease | Status |
|---|---|
| Smallpox | Eradicated worldwide, 1980 (the only human disease) |
| Guinea worm | Certified free, 2000 |
| Leprosy | Public health problem eliminated nationally, 2005 (below 1 per 10,000) |
| Polio | Last case 13 Jan 2011 (Howrah); certified 27 March 2014 |
| Maternal and neonatal tetanus | Validated 2015 |
| Yaws | May 2016; first country declared yaws-free |
| Trachoma | WHO validated, October 2024 |
| Kala-azar | Threshold met 2023; WHO validation pending |
| Lymphatic filariasis | Target 2027 |
| Malaria | Zero indigenous cases 2027; elimination 2030 |
| Measles-rubella | Target 2026 |
Immunity and Vaccines
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Innate / adaptive | From birth, non-specific / acquired, specific, memory |
| B / T cells | Antibodies (humoral) / cell-mediated; T cells mature in thymus |
| IgG | Most abundant; crosses placenta |
| IgA / IgM / IgE | Colostrum / first in infection / allergy |
| Natural passive | Placenta, colostrum |
| Artificial passive | Anti-snake venom, antiserum, immunoglobulin |
| Artificial active | Vaccination |
| HIV | Destroys helper T (CD4) cells |
| Jenner / Pasteur | 1796 cowpox / rabies vaccine 1885 |
| Live attenuated | BCG, OPV, MR, rotavirus, chickenpox |
| Inactivated / toxoid | IPV, rabies, Covaxin / tetanus, diphtheria |
| Recombinant | Hepatitis B, HPV |
| Viral vector / DNA | Covishield / ZyCoV-D (first DNA vaccine for humans, 2021) |
| Cold chain | +2 °C to +8 °C; VVM; eVIN 2015 |
| UIP | 1985; 12 diseases (9 national + 3 sub-national: rotavirus, pneumococcal, JE) |
| Pentavalent | DPT + hepatitis B + Hib |
| Pulse Polio / National Vaccination Day | 1995 / 16 March |
| Mission Indradhanush | 25 December 2014 |
| COVID-19 drive | From 16 January 2021 |
| HPV campaign | 28 Feb 2026, Ajmer; single dose Gardasil-4; girls aged 14 |
Health Programmes
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| NRHM / NHM | 2005 / 2013; ASHA workers |
| Mitanin (CG) | 2002; model for ASHA |
| Ayushman Bharat | 2018; Ayushman Arogya Mandir (renamed 2023) + PM-JAY |
| PM-JAY | 23 Sept 2018, Ranchi; ₹5 lakh per family per year |
| Ayushman Vay Vandana | 29 Oct 2024; all aged 70+ |
| PMSMA | 2016; antenatal check-up on the 9th of each month |
| Malaria Mukt Bastar Abhiyan | January 2020; test everyone; positivity 4.60% → 0.51% (2020–23, state data) |
| Haat Bazaar Clinic Yojana (CG) | 2 October 2019 |
| Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Ayushman Swasthya Yojana (CG) | Name since June 2024; runs with PM-JAY |
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Master gland: pituitary | vs | Largest gland: liver; largest endocrine gland: thyroid |
| Diabetes mellitus: insulin | vs | Diabetes insipidus: ADH |
| Cerebellum: balance | vs | Medulla: heartbeat, breathing |
| Kwashiorkor: oedema | vs | Marasmus: wasting |
| Stunting: chronic (height) | vs | Wasting: acute (weight-for-height) |
| Eradication: worldwide (smallpox) | vs | Elimination: country or region |
| Kala-azar: sandfly, protozoan | vs | Filariasis: Culex, worm |
| Active immunity: vaccine, memory | vs | Passive immunity: anti-venom, no memory |
| Covaxin: inactivated | vs | Covishield: viral vector; ZyCoV-D: DNA |
| UIP 1985 | vs | EPI 1978, Pulse Polio 1995, Mission Indradhanush 2014 |
Favourite MCQ trap
“WHO has certified India free of kala-azar.” Wrong as of 2026. India met the elimination threshold (fewer than 1 case per 10,000 in every block) in 2023, but it must hold for three years before WHO validation. Trachoma (October 2024) and yaws (2016) are the validated ones.
Second favourite trap
“Anti-snake venom gives active immunity.” Wrong. It supplies ready-made antibodies, so it is artificial passive immunity: immediate but short-lived, with no memory.
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