UGC-NET – Paper II: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Code: 89)
Exam Cycle: June 2026
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COURSE OVERVIEW
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Subject Name: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Subject Code: 89
Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)
Paper Type: Paper-II – ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Total Marks: 200
Total Questions: 100 MCQs
Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
Duration: 3 Hours (Paper I + II combined)
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COMPLETE LIST OF UNITS
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Unit-I: Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences
Unit-II: Environmental Chemistry
Unit-III: Environmental Biology
Unit-IV: Environmental Geosciences
Unit-V: Energy and Environment
Unit-VI: Environmental Pollution and Control
Unit-VII: Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Unit-VIII: Environmental Assessment, Management and Legislation
Unit-IX: Statistical Approaches and Modelling in Environmental Sciences
Unit-X: Contemporary Environmental Issues
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UNIT-WISE DETAILED SYLLABUS
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Unit-I: Fundamentals of Environmental Sciences
Topic 1: Definition, Principles and Scope of Environmental Science.
• Structure and composition of atmosphere
• hydrosphere
• lithosphere and biosphere
• Laws of thermodynamics
• heat transfer processes
• mass and energy transfer across various interfaces
• material balance
• Meteorological parameters – pressure
• temperature
• precipitation
• humidity
• mixing ratio
• saturation mixing ratio
• radiation and wind velocity
• adiabatic lapse rate
• environmental lapse rate
• Wind roses
• Interaction between Earth
• Man and Environment
• Biogeographic provinces of the world and agro-climatic zones of India
• Concept of sustainable development
• Natural resources and their assessment
• Remote Sensing and GIS: Principles of remote sensing and GIS
• Digital image processing and ground truthing
• Application of remote sensing and GIS in land cover/land use planning and management (urban sprawling, vegetation study, forestry, natural resource)
• waste management and climate change
• Environmental education and awareness
• Environmental ethics
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Unit-II: Environmental Chemistry
Topic 1: Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry:
• Classification of elements
• Stoichiometry
• Gibbs’ energy
• chemical potential
• chemical kinetics
• chemical equilibria
• solubility of gases in water
• the carbonate system
• unsaturated and saturated hydrocarbons
• radioisotopes
• Composition of air
• Particles
• ions and radicals in the atmosphere
• Chemical speciation
• Chemical processes in the formation of inorganic and organic particulate matters
• thermochemical and photochemical reactions in the atmosphere
• Oxygen and Ozone chemistry
• Photochemical smog
Topic 2: Hydrological cycle.
• Water as a universal solvent
• Concept of DO
• BOD and COD
• Sedimentation
• coagulation
• flocculation
• filtration
• pH and Redox potential (Eh)
• Inorganic and organic components of soils
• Biogeochemical cycles – nitrogen
• carbon
• phosphorus and sulphur
Topic 3: Toxic chemicals:
• Pesticides and their classification and effects
• Biochemical aspects of heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cr) and metalloids (As, Se)
• CO
• O3
• PAN
• VOC and POP
• Carcinogens in the air
Topic 4: Principles of analytical methods:
• Titrimetry
• Gravimetry
• Bomb Calorimetry
• Chromatography (Paper Chromatography, TLC, GC and HPLC)
• Flame photometry
• Spectrophotometry (UV-VIS, AAS, ICP-AES, ICP-MS)
• Electrophoresis
• XRF
• XRD
• NMR
• FTIR
• GC-MS
• SEM
• TEM
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Unit-III: Environmental Biology
Topic 1: Ecology as an inter-disciplinary science.
• Origin of life and speciation
• Human Ecology and Settlement
Topic 2: Ecosystem Structure and functions:
• Structures – Biotic and Abiotic components
• Functions – Energy flow in ecosystems
• energy flow models
• food chains and food webs
• Biogeochemical cycles
• Ecological succession
• Species diversity
• Concept of ecotone
• edge effects
• ecological habitats and niche
• Ecosystem stability and factors affecting stability
• Ecosystem services
Topic 3: Basis of Ecosystem classification.
• Types of Ecosystem: Desert (hot and cold)
• forest
• rangeland
• wetlands
• lotic
• lentic
• estuarine (mangrove)
• Oceanic
Topic 4: Biomes:
• Concept
• classification and distribution
• Characteristics of different biomes: Tundra
• Taiga
• Grassland
• Deciduous forest biome
• Highland Icy Alpine Biome
• Chapparal
• Savanna
• Tropical Rain forest
Topic 5: Population ecology:
• Characteristics of population
• concept of carrying capacity
• population growth and regulations
• Population fluctuations
• dispersion and metapopulation
• Concept of ‘r’ and ‘k’ species
• Keystone species
Topic 6: Community ecology:
• Definition
• community concept
• types and interaction – predation
• herbivory
• parasitism and allelopathy
• Biological invasions
Topic 7: Biodiversity and its conservation:
• Definition
• types
• importance of biodiversity and threats to biodiversity
• Concept and basis of identification of ‘Hotspots’
• hotspots in India
• Measures of biodiversity
• Strategies for biodiversity conservation: in situ
• ex situ and in vitro conservation
• National parks
• Sanctuaries
• Protected areas and Sacred groves in India
• Concepts of gene pool
• biopiracy and bio-prospecting
• Concept of restoration ecology
• Extinct
• Rare
• Endangered and Threatened flora and fauna of India
• Concept of Industrial Ecology
Topic 8: Toxicology and Microbiology:
• Absorption
• distribution and excretion of toxic agents
• acute and chronic toxicity
• concept of bioassay
• threshold limit value
• margin of safety
• therapeutic index
• biotransformation
• Major water borne diseases and air borne microbes
Topic 9: Environmental Biotechnology:
• Bioremediation – definition
• types and role of plants and microbes for in situ and ex situ remediation
• Bioindicators
• Biofertilizers
• Biofuels and Biosensors
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Unit-IV: Environmental Geosciences
Topic 1: Origin of earth.
• Primary geochemical differentiation and formation of core
• mantle
• crust
• atmosphere and hydrosphere
• Concept of minerals and rocks
• Formation of igneous and metamorphic rocks
• Controls on formation of landforms – tectonic including plate tectonic and climatic
• Concept of steady state and equilibrium
• Energy budget of the earth
• Earth’s thermal environment and seasons
• Coriolis force
• pressure gradient force
• frictional force
• geo-strophic wind field
• gradient wind
• Climates of India
• western disturbances
• Indian monsoon
• droughts
• El Nino
• La Nina
• Concept of residence time and rates of natural cycles
• Geophysical fields
Topic 2: Weathering including weathering reactions.
• erosion
• transportation and deposition of sediments
• Soil forming minerals and process of soil formation
• Identification and characterization of clay minerals
• Soil physical and chemical properties
• soil types and climate control on soil formation
• Cation exchange capacity and mineralogical controls
Topic 3: Geochemical classification of elements.
• abundance of elements in bulk earth
• crust
• hydrosphere and biosphere
• Partitioning of elements during surficial geologic processes
• Geochemical recycling of elements
• Paleoclimate
Topic 4: Distribution of water in earth.
• hydrology and hydrogeology
• major basins and groundwater provinces of India
• Darcy’s law and its validity
• groundwater fluctuations
• hydraulic conductivity
• groundwater tracers
• land subsidence
• effects of excessive use of groundwater
• groundwater quality
• Pollution of groundwater resources
• Ghyben-Herzberg relation between fresh-saline water
Topic 5: Natural resource exploration and exploitation and related environmental concerns.
• Historical perspective and conservation of non-renewable resources
Topic 6: Natural Hazards:
• Catastrophic geological hazards – floods
• landslides
• earthquakes
• volcanism
• avalanche
• tsunami and cloud bursts
• Prediction of hazards and mitigation of their impacts
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Unit-V: Energy and Environment
Topic 1: Sun as source of energy.
• solar radiation and its spectral characteristics
Topic 2: Fossil fuels:
• classification
• composition
• physico-chemical characteristics and energy content of coal
• petroleum and natural gas
• Shale oil
• Coal bed Methane
• Gas hydrates
• Gross-calorific value and net-calorific value
Topic 3: Principles of generation of hydro-power.
• tidal energy
• ocean thermal energy conversion
• wind power
• geothermal energy
• solar energy (solar collectors, photo-voltaic modules, solar ponds)
Topic 4: Nuclear energy – fission and fusion.
• Nuclear fuels
• Nuclear reactor – principles and types
Topic 5: Bioenergy:
• methods to produce energy from biomass
Topic 6: Environmental implications of energy use.
• energy use pattern in India and the world
• emissions of CO2 in developed and developing countries including India
• radiative forcing and global warming
• Impacts of large scale exploitation of solar
• wind
• hydro and nuclear energy sources
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Unit-VI: Environmental Pollution and Control
Topic 1: Air Pollution:
• Sources and types of Pollutants – Natural and anthropogenic sources
• primary and secondary pollutants
• Criteria air pollutants
• Sampling and monitoring of air pollutants (gaseous and particulates)
• period
• frequency and duration of sampling
• Principles and instruments for measurements of (i) ambient air pollutants concentration and (ii) stack emissions
• Indian National Ambient Air Quality Standards
• Impact of air pollutants on human health
• plants and materials
• Acid rain
• Dispersion of air pollutants
• Mixing height/depth
• lapse rates
• Gaussian plume model
• line source model and area source model
• Control devices for particulate matter: Principle and working of: settling chamber
• centrifugal collectors
• wet collectors
• fabric filters and electrostatic precipitator
• Control of gaseous pollutants through adsorption
• absorption
• condensation and combustion including catalytic combustion
• Indoor air pollution
• Vehicular emissions and Urban air quality
Topic 2: Noise Pollution:
• Sources
• weighting networks
• measurement of noise indices (Leq, L10, L90, L50, LDN, TNI)
• Noise dose and Noise Pollution standards
• Noise control and abatement measures: Active and Passive methods
• Vibrations and their measurements
• Impact of noise and vibrations on human health
Topic 3: Water Pollution:
• Types and sources of water pollution
• Impact on humans
• plants and animals
• Measurement of water quality parameters: sampling and analysis for pH
• EC
• turbidity
• TDS
• hardness
• chlorides
• salinity
• DO
• BOD
• COD
• nitrates
• phosphates
• sulphates
• heavy metals and organic contaminants
• Microbiological analysis – MPN
• Indian standards for drinking water (IS:10500, 2012)
• Drinking water treatment: Coagulation and flocculation
• Sedimentation and Filtration
• Disinfection and Softening
• Wastewater Treatment: Primary
• Secondary and Advanced treatment methods
• Common effluent treatment plant
Topic 4: Soil Pollution:
• Physico-chemical and biological properties of soil (texture, structure, inorganic and organic components)
• Analysis of soil quality
• Soil Pollution control
• Industrial effluents and their interactions with soil components
• Soil micro-organisms and their functions – degradation of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers
Topic 5: Thermal, Marine Pollution and Radioactive:
• Sources of Thermal Pollution
• Heat Islands
• causes and consequences
• Sources and impact of Marine Pollution
• Methods of Abatement of Marine Pollution
• Coastal management
• Radioactive pollution – sources
• biological effects of ionizing radiations
• radiation exposure and radiation standards
• radiation protection
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Unit-VII: Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Topic 1: Solid Waste – types and sources.
• Solid waste characteristics
• generation rates
• solid waste components
• proximate and ultimate analyses of solid wastes
Topic 2: Solid waste collection and transportation:
• container systems – hauled and stationary
• layout of collection routes
• transfer stations and transportation
Topic 3: Solid waste processing and recovery – Recycling.
• recovery of materials for recycling and direct manufacture of solid waste products
• Electrical energy generation from solid waste (Fuel pellets, Refuse derived fuels)
• composting and vermicomposting
• biomethanation of solid waste
• Disposal of solid wastes – sanitary land filling and its management
• incineration of solid waste
Topic 4: Hazardous waste – Types.
• characteristics and health impacts
• Hazardous waste management: Treatment Methods – neutralization
• oxidation reduction
• precipitation
• solidification
• stabilization
• incineration and final disposal
Topic 5: e-waste:
• classification
• methods of handling and disposal
Topic 6: Fly ash:
• sources
• composition and utilisation
Topic 7: Plastic waste:
• sources
• consequences and management
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Unit-VIII: Environmental Assessment, Management and Legislation
Topic 1: Aims and objectives of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
• Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP)
• EIA Guidelines
• Impact Assessment Methodologies
• Procedure for reviewing EIA of developmental projects
• Life-cycle analysis
• cost-benefit analysis
• Guidelines for Environmental Audit
• Environmental Planning as a part of EIA and Environmental Audit
• Environmental Management System Standards (ISO14000 series)
• EIA Notification, 2006 and amendments from time to time
• Eco-labeling schemes
Topic 2: Risk Assessment –
• Hazard identification
• Hazard accounting
• Scenarios of exposure
• Risk characterization and Risk management
Topic 3: Overview of Environmental Laws in India:
• Constitutional provisions in India (Article 48A and 51A)
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 amendments 1991
• Forest Conservation Act, 1980
• Indian Forest Act, Revised 1982
• Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 amended 1988 and Rules 1975
• Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 amended 1987 and Rules 1982
• Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 and Rules 1986
• Motor Vehicle Act, 1988
• The Hazardous and Other Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016
• The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
• The Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
• The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
• The e-waste (Management) Rules 2016
• The Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016
• The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical (Amendment) Rules, 2000
• The Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2010 with Amendments
• The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and Rules 1991
• Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000
• Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) 1991 amended from time to time
Topic 4: National Forest Policy, 1988.
• National Water Policy, 2002
• National Environmental Policy, 2006
Topic 5: Environmental Conventions and Agreements:
• Stockholm Conference on Human Environment 1972
• Montreal Protocol, 1987
• Conference of Parties (COPs)
• Basel Convention (1989, 1992)
• Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971)
• Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro, 1992
• Agenda-21
• Global Environmental Facility (GEF)
• Convention on Biodiversity (1992)
• UNFCCC
• Kyoto Protocol, 1997
• Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
• Earth Summit at Johannesburg, 2002
• RIO+20
• UN Summit on Millennium Development Goals, 2000
• Copenhagen Summit, 2009
• IPCC
• UNEP
• IGBP
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Unit-IX: Statistical Approaches and Modelling in Environmental Sciences
Topic 1: Attributes and Variables:
• types of variables
• scales of measurement
• measurement of Central tendency and Dispersion
• Standard error
• Moments – measure of Skewness and Kurtosis
• Basic concept of probability theory
• Sampling theory
• Distributions – Normal
• log-normal
• Binomial
• Poisson
• t
• χ2 and F-distribution
• Correlation
• Regression
• tests of hypothesis (t-test, χ2-test ANOVA: one-way and two-way)
• significance and confidence limits
Topic 2: Approaches to development of environmental models.
• linear
• simple and multiple regression models
• validation and forecasting
• Models of population growth and interactions: Lotka-Voltera model
• Leslie’s matrix model
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Unit-X: Contemporary Environmental Issues
Topic 1: Global Environmental Issues –
• Biodiversity loss
• Climate change
• Ozone layer depletion
• Sea level rise
• International efforts for environmental protection
Topic 2: National Action Plan on Climate Change (Eight National missions –
• National Solar Mission
• National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
• National Water Mission
• National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
• National Mission for a ‘Green India’
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
• National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change)
Topic 3: Current Environmental Issues in India:
• Environmental issues related to water resource projects – Narmada dam
• Tehri dam
• Almatti dam
• Cauvery and Mahanadi
• Hydro-power projects in Jammu & Kashmir
• Himachal and North-Eastern States
• Water conservation-development of watersheds
• Rain water harvesting and ground water recharge
• National river conservation plan – Namami Gange and Yamuna Action Plan
• Eutrophication and restoration of lakes
• Conservation of wetlands
• Ramsar sites in India
• Soil erosion
• reclamation of degraded land
• desertification and its control
• Climate change – adaptability
• energy security
• food security and sustainability
• Forest Conservation – Chipko movement
• Appiko movement
• Silent Valley movement and Gandhamardhan movement
• People Biodiversity register
• Wild life conservation projects: Project tiger
• Project Elephant
• Crocodile Conservation
• GOI-UNDP Sea Turtle project
• Indo-Rhino vision
• Carbon sequestration and carbon credits
• Waste Management – Swachha Bharat Abhiyan
• Sustainable Habitat: Green Building
• GRIHA Rating Norms
• Vehicular emission norms in India
• Epidemiological Issues: Fluorosis
• Arsenocosis
• Goitre
• Dengue
• Environmental Disasters: Minnamata Disaster
• Love Canal Disaster
• Bhopal Gas Disaster, 1984
• Chernobyl Disaster, 1986
• Fukusima Daiichi nuclear disaster, 2011
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EXAMINATION STRUCTURE
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Paper-II: Subject Specific Examination
- Total Questions: 100
- Total Marks: 200
- Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
- Negative Marking: No
- Duration: 3 Hours (Combined with Paper I)
- Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
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SYLLABUS SUMMARY
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Total Units: 10
Total Topics: 56
Subject: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Subject Code: 89
Exam Category: UGC-NET Paper-II
Source: Official NTA/UGC Syllabus
Status: “As per latest official syllabus”
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