NEET UG · Biology · Cell Cycle and Cell Division

Mitotic Division: NEET previous year questions

21 questions in ten years of NEET, in 10 of 10 papers. Pattern: Every year. Here is how it is asked and which ideas come back.

Asked in 10 years: 21; about 2.0 per paper
Years asked: 10/10; last asked 2026
Chance of a question next paper: 84%; historical rate, how we compute it
Weighted estimate: 1.8; model; history: 2.0 a paper on average, typically 1–4

Key findings

01
Asked in 10 of 10 papers, 21 questions in all: #11 of 204 topics by ten-year total.
02
58% of its questions since 2018 tested an idea never asked before; 3 repeated an idea from the year before.
03
The most repeated idea is Events of G1, S and G2, asked 5 times (2020, 2021, 2023), usually as “true statement selection on cell cycle phase”.
04
NEET has asked 9 of the 77 ideas in this topic; 62 have never been asked, directly or indirectly.
05
Mostly asked as one-line MCQ (81%); 76% easy, 0% hard, and down from 2.3 to 1.3 questions a paper since 2024.

Questions per year

Up to 2023: 2.3; per paper
Since 2024: 1.3; -1.0
Usual gap: 1.0 yrs; between papers asking it
Swing: ±0.9; questions, year to year

Recent framings

order of steps in a process
identify function of a cell structure
identify stage of a cell division event

Revise first

Sequence of Cell Cycle Phases (2019 2024 2026); Events of G1, S and G2 (2020 2021 2023); Kinetochore Structure and Function (2022 2024)

How it is asked

Difficulty, format and skill

Across all 21 questions on Mitotic Division since 2017.

Difficulty

QUESTIONS

165

Easy16 · 76%
Medium5 · 24%
Hard0 · 0%

Format

One-line MCQ · 17 Q81%
Match the lists · 2 Q10%
Other · 1 Q5%
Two statements · 1 Q5%

Skill tested

Recall · 13 Q62%
Concept · 7 Q33%
Application · 1 Q5%

Repeats

New idea, or one asked before?

Each column is a paper. Blue questions tested an idea NEET had not asked before; navy ones went back to an idea from an earlier paper. 2017 is the first paper, so everything in it counts as new.

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26

Idea asked for the first time
Idea asked in an earlier paper

Coverage of the topic

NEET has asked 9 of the 77 ideas in this topic. 62 have never been asked yet.

962

Asked directly9 · 12%
Touched inside another question6 · 8%
Never asked62 · 81%

Ideas come from Lumi’s syllabus map of NCERT. A never-asked idea is not a safe skip: most new questions come from exactly these.

Drill down

Idea, year, question

Every idea NEET tested in this topic, with its ten papers. Open one to read the questions.

ideaAskedShareYears’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26

Repeated5 · 24%24%3/1022
- 2023 · Q131
  Among eukaryotes, replication of DNA takes place in -
  easyOne-line MCQ
- 2023 · Q191
  Given below are two statements: Statement I: During G $_0$ phase of cell cycle, the cell is metabolically inactive. Statement II: The…
  mediumTwo statements
- 2021 · Q139
  Match List - I with List - II. List - I | List - II (a) S phase | (i) Proteins are synthesized (b) $G_2$ phase | (ii) Inactive phase (c)…
  easyMatch the listsAsked the year before
- 2021 · Q154
  The centriole undergoes duplication during :
  easyOne-line MCQAsked the year before
- 2020 · Q14
  Identify the correct statement with regard to $G_1$ phase (Gap 1) of interphase.
  easyOne-line MCQNew idea
Repeated3 · 14%14%3/10
Repeated2 · 10%10%2/10
Repeated2 · 10%10%2/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10
1 · 5%5%1/10

Squares are the ten papers, 2017 to 2026; darker means more questions. Share is of the level above.

Ideas

Every idea inside this topic

13 different ideas were tested; 4 came more than once. Prophase Events is the foundation for 49 other ideas in the syllabus.

Events of G1, S and G25×
true statement selection on cell cycle phase
One-line MCQ · 11% next
Sequence of Cell Cycle Phases3×
order of steps in a process
One-line MCQ · 11% next
Kinetochore Structure and Function2×
select incorrect statement on mitosis
One-line MCQ · 6% next · foundation for 2
Quiescent G0 Phase2×
definition recall on cell cycle stage
One-line MCQ · 4% next
Spindle Fiber Composition1×
identify function of a cell structure
One-line MCQ · 6% next · foundation for 9
Anaphase Chromosome Doubling1×
identify stage of a cell division event
One-line MCQ · 4% next · foundation for 1
Equational Division Definition1×
match list on cell cycle phases
Match the lists · 4% next
Prophase Events1×
event that never occurs in a process
One-line MCQ · 4% next · foundation for 49
Centromere Splitting1×
identify stage of division process
One-line MCQ · 4% next · foundation for 25
Tracking Ploidy and DNA Content1×
chromosome number after s phase
One-line MCQ · 4% next
Mitosis in Asexual Reproduction1×
mode of cell division in a structure
One-line MCQ · 4% next
Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC)1×
predict effect of defective component
One-line MCQ · 4% next
Metaphase Plate Alignment1×
order of steps in a process
One-line MCQ · 4% next · foundation for 39

Idea	Times	Format	Chance next	Foundation for
Events of G1, S and G2true statement selection on cell cycle phase	5	One-line MCQRecall	11%	–
Sequence of Cell Cycle Phasesorder of steps in a process	3	One-line MCQRecall	11%	–
Kinetochore Structure and Functionselect incorrect statement on mitosis	2	One-line MCQConcept	6%	2 ideas
Quiescent G0 Phasedefinition recall on cell cycle stage	2	One-line MCQRecall	4%	–
Spindle Fiber Compositionidentify function of a cell structure	1	One-line MCQRecall	6%	9 ideas
Anaphase Chromosome Doublingidentify stage of a cell division event	1	One-line MCQRecall	4%	1 ideas
Equational Division Definitionmatch list on cell cycle phases	1	Match the listsRecall	4%	–
Prophase Eventsevent that never occurs in a process	1	One-line MCQConcept	4%	49 ideas
Centromere Splittingidentify stage of division process	1	One-line MCQConcept	4%	25 ideas
Tracking Ploidy and DNA Contentchromosome number after s phase	1	One-line MCQConcept	4%	–
Mitosis in Asexual Reproductionmode of cell division in a structure	1	One-line MCQConcept	4%	–
Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC)predict effect of defective component	1	One-line MCQApplication	4%	–
Metaphase Plate Alignmentorder of steps in a process	1	One-line MCQConcept	4%	39 ideas

Chance next is the historical rate at which an idea with this record came back in the following paper. It is low for every idea, which is why learning the topic beats memorising past questions. All repeated ideas

Every question

Mitotic Division questions, year by year

The opening words of each question as it appeared in the official paper, with the idea it tested.

NEET 20261 question

Q128
The correct sequence of adult cell cycle phases is __________.
Idea: Sequence of Cell Cycle Phases
EasyOne-line MCQ

NEET 20251 question

Q158
What is the main function of the spindle fibers during mitosis?
Idea: Spindle Fiber Composition
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ

NEET 20242 questions

Q129
Spindle fibers attach to kinetochores of chromosomes during
Idea: Kinetochore Structure and Function
EasyOne-line MCQ
Q175
Following are the stages of cell division: A. Gap 2 phase B. Cytokinesis C. Synthesis phase D. Karyokinesis E. Gap 1 phase Choose the…
Idea: Sequence of Cell Cycle Phases
EasyOther

NEET 20234 questions

Q109
Which of the following stages of meiosis involves division of centromere?
Idea: Anaphase Chromosome Doubling
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ
Q131
Among eukaryotes, replication of DNA takes place in -
Idea: Events of G1, S and G2
EasyOne-line MCQ
Q137
Match List I with List II : List I | List II A. M Phase | I. Proteins are synthesized B. G $_2$ Phase | II. Inactive phase C. Quiescent…
Idea: Equational Division Definition
New ideaMediumMatch the lists
Q191
Given below are two statements: Statement I: During G $_0$ phase of cell cycle, the cell is metabolically inactive. Statement II: The…
Idea: Events of G1, S and G2
MediumTwo statements

NEET 20222 questions

Q117
Which one of the following never occurs during mitotic cell division ?
Idea: Prophase Events
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ
Q184
Select the incorrect statement with reference to mitosis :
Idea: Kinetochore Structure and Function
New ideaMediumOne-line MCQ

NEET 20214 questions

Q124
Which of the following stages of meiosis involves division of centromere ?
Idea: Centromere Splitting
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ
Q139
Match List - I with List - II. List - I | List - II (a) S phase | (i) Proteins are synthesized (b) $G_2$ phase | (ii) Inactive phase (c)…
Idea: Events of G1, S and G2
Asked last yearEasyMatch the lists
Q154
The centriole undergoes duplication during :
Idea: Events of G1, S and G2
Asked last yearEasyOne-line MCQ
Q171
The fruit fly has 8 chromosomes (2n) in each cell. During interphase of Mitosis if the number of chromosomes at $G_1$ phase is 8, what…
Idea: Tracking Ploidy and DNA Content
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ

NEET 20202 questions

Q14
Identify the correct statement with regard to $G_1$ phase (Gap 1) of interphase.
Idea: Events of G1, S and G2
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ
Q72
Some dividing cells exit the cell cycle and enter vegetative inactive stage. This is called quiescent stage ( $G_0$ ). This process occurs…
Idea: Quiescent G0 Phase
Asked last yearEasyOne-line MCQ

NEET 20192 questions

Q108
The correct sequence of phases of cell cycle is :
Idea: Sequence of Cell Cycle Phases
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ
Q135
Cells in $G_0$ phase :
Idea: Quiescent G0 Phase
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ

NEET 20181 question

Q108
Offsets are produced by
Idea: Mitosis in Asexual Reproduction
New ideaEasyOne-line MCQ

NEET 20172 questions

Q102
Which of the following options gives the correct sequence of events during mitosis ?
Idea: Metaphase Plate Alignment
MediumOne-line MCQ
Q166
Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC) is a protein degradation machinery necessary for proper mitosis of animal cells. If APC is defective in a…
Idea: Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC)
MediumOne-line MCQ

Questions from the official NEET UG papers published by NTA (CBSE before 2019). Topic and idea tags, counts and notes are Lumi’s.