A/L Science Stream

A/L Biology (NIE syllabus)

G.C.E. A/L Biology in Sri Lanka follows the National Institute of Education (NIE) syllabus for Grades 12 and 13. It has 10 units over 600 teaching periods. Animal form and function alone is 193 periods, almost a third of the course, then the chemical and cellular basis of life at 85. Grade 12 covers Units 1–4 and Unit 5 up to competency level 5.5.3; Grade 13 starts at 5.6.1 and runs through genetics, molecular biology, environmental biology, microbiology and applied biology. This is the Sri Lankan G.C.E. (A/L) syllabus, not Cambridge or Edexcel A-Level Biology.

Find your unit, not your term

Your school may teach the units in a different order. The grade and term below are the NIE’s own, read off its term table.

Grade · term (NIE)	Unit	NIE name	Periods	Pages on this site	Start with	Source
Grade 12 · Term 1	1	Introduction to Biology	5	0	no page yet	[S1] pp. vi–vii
Grade 12 · Term 1	2	Chemical and cellular basis of life	85	2	Chemical and Physical Basis of Life · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 12 · Terms 1–2	3	Evolution and diversity of organisms	61	1	Diversity of organisms · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 12 · Term 2	4	Plant form and function	77	3	Resource acquisition and transport in plants · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 12 · Term 3 and Grade 13 · Term 1	5	Animal form and function	193	18	Immunity · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 13 · Term 1	6	Genetics	22	3	Mendel's experiments · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 13 · Term 2	7	Molecular Biology and Recombinant DNA Technology	42	5	Structure and function of genetic materials · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 13 · Term 2	8	Environmental Biology	41	7	Ecosystem components · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 13 · Term 3	9	Microbiology	50	9	Diversity of microorganisms · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]
Grade 13 · Term 3	10	Applied Biology	24	5	Ornamental fish culture · Practice	[S1] pp. vi–vii; [S3]

Unit names and periods from [S1] p. vi; grade and term from [S1] p. vii, which gives Grade 12 competency levels 1.1.1–5.5.3 and Grade 13 5.6.1–10.1.5. Unit 5 starts in Grade 12’s third term and finishes in Grade 13’s first: that is the NIE’s own split. The page counts are this site’s own [S3]. Unit 1, Introduction to Biology, has no page yet.

Term-by-Term Breakdown

Try one question — no account needed

Model question — written by Idasara, modelled on the G.C.E. (A/L) Biology examination pattern. NIE Unit 5, Animal form and function — the largest unit in the syllabus at 193 periods.

Which class of immunoglobulins is the only antibody capable of crossing the maternal placenta to confer passive immunity to the developing human fetus?

A) IgE
B) IgM
C) IgA
D) IgG

Check my answer

Correct answer: D) IgG

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most abundant serum antibody monomer and the only immunoglobulin class with Fc regions recognized by placental transport receptors, enabling transplacental passage to the fetus.

Show worked solution

Step 1: Review antibody classes: - IgA: found in secretions (saliva, tears, colostrum). - IgM: pentamer, first responder in primary immune response. - IgE: allergic reactions and parasitic infections. - IgG: principal circulating antibody; uniquely crosses placenta. Answer: IgG.

Get your own answer marked

How the exam works

G.C.E. A/L Biology is set by the Department of Examinations in two papers (the structure for the examination from 2019 onwards). Paper I takes 2 hours: 50 multiple-choice questions with 5 options, all to be answered, at 1 mark each — 50 marks. Paper II takes 3 hours, plus 10 minutes' reading time: Part A, 4 compulsory structured essay questions at 100 marks each (400); Part B, answer 4 of 6 essay questions at 150 marks each (600) — 1,000 marks. The final mark is Paper I (50) plus Paper II divided by 20 (50), out of 100. (Department of Examinations structure booklet, p. 96.)

Department of Examinations — Structure of Question Papers, G.C.E. (A/L) 2019 and afterwards, Volume 1 (English, PDF)

Where should I start?

One short block per reader, one link each. These are suggestions, not rules; the unit table above is the map.

Starting Grade 12 — The NIE’s first term opens with a five-period introduction, then the chemical and cellular basis of life and the start of diversity: 146 of the syllabus’s periods sit in those two units. → Chemical and Physical Basis of Life notes
In Grade 13 — The year opens in the middle of Unit 5, at human coordination, and runs to genetics. → Nervous coordination overview notes
Behind on the biggest unit — Animal form and function is 193 of the 600 periods, almost a third of the course. That is teaching time, not exam weight: no paper structure is sourced on this page. → Immunity notes
Sitting the examination again — Practise unit by unit, then get your answers marked. → All A/L Biology practice
Studying in Sinhala → සිංහල
Studying in Tamil → தமிழ்
A parent — What your child gets, and what it costs. → Pricing · For parents

Free study resources by topic

Guides

Questions students ask

How many units are there in A/L Biology, and which is the biggest?

Ten. Animal form and function is 193 of the 600 periods, almost a third of the course, then the chemical and cellular basis of life at 85 and plant form and function at 77. ([S1] p. vi)

Which units are in Grade 12 and which in Grade 13?

Grade 12 runs competency levels 1.1.1 to 5.5.3, so Units 1–4 and the first part of Unit 5 (through 5.5 of its nine competencies). Grade 13 starts at 5.6.1 and covers the rest of Unit 5, then genetics, molecular biology, environmental biology, microbiology and applied biology. ([S1] p. vii)

When does genetics come?

Grade 13, first term, as Unit 6, with 22 periods: the shortest unit after the introduction. ([S1] pp. vi–vii)

How many competency levels does the syllabus have?

94, set out as 16, 17 and 12 over Grade 12’s three terms and 23, 14 and 12 over Grade 13’s. ([S1] p. vii)

Do I have to follow the NIE's unit order?

No. Your school may teach the units in a different order, which is why this page lists the unit rather than only the term. The grade and term shown are the NIE’s own. ([S1] p. vii)

Is this the same as Cambridge A-Level Biology?

No. This is the Sri Lankan G.C.E. (A/L) syllabus published by the NIE, implemented from 2017, with its own units, its own period weights and its own examination. ([S1] title page)