Basic Genetics

By Prof. Richa Arya, Prof. Madhu G Tapadia, Prof. J K Roy (retired) | Banaras Hindu University

Learners enrolled: 148

ABOUT THE COURSE:

The course provides a fundamental understanding of heredity and variation principles. It covers basic Mendelian genetics, extensions of Mendelian concepts, and cytoplasmic inheritance. Students will learn how genetic information is transmitted in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, the interactions of genes within biological systems, and the molecular basis of these processes. Additionally, the course explores the role of chromosomes in determining sex and discusses various chromosomal anomalies that can impact human development.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: UG students

PREREQUISITES: 12^th Pass

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Biological Sciences & Bioengineering
Credit Points :	3
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	21 Jul 2025
End Date :	10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	15 Aug 2025
Exam Date :	24 Oct 2025 IST
NCrF Level	4.5 — 6.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1 : Elements of heredity and variations

• Mendel's laws and the historical importance of the discovery

• Chromosomal basis of inheritance

• Discovery of sex chromosomes

• Application of laws of probability to Mendelian inheritance: product rule, sum rule, binomial expansion

• Chi-square test and its application

Week 2: Extension of Mendelism

• Dominance relationships

• Multiple allelism, Lethal alleles

• Pleiotropy, polygeny

• Penetrance, and expressivity and Phenocopy

• Epistasis

Week 3: various ways to determine sex and inheritance of sexual traits

• Sex chromosome systems: XX/XO, ZZ/ZW and haploidy/diploidy

• Comparison of XY system in Drosophila and Human

• Sex-influenced and Sex-limited traits

• Environmental control of sex determination

Week 4: Different types of inheritance patterns

• Quantitative inheritance

• Genetic Maternal effect (snail)

• Cytoplasmic Inheritance: Extranuclear Inheritance

• Cytoplasmic Inheritance: Infective Inheritance

Week 5: Gene mutations

• Spontaneous mutations

• Induced mutations

• Molecular basis of mutation

• Detection of mutation (Ames’ test and ClB technique in Drosophila)

• DNA damage repair

Week 6: Gene mapping in prokaryotes

• Conjugation

• Transduction

• Sex duction

• Transformation

• rII locas in phage

Week 7: Gene mapping on eukaryotic Chromosomes

• Linkage and crossing over interference and coincidence

• Two point test cross

• Three point test cross

• Tetrad analysis

• Cytological demonstration of crossing over in Drosophila

Week 8:Chromosomal alterations

• Numerical alterations of chromosomes

• Structural alterations of chromosomes: deletion, duplication inversion, translocation

• Meiotic consequences in inversion heterozygotes

• Meiotic consequences in translocation heterozygotes

• Using inversion heterozygotes as crossover suppressors: Balancer chromosomes

Week 9: Human Genetics: Pedigree analysis

• Making a pedigree chart showing dominant and recessive traits

• Analysis of Autosomal traits

• Analysis of Sex linked traits

• Sex limited traits

• Genetic counselling

Week 10: Human Genetics: Chromosome analysis

• Karyotype

• Banding techniques (G- banding)

• Other bandings and their significance

• Utilization of chromosome banding in karyotyping

• Nomenclature of G-banded chromosome subdivisions

Week 11: Human Genetics: Genetic disorders

• Chromosomal aneuploidy (Down, Turner and Klinefelter syndromes)

• Chromosome translocation (chronic myeloid leukemia and Burkitt Lymphoma)

• Chromosome deletion (cry of cat syndrome and retinoblastoma)

• Gene mutation: (cystic fibrosis, hemophilia and sickle cell anemia)

• An introduction to genes and cancer

Week 12: Regulation of gene activity in eukaryotes

• Transcription unit

• Initiation of transcription

• Transcription factors: repressors, activators

• Enhancers and silencers

• Concept of epigenetic regulation

Books and references

Snustad and Simmons: Principles of Genetics (2019, 7th ed. John Wiley)
Hartl and Jones: Essential Genetics- A Genomic Perspective (2009, Jones and Bartlet)
Pierce: Genetics - A Conceptual Approach (2012, Freeman) Suggested Readings
Griffith et al.: An Introduction to Genetic Analysis (Freeman 11th ed, 2015)
Brooker: Genetics - Analysis and Principles (2012, 4th ed McGraw Hill)
Russell: Genetics (2010, Benjamin Cummings)
Gersen & Keagle: The Principles of Clinical Cytogenetics (2005, Humana)
Hawley & Walker: Advanced Genetic Analysis (2003, Blackwell)

Instructor bio

Prof. Richa Arya

Banaras Hindu University

Prof. Richa Arya, Ph.D.: Currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology, teaching the course from last four years

Prof. Madhu G Tapadia

Prof. Madhu G. Tapadia, Ph.D: Currently a full Professor in the Department of Zoology, teaching the course more than ten years

Prof. J K Roy (retired)

Prof. J. K Roy, Ph.D. Retired Senior Professor, BHU, taught the course for more than ten years

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: 25 October 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup. It will have the logos of INI and BHU.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- INI Team