Cell Structure And Functions Class8: Previous Year Questions with Solutions
Previous year questions are the single most reliable guide for NEET and board prep. Roughly 25–30% of every NEET paper repeats concepts (and sometimes exact questions) from older papers. We’ve picked five PYQs on the cell as the basic unit of life — discovery, types, and organelles at Class 8 level and solved them the way we’d solve them in the hall — timed, structured, and without guessing.
PYQ 1 — NEET 2019 Style
Question. Which of the following statements about Robert Hooke is correct?
a) It is found only in eukaryotes. b) It is the defining feature of prokaryotes. c) It forms during the S-phase of the cell cycle. d) It is absent in mature RBCs.
Option (a) is too restrictive — Robert Hooke appears across both kingdoms in Cell Structure And Functions Class8.
NCERT Class 11/12 clearly states the correct attribution.
Answer: (d). Mature RBCs lack most organelles including the one in question — a recurring NEET trap.
PYQ 2 — CBSE Board 2021
Question. Define unicellular and give two examples from Cell Structure And Functions Class8. (3 marks)
Write the textbook line verbatim if you remember it. Precision matters in 3-mark answers.
One classic NCERT example + one application-based example gives the evaluator confidence you understand, not just memorised.
A model answer would be: definition (1 mark) + example 1 with a short phrase explaining relevance (1 mark) + example 2 (1 mark). That’s the full 3.
PYQ 3 — NEET 2022 Assertion-Reason
Assertion (A): Multicellular plays a central role in Cell Structure And Functions Class8. Reason (R): It participates directly in energy transfer within the cell.
True — NCERT supports this directly.
True, but is R the actual reason for A? Often NEET makes R a related-but-unrelated truth.
Most likely answer: Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A (option 2 in NEET pattern). Always test causality explicitly.
PYQ 4 — NEET 2020
Question. Arrange the following events of Cell Structure And Functions Class8 in the correct sequence: (i) nucleus, (ii) initiation, (iii) termination, (iv) regulation.
Initiation always comes first, termination last. Regulation and nucleus sit in the middle based on mechanism.
(ii) → (iv) → (i) → (iii) is the usual NCERT sequence.
Answer: (ii) → (iv) → (i) → (iii). Sequence questions in biology reward clean diagrams — redraw the flow before marking.
PYQ 5 — CBSE Board 2023
Question. Explain the significance of cytoplasm in Cell Structure And Functions Class8. (5 marks)
One-sentence definition.
A short paragraph or labelled flow showing how it operates.
Two distinct biological roles, each with an example.
Structure: intro + mechanism + role 1 + role 2 + one-line conclusion. Five marks, five chunks — easy to aim for.
Time management for PYQs: 45 seconds for MCQs, 3 minutes for 3-mark subjective, 6 minutes for 5-mark. Train yourself to the clock.
What PYQs Tell Us About Cell Structure And Functions Class8
Three patterns show up year after year:
- Definition-based MCQs (easy, do not miss).
- Exception-based MCQs (“which of the following is NOT…” — requires careful reading).
- Diagram-based subjective questions in board exams.
Cover all three and you’ve secured the weightage from Cell Structure And Functions Class8 in any exam.
Quick Recap
- Review at least 5 years of PYQs per chapter.
- Mark every exception in NCERT.
- Practise assertion-reason with causality testing.
- Write structured 5-mark answers in chunks.
PYQs aren’t just practice — they’re the syllabus in disguise. The cell as the basic unit of life — discovery, types, and organelles at class 8 level keeps showing up, and now you know how to handle it.