The body is coordinated by two systems: nerves, which act in milliseconds, and hormones, which act over minutes to days. NEET tests both, through two NCERT chapters. This endocrine system NEET PYQ analysis covers Neural Control and Coordination together with Chemical Coordination and Integration, and shows exactly which facts NTA keeps asking.
For the full physiology plan, see our complete Human Physiology guide. This article gives you the chapter-level detail.
Want to test yourself first? Solve the free Neural Control and Coordination PYQs and Chemical Coordination and Integration PYQs, then use this guide to fix the gaps.
Table of Contents
Why These Two Chapters Carry Steady Marks
NEET usually asks two to three questions across these two chapters, and the endocrine chapter gives more of them. Most are direct NCERT facts: which gland makes which hormone, and what happens when it is too high or too low.
For the nerve side, our neural control strategy guide covers the concepts in depth. See every Biology unit in our full Biology chapter list.
Endocrine System NEET PYQ Analysis: The Repeated Question Types
When you sort a decade of NEET biology PYQs from these chapters, five question types cover almost everything.
| Question type | Chapter | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Gland, hormone and function matching | Endocrine | Most frequent |
| Hormonal disorders | Endocrine | Very frequent |
| Mechanism of hormone action | Endocrine | Regular |
| Nerve impulse conduction and synapse | Neural | Very frequent |
| Parts of the brain and their functions | Neural | Regular |
For a quick warm-up before the full set, try these five quick physiology practice questions.
Nerve Impulse Conduction: The Key Facts
- At rest, the axon membrane is more permeable to K⁺ and nearly impermeable to Na⁺.
- The sodium–potassium pump moves 3 Na⁺ out and 2 K⁺ in, which keeps the outside positive.
- Depolarisation happens when Na⁺ rushes in. Repolarisation follows when K⁺ moves out.
- In myelinated fibres, the impulse jumps from one node of Ranvier to the next, so conduction is faster.
- Chemical synapses use neurotransmitters released into the synaptic cleft. Electrical synapses are faster but rare in humans.
Parts of the Brain
| Part | Main function |
|---|---|
| Cerebrum | Thinking, memory, voluntary actions; its two halves are joined by the corpus callosum |
| Hypothalamus | Body temperature, hunger and thirst; controls the pituitary |
| Cerebellum | Balance and posture |
| Medulla | Respiration, cardiovascular reflexes and gastric secretions |
| Limbic system | Emotions and motivation |
Brain diagrams are a common source of questions, and our guide to memorising NCERT Biology diagrams helps you label them correctly.
Pituitary Hormones and Other Glands
| Gland | Hormone | Main function |
|---|---|---|
| Anterior pituitary | GH, PRL, TSH, ACTH, LH, FSH | Growth, milk production, control of other glands |
| Posterior pituitary | Oxytocin, vasopressin (ADH) | Uterine contraction and milk ejection; water reabsorption |
| Pineal | Melatonin | Sleep–wake cycle |
| Thyroid | Thyroxine (T₄), T₃, thyrocalcitonin | Metabolic rate; lowers blood calcium |
| Parathyroid | PTH | Raises blood calcium |
| Adrenal cortex | Cortisol, aldosterone | Stress response and glucose; Na⁺ balance |
| Adrenal medulla | Adrenaline, noradrenaline | Fight-or-flight response |
| Pancreas | Insulin (β cells), glucagon (α cells) | Lowers blood glucose; raises blood glucose |
Oxytocin and vasopressin are made in the hypothalamus. The posterior pituitary only stores and releases them. Vasopressin’s role in the kidney is covered in our Excretory System PYQ patterns article.
Hormonal Disorders
| Disorder | Cause |
|---|---|
| Gigantism / acromegaly | Excess GH in childhood / in adults |
| Dwarfism | Low GH in childhood |
| Diabetes insipidus | Low ADH |
| Goitre | Iodine deficiency |
| Cretinism | Low thyroid hormone during development |
| Exophthalmic goitre (Graves’ disease) | Excess thyroid hormone |
| Addison’s disease | Low adrenal cortex hormones |
| Diabetes mellitus | Low insulin |
Mechanism of Hormone Action
- Peptide hormones and catecholamines (such as insulin, glucagon and adrenaline) bind to receptors on the cell membrane and work through second messengers like cAMP, IP₃ and Ca²⁺.
- Steroid hormones and thyroid hormones (such as cortisol, testosterone and thyroxine) enter the cell, bind to intracellular receptors and regulate gene expression.
Worked PYQ-Pattern Questions
Q1. Which hormone lowers the blood calcium level? (a) PTH (b) Thyrocalcitonin (c) Aldosterone (d) Glucagon
Answer: (b) Thyrocalcitonin. PTH does the opposite and raises blood calcium.
Q2. How does the sodium–potassium pump move ions?
Answer: 3 Na⁺ out and 2 K⁺ in for each cycle, using ATP.
Q3. Which of these hormones acts through an intracellular receptor? (a) Insulin (b) Glucagon (c) Cortisol (d) Adrenaline
Answer: (c) Cortisol. It is a steroid hormone, so it enters the cell.
Q4. Diabetes insipidus is caused by a deficiency of:
Answer: ADH (vasopressin). The kidneys cannot reabsorb enough water, so large volumes of dilute urine are passed.
Q5. Which part of the brain controls respiration and cardiovascular reflexes?
Answer: The medulla.
Common Traps in These Chapters
- Saying the posterior pituitary produces oxytocin and ADH (it only stores and releases them)
- Mixing up diabetes insipidus (ADH) with diabetes mellitus (insulin)
- Swapping PTH and thyrocalcitonin
- Reversing the pump ratio to 2 Na⁺ out and 3 K⁺ in
- Giving steroid hormones a membrane receptor
Practise Every Neural and Endocrine PYQ
This endocrine system NEET PYQ analysis gives you the tables. Practice makes them automatic. Every previous year question from both chapters is available chapter-wise, free:
👉 Solve all Neural Control and Coordination NEET PYQs
👉 Solve all Chemical Coordination and Integration NEET PYQs
Cover the right-hand column of the gland table and test yourself daily for a week. It is the fastest way to lock in this chapter.
Conclusion
These two chapters are mostly matching: gland to hormone, hormone to function, and deficiency to disorder. Use this endocrine system NEET PYQ analysis to master the gland table, the disorders, the two modes of hormone action and the basics of the nerve impulse. Then practise until each pair comes to mind instantly.
❓ FAQ
Q: How many questions come from Neural Control and the Endocrine System in NEET? A: Usually two to three questions across the two chapters. Chemical Coordination and Integration normally gives more than Neural Control.
Q: Which hormones does the posterior pituitary release? A: Oxytocin and vasopressin (ADH). Both are made in the hypothalamus and only stored and released by the posterior pituitary.
Q: What is the difference between diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus? A: Diabetes insipidus is caused by low ADH and leads to excess dilute urine. Diabetes mellitus is caused by low insulin and leads to high blood glucose.
Q: Which hormones use intracellular receptors? A: Steroid hormones, such as cortisol and testosterone, and thyroid hormones. Peptide hormones use membrane receptors and second messengers.
Q: How should I revise these chapters for NEET? A: Use an endocrine system NEET PYQ analysis to list the repeated facts, learn the gland and disorder tables, and solve past questions chapter-wise.
Q: Where can I practise these PYQs for free? A: You can solve every previous year question from both chapters for free using the practice links in this article.