Binomial Nomenclature Capitalization Rules — NEET Biology
✅ Asked in NEET 2023Which of the following is against the rules of ICBN?
Which of the following is against the rules of ICBN?
The scientific name of Mango is:-
Answer & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: D — Generic and specific names should be written starting with capital letters
According to ICBN rules, only the generic name starts with capital letter, while specific epithet starts with small letter. Option d suggests both should start with capitals which is incorrect. Options a, b, and c are all correct rules of nomenclature - underlining handwritten names, binomial system, and Latin italicized names.
Read more NCERT concept on the PYQ
The first word denoting the genus starts with a capital letter while the specific epithet starts with a small letter. It can be illustrated with the example of Mangifera indica.
NTA tests the standardized capitalization rule in binomial nomenclature: the genus name always starts with a capital letter while the specific epithet always starts with a lowercase letter. For example, Mangifera indica is correct, not mangifera indica or Mangifera Indica. Students commonly make mistakes by capitalizing both words, using all lowercase, or reversing the order. To get it right, remember: Genus = Capital, Species = small. This rule is fundamental to scientific naming and NTA has tested it twice (2019, 2023), making it a high-probability concept for identifying correct scientific names in multiple-choice questions.
What does NCERT say about first word denoting genus?
Has this concept appeared in NEET?
Which chapter is this from?
Through deep analysis of NEET and NTA, 88 of 90 questions from the NEET 2026 paper were matched straight from the MedicNEET Biology question bank.
88/90MedicNEET's Biology question bank is built from the same NCERT lines NTA picks repeatedly. Not random MCQs — questions crafted exactly like NTA crafts them.