A typical embryo sac in angiosperms is:

The correct answer is Option (2) → 8-nucleate and 7-celled

A typical embryo sac (the female gametophyte) forms from one megaspore by three rounds of free nuclear division. This gives eight nuclei. Cell walls then form around six of them, so the sac has only seven cells. At the micropylar end are the egg apparatus (one egg cell and two synergids). At the chalazal end are three antipodals. The large central cell in the middle has two polar nuclei, so it is one cell with two nuclei.

(1) 7-nucleate and 8-celled — Incorrect. A cell cannot be formed without a nucleus, so cells can never outnumber nuclei.

(2) 8-nucleate and 7-celled — Correct. Eight nuclei, but the two polar nuclei share one central cell.

(3) 7-nucleate and 7-celled — Incorrect. It leaves out one nucleus. The central cell has two nuclei.

(4) 8-nucleate 8-celled — Incorrect. The two polar nuclei lie in one cell, so there are seven cells and not eight.

Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2026 on 20-05-2026 (Slot 1), and in CUET (UG) 2023 on 23-06-2023 (Slot 3) and on 05-06-2023 (Slot 3).

NCERT Extract:
The Pistil, Megasporangium (ovule) and Embryo Sac – “… The large central cell, as mentioned earlier, has two polar nuclei. Thus, a typical angiosperm embryo sac, at maturity, though 8-nucleate is 7-celled.”