Board Exam Syllabus — Class 10 & 12, Stream by Stream

Where the Official Syllabus Actually Lives

Before any breakdown, the single most useful sentence in this guide: only three websites carry the authoritative syllabus.

• cbse.gov.in — Curriculum > Senior Secondary / Secondary > Current Year. Each subject has its own PDF with chapter list, weightages, paper pattern, sample paper and additional practice questions.
• cisce.org — Regulations & Syllabuses section. ICSE and ISC subject-wise PDFs with full chapter list and project requirements.
• ncert.nic.in — The textbook PDFs for every NCERT subject (free download). Read these chapter-by-chapter alongside the CBSE syllabus PDF.

Aggregator sites that rewrite the syllabus tend to be one cycle behind, miss the latest rationalisation notes, and often skip the “internal assessment” component. Always download the PDF from the official portal at the start of your academic year and print it. If the syllabus changes mid-year (it sometimes does), the board will publish a circular on the same page.

CBSE Class 10 Syllabus — All Subjects

Class 10 is a common syllabus across all students — there is no stream-split at this stage. Each subject is 80 marks theory + 20 marks internal assessment, with a 3-hour theory paper.

Subject	Indicative Units	Theory : Internal
English (Language & Literature)	Reading, Writing & Grammar, Literature (First Flight, Footprints Without Feet)	80 : 20
Hindi (Course A / Course B)	Apathit gadyansh, Vyakaran, Kshitij / Sparsh, Kritika / Sanchayan	80 : 20
Mathematics (Standard / Basic)	Number Systems, Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Trigonometry, Mensuration, Statistics & Probability	80 : 20
Science	Chemical Reactions, Acids/Bases/Salts, Metals & Non-Metals, Life Processes, Light, Electricity, Magnetism, Heredity, Our Environment	80 : 20
Social Science	History (India & Contemporary World-II), Geography, Political Science, Economics, Disaster Management	80 : 20
Third Language (Sanskrit / Foreign Language)	As per chosen subject	80 : 20
Skill Subjects (e.g. AI, IT, Banking)	50 marks theory + 50 marks practical	50 : 50

CBSE Class 12 — Science Stream

The science stream has the largest internal-assessment / practical component. Each subject below carries 70 marks theory + 30 marks practical for the lab subjects.

• Physics: Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetic Effects & Magnetism, EMI & AC, EM Waves, Optics, Dual Nature, Atoms & Nuclei, Electronic Devices. Practical: 30 marks (lab record, viva, two experiments).
• Chemistry: Solutions, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, d-/f-block, Coordination Compounds, Haloalkanes & Haloarenes, Alcohols/Phenols/Ethers, Aldehydes/Ketones/Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Biomolecules. Practical: 30 marks.
• Mathematics: Relations & Functions, Inverse Trigonometric Functions, Matrices & Determinants, Continuity & Differentiability, Applications of Derivatives, Integrals, Applications of Integrals, Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, 3-D Geometry, Linear Programming, Probability. Internal: 20 marks.
• Biology: Reproduction, Genetics & Evolution, Biology in Human Welfare, Biotechnology, Ecology. Practical: 30 marks.
• Computer Science / Informatics Practices: Python, SQL, Data Handling, Networks. Practical: 30 marks.
• Physical Education: Planning in Sports, Sports & Nutrition, Yoga, Training in Sports, Psychology & Sports, Physiology & Injuries, Biomechanics. Practical: 30 marks.

CBSE Class 12 — Commerce Stream

• Accountancy: Partnership Accounts (Fundamentals, Reconstitution, Dissolution), Company Accounts (Share & Debenture), Financial Statements Analysis, Cash Flow Statement, Computerised Accounting. 80 marks theory + 20 project.
• Business Studies: Principles & Functions of Management, Business Finance & Marketing, Consumer Protection. 80 + 20.
• Economics: Macroeconomics (National Income, Money & Banking, Income Determination, Government Budget, Balance of Payments) and Indian Economic Development. 80 + 20.
• Mathematics / Applied Mathematics: Applied Maths covers numbers/quantification, algebra, calculus, probability, inferential statistics, index numbers, financial mathematics, linear programming. 80 + 20.
• Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurial Opportunity & Enterprise Creation, Enterprise Planning, Resource Mobilisation, Marketing Mix. 70 marks theory + 30 project.

CBSE Class 12 — Humanities Stream

• History: Themes in Indian History Part-I, II, III (Bricks, Beads & Bones to Framing the Constitution). 80 marks theory + 20 project.
• Political Science: Contemporary World Politics + Politics in India Since Independence. 80 + 20.
• Geography: Fundamentals of Human Geography + India: People & Economy. Theory 70 + 30 practical (map work, statistical analysis).
• Economics: Same syllabus as Commerce-Economics.
• Psychology: Variations in Psychological Attributes, Self & Personality, Meeting Life's Challenges, Psychological Disorders, Therapeutic Approaches, Attitudes & Social Cognition, Social Influence & Group Processes. 70 + 30.
• Sociology: Indian Society + Social Change & Development in India. 80 + 20.
• Legal Studies / Fine Arts / Music / Home Science: Subject-specific theory + project / practical split (refer cbse.gov.in PDF).

CISCE — ICSE (Class 10) & ISC (Class 12)

The CISCE family runs ICSE at Class 10 and ISC at Class 12. The syllabus is broader and more application-focused than CBSE in many subjects, with stronger emphasis on project work and viva. A few structural differences worth knowing:

• Project component is heavier. Several ISC subjects carry a 20–30 mark project, internally assessed, with strict submission deadlines in November–December.
• English is mandatory and double-weighted. ICSE / ISC English carries Paper 1 (Language) + Paper 2 (Literature), each 80 marks, both compulsory.
• Subject combination flexibility. ISC permits more cross-stream combinations (e.g. Mathematics + Economics + Biology) than CBSE. Verify on cisce.org.
• Date sheet typically a week different from CBSE. CISCE 2027 expected to begin ~13 February for ISC and ~26 February for ICSE. Cross-check cisce.org in November 2026.

For the full subject-by-subject CISCE syllabus, including the project rubric and viva guidelines, download the “Regulations & Syllabuses” PDF for your year directly from cisce.org. The CISCE syllabus is published once and is stable through the cycle — check the publication date at the top of each PDF.

State Boards — What's Different

State boards (UP Board, Maharashtra HSC, Tamil Nadu HSC, Karnataka PUC, Bihar Board, AP & Telangana Boards, etc.) follow SCERT-based or state-textbook-based syllabi. Three patterns:

• Calendar differs. Some state boards run Feb–March, some March–April, some shift between Telugu / Hindi / Marathi / Tamil-medium days.
• Textbook differs. SCERT textbooks are primary; NCERT is parallel for science/math but not exclusive. Buy the prescribed list from a board-recognised retailer.
• Result calendar differs. Some boards publish results in late April, some in late June. Plan your post-result decisions around your board's date.

Always consult your state board's official portal — e.g. upmsp.edu.in (UP), mahahsscboard.in (Maharashtra), dge.tn.gov.in (Tamil Nadu), biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in (Bihar). Do not rely on aggregator sites for state-board syllabus.

Syllabus Changes & Rationalisation

Over the last three cycles, CBSE has progressively rationalised the Class 10 and Class 12 syllabi, removing duplicate or low-utility units. NCERT textbooks have been updated chapter-by-chapter in parallel. Two things to watch:

• NCERT new editions. If your school is using a textbook printed pre-2023, check NCERT's website for the latest edition — some chapters have been renumbered or merged.
• CBSE Sample Paper updates. The board publishes the year's sample paper around September. Practising on last year's sample paper for the current year's exam can leave 5–10 marks on the table if a unit was rationalised.

Treat the CBSE syllabus PDF and the latest NCERT textbook as a paired set, and re-download both at the start of each academic year.

Frequently Asked Questions