Class 8 Syllabus 2026-27: NCERT Chapter List Guide
The Class 8 syllabus for 2026-27 follows the new NCERT textbooks written under the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. NCERT does not publish a separate Class 8 syllabus document with marks for each chapter; the textbook itself is the syllabus, and your school decides which chapters fall in which term. CBSE schools use these books, and many state boards use them directly or in translation.
This page lists every chapter of the main Class 8 books as shown in the NCERT 2026-27 reprints, tells you which chapters to start with, and adds the syllabus for the NMMS scholarship test, which draws on both Class 7 and Class 8. If your school uses a state board book, use this list as a cross-check and follow your own textbook.
Class 8 Syllabus
Subject | Book | Chapters or units | Main areas |
|---|---|---|---|
Mathematics | Ganita Prakash Part I and Part II | 7 plus 7 chapters | Numbers, algebra, geometry, proportion, data, area |
Science | Curiosity | 13 chapters | Biology, physics, chemistry, Earth and space |
Social Science | Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part I and Part II | 7 plus 8 chapters | Geography, history, culture, governance, economics |
English | Poorvi | 5 units | Prose, poetry, grammar in context, writing |
Hindi and Sanskrit | Malhar, Deepakam | As per book | Reading, grammar, writing |
Arts, PE, Vocational | Kriti, Khel Yatra, Kaushal Bodh | As per book | Mostly practical and project-based |
Key Changes to Know
All main books are new: Honeydew, It So Happened, Vasant, the older Mathematics and Science books, and the separate History, Geography and Civics books are no longer the NCERT Class 8 set.
Social Science is one integrated book: History, geography, political science and economics now sit together under themes, split across Part I and Part II.
Mathematics is in two parts: Topics such as the Pythagoras theorem, area and data now appear in Part II, so check which part your school is teaching for each term.
Old chapter names on other sites: Pages that list "Crop Production and Management", "Linear Equations in One Variable" or "Resources" as Class 8 chapters describe the old books. Follow the 2026-27 reprint.
Class 8 Mathematics Syllabus: Ganita Prakash
Part I
Chapter | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
1. A Square and A Cube | Square numbers, square roots, cube numbers, cube roots, patterns | Perfect squares up to 30 squared |
2. Power Play | Exponents, laws of exponents, writing very large numbers | The product and quotient laws |
3. A Story of Numbers | How number systems developed, place value, other number systems | Place value ideas |
4. Quadrilaterals | Types of quadrilaterals, properties of sides, angles and diagonals | Properties of a parallelogram |
5. Number Play | Properties of numbers, divisibility, reasoning with numbers | Divisibility rules |
6. We Distribute, Yet Things Multiply | Algebra, the distributive law, expanding and simplifying expressions | Distributive law with numbers first |
7. Proportional Reasoning-1 | Ratio, proportion, comparing quantities in daily life | Unitary method |
Part II
Chapter | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
1. Fractions in Disguise | Fractions, decimals and percentages, conversions and uses | Fraction to percentage conversions |
2. The Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem | Right triangles, the theorem and its uses, triples | Known triples such as 3, 4, 5 |
3. Proportional Reasoning-2 | Direct and inverse proportion, applications | Speed, time and work examples |
4. Exploring Some Geometric Themes | Geometric patterns, constructions, visual reasoning | Activities in the chapter |
5. Tales by Dots and Lines | Data handling, graphs and reading information from them | Reading bar and line graphs |
6. Algebra Play | Algebraic thinking through puzzles and patterns | Number tricks explained with algebra |
7. Area | Areas of plane figures, composite shapes | Area of triangles and parallelograms |
The topic columns are a working summary based on the chapter titles and the book's own introduction, not an official NCERT topic list. Ganita Prakash asks you to explain your reasoning, so practise writing steps, not just answers.
Class 8 Science Syllabus: Curiosity
Chapter | Area | Start with |
|---|---|---|
1. Exploring the Investigative World of Science | Scientific method | Steps of an investigation |
2. The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye | Cells and microorganisms | Useful and harmful microbes |
3. Health: The Ultimate Treasure | Diseases, prevention, immunity | Communicable diseases and vaccines |
4. Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects | Physics | Circuit diagrams |
5. Exploring Forces | Physics | Contact and non-contact forces |
6. Pressure, Winds, Storms, and Cyclones | Physics and weather | Pressure in liquids and air |
7. Particulate Nature of Matter | Chemistry | States of matter and particle spacing |
8. Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures | Chemistry | Difference between a compound and a mixture |
9. The Amazing World of Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions | Chemistry | Saturated solutions and solubility |
10. Light: Mirrors and Lenses | Physics | Ray diagrams for plane and spherical mirrors |
11. Keeping Time with the Skies | Astronomy | Phases of the Moon and calendars |
12. How Nature Works in Harmony | Ecology | Food chains and interdependence |
13. Our Home: Earth, a Unique Life Sustaining Planet | Earth science | Why Earth supports life |
Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 10 carry most of the numericals and diagrams, so they need steady practice. Chapters 2, 3 and 8 are high-scoring if you learn the definitions and examples well.
Class 8 Social Science Syllabus: Exploring Society
Part and chapter | Theme | Focus |
|---|---|---|
Part I, Ch 1: Natural Resources and Their Use | Land and the People | Types of resources, conservation |
Part I, Ch 2: Reshaping India's Political Map | Tapestry of the Past | Political changes in medieval India |
Part I, Ch 3: The Rise of the Marathas | Tapestry of the Past | Maratha power and administration |
Part I, Ch 4: The Colonial Era in India | Tapestry of the Past | Company rule and its effects |
Part I, Ch 5: Universal Franchise and India's Electoral System | Governance and Democracy | Voting rights, elections |
Part I, Ch 6: The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive | Governance and Democracy | Parliament, ministers, law-making |
Part I, Ch 7: Factors of Production | Economic Life Around Us | Land, labour, capital, enterprise |
Part II, Ch 1: World Geography: Some Glimpses | Land and the People | Continents, regions, climate |
Part II, Ch 2: India's Long Road to Independence | Tapestry of the Past | Freedom struggle |
Part II, Ch 3: A Journey Through Indian Architecture | Cultural Heritage | Temple, fort and other styles |
Part II, Ch 4: The Role of the Judiciary in Our Society | Governance and Democracy | Courts and justice |
Part II, Ch 5: Citizenship: Rights and Duties | Governance and Democracy | Fundamental rights and duties |
Part II, Ch 6: Dynamics of Population | Economic Life Around Us | Population growth and distribution |
Part II, Ch 7: India's Urban Landscape | Economic Life Around Us | Cities and urban change |
Part II, Ch 8: Cultural Currents: 13th to 17th Centuries | Cultural Heritage | Culture, religion and art of the period |
Theme labels follow the NCERT contents pages; Chapter 8 of Part II sits at the end of the book but belongs to the cultural heritage theme. Part II was revised in 2026 and its chapter on the judiciary was rewritten, so make sure you use the current reprint. History chapters are long, so make a dated timeline as you go and practise map work for the geography chapters.
Class 8 English Syllabus: Poorvi
Unit 1, Wit and Wisdom: The Wit that Won Hearts; A Concrete Example; Wisdom Paves the Way.
Unit 2, Values and Dispositions: A Tale of Valour: Major Somnath Sharma and the Battle of Badgam; Somebody's Mother; Verghese Kurien, I Too Had A Dream.
Unit 3, Mystery and Magic: The Case of the Fifth Word; The Magic Brush of Dreams; Spectacular Wonders.
Unit 4, Environment: The Cherry Tree; Harvest Hymn; Waiting for the Rain.
Unit 5, Science and Curiosity: Feathered Friend; Magnifying Glass; Bibha Chowdhuri: The Beam of Light that Lit the Path for Women in Indian Science.
Grammar is taught inside each lesson rather than in a separate book, so do the exercises at the end of every lesson. Most schools also set an unseen passage and a writing task such as a letter, notice or paragraph.
Hindi, Sanskrit and Other Subjects
Hindi uses Malhar and Sanskrit uses Deepakam. Schools usually test lessons from the book along with grammar (vyakaran) and a writing task. Arts (Kriti), Physical Education and Well-being (Khel Yatra) and Vocational Education (Kaushal Bodh) are mostly assessed through activities, projects and practical work, not long written papers.
NMMS Syllabus for Class 8 Students
The NMMS selection test has no fixed national topic list. The Mental Ability Test checks reasoning, and the Scholastic Aptitude Test follows the Science, Social Science and Mathematics taught in Classes 7 and 8 in your state.
Test | Topics to cover | Start with |
|---|---|---|
MAT | Analogy, classification, number and letter series, coding-decoding, pattern perception, hidden figures, direction sense, blood relations | Series and analogies |
SAT Science | Class 7 and 8 physics, chemistry and biology | Class 8 Curiosity chapters plus Class 7 basics |
SAT Social Science | Class 7 and 8 history, geography, civics and economics | Facts, dates and maps |
SAT Mathematics | Class 7 and 8 arithmetic, algebra, geometry and mensuration | Percentages, exponents, squares and area |
Read the NMMS notification of your state for any state-specific topic list.
Overlap Between the School Exam and NMMS
Area | School annual exam | NMMS | How to plan |
|---|---|---|---|
Class 8 Science and Mathematics | Full chapters, written answers | Objective questions in the SAT | Study once for depth, then practise MCQs on the same chapters |
Class 8 Social Science | Long and short answers, maps | Fact-based MCQs | Keep a list of dates, terms and places from each chapter |
Class 7 content | Not tested | Part of the SAT | Revise Class 7 books from October |
Reasoning | Not tested | Whole MAT paper | Daily short practice from August |
How to Cover the Class 8 Syllabus
April to June: Finish the first chapters of Mathematics and Science as they are taught, with a summary page for each.
July to September: Complete Part I material before the half-yearly exam. Begin 20 minutes of daily reasoning if you plan to sit NMMS.
October to December: Move to Part II books, and revise Class 7 Science, Social Science and Mathematics for the NMMS SAT.
January to March: Revise all chapters in two rounds and take full-length practice papers before the annual exam.
For official book files, use the NCERT textbook portal.
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