ISC Class 12 Syllabus

The ISC Class 12 syllabus is prescribed subject by subject by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). Every subject has a theory syllabus, and most also have a practical, project or internal assessment component. Knowing exactly what is in each unit, and how many marks sit in theory and in internal work, lets you plan study time sensibly instead of reading everything with equal weight.

Please note (as on 1 October 2026): CISCE publishes the official subject syllabi on cisce.org. Unit lists can be revised between exam years, and the 2027 timetable has not been published yet. Use this page to understand the structure and core areas, and confirm the final unit list and marks for your subject on the official site or with your school.

ISC Class 12 Syllabus: How It Is Organised

Each ISC subject syllabus has three parts: the theory units that appear in the 3-hour paper, the internal component (practical work, project or assignments), and the scheme of marks. English is compulsory and has two papers, Language and Literature. You then add four or five electives from the list your school offers, up to six subjects in all.

The split can differ for some subjects, so treat the table as a guide. The exact allocation is printed in each subject syllabus on cisce.org.

Physics Syllabus

Physics is a concept-heavy subject where numerical practice and clear derivations earn most marks. The theory paper covers these core areas:

• Electrostatics: Coulomb's law, electric field and potential, Gauss's theorem, capacitors and dielectrics.

• Current electricity: Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws, Wheatstone bridge, potentiometer, meter bridge and cells.

• Magnetism and magnetic effects of current: Biot-Savart law, Ampere's law, moving coil galvanometer, magnetic properties of materials.

• Electromagnetic induction and alternating current: Faraday's and Lenz's laws, LCR circuits, resonance, transformers.

• Optics: Ray optics, optical instruments, wave optics, interference, diffraction and polarisation.

• Modern physics: Dual nature of matter and radiation, atoms, nuclei and radioactivity.

• Electronics: Semiconductors, diodes, transistors and basic logic gates.

The practical syllabus lists experiments such as the meter bridge, potentiometer and focal length determination, plus a project and a practical file. Unit-wise marks are given in the official syllabus, so check them there before you decide how much time each unit needs.

Chemistry Syllabus

Chemistry is usually studied as physical, inorganic and organic parts, and each part rewards a different style of study.

Some units, such as the solid state, have moved in and out of the syllabus in different years, which is a good reason to rely on the current official document. Practical work covers volumetric analysis, salt analysis and organic tests.

Mathematics Syllabus

Mathematics is split into topic groups, and calculus carries a large share of the paper. The main areas are:

• Relations and functions: Types of relations and functions, inverse trigonometric functions.

• Algebra: Matrices and determinants, with applications to solving linear equations.

• Calculus: Continuity and differentiability, applications of derivatives, integrals, applications of integrals and differential equations.

• Vectors and three-dimensional geometry: Vector products, lines and planes in space.

• Probability: Conditional probability, Bayes' theorem and probability distributions.

• Linear programming: Formulation and graphical solution, where included in the current syllabus.

Mathematics has 80 marks of theory and 20 internal marks. Because steps earn marks, write full working and not just the final answer.

Biology Syllabus

The Class 12 Biology syllabus is built around a small number of large units. Expect labelled diagrams, process descriptions and application-based questions.

• Reproduction: Reproduction in plants and humans, reproductive health.

• Genetics and evolution: Inheritance, molecular basis of inheritance, evolution.

• Biology and human welfare: Health and disease, immunity, microbes in human welfare.

• Biotechnology and its applications: Genetic engineering tools and processes, and real-world uses.

• Ecology and environment: Ecosystems, biodiversity and conservation.

The 30 internal marks cover practical work, a project and a file, so keep records of every experiment and a specimen or slide notebook up to date.

English Syllabus: Language and Literature

English is compulsory for every ISC candidate and has two separate papers.

The prescribed literature texts can change, so read the list for your exam year on cisce.org. For the language paper, regular timed writing gives more improvement than reading rules. For the literature paper, read each text twice, keep short notes on characters, themes and key quotations, and practise answering in the exam time limit.

Commerce Group Syllabus

Commerce subjects share a theme of financial and business decision-making, though each has its own units.

• Accounts: Accounting for partnership firms, company accounts, analysis of financial statements and cash flow statements.

• Economics: Microeconomics and macroeconomics, with Indian economic development in the units prescribed for the year.

• Business Studies: Principles of management, business environment, financial management, marketing and consumer protection.

• Commerce: Business and management topics as listed in the council syllabus.

For Accounts and Economics, practise problems regularly, because speed and presentation matter as much as theory.

Humanities and Other Subjects

For Computer Science, the prescribed programming language has changed over the years and sources disagree, so read the language named in the current official document before you start practising.

Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW)

SUPW is not a theory subject, but it matters. A pass grade in SUPW is required for the pass certificate along with a pass in English and the other subjects. Grades are given from A to D as a pass and E as a fail, so complete the work your school assigns in time.

How to Use the ISC Class 12 Syllabus for Preparation

1. Download the current syllabus for each subject. Compare it with the textbook your school uses and mark what has been added or removed.

2. Rate each unit. Tag units as strong, average or weak, and begin revision with the weak ones that carry good marks.

3. Give theory and internal marks their due. A strong practical file can add 20 to 30 marks per subject, which is far easier to earn than the last few theory marks.

4. Revise in layers. First read, then solve unit-wise questions, then take full papers under a 3-hour timer.

5. Review mistakes by type. Separate concept gaps, calculation slips and time problems, and fix them one at a time.

You can turn the unit list into a test calendar, one test per unit followed by full papers, and share it with your batch.

Always cross-check unit lists and marks with the official CISCE website before you finalise your plan.