INTRODUCTION
The CBSE (Central Board 0f Secondary Education) conducts examinations at the end of Class X and Class XII. It is one of the most extensive school boards in the world and covers around 16,000 schools in India and a small number in another 23 countries.
What is CBSE’s Jurisdiction?
Apart from the major school examinations, the CBSE also conducts most of the major National Level Competitive Exams in the country, and the lists keeps on getting bigger and bigger – the latest entrant being the UGC NET exam which is also now conducted by CBSE.
How does CBSE compare with Other Boards?
The CBSE is considered to be tougher than state boards but is more student friendly and considered by many to be richer in educational content than state boards. CBSE is especially beneficial to those who wish to pursue higher education in some Nationalized Institutions rather than State Institutions. CBSE curriculum will definitely help you a lot if are planning to pursue your future studies from a centralized institution like an IIT or AIIMS. The preliminary exams for these institutions are organised by CBSE only and therefore you all can get an edge if you have done your primary and secondary education in CBSE board. (On advice whether to choose CBSe, or ICSE, or any other click here, or here .)
In this comprehensive article, we will provide you a one-stop information platform for all your Class XII and Class X exams. (We begin with Class XII. Scroll down for Class X information).
What are the Subjects Offered in the CBSE Class XII exams and which one you must choose!
In the CBSE curriculum there are five subjects that need to be opted for while pursuing a Science/Technology related courses. They are:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- A language course
- Dependent on the student’s interests
Choosing the five subjects in CBSE is predicated upon what the student wants out of his academic studies. Generally students preparing for entrance exams take up those subjects that that would either help them in cracking JEE Mains and JEE Advanced, AIPMT, AIIMS, etc., or those they can manage easily so that they will be able to focus all their energies on the Competitive exams.
For the year 2014, CBSE had offered 186 subjects that cover a wide range of topics from English to Geospatial Technology. But first, a word on the language course. Since nearly all the national colleges teach in English medium and the material taught for the courses there is very extensive, choosing English as your language course is preferable. But there are two types of courses in CBSE– Functional and Core. Functional English is less demanding. It has one book to prepare and the syllabus is simpler compared to Core English. In CBSE, Core English has two books – one for prose and poetry and one for non-detailed short stories. The syllabus is bigger but emphasis is given on grammar and reading comprehension which will be useful to have basic ideas of the type of questions asked in higher examinations like CAT, XAT, GRE and GMAT, exams which you will need to undergo if you want to pursue master’s studies in India or abroad.
How do I decide the fifth (optional) subject?
In CBSE, choosing the fifth subject is a question of the student’s own pursuits. If he/she wants to prepare for JEE Mains and JEE Advanced and in turn wants to pursue a career in engineering, and this might be of two aspects:
If the student wants to focus more on the entrance exam itself then the fifth subject is usually one with less syllabus load. Some students prefer picking up a foreign language to help them broaden their career options, or even for a richer learning experience.
What are the Career-oriented Optional Subjects for CBSE within Class XII Exams that I can take?
If the student is looking for career paths and hoping the fifth subject preps them for it, then these are the choices:
Computer Science: Nowadays, the IT industry is booming and various new startups as well as the established companies and firms look to hire people who are adept in the field of CSE. Though one might not get CSE as their major degree, working on CSE’s topics like Data Structures can land you jobs which pay well and these type of jobs are probably the most abundant now. CBSE 11th and 12th class Computer Science course preps you with the Fundamentals of Object Oriented Programming through C++ and SQL later which forms the basis of understanding CSE related topics like Data Structures and Database Management which have more job opportunities. If understood the topic well, it can be a bonus struck as a chord in your resume.
Biology: Choosing Bio should be a no-brainer if the student wants to prepare for medical entrance exams like NEET, AIIMS, AIPMT and the various state entrance exams. Some students take this in place of Chemistry/Mathematics and take a lighter subject for the 5th subject to relieve themselves off some pressure.
What is the CBSE Class XII Syllabus? (Phy/Bio/Math/Chem)
Updating of the CBSE Curriculum is a perpetual process, but as such CBSE brings out the revised curricula every year. CBSE is a recognized standard educational board of India that has a well-structured syllabus and a comprehensive question pattern. The subjects included in the CBSE syllabus are Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Computer Science, etc.
Read it well to build a roadmap for CBSE examination 2015-16. The weightage of each chapter is mentioned along for you to strategically build a plan best for your CBSE exam preparation as well as other competitive exams, in case you are appearing for any:
CBSE Syllabus for Class 12 (2015-16):
CBSE 12th Physics Syllabus:
| Unit | Chapter / Topic | Marks |
| I | Electrostatics | 8 |
| · Electric Charges and Fields | ||
| · Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance | ||
| II | Current Electricity | 7 |
| III | Magnetic effect of current & Magnetism | 8 |
| · Moving Charges and Magetism | ||
| · Magnetism and Matter | ||
| IV | Electromagnetic Induction & Alternating Current | 8 |
| · Electromagnetic Induction | ||
| · Alternating Current | ||
| V | Electromagnetic Waves | 3 |
| VI | Optics | 14 |
| · Wave Optics· Ray Optics | ||
| VII | Dual Nature of Matter | 4 |
| VIII | Atoms & Nuclei | 6 |
| · Atoms | ||
| · Nuclei | ||
| IX | Electronic Devices | 7 |
| · Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits | ||
| X | Communication Systems | 5 |
| 70 |
CBSE 12th Chemistry Syllabus:
| Unit | Title | Marks |
| I | Solid State | 4 |
| II | Solutions | 5 |
| III | Electrochemistry | 5 |
| IV | Chemical Kinetics | 5 |
| V | Surface Chemistry | 4 |
| VI | Isolation of Elements | 3 |
| VII | p-Block Elements | 8 |
| VIII | d- and f-Block Elements | 5 |
| IX | Coordination Compounds | 3 |
| X | Haloalkanes and Haloarenes | 4 |
| XI | Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers | 4 |
| XII | Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids | 6 |
| XIII | Organic Compounds containing Nitrogen | 4 |
| XIV | Biomolecules | 4 |
| XV | Polymers | 3 |
| XVI | Chemistry in Everyday Life | 3 |
| 70 |
CBSE 12th Biology Syllabus:
| Unit | Title | Marks |
| 1 | Reproduction | 17 |
| · Reproduction in Organisms | ||
| · Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants | ||
| · Human Reproduction | ||
| · Reproductive Health | ||
| 2 | Genetics and evolution | 18 |
| · Principles of Inheritance and Variation | ||
| · Molecular Basis of Inheritance | ||
| · Evolution | ||
| 3 | Biology and human welfare | 14 |
| · Human Health and Diseases | ||
| · Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production | ||
| · Microbes in Human Welfare | ||
| 4 | Biotechnology and its applications | 10 |
| · Biotechnology – Principles and Processes | ||
| · Biotechnology and its Application | ||
| 5 | Ecology and environment | 14 |
| · Organisms and Populations | ||
| · Ecosystem | ||
| · Biodiversity and its Conservation | ||
| · Environmental Issues | ||
| 70 |
CBSE 12th Maths Syllabus:
| No. | Units | Marks |
| I | Sets and Functions | 29 |
| II | Algebra | 37 |
| III | Coordinate Geometry | 13 |
| IV | Calculus | 6 |
| V | Mathematical Reasoning | 3 |
| VI | Statistics and Probability | 12 |
For detailed information about each subject of each faculty offered in CBSE Syllabus for Class 12, click here. (source-CBSE official website).
What books should I refer to for studying?
- For English, NCERT books should suffice.
- For Physics, HC Verma is really helpful. It contains the optimum content required for boards and competitive exams.
- For Chemistry, Pradeep’s Chemistry is really helpful. You can use O.P. Tandon as a good reference too.
- For Mathematics, RS Aggarwal & ML Khanna are great. RD Sharma (strongly recommended for commerce students) also has a great collection of problems.
- For Biology, you can look up S. Chand by BP Pandey. ‘Pradeep – A textbook for biology’ is really helpful for ready reference too.
What colleges do I get through after completing my boards?
Depending upon the streams you’ve chosen, you can enter undergraduate studies in any of them – be it science, arts, or commerce. Yet most science students choose to sit for competitive exams after 12th. In fact, even commerce and arts students write competitive exams in law, management, etc. For a useful guide about choosing a major, see this comprehensive article.
Quick Links
Why is it important to go through sample papers ?
How to crack Physics in CBSE Boards?
How to crack Mathematics in CBSE Boards?
For a quick guide at how to score above 90% in Board Exams? Click here.
Here’s some advice for studying in the last two months.
The following is the Class X CBSE syllabus.
CBSE Class 10th Syllabus:
SCIENCE :
| FiTerm Units | Marks | |
| I | Chemical Substances – Nature and Behavior | 33 |
| II | World of Living | 21 |
| III | Effects of Current | 29 |
| IV | Natural Resources | 7 |
| Total | 90 | |
| I | Chemical Substances – Nature and Behaviour | 23 |
| II | World of Living | 30 |
| III | Natural Phenomena | 29 |
| IV | Natural Resources | 8 |
| Total | 90 |
Practise Physics, Chemistry and Biology on your own platform!
MATHEMATICS :
| Term 1 – Units | Marks | |
| I | Number Systems | 11 |
| II | Algebra | 23 |
| III | Geometry | 17 |
| IV | Trigonometry | 22 |
| V | Statistics | 17 |
| Term II- Units | ||
| I | Algebra (Contd) | 23 |
| II | Geometry (Contd) | 17 |
| III | Trigonometry(Contd) | 8 |
| IV | Probability | 8 |
| V | Coordinate Geometry | 11 |
| VI | Mensuration | 23 |
Practise Mathematics on your own platform!
SOCIAL SCIENCE :
| Unit | Topic | Term I | Term II |
| I | India and the Contemporary World | 23 | 23 |
| II | Contemporary India | 23 | 23 |
| III | Democratic Politics | 22 | 22 |
| IV | Understanding Economic Development | 22 | 22 |
| V | Disaster Management | – | – |
| Total | 90 | 90 |
ENGLISH LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE :
| Summative Assessment I and II | ||
| Section | Topic | Marks |
| A | Reading Skills | 20 |
| B | Writing Skills with Grammar | 25 |
| C | Literature Textbook and Extended Reading | 25 |
| D | Assessment of Speaking and Listening (ASL) | 20 |
| Total | 90 |
Grammar syllabus –
- Tenses
- Modals (have to/had to, must, should, need, ought to and their negative forms)
- Use of passive voice
- Subject – verb concord
- Reporting (i) Commands and requests (ii) Statements (iii) Questions
- Clauses: (i) Noun clauses (ii) Adverb clauses of condition and time (iii) Relative clauses
- Determiners
- Prepositions
- Articles
- Conjunctions
Literature Textbook And Long Reading Text –
- Prose/Poetry/Drama – Prescribed Book
- First Flight
- Footprints Without Feet
- Diary of a Young Girl – 1947 By Anne Frank (unabridged text)
- The Story of My Life – 1903 By Helen Keller (unabrudged text)
The other courses of studies offered in CBSE class 10th syllabus are Hindi course A and B, English – Communicative, Subjects of Internal Assessment, Pre-Vocational Education, Work Education, Art Education, Physical Education, National Cadet Corps, Annual Training Camp: Junior and Senior Division.
For a more detailed look at all the courses and their respective syllabi, visit the official CBSE website.
Some advice regarding Sample Papers, here.
As for books, the following have consistently been recommended by high-scorers
For Mathematics:
1) R.D Sharma
2) NCERT Mathematics Textbook
3) ALGEBRA- IIT Foundation and Mathematical Olympiads by S.R.Santhanam
And for Science:
1) NCERT
2) S. Chand’s
3) Manjit Kaur and Lakhmir Singh’s Reference.
