CBSE Class 12 History Syllabus for academic session 2026-27
This page contains the CBSE Class 12 History syllabus for the academic session 2026-27, as prescribed by CBSE curriculum.
RATIONALE
The History curriculum introduces the students to a set of important historical events and processes through a focus on a series of historical issues, debates and through various sources. Discussion of these themes would allow students not only to know about the events and processes, but also to discover the excitement of reading history. However, practical way of assessing whether the learning objectives have been actualised or not, can be ensure d by the way of having stated outcomes. These outcomes have been enumerated against the learning objectives so that the concerned teachers and their students can adopt different kinds of constructive strategies and competency-based assessment techniques. It is also to be understood that the learning objectives and their outcomes are essentially linked and complementary to each other.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
History gives us the tools to analyse and explain problems in the past, it helps us to see the patterns that might otherwise be not known in the present. It provides a crucial perspective for understanding and solving the current and future problems.
Studying the diversity of human experience helps us appreciate cultures, ideas, and traditions and to recognise them as meaningful outcomes of specific times and places. History helps us realise how different is our life from that of our ancestors, yet how similar we are in our goals and values. With lessons from the past, we not only learn about ourselves and how we came to be, but also develop the ability to avoid mistakes and create better paths for our societies.
The subject emphasises that history is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of knowing about the past, rather than just a collection of facts. The syllabus would help them to understand the process through which historians write history, by choosing and assembling different types of evidence, and by reading their sources critically. They will appreciate how historians follow the trails that lead to the past, and how historical knowledge develops.
The syllabus would also enable students to store/relate/compare developments in different situations, analyse connections between similar processes located in different time periods, and discover the relationship between different methods of enquiry within history and the allied disciplines.
Marking Scheme – Theory
S.No.
Part
Marks
1
Themes in India History Part-I
25
2
Themes in India History Part-I
25
3
Themes in India History Part-I
25
4
Map
05
Total
80
Note-The Maps available in the website of Survey of India may be used.(https://surveyofindia.gov.in/)
Themes in Indian History
Part-I
25 Marks
Sr No.
Theme Title
Marks
1
Bricks, Beads and Bones
The Harappa Civilisation
25
2
Kings, Farmers and Towns
Early States and Economies (c.600 BCE 600 CE)
3
Kingship, Caste and class
Early Societies (c. 600 BCE600 CE)
4
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings
Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE 600 CE)
Themes in Indian History
Part-II
25 Marks
5
Through the eyes of Travellers
Perceptions of Society (c. tenth to seventeenth centuries)
6
Bhakti-Sufi Traditions
Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts (c. eighth to eighteenth centuries)
25
7
7 An Imperial Capital – Vijayanagar (c. fourteenth to sixteenth centuries)
8
Peasants, zamindars and the States Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire (c. sixteenth-seventeenth centuries)
Themes in Indian History
Part-III
25 Marks
09
Colonialism and The Countryside
Exploring Official Archives
25
10
Rebels and Raj
1857 Revolt and its Representations
11
Mahatma Gandhi and the National Movement
Civil Disobedience and Beyond
12
Framing of the Constitution
The Beginning of a New Era
Including Map work of the related Themes
05
Theory Total
80
Project Work
20
TOTAL
100
Note-The Maps available in the official website of Govt., of India may be used
Syllabus – COURSE CONTENT
Themes in Indian History Part-I
Theme
No.
No.
Title
Learning outcome with specific competencies
1
BRICKS, BREADS AND BONES The Harappan Civilisation
•
Investigate, explore and interpret the early urban centres and social institutions.
•
State and deduce the multi-lateral aspects of Harappan civilisation to understand the first civilization of the world.
•
Investigate and interpret historical and contemporary sources and viewpoints of ASI and historians on Harappa.
2
KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS Early States and Economies (c.600 BCE 600 CE)
•
Critically evaluate and interpret major trends in the political and economic history of the subcontinent.
•
Decode inscriptional evidence.
•
Analyse inscriptional evidences and the ways in which these have shaped the understanding of political and economic processes.
3
KINSHIP, CASTE AND CLASS Early Societies (c. 600 BCE 600 CE
•
Examine, analyse the issues of social history.
•
Analyse social norms in order to understand the perspectives of society given in the scriptures of ancient India.
•
Examine the varied dimensions explored by historians in order to understand dynamic approach of Mahabharata.
4
THINKERS, BELIEFS AND BUILDINGS Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE 600 CE)
•
Infer and compare the major religious developments in early India.
•
Elucidate the rich religious sculpture and infer the stories hidden in it.
•
Create a picture album of the Buddhist Sculpture.
Themes in Indian History Part—II
Theme
No.
No.
Title
Learning outcome with specific competencies
5
THROUGH THE EYES OF TRAVELLERS Perceptions of Society (c. tenth to seventeenth centuries)
•
Understand salient features of social histories described by the travellers and apply the learning in real life.
•
Elucidating the accounts of foreign travellers in order to understand the social political and economic life during the tenure of different rulers in the medieval period.
6
BHAKTI –SUFI TRADITIONS Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts (c. eighth to eighteenth centuries)
•
Understand the religious developments.
•
Summarise the philosophies of different Bhakti and Sufi saints to understand the religious developments during medieval period.
•
Comprehend the religious movement in order to establish unity, peace harmony and brotherhood in society.
7
AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL: VIJAYANAGARA (c. fourteenth to sixteenth centuries)
•
Students will be able to Classify the distinctive architectural contributions of the Vijayanagar empire to comprehend the richness of mingled cultures of deccan India.
•
Analyse accounts of foreign traveller’s on Vijayanagar in order to interpret political, social and cultural life of the city.
•
Assess and appreciate the city planning, water management system, administration of the rulers.
8
PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire (c. sixteenth seventeenth centuries)
•
Comprehend the facets of agrarian developments in order to understand the relationship between the state and the agriculture during Mughal period.
•
Compare and contrast the agrarian changes occurred during sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
•
Make a table and bring out the differences in the agrarian sector.
Themes in Indian History Part-III
Theme
No.
No.
Title
Learning outcomes with specific competencies
9
COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE Exploring Official Archives
•
Evaluate the revenue systems introduced by the British to understand the economic aspects of colonization in India.
•
Analyse the colonial official records& reports to understand the divergent interest of British and Indians.
•
Find solution to be taken to protect the peasants and artisans in this century.
10
REBELS AND THE RAJ 1857 Revolt and its Representations
•
Examine the events of 1857.
•
Correlate the Planning and coordination of the rebels of 1857 to infer its domains and nature.
•
Examine the momentum of the revolt to understand its spread.
•
Analyse how revolt created vision of unity amongst Indians.
•
Interpret visual images to understand the emotions portrayed by the nationalist and British.
11
MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT Civil Disobedience and Beyond
•
Understand the nationalist movement in chronological order.
•
Correlate the significant elements of the nationalist movement and the nature of ideas, individuals, and institutions under the Gandhian leadership.
•
Debate on the significant contributions of Gandhi to understand his mass appeal for nationalism.
•
Explore the ways of interpreting historical source such as newspapers, biographies and autobiographies diaries, letters
12
FRAMING THE CONSTITUTION The Beginning of a New Era
•
Highlight the role of Constituent Assembly to understand functionaries in framing the constitution of India.
•
Analyse how debates and discussions around important issues in the Constituent Assembly shaped our Constitution
Note: This is not an exhaustive list. For reflective teaching- learning process, explicit Learning Objectives and Outcomes can be added by teachers during the course-delivery for student’s real learning.
S.No
Page No.
Part-I Maps
1
2
Mature Harappan sites: Harappa, Banawali, Kalibangan, Balakot, Rakhigarhi, Dholavira, Nageshwar, Lothal, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Kot Diji.
2
3
Mahajanapada and cities: Vajji, Magadha, Kosala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, Avanti, Rajgir, Ujjain, Taxila, Varanasi.
3
33
Distribution of Ashokan inscriptions:
•
Pillar inscriptions – Sanchi, Topra, Meerut Pillar and Kaushambi.
•
Kingdom of Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas.
4
43
Important kingdoms and towns:
•
Kushanas, Shakas, Satavahanas, Vakatakas, Guptas
•
Cities/towns: Mathura, Kanauj, Puhar, Braghukachchha, Shravasti, Rajgir, Vaishali, Varanasi, Vidisha
5
95
Major Buddhist Sites: Nagarjunakonda, Sanchi, Amaravati, Lumbini, Bharhut, Bodh Gaya, Ajanta
S.No.
Page No.
Part-II Maps
6
174
Bidar, Golconda, Bijapur, Vijayanagar, Chandragiri, Kanchipuram, Mysore, Thanjavur, Kolar, Tirunelveli
7
214
Territories under Babur, Akbar and Aurangzeb:
•
Delhi, Agra, Panipat, Amber, Ajmer, Lahore, Goa.
S.No.
Page No.
Part-III Maps
8
287
Territories/cities under British Control in 1857: Punjab, Sindh, Bombay, Madras Berar, Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Surat, Calcutta, Patna, Allahabad
9
260
Main centres of the Revolt of 1857: Delhi, Meerut, Jhansi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Azamgarh, Calcutta, Benaras, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Agra, Awadh
10
Important centres of the National Movement: Champaran, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Benaras, Amritsar, Chauri Chaura, Lahore, Bardoli, Dandi, Bombay (Quit India Resolution), Karachi
Note-The Maps available in the official website of Govt., of India may be used.
Question Paper Design
Book
MCQ
SA
LA
Source Based
Map
Total
No of questions
MM
No of questions
MM
No of questions
MM
No of questions
MM
Theory
internal
Part I
7
1
2
3
1
8
1
4
25
Part II
7
1
2
3
1
8
1
4
25
Part III
7
1
2
3
1
8
1
4
25
Map
05
05
Project
80
20
Total
7×3=21
6×3=18
3×8=24
3×4=12
1×5=5
100 Marks
WEIGHTAGE BASED ON COMPETENCIES
Competencies
Marks
%
Knowledge Remembering previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts, and answers.
21
26.25
Understanding demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas.
18
22.50
Applying and Analyzing: applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules and solving the problems.
24
30
Formulating, Evaluating and Creating skills: Examining, making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations; Presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information and piling information
12
15
Map skills
05
6.25
Note-The Maps available in the official website of Govt., of India may be used
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
PROJECT WORK
MM-20
INTRODUCTION
History is one of the most important disciplines in school education. It is the study of the past, which helps us to understand our present and shape our future. It promotes the acquisition and understanding of historical knowledge in breath and in depth across cultures.
The course of history in senior secondary classes is to enable students to know that history is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of knowing about the past rather than just a collection of facts.
The syllabus helps them to understand the process, through which a historian collects, chooses, scrutinizes and assembles different types of evidence to write history.
The syllabus in class-XI is organised around some major themes in world history. In class XII the focus shifts to a detailed study of some themes in ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history.
CBSE has decided to introduce project work in history for classes XI and XII in 2013-14 as a part of regular studies in classroom, as project work gives students an opportunity to develop higher cognitive skills. It takes students to a life beyond text books and provides them a platform to refer materials, gather information, analyse it further to obtain relevant information and decide what matter to keep and hence understand how history is constructed.
OBJECTIVES
Project work will help students:
•
To develop skill to gather data from a variety of sources, investigate diverse viewpoints and arrive at logical deductions.
•
To develop skill to comprehend, analyse, interpret, evaluate historical evidence, and understand the limitation of historical evidence.
•
To develop 21st century managerial skills of co-ordination, self-direction, and time management.
•
To learn to work on diverse cultures, races, religions, and lifestyles.
•
To learn through constructivism-a theory based on observation and scientific study.
•
To inculcate a spirit of inquiry and research.
•
To communicate data in the most appropriate form using a variety of techniques.
•
To provide greater opportunity for interaction and exploration.
•
To understand contemporary issues in context to our past.
•
To develop a global perspective and an international outlook.
•
To grow into caring, sensitive individuals capable of making informed, intelligent, and independent choices.
•
To develop lasting interest in history discipline.
GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS
•
This section provides some basic guidelines for the teachers to take up projects in History. It is very necessary to interact, support, guide, facilitate and encourage students while assigning projects to them.
•
The teachers must ensure that the project work assigned to the students individually/ In-groups and discussed at different stages right from assigning topic, draft review to finalization
•
Students should be facilitated in terms of providing relevant materials, suggesting websites, obtaining of required permission for archives, historical sites, etc.
•
The Project Work should be suitably spaced from April to November in classes XI and XII so that students can prepare for Final Examination.
•
The teachers must ensure that the students submit original work.
•
Project report should be Handwritten only. (Eco-friendly materials can be used by students)
The following steps are suggested:
1.
Teacher should design and prepare a list of 15-20 projects and should give an option to a student to choose a project as per his/ her interest.
2.
The project must be done individually/ In-groups.
3.
The topic should be assigned after discussion with the students in the class to avoid repetition and should then be discussed at every stage of submission of the draft/final project work.
4.
The teacher should play the role of a facilitator and should closely supervise the process of project completion, and should guide the children by providing necessary inputs, resources etc. to enrich the subject content.
5.
The Project Work needs to enhance cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains in the learners. It will include self-assessment and peer assessment, and progress of the child in project-based and inquiry-based learning. Art integrated Activities, experiments, models, quizzes, role plays, group work, portfolios, etc., along with teacher assessment. (NEP-2020) The Project work can culminate in the form of Power Point Presentation/ Exhibition/ Skit/albums/files/song and dance or culture show /story telling/debate/panel discussion, paper presentation and whichever is suitable to visually impaired candidates.
6.
Students can use primary sources available in city archives, Primary sources can also include newspaper cuttings, photographs, film footage and recorded written/speeches. Secondary sources may also be used after proper authentication.
7.
Evaluation will be done by external examiner appointed by the Board in class XII and internal in class XI.
Note: The project reports are to be preserved by the school till the final results are declared, for scrutiny by CBSE.
A FEW SUGGESTIVE TOPICS FOR CLASS XII PROJECTS
1.
The Indus Valley Civilization-Archaeological Excavations and New Perspectives
2.
The History and Legacy of Mauryan Empire
3.
“Mahabharat”- The Great Epic of India
4.
The History and Culture of the Vedic period
5.
Buddha Charita
6.
A Comprehensive History of Jainism
7.
Bhakti Movement- Multiple Interpretations and Commentaries.
8.
The Mystical Dimensions of Sufism
9.
Global Legacy of Gandhian Ideas
10.
The Architectural Culture of the Vijayanagar Empire
11.
Life of Women in the Mughal Rural Society
12.
Comparative Analysis of the Land Revenue Systems Introduced by the Britishers in India
13.
The Revolt of 1857- Causes; Planning & Coordination; Leadership, Vision of Unity
14.
The Philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev
15.
The Vision of Kabir
16.
An Insight into the Indian Constitution
17.
Comparative Study of Stupas and Pillar Edicts
18.
Comparative Study of Mughal and Vijayanagar Architecture
(Projects are an imperative component in enhancing students learning with the related themes. In the research project, students can go beyond the textbook and explore the world of knowledge. They can conceptualise under the embedded themes. Forms of rubrics are a significant aspect and to be discussed in the classroom itself for clear understanding of concept & for assessment.
Note: Please refer Circular No. Acad.16/2013 dated 17.04.2013 for complete guidelines.
Kindly refer to the guidelines on project work for classes XI and XII given below: – One Project to be done throughout the session, as per the existing scheme.
1.
Steps involved in the conduct of the project: Students may work upon the following lines as suggested:
1.
Choose a Title/Topic
2.
Need of the Study, Objective of the Study
3.
Hypothesis
4.
Content -Timeline, Maps, Mind maps, Pictures, etc. (Organization of Material/Data Present Material/Data)
5.
Analysing the Material/Data for Conclusion
6.
Draw the Relevant Conclusion
7.
Bibliography
2.
Expected Checklist for the Project Work:
1.
Introduction of topic/ title
2.
Identifying the causes, events, consequences and/or remedies
3.
Various stakeholders and effect on each of them
4.
Advantages and disadvantages of situations or issues identified
5.
Short-term and long-term implications of strategies suggested during research
6.
Validity, reliability, appropriateness, and relevance of data used for research work and for presentation in the project file
7.
Presentation and writing that is succinct and coherent in project file
8.
Citation of the materials referred to, in the file in footnotes, resources section, bibliography etc.
3.
Assessment of Project Work:
1.
Project Work has broadly the following phases: Synopsis/ Initiation, Data Collection, Data Analysis and Interpretation, Conclusion.
2.
The aspects of the project work to be covered by students can be assessed during the academic year.
3.
20 marks assigned for Project Work can be divided in the following manner:
Month
Periodic Work
Assessment Rubrics
Marks
April-July
Instructions about Project Guidelines, Background reading Discussions on Theme and Selection of the Final Topic, Initiation/ Synopsis
Introduction, Statement of Purpose/Need and objectives of the study, Hypothesis/ Research Question, Review of Literature, Presentation of Evidence, Methodology, Questionnaire, Data
6
August-October
Planning and organization: forming an action plan, feasibility, or baseline study, Updating/ modifying the action plan, Data Collection
Significance and relevance of the topic; challenges encountered while conducting the research.
5
November-January
Content/data analysis and interpretation. Conclusion, Limitations, Suggestions, Bibliography, Annexures and overall presentation of the project
Content analysis and its relevance in the current scenario. Conclusion, Limitations, Bibliography, Annexures and Overall P resentation.
5
January-February
Final Assessment and VIVA by both Internal and External Examiners
External/ Internal Viva based on the project
4
TOTAL
20
4.
Viva-Voce
1.
At the end, each learner will present the research work in the Project File to the External and Internal examiner.
2.
The questions should be asked from the Research Work/ Project File of the learner.
3.
The Internal Examiner should ensure that the study submitted by the learner is his/her own original work. In case of any doubt, authenticity should be checked and verified.