CBSE Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27
CBSE has released the Class 12 History Syllabus for the academic session 2026-27 on 1 April 2026. Students preparing for the CBSE Board Exam 2027 must follow this updated syllabus to stay aligned with the latest exam pattern and marking scheme.
This page covers the complete CBSE Class 12 History syllabus with unit-wise chapters, themes in Indian history, marks distribution, and exam pattern based on NCERT. Students can check chapter-wise topics, weightage, map work, and key sections for theory and internal assessment.
Students can identify important units, plan revision, and prepare answers based on board requirements. The syllabus also guides preparation for project work and source-based questions.
Download the CBSE Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27 PDF below and start focused exam preparation today.
Table Of Contents−
- ▪ CBSE Class 12 History Latest Syllabus 2026-27
- ▪ CBSE Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27: Unit-wise Summary
- ▪ List of Maps
- ▪ CBSE Class 12 History Question Paper Design 2026-27
- ▪ Weightage Based On Competencies
- ▪ Internal Assessment
- ▪ The Changes for Class 12 (2026-27) Year-end Board Examinations are as under:
CBSE Class 12 History Latest Syllabus 2026-27
| S. No | Part | Marks |
| 1 | Themes in Indian History Part--I | 25 |
| 2 | Themes in Indian History Part--II | 25 |
| 3 | Themes in Indian History Part -- III | 25 |
| 4 | Map | 05 |
| Total | 80 |
CBSE Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27: Unit-wise Summary
| Themes in Indian History | Part—I | 25 Marks |
| Theme No. | Theme Title | Marks |
| 1 | Bricks, Beads and Bones The Harappa Civilisation | 25 |
| 2 | Kings, Farmers and Towns Early States and Economies (c.600 BCE600 CE) | |
| 3 | Kingship, Caste and class Early Societies (c. 600 BCE600 CE) | |
| 4 | Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE600 CE) | |
| Themes in Indian History | Part—II | 25 Marks |
| 25 | ||
| 6 | Bhakti-Sufi Traditions Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts (c. eighth to eighteenth centuries) | |
| 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 |
| Theme No. | Theme Title | 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 |
Course Content Class 12
| Theme No. and Title | Learning outcome with specific competencies |
| Themes in Indian History – Part I | |
|---|---|
| 1 BRICKS, BEADS AND BONES The Harappan Civilisation |
|
| 2 KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS Early States and Economies (c.600 BCE–600 CE) |
|
| 3 KINSHIP, CASTE AND CLASS Early Societies (c. 600 BCE–600 CE) |
|
| 4 THINKERS, BELIEFS AND BUILDINGS Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE 600 CE) |
|
| Themes in Indian History – Part II | |
| 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) |
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| 7 AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL: VIJAYANAGARA (c. fourteenth to sixteenth centuries) |
|
| 8 PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire (c. sixteenth seventeenth centuries) |
|
| Themes in Indian History – Part III | |
| 9 COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE Exploring Official Archives |
|
| 10 REBELS AND THE RAJ 1857 Revolt and its Representations |
|
| 11 MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT Civil Disobedience and Beyond |
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| 12 FRAMING THE CONSTITUTION The Beginning of a New Era |
|
List of Maps
| S. No | Page No. | Part – I Maps |
| 1 | 2 | Mature Harappan sites: Harappa, Banawali, Kalibangan, Balakot, Rakhigarhi, Dholavira, Nageshwar, Lothal, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, KotDiji. |
| 2 | 3 | Mahajanapada and cities: Vajji, Magadha, Kosala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, Avanti, Rajgir, Ujjain, Taxila, Varanasi. |
| 3 | 33 | Distribution of Ashokan inscriptions:
|
| 4 | 33 | Important kingdoms and towns:
|
| 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:
|
| S. No | Page No. | Part III - Maps |
| 8 | 287 | Territories/cities under British Control in1857: 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 |
CBSE Class 12 History Question Paper Design 2026-27
| 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 | 7x3=21 | 6x3=18 | 3x8= 24 | 3x4=12 | 1x5=5 | 100 marks | |||||
Weightage Based On Competencies
| Competencies | Marks | % |
| Knowledge Remembering previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts, and answers, Understanding demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas. | 21 18 | 26.25 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 |
Internal Assessment
Project Work
MM - 20
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 f o c u s 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:
- 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. - The project must be done individually/ In-groups.
- 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. - 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. 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 d a n c e or c u l t u r e show /story telling/debate/panel discussion, paper presentation and whichever is suitable to visually impaired candidates.
- 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. - 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 12 Projects
- The Indus Valley Civilization-Archaeological Excavations and New Perspectives
- The History and Legacy of Mauryan Empire
- “Mahabharat”- The Great Epic of India
- The History and Culture of the Vedic period
- Buddha Charita
- A Comprehensive History of Jainism
- Bhakti Movement- Multiple Interpretations and Commentaries.
- The Mystical Dimensions of Sufism
- Global Legacy of Gandhian Ideas
- The Architectural Culture of the Vijayanagar Empire
- Life of Women in the Mughal Rural Society
- Comparative Analysis of the Land Revenue Systems Introduced by the Britishers in India
- The Revolt of 1857- Causes; Planning & Coordination; Leadership, Vision of Unity
- The Philosophy of Guru Nanak Dev
- The Vision of Kabir
- An Insight into the Indian Constitution
- Comparative Study of Stupas and Pillar Edicts
- 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.
- Steps involved in the conduct of the project: Students may work upon the following lines as suggested:
- Choose a Title/Topic
- Need of the Study, Objective of the Study
- Hypothesis
- Content -Timeline, Maps, Mind maps, Pictures, etc. (Organization of Material/Data Present
Material/Data) - Analysing the Material/Data for Conclusion
- Draw the Relevant Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Expected Checklist for the Project Work:
- Introduction of topic/ title
- Identifying the causes, events, consequences and/or remedies
- Various stakeholders and effect on each of them
- Advantages and disadvantages of situations or issues identified
- Short-term and long-term implications of strategies suggested during research
- Validity, reliability, appropriateness, and relevance of data used for research work and for presentation in the project file
- Presentation and writing that is succinct and coherent in project file
- Citation of the materials referred to, in the file in footnotes, resources section, ibliography etc.
- Assessment of Project Work:
- Project Work has broadly the following phases: Synopsis/ Initiation, Data Collection, Data
Analysis and Interpretation, Conclusion. - The aspects of the project work to be covered by students can be assessed during the academic year.
- 20 marks assigned for Project Work can be divided in the following manner:
- Project Work has broadly the following phases: Synopsis/ Initiation, Data Collection, Data
| 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 Presentation | 5 |
| January–February | Final Assessment and VIVA by both Internal and External Examiners | External/Internal Viva based on the project | 4 |
| TOTAL | 20 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
The Changes for Class 12 (2026-27) Year-end Board Examinations are as under:
| (Class-12) | ||
| Periodic Assessment | Academic Session 2025-26 | Academic Session 2026-27 |
| Composition of question paper for year-end examination/ Board Examination (Theory) |
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