CBSE Class 11 Psychology Syllabus 2025-26

CBSE has released the Latest Updated Syllabus for the New Academic Session 2025-26 on March 28th, 2025, for class 11.

CBSE Board has released the latest Class 11 Psychology syllabus which is to be strictly followed. Below please find our detailed analysis of Board Paper pattern, Unit-wise summary for the New Session 2025-26.

We have also updated Oswal Publishers Books as per the Latest Paper Pattern prescribed by Board for each Subject Curriculum. 

Students can directly access the CBSE Psychology Syllabus for Class 11 of the academic year 2025-26 by clicking on the link below.

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Table Of Contents−
CBSE Class XI MLQB 01

CBSE Class 11 Psychology Latest Syllabus 2025-26

Units Topics No. of periods Marks
I What is Psychology? 27 11
II Methods of Enquiry in Psychology 32 13
IV Human Development 26 11
V Sensory, Attentional and Perceptual Processes 18 8
VI Learning 20 9
VII Human Memory 19 8
VIII Thinking 14 5
IX Motivation and Emotion 14 5
Total 170 70

CBSE Class 11 Psychology Syllabus 2025-26: Unit-wise Summary

Unit I What is Psychology?
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. What is Psychology?
    • Psychology as a Discipline
    • Psychology as a Natural Science
    • Psychology as a Social Science
  3. Understanding Mind and Behaviour
  4. Popular Notions about the Discipline of Psychology
  5. Evolution of Psychology
  6. Development of Psychology in India
  7. Branches of Psychology
  8. Psychology and Other Disciplines
  9. Psychology in Everyday Life
 27 Periods
Unit II Methods of Enquiry in Psychology
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. Goals of Psychological Enquiry
    • Steps in Conducting Scientific Research
    • Alternative Paradigms of Research
  3. Nature of Psychological Data
  4. Some Important Methods in Psychology
    • Observational Method
    • Experimental Method
    • Correlational Research
    • Survey Research
    • Psychological Testing
    • Case Study
  5. Analysis of Data
    • Quantitative Method
    • Qualitative Method
  6. Limitations of Psychological Enquiry
  7. Ethical Issues
 32 Periods
Unit IV Human Development
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. Meaning of Development
    • Life-Span Perspective on Development
  3. Factors Influencing Development
  4. Context of Development
  5. Overview of Developmental Stages
    • Prenatal Stage
    • Infancy
    • Childhood
    • Challenges of Adolescence
    • Adulthood and Old Age
 26 Periods
Unit V Sensory, Attentional and Perceptual Processes
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. Knowing the world
  3. Nature and varieties of Stimulus
  4. Sense Modalities
    • Functional limitation of sense organs
  5. Attentional Processes
    • Selective Attention
    • Sustained Attention
  6. Perceptual Processes
    • Processing Approaches in Perception
  7. The Perceiver
  8. Principles of Perceptual Organisation
  9. Perception of Space, Depth and Distance
    • Monocular Cues and Binocular Cues
  10. Perceptual Constancies
  11. Illusions
  12. Socio-Cultural Influences on Perception
 18 Periods
Unit VI Learning
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. Nature of Learning
  3. Paradigms of Learning
  4. Classical Conditioning
    • Determinants of Classical Conditioning
  5. Operant/Instrumental Conditioning
    • Determinants of Operant Conditioning
    • Key Learning Processes
  6. Observational Learning
  7. Cognitive Learning
  8. Verbal Learning
  9. Skill Learning
  10. Factors Facilitating Learning
  11. Learning Disabilities
 20 Periods
Unit VII Human Memory
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. Nature of memory
  3. Information Processing Approach : The Stage Model
  4. Memory Systems : Sensory, Short-term and Long-term Memories
  5. Levels of Processing
  6. Types of Long-term Memory
    • Declarative and Procedural; Episodic and Semantic
  7. Nature and Causes of Forgetting
    • Forgetting due to Trace Decay, Interference and Retrieval Failure
  8. Enhancing Memory
    • Mnemonics using Images and Organisation
 19 Periods
Unit VIII Thinking
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. Nature of Thinking
    • Building Blocks of Thought
  3. The Processes of Thinking
  4. Problem Solving
  5. Reasoning
  6. Decision-making
  7. Nature and Process of Creative Thinking
    • Nature of Creative Thinking
    • Process of Creative Thinking
  8. Thought and Language
  9. Development of Language and Language Use
 14 Periods
Unit IX Motivation and Emotion
The topics in this unit are:
  1. Introduction
  2. Nature of Motivation
  3. Types of Motives
    • Biological Motives
    • Psychosocial Motives
  4. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
  5. Nature of Emotions
  6. Expression of Emotions
    • Culture and Emotional Expression
    • Culture and Emotional Labelling
  7. Managing Negative Emotions
  8. Enhancing Positive Emotions
 14 Periods
Practical (Projects, experiments, small studies, etc.) 30 marks
The students shall be required to undertake one project and conduct two experiments.
The project would involve the use of different methods of enquiry like observation,
survey, interview, questionnaire, small studies related to the topics covered in the course
(e.g. Human development, Learning, Memory, Motivation, Perception, Attention and Thinking).
Experiments could focus on cause-and-effect relationship.
Practical Examination
  • Practical (Experiments) file
    		•  05 Marks
  • Project File
    		•  05 Marks
  • Viva Voce (Project and experiments)
    		•  05 Marks
  • One experiment (05 marks for conduct
    of experiment and 10 marks for reporting)
    		•  15 Marks
    Total 30 Marks

    CBSE Class 11 Psychology Question Paper Design 2025-26

    Time: 3 Hours Maximum Marks: 70
    S.
    No.    		 Competencies Total Marks %
    Weightage
    1 Remembering and Understanding: Exhibiting memory of previously learned material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts, and answers; Demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas 25 35%
    2 Applying: Solving problems to new situations by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way 31 45%
    3 Formulating, Analysing, Evaluating and Creating: Examining and breaking information into parts by identifying motives or causes; Making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations; Presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas, or quality of work based on a set of criteria; Compiling information together in a different way by combining elements in a new pattern or proposing alternative solutions 14 20%
    Total 70 100%

    The Changes for Class 11 (2025-26) Year-end Board Examinations are as under:

    (Class-11)
    Periodic Assessment Academic Session 2024-25 Academic Session 2025-26
    Composition of question paper for year-end examination/ Board Examination (Theory)
    • Competency Focused Questions in the form of MCQs/ Case Based Questions, Source-based Integrated Questions or any other type = 50%
    • Select response type questions (MCQ) = 20%
    • Constructed response questions (Short Answer Questions/Long Answer type Questions, as per existing pattern) = 30%
    • Competency Focused Questions in the form of MCQs/ Case Based Questions, Source-based Integrated Questions or any other type = 50%
    • Select response type questions (MCQ) = 20%
    • Constructed response questions (Short Answer Questions/Long Answer type Questions, as per existing pattern) = 30%

    2024-25 Reduced Syllabus

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    (for reference purposes only)

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