ISC Class 12 History Syllabus for Board Exam 2026-27: Download PDF Here!
ISC Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27 includes 11 major chapters from Indian and World History. Check the complete syllabus, chapter-wise topics, examination pattern and project work details here.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) conducts the Indian School Certificate (ISC) examination for Class 12 students. History is an important subject for students studying in the Humanities stream. The subject helps students understand important historical events, political developments, social changes and international relations.
For the academic session 2026-27, students appearing for the ISC Class 12 examination in 2027 should follow the syllabus prescribed for Examination Year 2027. The syllabus is divided into two main sections: Indian History and World History.
The History examination has two papers. The theory paper carries 80 marks, while project work carries 20 marks. Students should prepare both components to score well in the final examination.
Also read: ISC Class 12 Syllabus 2026-27: Download Subject-Wise PDFs for CISCE Board Exam
ISC Class 12 History Exam Pattern 2026-27
| Examination component | Details |
|---|---|
| Paper I | Theory |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Theory marks | 80 |
| Paper II | Project Work |
| Project marks | 20 |
| Total marks | 100 |
Complete ISC Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27
The theory syllabus includes 11 chapters divided into two sections. Section A covers Indian History, while Section B focuses on World History.
Section A: Indian History
This section covers six chapters, mainly focusing on India's independence, democracy, political developments, foreign relations and women's rights.
| Chapter | Topics covered |
|---|---|
| 1. Towards Independence and Partition: The Last Phase (1939-1947) | National movements during World War II; reasons behind the August Offer and Cripps Mission; rejection of these proposals; Quit India Movement and its importance; Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (INA); transfer of power; Cabinet Mission; Attlee's Declaration of February 20, 1947; Mountbatten Plan and Indian Independence Act. |
| 2. Establishment of Indian Democracy (1947-1966) | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's role in integrating princely states; problems related to Junagarh, Hyderabad and Kashmir; India's first general election in 1952; preparation, voting process and results; States Reorganisation Act, 1956, and the reorganisation of Andhra, Bombay and Punjab. |
| 3. Development of Indian Democracy (1964-1977) | Contributions of Lal Bahadur Shastri; importance of the 1967 elections; opposition parties and their ideologies; rise and decline of the Naxal Movement; role of Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal; JP Movement of 1974-75; reasons, features and impact of the Emergency of 1975-76. |
| 4. Changing Face of Indian Democracy (1977-1980) | Formation and policies of the Janata Government; reasons behind its downfall; Centre-State relations; Punjab's political developments, Anandpur Sahib Resolution, Bhindranwale, Operation Bluestar and Punjab Accord; Assam Agitation and Assam Accord; Nagaland's demands and Shillong Accord; Mizoram Movement and its resolution. |
| 5. India's Foreign Policy | India-Pakistan relations and wars of 1947-49, 1965 and 1971, including their causes, developments and results; Sino-Indian War of 1962; Tibet issue, Dalai Lama's asylum in India and border disputes with China. |
| 6. Movements for Women's Rights | Towards Equality Report of 1974, its objectives and recommendations; anti-dowry movement; campaigns against domestic violence during the 1970s and 1980s; government measures to address these issues. |
Section B: World History
This section contains five chapters covering major international events, wars, political movements and changes in different countries.
| Chapter | Topics covered |
|---|---|
| 7. World War II | Reasons behind World War II; aggressive foreign policies of Germany, Italy and Japan; appeasement policies of Britain and France; Axis invasions in Europe and Asia (1939-1941); major developments of the war in Europe, Africa and the Far East (1942-1945); reasons for the defeat of Axis Powers. |
| 8. De-colonisation in Asia (China) and Africa (Ghana and Kenya) | China's communist government in 1949; agricultural and industrial changes; collective farming; Five Year Plans; Great Leap Forward; Ghana's independence in 1957, Nkrumah's role and his removal from power; Kenya's struggle for independence and Jomo Kenyatta's contribution. |
| 9. Cold War (1945-1991) | Origin and causes of the Cold War; Yalta and Potsdam Conferences; Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan and Soviet responses; division of Germany; Berlin Blockade; formation of NATO; Cuban Missile Crisis; Détente; fall of communism in Poland and East Germany; reasons behind the breakup of the Soviet Union. |
| 10. Protest Movements | Civil Rights Movement in the USA; racial discrimination and Martin Luther King Jr.'s contribution; anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa and Nelson Mandela's role; Second Wave Feminist Movement in the USA; Equal Pay Act of 1963, Civil Rights Act of 1964, National Organisation for Women (NOW) and Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). |
| 11. Middle East: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (1916-1993) | Arab nationalism and Zionism; British promises to Arabs and Jews; Husain-MacMahon correspondence, Sykes-Picot Agreement and Balfour Declaration; Arab-Israeli wars of 1948-49, Suez Crisis (1956), Six Day War (1967) and Yom Kippur War (1973); Sadat and Camp David Accord (1979); formation of the PLO; Intifada and Oslo Peace Accords of 1993 and 1995. |
ISC Class 12 History Project Work 2026-27
Apart from the theory examination, students must complete one History project carrying 20 marks. The project can cover topics related to politics, military history, economics, society and culture or religion.
Students can prepare their projects in different formats, such as:
- Case study
- Field visit or investigation
- Local history
- Interview or oral evidence
- Book or film review
- Posters, newspapers, advertisements, cartoons and art
The written project should be an essay of 800-1,500 words. It must include an introduction, main body, conclusion and bibliography. An appendix can also be added if necessary.
Project Work Marking Scheme
| Assessment | Marks |
|---|---|
| Internal evaluation by teacher | 10 |
| Evaluation by visiting examiner | 10 |
| Total | 20 |
The teacher's assessment includes the research process (3 marks), understanding and analysis (4 marks), and presentation (3 marks). The visiting examiner awards marks for presentation and research technique (4 marks), analysis and evaluation (3 marks), and viva (3 marks).
How to Prepare for ISC Class 12 History 2026-27?
Students should first understand the syllabus and divide their preparation into Indian History and World History. They should pay attention to important dates, historical personalities, causes and consequences of events.
Making short notes, preparing timelines and revising important political developments can make learning easier. Students should also complete their project work on time and practise writing well-structured answers.
Students should refer to the official CISCE syllabus PDF for the complete prescribed details and prepare all the listed topics for the 2027 examination.
ISC Class 12 History Syllabus PDF Download
Students can download the complete ISC Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27 PDF from the link given below. The official document contains the prescribed syllabus and examination scheme for the academic session 2026-27.
| Subject | Official Syllabus PDF |
|---|---|
| ISC Class 12 History Syllabus 2026-27 | Download PDF |
Read more:
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ISC Class 12 English Syllabus 2026-27: Download PDF for CISCE Board Exam
Anjali is an education journalist with over a year of experience in digital and business journalism. She has previously worked with BW Businessworld and ANI, where she gained experience in news writing, editing, research, and fact-checking. At Jagran Josh, she writes education news and covers competitive exams and current affairs, with a keen interest in delivering accurate, informative, and reader-focused content. She holds a BA from Miranda House, University of Delhi, and a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). Anjali enjoys reading and exploring new ideas and perspectives through books.
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