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The ISC (Indian School Council) Class 11 Geography Syllabus for the Board Exam 2026-27 is available to download from the official website. Students can access the syllabus from the official website or from the direct link shared below. The syllabus works like a map for students to prepare for subjects as prescribed by the board. The paper introduces fundamental understanding of geography, along with core topics like the formation of the Earth, atmosphere, etc. The syllabus also includes map work as a high-weightage section. By analyzing the syllabus for Geography, students can plan their study schedule, while teachers can also take help to assess and plan the lessons.
ISC Class 11 2026-27: Key Highlights
The table contains ISC class 11 details for students to stay informed of the major updates such as exam dates and website details. As the exam for 2026-27 is expected during February-March, and practicals are usually held during January or February. Students can check board-specific details from the website details shared in the table.
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Events
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Description
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Examination Name
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Indian School Council (ISC)
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Board Name
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Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
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Syllabus Release
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Officially released in June 2026 on the official website.
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Main Subjects
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English Language & English Literature
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Board Exams
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Conducted in February-March for Class 11. While practicals usually happen in January or February.
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Website
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cisce.org
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ISC Class 11 Geography 2026-27: Aims
As per the ISC board, each subject is allotted aims and objectives, defining skills and knowledge offered by the specific subject. For Geography, students can check for aims suggested to enable:
1. To enable candidates to acquire knowledge (information) and to develop an understanding of
facts, terms, symbols concepts, principles, generalizations, hypotheses, problems, trends, processes and methods of Geography at the national and global level.
2. To apply the knowledge of the principles of Physical Geography in explaining the causes and
consequences of natural hazards and suggest ways of coping with them through sustainable development.
3. To develop skills of drawing maps, surveying, and drawing statistical diagrams and thematic maps.
4. To develop an interest in Geography.
ISC Class 11 Geography Syllabus for Board Exam 2026-27
For class 11, there will be two papers in the subject: Paper I – Theory (3 hours)- 70 marks and Paper II – Practical and Project Work - 30 marks. To understand the topic distribution, students can check out the syllabus breakdown shared below:
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Unit
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Description
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PAPER I: THEORY (70 MARKS)
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GEOGRAPHY AS A DISCIPLINE
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1. Geography - its interdisciplinary approach
and future prospects (not to be tested). Geography as an integrating discipline. Physical Geography and natural sciences; Geography And Social Sciences.
Branches of Geography:
(i) Systematic approach: Physical Geography (Geomorphology, Climatology, Hydrology); Human Geography (Historical, Social,
Population and Settlement, Economic, Political).
– The conceptual and intellectual ideas of a number of new approaches to contemporary human geography should be examined to understand the strengths and limitations of each approach within the context of Human Geography and
Social Sciences.
(ii) Regional approach: Regional/ Area Studies,
Regional Planning, Regional Development. Future prospects of Geography to be discussed:
In the area of GPS, GIS, Remote Sensing for resource identification.
• Applied geography in town and country
planning, environment management and law, cartography and mapping, geography education, map analysis, travel and tourism (to be taught only for the sake of awareness, not for testing).
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PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICAL
GEOGRAPHY
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2. Formation of the Earth
Theories of formation; Methods of measuring age of the earth; Structure and Composition; Rocks.
(i) Theories of formation of the earth: the Big Bang theory; Planetesimal and Nebular hypothesis.
(ii) Methods of measuring age of the earth: Radioactivity – a brief understanding.
(iii) Structure and composition of the earth’s
interior: crust, mantle, core; their properties - temperature, pressure, thickness. Sources of
information – direct and indirect; seismic waves, their behaviour and inferences, the causes of earthquakes and distribution: effects; isoseismal and homoseismal lines, measuring earthquakes and their intensity Case study of earthquakes on a country like Nepal.
Vulcanicity-materials and processes; major volcanic forms. Explanation of how volcanoes are formed; identification of the type of volcano; recognition of the properties of volcanic
materials; explanation of why volcanoes are more in the areas of converging plates.
(iv) Rocks: The mineral groups responsible for
different rocks formed on the earth: silicates, carbonates, sulphides, metals. Classification of rocks by origin: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks – their distribution in India; characteristics, types, economic importance. The rock cycle.
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3. Changing Face of the Earth
Landforms and Processes of Gradation
(i) Endogenous processes: theory of plate tectonics and the process of drifting continents, theory of Isostasy by Pratt and A. Holmes.
Definition of endogenetic force, difference between slow and sudden forces, vertical and horizontal forces and their effects. Folding and Faulting – types, Sea floor spreading, continental drifting and isostasy.
(ii) Landforms – mountains, plateaus and plains and their types. Meaning and differentiation between the three main landforms of the earth.
Classification of mountains on the basis of their origin or mode of formation: fold, block, volcanic and residual with examples from the world.
Classification of plateaus on the basis of their situation: intermontane, piedmont and continental with examples from the world. Classification of Plains on the basis of formation: depositional with examples from the world.
(iii) Exogenetic process and associated landforms.
Weathering and gradation – difference between the two. Role of weathering in gradation. Different types of weathering.
(iv)Fluvial processes and associated landforms. Work of rivers - concept of baselevel; processes of erosion, transportation anddeposition. Types of erosion - headward, vertical, lateral; transportation mode and deposition. Landforms made by the river - V shaped valley, gorges, waterfalls, levees, floodplains, meanders; braided channels, oxbow lakes, deltas – delta plains. Diagrams and examples from India with photographs.
(v) Aeolian processes and associated landforms. Process of wind erosion – abrasion, attrition, deflation. Ideal conditions for erosion in hot deserts; landforms resulting from erosion - deflation hollows, pedestal rocks, yardangs,desert pavement; landforms resulting from deposition - sand dunes and their types,loess. Diagrams and examples from India with photographs.
(vi) Glacial processes and associated landforms. Continental and mountain or valley glaciers, processes of glacial erosion – plucking, abrasion, attrition; erosional features, e.g.cirque, depositional formations, moraines ofvarious types. Diagrams and examples from India with photographs.
(vii) Work of ground water and associated landforms. Process of erosion by groundwater solution, corrasion. Features formed by underground water (karst topography), depositional features – stalactites, stalagmites. Diagrams and examples from India with photographs.
(viii) Marine processes and associated landforms.
Erosional features; sea cliffs, sea caves, sea
arch, headland inlet, stacks and depositional
landforms, e.g. - bays, bars and lagoons.
Diagrams and examples from India.
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4. Atmosphere
(i) Composition and structure of atmosphere.
Layers of the atmosphere: troposphere,
stratosphere, ozonosphere, mesosphere,
ionosphere; their height; composition;
special characteristics of each layer; ozone
depletion.
(ii) Atmospheric temperature.
Heating and cooling of the atmosphere,
radiation, advection, conduction, convection.
Insolation and factors influencing it – angle
of sun’s rays, duration of day, transparency
of atmosphere. Heat budget i.e. balance
between insolation and terrestrial radiationareas of surplus and deficit heat in different
latitudes resulting in latitudinal heat
balance.
Factors controlling its horizontal and
vertical distribution, temperature anomalies
and their nature. Isotherms: their
characteristics. Reasons for the variations in
temperature.
Practical work on temperature
measurement and graphs to show variations
in temperature of one or more cities of
India.
(iii)Atmospheric Pressure.
Its horizontal and vertical distribution,
factors affecting the distribution,
characteristics of isobars.
Pressure belts and winds – types of winds,
air masses and atmospheric disturbances,
cyclones of temperate and tropical areas;
anticyclones.
(iv) Atmospheric Moisture.
Processes of evaporation, condensation and
precipitation; relative and absolute humidity;
forms of condensation - cloud, fog, dew,
frost; precipitation – its forms: snow, hail,
rain; types of rainfall: orographic, cyclonic,
convectional.
(v) Climate change- causes/factors of climatic
changes in the recent past.
Natural and man-made factors, with with special
reference to climatic changes in India Measures taken to adapt to these changes in
urban and rural India.
Practical work on measuring rainfall and
use of bar graphs to show variations in
rainfall in one or more cities of India.
5. The Realms of Water
(i) Submarine relief of the Atlantic, Pacific and
Indian Oceans.
The depth and the features. The sea floor
deposits and their characteristics, the
importance of marine resources. Ocean
pollution and ways to overcome them.
(ii) Ocean water - salinity, temperature, density.
Composition of seawater and factors that
control distribution of salinity, density and
temperature.
(iii)Ocean water movements.
Direct and indirect tides – origin, time,
spring and neap tides. Waves – parts,
characteristics, formation. Currents - factors
affecting currents, currents of Indian, Pacific
and Atlantic oceans. Role of currents in
modifying climates of coastal areas.
Introduction to El Nino and La Nina as
conditions that affect the intensity of the
monsoons over India.
6. Biosphere – Life on the Earth
(i) Nature of Biosphere, concept of ecosystems,
components of ecosystem.
Meaning, nature of interaction between the
different components of the biosphere.
Understanding the concept of biodiversity.
To appreciate various reasons for valuing
and conserving biodiversity (ethical, moral,
economic, aesthetic).
(ii) Biodiversity for sustenance of mankind.
The various roles played by biodiversity in
sustaining mankind - as a source of food,
medicine, pollution control, etc. (iii) India as a mega diversity nation.
A basic understanding that India with its
varied climate and landscape is home to a
variety of unique ecosystems and endemic
species e.g. the largest mangrove forest in
the world - the Sundarbans, vast mountain
forests in the Himalayas, tropical evergreen
forests in the Western Ghats and the NorthEast region, desert vegetation in Rajasthan,
thorn and scrub forests in the plateaus, etc.
(iv) Strategies for conservation of biodiversity –
in-situ and ex-situ.
Understanding the implications of loss of
biodiversity;
Looking at various in-situ and ex-situ
strategies for their efficacy and viability;
In-situ strategies - protected areas (biosphere
reserves, national parks, wildlife
sanctuaries).
Ex-situ strategies - captive breeding, zoo,
botanical garden, gene banks and their use.
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7. Map Work
A question on map work will be set to identify,
label and locate any of the following items
studied in topics from Principles of Physical
Geography.
MAP LIST
Mountains (To mark and label):
Himalayas, Hindukush, Elburz, Zagros, Kirthar,
Caucasus, Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, Urals,
Khingan, Kunlun, Drakensburg, Kjolen, Andes,
Rockies, Appalachians, Great Dividing Range.
Plateaus (To mark and label): Tibetan, West
Australian, Iranian, Anatolian, Pamirs,
Ethiopian, Deccan, Guiana, Brazilian, Arabian.
Water Bodies (bays, gulfs, straits, sea, oceans)
(To mark and label): Arctic Ocean, Atlantic
Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern
Ocean, Hudson bay, Gulf of Mexico, Bering Sea,
Sea of Japan, South China Sea, Yellow Sea,
Timor Sea, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Black Sea,
Mediterranean Sea, Caspian Sea, Arabian Sea,
North Sea, Suez Canal, Strait of Magellan, Bay
of Bengal.
Rivers (To identify): Mississippi, Amazon,
Parana, Orange, Nile, Zaire, Rhine, Danube,
Volga, Euphrates, Tigris, Ob, Yenisei, Lena,
Hwang Ho, Yangtze Kiang, Irrawaddy, Ganga,
Murray, Darling.
Ocean Currents (To identify): North Atlantic
Drift, Gulf Stream, Labrador current, Peru
current, West wind drift, Southwest Monsoon
current, West Australian current, KuroShio
current, Oyashio current, East Australian
current.
Islands (To identify): Greenland, Hawaii, West
Indies, Tierra del Fuego, Baffin, Newfoundland,
Iceland, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Philippines,
Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Japan, New
Zealand.
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The syllabus content provided above can be utilized to plan your studies. It can be used as an action plan to stay a step ahead in your preparation process. To access the complete syllabus, students can follow through the link shared below to download the PDF.
Check: ISC Class 11 Geography Syllabus PDF for Board Exam 2026-27
Paper II: Practical Work And Project Work (30 Marks)
Students are suggested to check out the following practical and projects shared in the table.
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Units
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Description
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1. Practical Work
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Any two of the following four topics to be undertaken.
(a) Surveying - elementary principles; preparing plans of the school compound or a small area with the help of chain and tape.
(b) Statistical diagrams - line graphs (simple and multiple), composite bars, pie diagram, flow and star diagram, (the data used will be that used in Paper I ).
(c) Map projections-uses, construction and properties of the following:
(i) Cylindrical equal area.
(ii) Simple conical with one standard parallel.
(iii)Zenithal equidistant.
(d) Aerial photographs – Introduction; definition; difference between map and an aerial photographs; uses of aerial photographs, advantages of aerial
Photography
Types of Aerial Photographs:
(i) Based on the position of the cameral axis vertical photographs, low oblique, high oblique (only definition and explanation).
(ii) Based on Scale – (a) Large scale photographs (b) Small scale photographs.
Scale of Aerial Photograph –
(a) by establishing of relationship between photo
distance and ground distance;
(b) by establishing relationship between photo
distance and map distance.
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2. Project Work (Assignment)
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One topic as an assignment. Sketches and drawings will be given credit).
(i) Take any physical feature in your immediate locality:
(a) draw sketches or take photograhs to highlight physical features.
(b) survey how these features have been used and prepare a report.
(c) suggest ways by which the area of study could be better used keeping in view the needs of the people of the region.
(ii) Choose any island area of the world or India and:
(a) trace the map of the area and show physical features, towns and port cities.
(b) prepare a project report using photographs and pictures from brochures and magazines to show:
- its origin and formation.
- soil types, vegetation.
- human occupations.
(iii) Any natural hazard like drought, flood, erosion, landslides, etc. in a local area. Choose a natural hazard in the local area. Describe the nature of damage by consulting newspaper reports, studies, interviews with local people. Identify the nature of damage before and after – land,m building, public property, soil, vegetation, animals, etc. What are the chances of it occuring again and what precautions are being taken?
(iv) World Climatic types Low latitude/tropical climates:
(a) Equatorial
(b) Monsoon and trade wind
littoral
(c) Dry tropical (desert).
Mid latitude/temperature climates:
(a) Medditerranean
(b) Marine west coast
(c) Dry sub-tropical
(d) Dry mid latitude (cold deserts).
High latitude/polar climates –
(a) Borreal
(b) Tundra
For each of the above climatic types, the following is to be studied:
• Location, climatic conditions and areas;
• Description of major human activities (both farming and forestry).
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By following the syllabus, Class 11 students will be able to schedule their board preparation. It provides access to essential topics to be covered in the Geography subject. Students can also practice map work by following the map list provided in the syllabus.