The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) prescribes the Chemistry syllabus for students appearing in the Indian School Certificate (ISC) Class 12 board examination. The syllabus for the 2026-27 academic session covers important concepts from Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry.
Chemistry is an important subject for students preparing for higher education in science, engineering, medicine and other related fields. The syllabus helps students understand chemical reactions, properties of elements, the structure of compounds and the practical use of chemical principles.
According to the official CISCE syllabus for ISC Examination Year 2027, Class 12 Chemistry includes 10 chapters divided into three major sections. Organic Chemistry carries the highest weightage, followed by Physical Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry.
The syllabus includes a three-hour theory examination, a practical examination, project work and a practical file. Students should understand the complete chapter-wise syllabus and marks distribution before starting their board examination preparation.
Also read: ISC Class 12 Syllabus 2026-27: Download Subject-Wise PDFs for CISCE Board Exam
ISC Class 12 Chemistry Exam Pattern 2026-27
As per the official CISCE document, Chemistry (Subject Code: 862) has a total of 100 marks. The assessment is divided into theory, practical examination, project work and practical file.
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| Examination component | Duration | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I – Theory | 3 hours | 70 |
| Paper II – Practical | 3 hours | 15 |
| Project Work | — | 10 |
| Practical File | — | 5 |
| Total | 100 |
Chapter-wise marks distribution
The 70-mark theory paper is divided into three major sections: Physical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry.
| Section | Chapters included | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Chemistry | Solutions, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics | 25 |
| Inorganic Chemistry | d- and f-Block Elements, Coordination Compounds | 14 |
| Organic Chemistry | Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers, Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids, Organic Compounds containing Nitrogen, Biomolecules | 31 |
| Total | 10 chapters | 70 |
Organic Chemistry carries the highest weightage, with 31 marks. Students should also give sufficient attention to Physical Chemistry, which carries 25 marks.
Complete ISC Class 12 Chemistry Syllabus 2026-27: Chapter-Wise Topics
The following table explains all 10 chapters prescribed by CISCE in simple language. It includes the major concepts and subtopics mentioned in the official syllabus.
1. Physical Chemistry – 25 Marks
| Chapter | Complete syllabus |
|---|---|
| 1. Solutions | Types of solutions and their concentration. Students will study molarity, molality, normality, mole fraction and parts per million (ppm). Other topics include solubility of gases in liquids, Henry's Law, Raoult's Law, ideal and non-ideal solutions, azeotropes and fractional distillation. The chapter also covers colligative properties: lowering of vapour pressure, increase in boiling point, decrease in freezing point and osmotic pressure. Students must understand abnormal molecular mass, association, dissociation, van't Hoff factor and related numerical problems. |
| 2. Electrochemistry | This chapter explains how chemical reactions produce electricity and how electricity can bring about chemical changes. Topics include electrolytic and electrochemical cells, galvanic cells, redox reactions, cell representation, electrode potential, standard hydrogen electrode, electrochemical series and the Nernst equation. Students will also study the relationship between Gibbs energy and cell EMF, electrical conductance, specific, equivalent and molar conductivity, Kohlrausch's Law and Faraday's laws of electrolysis. Batteries, fuel cells and corrosion are also included. |
| 3. Chemical Kinetics | This chapter deals with the speed of chemical reactions. Students will learn average and instantaneous reaction rates, factors affecting reaction speed, rate law, rate constant, order and molecularity of reactions. It also covers zero-order and first-order reactions, integrated rate equations, half-life, collision theory, activation energy, threshold energy, activated complexes, reaction mechanisms and the Arrhenius equation. Numerical problems are included. |
2. Inorganic Chemistry – 14 Marks
| Chapter | Complete syllabus explained in easy language |
|---|---|
| 4. d- and f-Block Elements | Students will study the position, occurrence and electronic configuration of transition elements. The syllabus covers the general properties of the 3d series, including metallic character, atomic and ionic size, ionisation enthalpy, oxidation states, colour, magnetic behaviour, catalytic properties and alloy formation. It also includes interstitial compounds, lanthanoids, actinoids, lanthanoid contraction and its effects. Preparation, structure, properties and oxidising behaviour of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) and potassium dichromate (K₂Cr₂O₇) are important parts of this chapter. |
| 5. Coordination Compounds | This chapter introduces compounds formed when a central metal atom or ion is attached to surrounding groups called ligands. Topics include coordination number, oxidation number, types of ligands, chelating ligands and IUPAC naming rules. Students will study structural and stereoisomerism, Werner's theory, Valence Bond Theory (VBT), Crystal Field Theory (CFT), inner and outer orbital complexes, shapes, stability, colour and magnetic properties. Their importance in biological systems, metal extraction and chemical analysis is also included. |
3. Organic Chemistry – 31 Marks
| Chapter | Complete syllabus explained in easy language |
|---|---|
| 6. Haloalkanes and Haloarenes | Students will learn about organic compounds containing halogen atoms such as chlorine, bromine and iodine. Topics include classification, nomenclature, preparation, physical properties and chemical properties of haloalkanes and haloarenes. The chapter covers the nature of the carbon-halogen bond, nucleophilic substitution reactions (SN1 and SN2), elimination reactions, Saytzeff's rule, Grignard reagents, Wurtz, Wurtz-Fittig and Fittig reactions. It also includes electrophilic substitution, preparation of haloarenes, chloroform, iodoform, freons, DDT and their environmental effects. |
| 7. Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers | This chapter explains the structure, classification, naming, preparation and properties of alcohols, phenols and ethers. Students will study primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, their identification, dehydration, oxidation and reactions with different chemicals. Important topics include methanol, ethanol, phenol's acidic nature, Kolbe's reaction, Reimer-Tiemann reaction, Lucas test, Williamson's synthesis and the preparation and properties of ethers. |
| 8. Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids | Students will learn about the structure, nomenclature, preparation and properties of aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids. Topics include nucleophilic addition, oxidation and reduction, aldol condensation, Cannizzaro reaction, benzoin condensation, Perkin's reaction, Rosenmund reduction, Clemmensen reduction and Wolff-Kishner reduction. The chapter also covers the acidic nature of carboxylic acids, ester-related reactions, decarboxylation, HVZ reaction and chemical identification tests. |
| 9. Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen | This chapter covers nitrogen-containing organic compounds, particularly amines, cyanides, isocyanides and diazonium salts. Students will study their classification, structure, nomenclature, preparation, physical properties and chemical reactions. Important topics include primary, secondary and tertiary amines, basic strength, Gabriel phthalimide synthesis, Hofmann degradation, Hinsberg's test, carbylamine reaction, diazotisation, Sandmeyer reaction, Gattermann reaction and Balz-Schiemann reaction. |
| 10. Biomolecules | This chapter introduces important substances found in living organisms. Students will study carbohydrates, including glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, maltose, starch, cellulose and glycogen. The syllabus also covers proteins, amino acids, peptide bonds, protein structures, denaturation, enzymes, hormones, vitamins and nucleic acids. Students will learn the basic structure of DNA and RNA and the differences between them. |
ISC Class 12 Chemistry Practical Syllabus 2026-27
Along with the theory examination, students must prepare for the practical examination. The practical paper carries 15 marks and includes laboratory experiments and chemical analysis.
The official syllabus includes the following practical activities:
| Practical topic | What students have to learn |
|---|---|
| 1. Titration | Perform oxidation-reduction titrations using potassium manganate (VII) with ammonium iron (II) sulphate or oxalic acid. Calculate molarity, concentration, percentage purity and water of crystallisation. |
| 2. Rate of Reaction | Perform experiments to understand how concentration affects the speed of a chemical reaction. Study reactions involving sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid or magnesium and dilute acids. Draw and interpret graphs. |
| 3. Qualitative Analysis | Identify a given salt containing one anion and one cation through chemical tests. |
| 4. Identification of Organic Compounds | Identify compounds and functional groups such as alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, carboxylic acid and amino groups using laboratory observations. |
| 5. Carbohydrates and Proteins | Perform characteristic tests to identify carbohydrates and proteins. |
| 6. pH Experiments | Determine the pH of different solutions using pH paper or a universal indicator. Compare strong and weak acids of the same concentration. |
| 7. Electrochemistry | Set up a simple voltaic cell and study how changes in electrolyte concentration affect cell potential. |
The official syllabus specifies that the practical examination also includes volumetric analysis and qualitative analysis. Students should follow the prescribed laboratory instructions, including the specified precautions and observation-table requirements.
Project Work and Practical File
Apart from the theory and practical papers, students have to complete project work and maintain a practical file.
| Assessment | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Project Work | 10 | Students have to prepare a Chemistry project or assignment on a selected topic. |
| Practical File | 5 | Students are assessed on the practical record maintained throughout the academic year. |
The project should include an introduction or purpose, content, analysis, presentation and bibliography. The project is assessed by a visiting examiner.
ISC Class 12 Chemistry Syllabus PDF Download
Students can download the complete ISC Class 12 Chemistry 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 Chemistry Syllabus 2026-27 | Download PDF |
Important Points for Students
- The theory examination carries 70 marks and is conducted for three hours
- The complete Chemistry assessment carries 100 marks
- The theory syllabus contains 10 chapters
- Organic Chemistry has the highest weightage of 31 marks
- Physical Chemistry carries 25 marks, while Inorganic Chemistry carries 14 marks
- Students should prepare both theory concepts and numerical problems
- Practical experiments, project work and the practical file are also part of the assessment
Students should refer to the official CISCE syllabus PDF for the complete prescribed details and prepare all the listed topics for the 2027 examination.