ISC Class 12 Syllabus: The latest ISC Class 12 Mass Media and Communication syllabus is available to download at cisce.org. Students appearing for the Class 12 board exam can access the syllabus for the 2026-27 academic year. The subject (879) aims to offer a detailed understanding of communication, journalism, television, radio, cinema, social media, etc. It aims to build understanding of different forms of media. A skill-based professional course will help students develop a base for a long-term career in mass communication. Students who are aiming to build a future in the media industry can learn the fundamentals of media through the detailed syllabus provided below.
The syllabus offers the outline of the topics required to be studied for the exam. It is designed to boost knowledge in the updated curriculum. Students can check the ISC Class 12 Mass Media and Communication syllabus 2026-27 PDF link shared below.
ISC Class 12 Syllabus 2026-27: Key Highlights
Check the essential details for the ISC Class 12 syllabus, upcoming exam details, etc. from the table shared below:
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Events
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Description
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Examination Name
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Indian School Certificate (ISC)
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Board Name
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Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
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Subject
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Mass Media and Communication (879)
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Board Exams
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Conducted annually
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Marks Distribution
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100 Marks (70 Marks Theory and 30 Marks Practicals and Project Work
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Exam Duration
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3 Hours
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Website
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cisce.org
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Mode of Exam
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Pen and Paper (Offline Mode) in English
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ISC Class 12 Mass Media & Communication: Aims
The board has assigned aims for the Class 12 Mass Media and Communication subject. Students can check the listed objectives shared below:
1. To bring about a comprehensive understanding of the different types of Mass Media and their convergence.
2. To provide an introduction to the various media regulatory bodies and their objectives.
3. To enable the comprehension of technical and creative concepts associated with the various Media production processes.
4. To create an awareness of the role of Media in bringing about social change.
5. To sensitize and bring about an awareness of Online hazards and Internet safety.
6. To develop an understanding of the Evolution of the various forms of Media and Communication.
ISC Class 12 Mass Media & Communication Syllabus 2026-27, Download PDF
The ISC Class 12 Mass Media and Communication syllabus paper is divided into Theory (70 Marks) and project work (30 marks). The syllabus carries topics like communication, key details of journalism, television, radio, etc. Check the detailed syllabus shared below:
Paper - I Theory
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1. Communication
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(i) Culture and Communication What is culture? Relationship between culture and mass media; communication in the cultural context; media as vehicle of cultural transmission; representation and stereotyping in Mass Media.
(ii) Communication and Social Change Social change: meaning; media as a catalyst for social change (with examples of various social movements).
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2. Journalism
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(i) Qualities of a good Journalist. An understanding of the following: nose for News, inquisitiveness, language skills, trustworthy and empathy.
(ii) Ethical Issues in Journalism. A brief understanding of each of the following with examples: sensationalism, fake news, paid news, plagiarism, advertorials, partisan reporting and sting operations.
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3. Television
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(i) Advertising for television. Meaning and process - planning phase, scripting, casting, preproduction, shooting, post-production, approval, delivery. Functions- Reach large audiences, inform and educate, entertain and retain attention, create loyal following for product, affordable information distribution. Types- Cross promotion, Merchandise, Covert Advertising, Infomercials, Bumper ads, Sponsorship, Call to action.
(ii)Film stages Pre-shooting, shooting, post-shooting.
(iii) Camera angles Eye level, low angle, high angle, ground level, dutch angle, aerial, close-up, bird’s eye view, worm-eye view, long shot, extreme long shot, medium shot, oblique.
(iv) Camera Movement Pan, Tilts, Dolly shots, handheld, crane shots.
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4. Radio
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(i) Writing for Radio Characteristics of a Radio Script: conversational language, active voice, simple sentences, avoidance of technical jargons and capability of creating imageries.
(ii) Recording Radio Programmes Brief understanding of the radio studio and transmission equipment: types of microphones; amplifier, sound mixer, speakers; audio recording.
(iii) Radio Jockeying Role of a radio jockey; skills required: command on language (spoken and written), connectedness with the audience; knowledge about the recording equipment.
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5. Cinema
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(i) History of Cinema A brief understanding of the early experiments done by the following: Lumiere Brothers, John Grierson, Robert Flaharty and Dada Saheb Phalke.
(ii) Cinema Genres. Defining genre theory; an understanding of the various types of genres (with suitable examples): action, westerns, comedy, crime, drama, fantasy/sci-fi, historical, animation, romance and musical.
(iii) Cinema and Social Change. Parallel Cinema movement in India: Issues depicted and low budget production process (with reference to examples such as Shyam Benegal’s Manthan).
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6. Social Media
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(i) Definition of social media.
(ii) Types of social media platforms. Social networking, blogging, photo sharing and video sharing.
(iii) Role of social media in democracy. Role of social media in creating collective identities with reference to sharing of information; cyber activism (with suitable examples)
(iv) Cyber Crime. An understanding of online bullying; stalking; trolling; online frauds.
(v) Netiquettes. Meaning and importance of netiquettes; an understanding of netiquettes such as: identification of oneself; respect for others’ privacy, use of appropriate language and imagery; do not spam.
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7. New Media
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(i) Definition of new media Types (websites, apps, podcasts, smartphones) and their characteristics.
(ii) Advantages and disadvantages of new media.
(iii)The socio-political implications of the new media. Self-explanatory.
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8. Media Convergence
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Media convergence; dimensions. Meaning, importance and benefits of media convergence. Dimensions: technological, textual, social, economic and political (A brief understanding with examples). Advantages of the dimensions of media convergence.
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ISC Class 12 Syllabus 2026-27: Paper II (Project Work)
For the project work, students will be evaluated for 30 marks based on the two projects from the topic or allied aspect covered in theory.
Project work may include:
• Script writing.
• Documentary/ video.
• Book review/ film review/ posters/ advertisements/ cartoon strip.
• Advertisement campaign, social media campaign.
• Case study.
• Field visit/investigation.
List of suggested assignments for Project Work:
(i) Develop a script for radio advertisement on any one social issue of your choice. The duration of the advertisement should not be more than 30 seconds. You are also expected to develop a suitable jingle.
(ii) Develop a short comic story. You can choose maximum 4 characters to build the story. The cartoons should be drawn by yourself in your own way. Write suitable dialogues. Colouring of the comics is optional. The story should not be more than five scenes or 15 drawings. candidates can submit them pasted in a chart or book. No software should be used for this assignment.
(iii) Produce a one hour documentary on the topic “Life in School”. The documentary must contain video clips from various activities conducted in school as well as general school life such as recess and dismissal. There must be at least one interview with a student and one with a member of staff. Narration must be clear and fit with the visual matter. Any recording not in English must have subtitles.
(iv) Develop an advertising campaign on any issue related to the conservation of the environment. You can choose any non-electronic media for the campaign. For example, pamphlets, placards, leaflets, etc. Prepare a report of the detailed process along with pictures of the campaign.
(v) Create a power point presentation showcasing the various Graduation courses a student can apply for after the completion of school. The PPT must contain statistical data regarding employment rates of adults who have completed the courses, number and type of jobs which make use of the courses as well as difficulty of the courses. Pie charts and bar graphs may be used. Reasons must be given why the courses should be taken as well as what advantages certain courses have over others.
(vi) Choose a social media campaign. Follow it for a week. Do a detailed analysis of the campaign in terms of its strategy, followers, comments/ likes, sharing and development over time.
(vii) Use any camera or mobile phone with video facility to create a 1-5-minute fiction story on a topic of your choice.
(viii)Write a detailed review of a film from any one of the following genres: Fantasy/ Sci-fi, comedy, musical.
The Project will be assessed by the teacher and a Visiting Examiner appointed locally and approved by CISCE. Assessment of Project Work will be done as follows:
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Internal Evaluation by Teacher
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15 Marks
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Evaluation by Visiting Examiner
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15 Marks
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TOTAL
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30 Marks
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Students can check the link shared below, to access the ISC Class 12 Mass Media and Communication Syllabus for 2026-27 session.