ICSE Class 10 Syllabus 2027 History and Civics

ICSE YEAR 2027

INDIAN CERTIFICATE OF
SECONDARY EDUCATION
EXAMINATION

H.C.G (50)
HISTORY & CIVICS

February 2025
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endeavours, empowering them to contribute towards
a humane, just and pluralistic society, promoting
introspective living, by creating exciting learning
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Minimum monitoring.
Allowing schools to evolve their own niche.
Catering to the needs of the children.
Giving freedom to experiment with new ideas
and practices.
Diversity and plurality - the basic strength for
evolution of ideas.
Schools to motivate pupils towards the
cultivation of:
Excellence - The Indian and Global
experience.
Values - Spiritual and cultural - to be the bedrock
of the educational experience.
Schools to have an 'Indian Ethos', strong roots in
the national psyche and be sensitive to national
aspirations.

CLASS X
There will be one paper of two hours duration 3. The Judiciary
carrying 80 marks and an Internal Assessment of
20 marks. (a) The Supreme Court:
Composition, qualifications of judges,
SECTION A: CIVICS appointment, independence of judiciary from
1. The Union Legislature the control of executive and legislature;
Jurisdiction and functions: Independence of
Meaning of the federal setup in India.
Judiciary, Original, Appellate, Advisory,
(i) Lok Sabha - term, composition, qualifications Revisory, Judicial Review and Court of
for membership. Parliamentary procedures: a Record. Enforcement of Fundamental Rights
brief idea of sessions, quorum, question hour, and Writs.
types of questions-meaning of starred,
(b) The High Courts:
unstarred and short notice questions, zero
hour, adjournment and no-confidence motion. Composition, qualifications of judges,
Anti-Defection Law provisions, Passing of appointment; Jurisdiction and functions:
Ordinary and Money Bills. Original, Appellate, Revisory, Judicial
Review and Court of Record. Enforcement of
Speaker – election, removal; and functions.
Fundamental Rights and Writs.
(ii) Rajya Sabha – composition, qualifications for
(c) Subordinate Courts:
membership, election, term, Presiding
Officer. Distinction between Court of the District
Judge and Sessions Court.
Powers and functions of Union Parliament –
(legislative, financial, judicial, electoral, Lok Adalats: meaning and advantages.
amendment of the Constitution, control over
executive). Exclusive powers of the two SECTION B: HISTORY
Houses.
1. The Indian National Movement (1857 - 1917)
2. The Union Executive (a) The First War of Independence, 1857
(a) The President: Only the causes (political, socio-religious,
Qualifications for election, composition of economic and military) and consequences –
Electoral College, reason for indirect (Only changes in the administration, Queen
election, term of office, procedure for Victoria’s Proclamation, Relation with
impeachment. Princely states and Changes in the Army) will
Powers (executive, legislative, financial, be tested. [The events, however, need to be
judicial, discretionary and emergency)- any mentioned in order to maintain continuity and
two effects of each emergency). for a more comprehensive understanding.]
(b) The Vice-President: (b) Factors leading to the growth of Nationalism
– economic exploitation, repressive colonial
Qualifications for election, removal, term of policies, socio-religious reform movements
office and powers. (any two contributions of Raja Rammohan
(c) Prime Minister and Council of Ministers: Roy, Jyotiba Phule, Swami Dayananda
Appointment, formation of Council of Saraswathi and Swami Vivekananda) and role
Ministers, tenure, functions - policy making, of the Press.
administrative, legislative, financial, Foundation of the Indian National Congress -
emergency. Position and powers of the Prime The year of formation and name of the
Minister. Collective and individual Founder Immediate objectives of the Indian
responsibility of the members of the Cabinet. National Congress - the first two sessions and
Distinction between the Council of Ministers their Presidents should be mentioned.
and the Cabinet.

ICSE Examination Year 2027 3

(c) First Phase of the Indian National Movement Versailles, formation of League of Nations,
(1885-1907) - objectives and methods of Objectives of the League of Nations).
struggle of the Early Nationalists. Any two (b) Rise of Dictatorships
contributions of Dadabhai Naoroji,
Surendranath Banerjee and Gopal Krishna Causes for the rise of Fascism in Italy and the
Gokhale. rise of Nazism in Germany. Similarity between
the ideologies of Fascism and Nazism.
Second Phase of the Indian National
Movement (1905-1916) - Brief mention of the (c) The Second World War
causes of the Partition of Bengal and its Causes (Dissatisfaction with the Treaty of
perspective by the Nationalists. Reasons for Versailles, Rise of Fascism and Nazism,
Surat Split of 1907; objectives and methods of Policy of Appeasement, the Japanese invasion
struggle of Assertive Nationalists. Any of China, Failure of the League of Nations and
two contributions of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Hitler’s invasion of Poland). Brief mention of
Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat the attack on Pearl Harbour and bombing of
Rai. The Muslim League; Year of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Consequences
formation, Factors leading to the formation of (Defeat of Axis Powers, Formation of the
the Muslim League and its objectives. The United Nations and Cold War).
Lucknow Pact - 1916. Signatories of the Pact
Cold War - meaning, NATO and WARSAW
and its impact.
(Only meaning).
2. Mass Phase of the National Movement (1915-
1947) (d) United Nations
(a) Mahatma Gandhi - Non-Cooperation (i) The objectives of the U.N.
Movement : causes (Khilafat Movement, The composition and functions of the
Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy), General Assembly, the Security Council,
programme and suspension – Chauri Chaura and the International Court of Justice.
incident and impact of the Movement; the Major agencies of the United Nations:
Civil Disobedience Movement: causes UNICEF, WHO and UNESCO –
(reaction to the Simon Commission (clauses headquarters and functions only.
will not be tested) Declaration of Poorna (ii) Universal Declaration of Human Rights –
Swaraj at the Lahore Session of 1929), (Only meaning)
Dandi March, programme and impact of the (e) Non-Aligned Movement
Movement, Gandhi-Irwin Pact and the
Second Round Table Conference; Reason for Brief meaning; objectives; Panchsheel- only
renewal of the Civil Disobedience Movement meaning, principles need to be taught only for
the Quit India Movement: causes (failure of understanding and not for testing; role of
the Cripps Mission (clauses will not be Jawaharlal Nehru; Names of the architects of
tested), Japanese threat), Quit India NAM.
Resolution and the significance of the
Movement. INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
(b) Forward Bloc (objectives) and INA (name of Any one project/assignment related to the syllabus.
the founder objectives and contribution of
Suggested Assignments
Subhas Chandra Bose).
(c) Independence and Partition of India – Cabinet • Compare the Parliamentary and Presidential forms
Mission Plan (clauses only); Mountbatten of Government with reference to India and the
Plan (clauses and its acceptance); and the U.S.A.
Indian Independence Act of 1947 (clauses • Conduct a mock Court and record the proceedings.
only).
• Present a life sketch and contributions of any one
3. The Contemporary World of the following Presidents of India –
(a) The First World War • Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan and
Causes (Nationalism and Imperialism, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (or any other).
Armament Race, division of Europe and • Present a book review of any one of the following
Sarajevo crisis) and Results (Treaty of
works: Dadabhai Naoroji’s ‘Poverty and un-

ICSE Examination Year 2027 4

British rule in India’, Gandhi’s ‘The Story of my EVALUATION
Experiments with Truth’, Nehru’s ‘Discovery of
The assignments/project work is to be evaluated by the
India’, Bhagat Singh’s ‘Why I am an Atheist’,
Vijayalakshmi Pandit’s ‘The Scope of Happiness: subject teacher and by an External Examiner. (The
A Personal Memoir’, Abdul Kalam’s ‘Wings of External Examiner may be a teacher nominated by the
Fire’ or any other relevant book. Head of the School, who could be from the faculty,
• Discuss the relevance of any one of the following but not teaching the subject in the section/class. For
films to understand the history of 20th Century example, a teacher of History of Class VIII may be
Europe: The Book Thief, Schindler’s List, Escape deputed to be an External Examiner for Class X,
to Victory, The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, Life is History projects.)
Beautiful, The Sound of Music, Gandhi (Richard
Attenborough), Sardar (Ketan Mehta), Netaji The Internal Examiner and the External Examiner will
Subhas Chandra Bose - The Forgotten Hero assess the assignments independently.
(Shyam Benegal) or any other relevant book.
Award of Marks (20 Marks)
• Make an illustrative study of the life and work of
Subhash Chandra Bose. Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner) 10 marks
• Make an illustrative study of the life and work of External Examiner 10 marks
any three national leaders, between 1857 and 1914 The total marks obtained out of 20 are to be sent to
and describe their contributions to the Nation.
CISCE by the Head of the School.
• Highlight the work and achievements of any one
Nobel Laureate - Malala Yousafzai or Kailash The Head of the school will be responsible for the
Satyarthi. online entry of marks on CISCE’s CAREERS portal
• Make a presentation on the influence of Gandhian by the due date.
principles on Martin Luther King / Nelson
Mandela.
• Prepare a report on the contributions of any one of
the following agencies of the United Nations –
UNESCO / WHO / UNICEF / ILO / UNDP / FAO.
• Present a case study of any recent human
rights violations and redressal mechanisms
available to prevent such instances in the
future.

ICSE Examination Year 2027 5

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN HISTORY & CIVICS - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES
Grade Preparation/ Information Concepts Thinking Skills Presentation Marks
Research
I  Follows instructions  A good deal of  Good understanding of  Different interpretations  Matter presented is clear 4
with understanding. relevant matter. historical concepts - of evidence. and is in coherent form
 Masters research  Uses wide range of sequence/reconstruction-  Can draw Inferences/ (sub-headings, sections,
techniques easily. sources. causes and deductions/ chapters etc.)
 Reference work is consequences-continuity conclusions.  Work is neat and tidy and
orderly. and change not over elaborate.
 Empathy.
II  Follows instructions  Selects matter relevant  Understanding of  Limited / Single  Matter is presented in 3
but needs a little help to context. concepts is adequate. interpretation of coherent form but not
in research techniques.  Limited use of evidence with some organized into sections
 Reference notes quite references/ sources. examples. etc.
orderly.  Some inferences/  Presentation neat and
conclusions are drawn. tidy but not elaborate.
III  Follows instructions  Relevant matter but  Displays limited use of  Few examples /single  Work is presented in an 2
but needs constant limited reference concepts. example to support orderly way, but not
guidance. work. reasoning. organized into sections.
 Reference notes at  Matter is sketchy.  Over use of ‘cosmetics’
times disorderly. to hide lack of substance.
 Work is quite neatly
presented.
IV  Struggles with  Hardly any reference  Minimal competency in  Finds it difficult to  Matter presented in a 1
research methods and material. concepts. make conclusions/ confused way at times
needs constant  Use of irrelevant  A few of the required deductions/ inferences. (no sub-headings,
guidance. matter. concepts.  No examples to support chapters, etc.)
 Reference notes  Matter is sketchy. reasoning.  Tendency to copy from
copied without reference books.
reference to  Use of “cosmetics” to
keywords. hide lack of substance.
V  Cannot follow  No reference  Unable to demonstrate  Unable to make  Matter presented in an 0
instructions. work/copied from concepts. inferences/ deductions incoherent/ disorganized
 Works ‘blindly’ other textbooks/ or come to any way.
without reference to sketchy matter. conclusions.  Copied from textbooks
keywords. “blindly”.
 Use of “cosmetics” to
hide lack of substance.
 Untidy work.

ICSE Examination Year 2027 6