ISC Class 11 Syllabus 2028 Environmental Science

ISC
INDIAN SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION

YEAR 2028

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(877)

Developed by:
Research, Development and Curriculum Division (RDCD)
CISCE

January 2026
____________________________________________________________________________________________

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children, through high quality educational
endeavours, empowering them to contribute towards
a humane, just and pluralistic society, promoting
introspective living, by creating exciting learning
opportunities, with a commitment to excellence.

ETHOS OF CISCE

Trust and fair play.
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.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (877)

Aims:
1. To help the student appreciate the place of human beings in the natural systems.
2. To provide a wide understanding of knowledge resources relevant to environment protection and
conservation.
3. To provide an in-depth study of certain environment related areas.
4. To place environmental concerns in a technological, social, political and economic context.
5. To provide a context for the individual student to reflect on his/her beliefs and values in relation to the
environment.
6. To provide an opportunity to acquire interdisciplinary skills, knowledge and understanding and to apply this
logically and coherently in the field of environmental conservation.
7. To encourage student initiative and resourcefulness in action leading to environmental protection and
conservation.
8. To present environmental concerns in a challenging way and thereby encourage students to consider careers
in the environmental field.

CLASS XI

There will be two papers in the subject:
Paper I: Theory - 3 hours ... 70 marks
Paper II: Project Work - … 30 marks

PAPER I – THEORY
S. NO. UNIT WEIGHTAGE

1 Environment- The Foundation of Life 5

2 Modes of Existence 7
3 Ecology 15
4 Pollution 15
5 Legal Regimes for Sustainable Development 10

6 Technology and Environment 10
7 Design and Planning for Environmental Conservation and Protection 8
Total 70

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1. Environment – The Foundation of Life
The need for studying Environmental Science as a subject, its scope, and the applications of Environmental
Science.
(A brief outline and explanation of the above.)

2. Modes of Existence
(i) Modes of existence and resource use: hunting - gathering; pastoral; agricultural; industrial.
Modes of existence and resource use: hunting - gathering; pastoral; agricultural; industrial (Two
features defining each mode of existence).
Case Study: The Sentinelese tribe in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands- A ‘Particularly Vulnerable Tribal
Group (PVTG)’ (two general features and use of resources of the group).
(ii) Their impact on natural resource base: energy resources; material resources; scale of catchment; quantity
of resources used.
Impact of each mode on the available natural resources.
(iii) Their ecological impact: land transformation; habitat; diversity; modification of biogeochemical cycles;
modification of climate; substantial use.
The scale of catchment; quantity of resources used, land transformation; impact on habitat, biodiversity,
modification of biogeochemical cycles, modification of climate, substantial use to be taught only to create
a better understanding.
(iv) Their social organisation: size of group; kinship; division of labour; access to resources.
Self-explanatory.
(v) Their ideology and idiom of man-nature relationship.
Self-explanatory.
Case study: Jarawa-the endangered tribe from Andaman (A brief understanding of their ideology and
relationship with nature.)
(vi) An appreciation of the coexistence of all four modes of existence in contemporary India.
Self-explanatory.
(vii) Ecological conflicts arising therein.
Self -explanatory.

3. Ecology
(i) Concept of an ecosystem: relationships between living organisms.
Definition of ecology and ecosystem. Structure of an ecosystem: biotic and abiotic components.
Trophic relationships: food chains and food webs. Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of toxic wastes.
Relationships between living organisms: competition, predation, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism.
amensalism. (Common examples of each type).
Coevolution - Definition and types with common examples.
(ii) Habitats and niches: Gause's competitive exclusion principle; resource partitioning.
Definition and a basic understanding of the above.
(iii) Flow of energy: efficiencies - photosynthetic - trophic - assimilation - production; trophic levels;
generalised model of the ecosystem; ecological pyramid (numbers and biomass); food webs.

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An understanding that a small fraction of the sun’s energy is captured by the primary producers and
thereafter, at every trophic level, assimilation efficiency reduces. Pyramid of flow of energy, 10% Law of
Lindeman.
(iv) Nutrient cycles: generalised model; a study of carbon, nitrogen cycles (biological and geological); man's
intervention; pollution as disruption of these cycles; ecosystem as a source of material and sink waste for
human societies; ecological succession - causes (autogenic and allogenic) - patterns of succession.
An understanding of hydrological, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous cycles showing the linkages
between the biotic and abiotic elements (An understanding that different species thrive under different
conditions – a basic understanding of the Law of Tolerance).
Definition of Ecological succession. Classification as primary and secondary. Causes (autogenic and
allogenic). Understanding of the stages of succession.
(v) Biomes: terrestrial; fresh water; marine; a survey of the biomes of India and their inhabitants.
Examples of Biomes - Tropical rain forests, deserts, grasslands, coral reefs, lakes. (To be explained with
reference to climate, topography, flora, fauna and their adaptations.)

4. Pollution
(i) Disruption of nutrient cycles and habitats: atmospheric pollution; human activities that change the
composition of the atmosphere; connection between pollution and development; local and global effects
(greenhouse effect, ozone depletion) and their impact on human life; burning of fossil fuel products -
effect on ecosystem and human health.
• Air pollution: definition and causes.
• Human activities that disrupt hydrological, carbon, phosphorus and nitrogen cycles. The effects of
these disruptions. An understanding of how developmental activities lead to air pollution. A few
examples at local and global level.
• An understanding of greenhouse effect. Human sources of greenhouse gases. Explanation of the local
and global effects of:
– burning fossil fuel products-Coal and Crude oil.
– global warming with reference to the ecosystem, human health, sea level, biodiversity and forests.
(ii) Pollution control approaches - prevention and control: as applied to fossil fuel burning; the role of PCBs;
industrial pollution control - principles - devices - costs - policy incentives; combating global warming;
the international political dimensions; developing countries’ interest; impact on economic growth.
• Need for pollution control. Pollution prevention and control measures – Role of Pollution Control
Boards; one example of a PCB in a metropolitan city.
• Approach: correction at source (prevention), pollution cleanup – study of Catalytic convertor and
Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) as common devices and two uses of each (As applied to fossil fuel
burning).
• Industrial pollution: removal of particulate pollutants (cyclone collector, electrostatic precipitator);
removal of gaseous pollutants (Wet scrubbers vs dry scrubbers).
• Indoor pollution: Common pollutants, sources and effect.
• Subsidies and incentives for green automobiles, green architecture, green energy and green
technology in the Indian context.
• Problems related to combating global warming – lack of international cooperation, long term issue,
effect not uniform, impact on lifestyle and economy as a reason for resistance.
• International political dimensions – developing countries not prepared to take steps at the cost of
development, demand for cheap green technology to reduce emissions.

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(iii) Water pollution: water cycle; pollution of surface water, ground water, ocean water; industrial pollution
and its effects; domestic sewage and its treatment - techniques and appropriate technology; marine
ecosystem protection and coastal zone management; soil pollution - sources - effects.
• Definition of water pollution.
• Understanding water cycle.
• Causes of pollution of surface, ground and ocean water and their effects. Point and non-point sources
of water pollution.
• Difficulty in dealing with ground water pollution.
• Industrial pollution – heat and radioactive substances and their effects – early hatching of fish eggs,
failure to spawn, decrease in species diversity, migration of aquatic forms.
• Domestic sewage treatment – primary and secondary treatment and treatment by working with
nature.
• Protective measures taken for conserving marine ecosystems and coastal zone management-
establishment of protective marine sanctuaries, integrated coastal management, regulated coastal
development, ban on dumping waste and sewage in coastal water, ban on dumping sludge in oceans,
protection of sensitive areas from oil drilling, double hull for oil tankers.
• Soil pollution – Definition, sources, effects and mitigation.
• Radioactive pollution- Definition and types, sources, effects and mitigation.
• Noise pollution- Definition and types, sources, effects and mitigation.
• Microplastics pollution- Definition and types, sources, effects and mitigation.

5. Legal Regimes for Sustainable Development
(i) National legislative frameworks for environment protection and conservation; survey of constitutional
provisions (including directive principles); national laws; state laws in India.
• Constitutional provisions- the Article 48A and 51 A of Directive Principles of State Policy. 73rd and
74th constitutional amendment act (Main objectives of the above).
• Legislative framework:
(a) Environmental Protection Act 1986.
(b) The Bhopal Gas Tragedy and how it influenced Environmental Legislation in India – The passing
of an Umbrella Environmental Legislation - The Environmental Protection Act 1986.
(c) Forest (Conservation) Act 1981.
(d) Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
(e) Biological Diversity Act 2002.
(f) Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974.
(g) Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981.
(h) National Environmental Policy, 2006: Vision and principles (Key objectives and strategies-Waste
Management Rules in India (2016, updated in 2022)
(Two main objectives of each of the above Acts to be studied).
• National Green Tribunal (NGT): Formation and mandate of the NGT.
Landmark cases of NGT (Cause, Effect and Remediation of Polluted Sites):
(a) Yamuna riverbed in Delhi.
(b) Coal Mining in Meghalaya (2014).
(ii) International legal regimes: on trade and environment. TNCs regional arrangements and preferential trade
arrangements; on climate; on common resources (forests, bio-diversities, oceans and space); international
institutions (UNEP, UNCTAD, WHO, UNDP, etc.); international initiatives (Earth Summit, Agenda 21).

4

TNCs- Their use of resources, waste disposal, manmade ecological disaster. Case study of EXXON oil
spill, BP oil spills.
International institutions- UNEP, UNCTAD, WHO, UNDP, BRICS-origin, member nations,
objectives and brief role, international initiatives (Earth Summit, Agenda 21) – a brief understanding
of their role in environmental protection.

6. Technology and Environment
(i) Technological evolution and models: hi-tech; low-tech; intermediate; appropriate; traditional; interaction
between technology, resources, environment and development; energy as a binding factor; the need for
reorienting technology. Basic concept of Green Artificial intelligence and its applications in
environmental conservation.
• Definition of technology, a brief overview of the evolution of technology and its impact on human
societies.
• Definitions of hi-tech, low-tech. and intermediate technology – their impacts on natural resources.
• Understanding the difference between appropriate and traditional technology.
• Industrial revolution - genesis of ongoing technological revolution leading to development and
degradation of environment. Dependence on energy for all development.
• How technology can be used to generate a more equitable use of resources and build environmental
sustainability.
• Basic concept of Green Artificial intelligence and its brief applications in environmental
conservation.
(ii) Renewable energy: limitations of conventional sources; sources of renewable energy and their features
(solar, wind, biomass, micro-hydel and muscle power).
Limitations of conventional sources of energy such as - coal, natural gas and oil (extraction,
transportation, storage, pollution and degradation of environment).
Renewable Energy: What is renewable energy; sources of renewable energy, their features and uses:
biomass, solar energy, wind energy, hydel energy, geothermal energy – advantages and disadvantages of
renewable energy sources.
(iii) Health: incidents of disease as an indicator of the health of the environment; prevention of diseases by
better nutrition, sanitation, access to clean water, etc.; communicable and non-communicable diseases;
techniques of low cost sanitation; policy and organisation to provide access to basic health service for all;
the role of traditional and local systems of medicine.
• Diseases as indicators of health of the Environment: Malaria – standing water, felling of trees.
Enteric diseases – contaminated water. Respiratory diseases – air pollution.
• Role of sanitation, water supply, good nutrition in maintenance of health and prevention of diseases:
Prevention of deficiency diseases and water borne diseases.
• Definition of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Communicable diseases: HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Hepatitis as examples. Causative agents,
transmission and prevention of each of the above.
• Non communicable diseases: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, skin cancer, scurvy and rickets
(malnutrition), and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD)- causes related to environment
and lifestyle.
• Some techniques of low-cost sanitation, e.g. Decomposition system (pit latrine and ventilated
improved pit latrines) and Dry sanitation method.

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• Organisation of health services in India. Facilities provided by the government for basic health
services in India (to be covered briefly).
(iv) A brief introduction to traditional systems of medicine, e.g.: Ayurveda, Unani and local health traditions.
Their role in maintaining health of the community, a brief introduction to AYUSH. Biotechnology:
potential; limitations.
• Explanation of the term “Biotechnology’.
• Use/potential of Biotechnology in the field of medicine, industry, manufacturing and agriculture.
• Any five limitations of biotechnology application.
• Bioremediation.

7. Design and Planning for Environmental Conservation and Protection
(i) Ecosystem analysis: understanding complex systems; critical and state variables as system indicators;
indicators of inter-relationships; successions and systems resilience; predicting and assessing system
responses to impacts and their interventions; rapid appraisal methods.
• Understanding of the term Ecosystem analysis.
• Composition of the ecosystem – multiple biotic and abiotic factors that influence each other.
Understanding of limiting factors and zone of tolerance. Various factors (abiotic factors like
temperature, light, water, oxygen levels, soil nutrients and pH levels) which are considered as critical
variables.
• Definition and components of state variables.
• Succession: primary and secondary – system resilience.
• What are indicator species – examples, trouts as indicators of water quality, butterflies as indicators
of habitat loss and fragmentation.
(ii) Human environment interactions: quantity of life vs. quality of environment; environmental issues and
problems; role of belief and values; analysing brief statements for underlying values; issues analysis -
separating symptoms from problems; problem identification; identifying the players and their positions;
understanding interacting problems and identifying critical control points; problems analysis; identifying
variables (human behaviours, values, ecological, etc.); determining the relationships between variables;
formulating questions for research; planning research; generating problems, solution, briefs and
specifications.
• Understanding the state of the environment and the major environmental problems of the 21st
century.
• The role of belief and values in creating, maintaining and solving environmental problems.
A case study to be done by the students based on the following points:
• Identification of an environmental issue in their city/ town/ village.
• Identification of the factors/ people responsible for this issue.
• Contribution of the local authority / government to curb this problem.
• Identification to the critical points that have led to the problem.
• Urban and rural variations.
• Steps to be followed in doing an ‘Action Research’ on any environmental problem.
(iii) Design of solutions: generating solution options; overcoming blocks in thinking; generative and lateral
thinking; using criteria (social, political, ecological, technological, economic) to rank and prioritise
solution ideas; check solutions for economic, social and technical viability; collation of solution into
coherent plans; planning sequence and cost. (To be taught in alignment with the basic concept of EIA.)

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Self-explanatory.
To be taught through following case studies:
(a) Goa’s Golden Shores-A case study in Beach Tourism development, economic impact and
Environmental challenges.
(b) Ransih Kalan -A model for environmental sustainability.
Students should be encouraged to think creatively and develop solutions for environmental problems.
(For better understanding, not for testing)

PAPER II
PROJECT WORK: 30 MARKS
In addition to the syllabus prescribed above, candidates are required to undertake assessment in Project Work.
Each candidate must complete two projects on any topic(s) included in the syllabus. Each project shall carry 15
marks.

The Project Work will be evaluated by the subject teacher.

All assignments must be handwritten, and candidates are required to submit a hard-copy report for each
project.
Evaluation Criteria for a Project Work:

Component Details Marks

Introduction / Purpose / A clear outline of the theme, its relevance, and the specific objectives 3
Rationale with Objectives of the study.

Content – Causes, Effects, Comprehensive explanation of the topic supported with a relevant 4
and Remedies with a Case case study.
Study

Presentation and Analysis of Inclusion and interpretation of supporting material such as pictures, 4
Material graphs, data, articles, pie charts, histograms, diagrams, fieldwork
findings, surveys, and reports.

Originality of Thought and Independent thinking, innovative ideas, and practical solutions 2
Creative Solutions to Local addressing local environmental challenges.
Environmental Issues

Bibliography Properly formatted list of sources and references used in the 2
assignment.

Total Marks (for each project) 15

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A list of suggested topics for Project Work is provided below:
1. Detailed study of any one Biome in India. (With respect to the climate, soil, flora and fauna and its ecological
significance. The study must include real time data of each parameter mentioned above with material to
support the data collected.)
2. Detailed study of a specific example of a non-biodegradable pollutant and its effect on the environment-
climate, flora and fauna with a suitable/local case study supported by facts-pictures, articles/real time data.
3. Addressing an Environmental problem. (water/noise/Industrial/air/vehicular pollution in a local area with
specific details of cause, effect, analysis and mitigation based on social, economic and technical viability.)
4. Study of various Interactions between living organisms- one type each from positive and negative interaction
to be studied in detail with its role in maintaining ecological balance.
5. Scope of Environmental Laws & Agencies- a brief understanding of their role (any 5) in environmental
protection with a relevant case study covering specific details of the same.
6. Growing Traffic Congestion – A major challenge in metropolitan cities: the causes, their long-term
environmental impact and the role of renewable energy and appropriate technology as sustainable solutions
to manage this problem.
7. Detailed study of any one type of alternate source of energy with a relevant success story as a case study,
covering the principle of working, advantages, limitations and future prospects.
8. Role of biotechnology in any one field of agriculture/medicine/environmental conservation with a case study
(Basic principle of working and its various applications.)
9. Study of any five local flora and fauna with respect to their provisioning service es (prepare a detailed report
supported by pictures/diagrams etc. to focus on the importance of biodiversity.)
10. A comparative study on Hydroponics/soilless agriculture/vertical farming /urban forests/green roofs and the
significance of each as futuristic solutions in agriculture.
11. Prepare a Herbarium of 5 plants in your locality (make a tabulated report on the distribution, features and
various uses.)

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
1. AIDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
2. AYUSH: Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy
3. BP: British Petroleum
4. COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
5. HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus
6. NGO: Non-Governmental Organization
7. NGT: National Green Tribunal
8. PVTG: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group
9. SCR: Selective Catalytic Reduction
10. TNC: Transnational Corporation
11. UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
12. UNDP: United Nations Development Programme
13. UNEP: United Nations Environment Programme
14. WHO: World Health Organization

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