ICSE Class 9 Syllabus 2028 Geography

ICSE
INDIAN CERTIFICATE OF
SECONDARY EDUCATION
EXAMINATION
YEAR 2028

H.C.G
GEOGRAPHY
(50)

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

January 2026
____________________________________________________________________________________________

© Copyright, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
All rights reserved. The copyright to this publication and any part thereof solely vests in the Council for the Indian
School Certificate Examinations. This publication and no part thereof may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed or
stored in any manner whatsoever, without the prior written approval of the Council for the Indian School Certificate
Examinations.

Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)

MISSION STATEMENT

The Council for the Indian School Certificate
Examinations is committed to serving the nation's
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.

HISTORY, CIVICS AND GEOGRAPHY (50)
GEOGRAPHY

H.C.G. - Paper - 2
Candidates offering History, Civics and Geography (Thailand) are not eligible to offer History, Civics and
Geography.

Aims:
1. To develop an understanding of terms, concepts and principles related to Geography.
2. To explain the cause- effect relationships of natural phenomena.
3. To understand the use of natural resources and development of regions.
4. To acquire knowledge of and appreciate the interdependence of nations and different regions of the world.
5. To know the availability of resources, understand, explain their uses and appreciate the problems of
development in India.
6. To understand and encourage human efforts made to conserve and protect the natural environment.
7. To acquire practical skills related to the meaning and use of maps and their importance in the study of
Geography.

CLASS IX
There will be one paper of two hours duration carrying 80 marks and an Internal Assessment of 20 marks.
Candidates will be expected to make the fullest use of sketches, diagrams, graphs and charts in their answers.
Questions may require answers involving the interpretation of photographs of geographical interest.

PRINCIPLES OF GEOGRAPHY

1. Our World
(a) Earth as a planet
Shape of the earth. Earth as the home of humankind and the conditions that exist.
(b) Geographic grid - Latitudes & Longitudes
(i) Concept of latitudes: main latitudes, their location with degrees, parallels of latitude and their uses.
(ii) Concept of longitudes - Prime Meridian, time (local, standard and time zones, Greenwich Mean Time
(GMT) and International Date Line (IDL). Eastern and Western hemisphere.
(iii) Using latitudes and longitudes to find location. Calculation of time.
(iv) Great Circles and their use.
(c) Rotation and Revolution
Rotation – direction, speed and its effects (occurrence of day and night, the sun rising in the east and
setting in the west, Coriolis effect)
Revolution of the earth and its inclined axis – effects: the variation in the length of the day and night and
seasonal changes with Equinoxes and Solstices.

1

2. Structure of the Earth
(a) Earth’s Structure
Core, mantle, crust – meaning, extent and their composition.
(b) Landforms of the Earth
Mountains, plateaus, plains (definition, types and their formation):
Mountains – fold, residual and block.
Plateaus – intermont and volcanic.
Plains – structural and depositional.
Examples from the world and India.
(c) Rocks
difference between minerals and rocks, types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic, their
characteristics and formation; rock cycle.
(d) Volcanoes
Meaning, Types – active, dormant and extinct.
Effects – constructive and destructive.
Important volcanic zones of the world.
(e) Earthquakes
Meaning, causes and measurement.
Effects: destructive and constructive.
Earthquake zones of the World
(f) Weathering and Denudation
Meaning, types and effects of weathering.
Types: Physical Weathering – block and granular disintegration, exfoliation;
Chemical Weathering–oxidation, carbonation, hydration and solution;
Biological Weathering – caused by humans, plants and animals.
Meaning and agents of denudation; work of river and wind.
Stages of a river course and associated land forms – V-shaped valley, waterfall, meander and delta.
Wind – deflation hollows and Sand dunes.

3. Hydrosphere
Meaning of hydrosphere.
Tides - formation and pattern.
Ocean Currents – their circulation pattern and effects. (Specifically of Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Drift,
Labrador Current, Kuro Shio and Oya Shio.)

4. Atmosphere
(a) Composition and structure of the atmosphere.
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Ionosphere and Exosphere; Ozone in the Stratosphere, its depletion. Global
warming and its impact.
(b) Insolation
(i) Meaning of insolation and terrestrial radiation.

2

(ii) Factors affecting temperature: latitude, altitude, distance from the sea, slope of land, winds and ocean
currents.
(c) Atmospheric Pressure and Winds.
(i) Meaning and factors that affect atmospheric pressure.
(ii) Major pressure belts of the world.
(iii) Factors affecting direction and velocity of wind – pressure gradient, Coriolis Effect.
(iv) Permanent winds – Trades, Westerlies and Polar Easterlies.
(v) Periodic winds - Land and Sea breezes, Monsoons.
(vi) Local winds - Loo, Chinook, Foehn and Mistral.
(vii) Variable winds - Cyclones and Anticyclones.
(viii) Jet Streams- Meaning and importance.
(d) Humidity
(i) Humidity – meaning and difference between relative and absolute humidity.
(ii) Condensation – forms (clouds, dew, frost, fog and mist).
(iii) Precipitation - forms (rain, snow, and hail).
(iv) Types of rainfall – relief/orographic, convectional, cyclonic/ frontal with examples from the different
parts of the world.

5. Pollution
(a) Types - air, water (fresh and marine), soil, radiation and noise.
(b) Sources:
(i) Noise: Traffic, factories, construction sites, loudspeakers, airports.
(ii) Air: vehicular, industrial, burning of garbage.
(iii) Water: domestic and industrial waste.
(iv) Soil: chemical fertilizers, bio medical waste and pesticides.
(v) Radiation: X- rays; radioactive fallout from nuclear plants.
(c) Effects - on the environment and human health.
(d) Preventive Measures
Carpools, promotion of public transport, no smoking zone, restricted use of fossil fuels, saving energy
and encouragement of organic farming.

6. Natural Regions of the World
Location, area, climate, natural vegetation and human adaptation.
Equatorial region, Tropical grasslands, Tropical Deserts, Tropical Monsoon, Mediterranean, Temperate
grasslands, Taiga and Tundra.

7. Map Work
On an outline map of the World, candidates will be required to locate, mark and name the following:
(a) The major Natural Regions of the world - Equatorial, Tropical Monsoon, Tropical Deserts,
Mediterranean type, Tropical grasslands, Temperate grasslands, Taiga and Tundra.
(b) The Oceans, Seas, Gulfs and Straits - all Major Oceans, Caribbean Sea, North Sea, Black Sea, Caspian
Sea, South China Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Carpentaria, Hudson Bay, Persian Gulf, Gulf of
Mexico, Gulf of Guinea, Bering Strait, Strait of Gibraltar, Strait of Malacca.

3

(c) Rivers – Mississippi, Colorado, Amazon, Paraguay, Nile, Zaire, Niger, Zambezi, Orange, Rhine, Volga,
Danube, Murray, Darling, Hwang Ho, Yangtse Kiang, Ob, Indus, Ganga, Mekong, Irrawaddy, Tigris,
Euphrates.
(d) Mountains – Rockies, Andes, Appalachian, Alps, Himalayas, Pyrenees, Scandinavian Highlands,
Caucasus, Atlas, Drakensburg, Khinghan, Zagros, Urals, Great Dividing Range.
(e) Plateaus – Canadian Shield, Tibetan Plateau, Brazilian Highlands, Patagonian Plateau, Iranian Plateau,
Mongolian Plateau.

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
PRACTICAL WORK/ PROJECT WORK
1. A record file having any three of the following exercises will be maintained. (The file will be evaluated out
of 10 marks).
(a) Uses of important types of maps.
(b) Directions and how to identify them - an illustrative diagram.
(c) Reading and using statement of scale, graphic scale and scale shown by representative fraction method.
(No drawing work, only explaining their meanings).
(d) Reading of one town guide map or an atlas map. (Recognising the symbols and colours used, identifying
directions and distances).
(e) Drawing and recognising forms of important contours viz. valleys, ridges, types of slopes, conical hill,
plateau, escarpment and sea cliff.
(f) Drawing at least one sketch map to organize information about visiting an important place, a zoo or a
monument.
2. Candidates will be required to prepare a project report on any one topic. The topics for assignments may be
selected from the list of suggested assignments given below. Candidates can also take up an assignment of
their choice under any of the four broad areas given below. (The project will be evaluated out of 10 marks).
Suggested list of Assignments:
(a) Weather records: Maintaining and interpreting weather records as found in the newspaper for at least
one season.
(b) Collection of data from secondary sources: (Using Modern techniques i.e., Global Positioning System
(GPS), Remote Sensing, Aerial Photography and Satellite imageries): Preparing a Power Point
presentation on current issues like – use of earth resources/ development activities/dangers of
development and ecological disasters like droughts, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, landslides cyclones
and tornadoes in the world.
(c) Physical Features: Collection of data from primary and secondary sources or taking photographs and
preparing notional sketches of features found in the vicinity or areas visited during the year as a part of
school activity.
(d) Find out the sources of pollution of water bodies in the locality and determine the quality of water.
(e) Collect information on global environmental issues and problems and communicate your findings through
appropriate modes (posters, charts, collages, cartoons, handouts, essays, street plays and PowerPoint
presentation).
(f) Area Studies: Choosing any aspect from World Studies and preparing a Power Point presentation or a
write up on it.
(g) Meteorological Instruments and their uses: Six’s maximum and minimum thermometer, mercury
barometer, aneroid barometer, wind vane, anemometer, rain gauge and hygrometer.

4