ISC Class 12 Syllabus 2027 History

ISC YEAR 2027

INDIAN SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION

HISTORY
(851)

February 2025
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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.

CLASS XII
There will be two papers in the subject: (iv) The linguistic reorganization of states:
Paper I: Theory 3 hours ------ 80 marks Features of the States Reorganisation Act,
Paper II: Project Work --------20 marks 1956 with particular reference to Andhra,
Bombay and Punjab.
PAPER I (THEORY) – 80 MARKS
3. Development of Indian Democracy (1964 –
SECTION A 1977)
The following to be discussed:
INDIAN HISTORY
(i) Lal Bahadur Shastri – his contributions as
1. Towards Independence and Partition: The Prime Minister
Last Phase (1939-1947)
(ii) Importance of the election of 1967
(i) National Movement during the Second
World War: (iii) Main Opposition political parties and their
ideologies – Socialist Party (SP);
Reasons behind the August Offer and the
Cripps Mission. The proposals and the Communist Party of India (CPI);
reasons for their rejection leading directly Communist Party of India (Marxist
to the Quit India Resolution. A compact (CPI(M)); Bharatiya Jan Sangh;
account of the movement, its suppression Shiromani Akali Dal.
and a brief analysis of its significance. (iv) Naxal Movement: factors of its rise; main
(ii) Subhash Chandra Bose and the INA. leaders (Charu Majumdar and Kanu
Bose’s organisation of the INA, a brief Sanyal); areas where they operated (West
account of its operations, eventual defeat Bengal and Andhra Pradesh) and the
and significance. struggle carried out by peasants and
(iii) Transfer of power (1945-1947): students.; government measures against it;
Reasons for change in the attitude of the reasons for its decline in the 1970’s and its
British government after World War II. impact.
Cabinet Mission: its aims and major (v) JP Movement (1974-75): Origin: Jai
provisions. Prakash Narayan’s disputes with Mrs.
Gandhi; main features of its course.
1947: Attlee’s Declaration of 20th February
Assessment of its significance.
1947; Mountbatten Plan – main features:
reasons for acceptance of the Plan by (vi) Emergency (1975-76): reasons for
major political parties. imposition; main features of the suspension
of democratic rights. Assessment of its
Modifications in the Indian Independence
Act. impact (positive and negative aspects).

2. Establishment of Indian democracy (1947 – 4. Changing face of the Indian Democracy
1966) (1977 – 1986)
(i) The Janata Government (1977 – 1979).
The following should be discussed:
Elections of 1977: establishment of the
(i) The role of Sardar Patel in the Janata Government; its policies and their
reorganization and integration of princely implementation; reasons for its downfall.
states. (ii) Centre-State relations
(ii) Problems of integrating Junagarh,
(a) Punjab: Demands of the Akali Dal;
Hyderabad and Kashmir.
Anandpur Sahib Resolution; 1977
(iii) First general election (1952): problems of elections; formation of Akali
preparation and their solutions, process, government; rise of Bhindranwale –
result and impact of the elections. his demands and methods.

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Centre’s response: Operation Bluestar (ii) Anglo-French appeasement policies.
– its results and impact. Punjab
Appeasement: why Britain and France
Accord, 1985.
chose to follow this policy and how it was
(b) Assam: Reasons for Assamese
carried out.
discontent; course of Assam’s
agitation; the Centre’s response: (iii) Axis invasions in Europe and Asia (1939-
Assam Accord, 1985. 1941).
(c) Nagaland: The Nagas’ separatist (iv) Course of the War in Europe, Africa and
demands; birth of Nagaland state; Far East (1942-45).
course of the agitation; Shillong (v) Reasons for the defeat of the Axis Powers.
Accord, 1975.
(d) Mizoram: 8. De-colonisation – in Asia (China) and Africa
Mizoram Movement (1959-1986): (Ghana & Kenya)
course and resolution. (i) China:
5. India’s Foreign Policy A short background of the problems facing
(i) Pakistan (1947-49, 1965, 1971) the Communists in 1949: in agriculture,
the gradual process from land distribution
Indo-Pak wars: causes, course and to collective farms should be outlined; in
consequences of each to be done industry, the Five Year Plan and Soviet
separately. help.
(ii) Sino-Indian War (1962) The Great Leap Forward should be
Disputes with the Peoples’ Republic of covered in more detail, particularly the
China over (a) Tibet issue: Chinese development of commune and assessment
takeover and asylum of the Dalai Lama in of the GLF.
India; (b) Border issues. (ii) Ghana: democracy and dictatorship (1957-
Sino-Indian War (1962): immediate causes 66).
and consequences. Brief background to independence,
6. Movements for Women’s Rights Nkrumah’s role, reasons for his overthrow.
Towards Equality Report (1974) - aims, (iii) Kenya: conflict and independence (1947 –
significance and recommendations. 1964).
Developments in the anti-dowry movement and Conflict with whites over independence and
struggle against domestic violence in the 1970s role of Kenyatta.
and 1980s.
9. Cold War (1945-91)– origin, end and
Measures undertaken by the government in impact
response.
(i) Origins of the Cold War: End of wartime
SECTION B unity; Yalta and Potsdam Conferences;
WORLD HISTORY Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan;
Molotov Plan, COMECON and
7. World War II Cominform.
(i) Factors leading to the War: aggressive (ii) The rift widens - Soviet expansion in
foreign policies of Germany, Italy and Eastern Europe (1945-1948) including the
Japan. communist coup in Czechoslovakia.
(iii) Cold War Crises - Berlin Blockade –
Should be discussed to show how these NATO – division of Germany. Cuban
aggressive policies made war more likely Missile Crisis – causes and effects.
and worldwide in scope.
(iv) Détente – reasons for it and effects on
Eastern Europe.

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(v) Downfall of Communism in Poland and (1967), the Yom Kippur War (1973), Sadat
East Germany. and the Camp David Accord (1979).
(vi) Breakup of the USSR For each of these events, the causes and
Reasons for collapse of USSR results should be studied in detail.
The origin and formation of the PLO.
Political changes; Coup of 1991; Demand
for independence by the Soviet republics (iii) Oslo Peace Accords (1993 & 1995).
leading to the breakup of USSR. Intifada and the change in attitude of
Israel and the PLO leading to the Oslo
10. Protest Movements
Peace Accords I (1993) and II (1995).
Civil Rights Movement, anti-Apartheid Assessment of the main features of each.
Movement; Feminist Movement. Why it failed to bring peace.
(i) Racial problems and civil rights in USA in
the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s: Racial
discrimination, change in the government’s PAPER II (PROJECT WORK)
attitude, campaign for equal rights - 20 MARKS
(Dr. Martin Luther King’s role).
(ii) Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa Candidates will be required to undertake one
(1948-1994): main features of Apartheid, project on any one of the following history topics
opposition to Apartheid (Dr Nelson from the 20th-21st (till 2012) centuries
Mandela’s role), transition to black (India/World).
majority rule and the end of Apartheid.  Politics – leadership, domestic policy, foreign
policy.
(iii) Second Wave Feminist Movement in USA
(early 1960s – early 1980’s): reasons for  Military – any war: causes, course and
its origin (the impact of the Presidential consequences. Strategies & tactics.
Commission, Betty Friedan’s book and the Technology. Outcome: peace settlements.
Civil Rights Movement; Equal Pay Act of  Economy – economic policy: terms and
1963 – its implications for American impact. Currency, communication, trade.
women, Measures taken by Johnson (Civil Agriculture and industry.
Rights Act of 1964), Role of National  Society & culture – Traditions, food, clothing,
Organisation for Women (NOW) and its festivals, role and status of women, education,
campaign for the Equal Rights art, architecture, sculpture, music, dance,
Amendment (ERA). literature.
11. Middle East: Israeli-Palestine conflict  Religion – philosophy, ideas, beliefs, practices,
(1916-1993) impact.
(i) Post War conflict in Palestine after World The project may be in any one of the following
War I, till the formation of the state of categories:
Israel. 1. A case study.
Aims of Arab nationalism and Zionism. 2. A field visit/ investigation.
Impact of World War I: the conflicting 3. A local history.
promises made by the British to the 4. Interview/oral evidence.
Arabs and the Jews: Husain-MacMahon 5. Book review/ film review/ posters/ newspapers/
correspondence, the Sykes-Picot advertisements/ cartoons and art.
Agreement and the Balfour Declaration.
The project may or may not be based on the
(ii) The Arab-Israeli Wars from 1948 to Camp
David Accord (1979). syllabus; students must be encouraged to produce
original, creative and insightful perspectives on an
The following conflicts should be studied – allied aspect of the topic.
First Arab- Israeli Conflict (1948-1949),
the Suez Crisis (1956), the Six Day War

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The written outcome of the project, in the form Assessment of Project Work will be done as
of 800–1500-word essay, should be structured as follows:
given below: 1. Internal Evaluation by Teacher 10 Marks
 Introduction - Background and context to be 2. Evaluation by Visiting Examiner 10 Marks
discussed very briefly. TOTAL 20 Marks
 Main body - Explanation, Interpretation,
Analysis and Critical Evaluation of a range of
evidence: the research material gathered by the Internal Evaluation by the Teacher:
student. S.n Assessment Criteria Marks
 Conclusion - Brief summing up of the topic. o. objective
 Bibliography – a list of all material referred to 1. Process Candidate should 3
in the essay, including print, electronic, oral & be able to:
audio-visual material, referenced correctly, in a Identify the topic.
standard format. Plan and detail a
 Appendix – optional, only if it is crucial for the research project.
better understanding of the project essay. 2. Understandin Candidate should 4
g, application be able to:
of Explain issues and
List of suggested Projects: knowledge themes clearly and
1. Leaders – e.g., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Noor and Analysis in context.
Inayat Khan, Surya Sen, Vinoba Bhave, Sun Interpret, analyse
Yat Sen, Golda Meir, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, and evaluate
Margaret Thatcher, etc. critically the topic.
2. Radical organisations – ideologies, acts and 3. Presentation Overall format and 3
impact. E.g., KKK, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al- referencing, title
Shabaab, Sendero Luminoso, Khmer Rouge, page and
Japanese Red Army, etc. bibliography.
3. Protests Movements – political ideologies, civil TOTAL 10
rights, workers, caste, environment. E.g., Arab Evaluation by the Visiting Examiner:
Spring, Chipko Movement, Black Lives Matter,
Dalit Panther Movement, etc. S.no. Assessment Criteria Marks
4. UN – Peacekeeping actions and Weaknesses. objective
5. Regional Organizations and their contributions 1. Choice of Overall format, 4
– E.g., SAARC, ASEAN, EU, AU, etc. Technique/ referencing, title
6. Growth of feminist movements in India /the Detailed page and
West. procedure bibliography.
&
7. Music /art as a medium of protest.
Presentation
8. Books that have had a profound effect on 2. Analysis Candidates should 3
society. and be able to:
9. Wars – e.g., contribution of Indian soldiers to evaluation Interpret, analyze
the World Wars; role of colonial armies in the and evaluate
World Wars; guerrilla wars (e.g. Vietnam War), critically a range of
etc. evidence.
3. Viva Range of questions 3
The Project will be assessed by the teacher and a based on the project
Visiting Examiner appointed locally and only.
approved by CISCE. TOTAL 10

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GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS: 5. The students should be guided on doing the
1. It must be emphasized that the process of doing research and looking at different types of
the project is as important as the finished evidence.
product. 6. Books and suitable reference materials could be
2. Once the project/projects are chosen, there suggested and even put up on the library notice
should be a process of brainstorming to board for guidance of the students.
encourage students to make out a draft/structure 7. Internet sites could be suggested, but care must
for the project before embarking on research. be taken in selecting, using and citing these
3. During the brainstorming/discussion, the sites.
teacher should discuss the assessment criteria 8. Students must be cautioned against plagiarism
with the students. and be penalized for the same.
4. The teacher should discuss the draft with the 9. Marks must be awarded for content and
student with regard to the central question and originality and not for decorative elements and
the type of sources to be used. embellishments.
10. Projects must be the original work of the
student.

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