ICSE Class 10 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
____________________________________________________________________________________________

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

1. Interpretation of Topographical Maps
(a) Locating features with the help of a four figure or a six-figure grid reference.
(b) Definition of contour and contour interval. Identification of landforms marked by contours (steep slope,
gentle slope, hill, ridge, escarpment), triangulated height, spot height, relative height/ depth.
(c) Interpretation of colour tints and conventional symbols used on a topographical survey of India map.
(d) Identification and definition of types of scale given on the map (Statement scale, Representative Fraction
and Linear Scale).
Measuring distances (direct distance only) and calculating area (full grid square) using the scale given
therein.
(e) Marking directions between different locations, using eight cardinal points.
(f) Identify: Site of prominent villages /towns/settlements, services available types of land use / land cover
and means of transport (metalled, unmetalled, cart track, pack track, footpath) and communication with
the help of the index given at the bottom of the sheet.
(g) Identification of drainage (direction of flow and pattern - dendritic, trellised and radial) and settlement
patterns (clustered and dispersed).
(h) Identification of natural and man-made features.

2. Map of India
On an outline map of India, candidates will be required to locate, mark and name the following:
(6 map features for marking and 4 features for identification)
Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus (To be marked): Himalayas, Karakoram, Aravali, Vindhyas, Satpura,
Western and Eastern Ghats, Nilgiris, Khasi, Mount Godwin Austin (K2), Mount Kanchenjunga. Deccan
Plateau, Chota Nagpur Plateau.
Plains (To be marked): Gangetic Plains and Coastal plains – (Konkan, Malabar, Coromandel, Northern
Circars).
Desert (To be marked): Thar (The Great Indian Desert)
Rivers (To be identified): Indus, Ravi, Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Satluj, Ganga, Yamuna, Ghaghra, Gomti,
Gandak, Kosi, Chambal, Betwa, Brahmaputra, Narmada, Tapti, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauveri.
Water Bodies (To be marked): Gulf of Kutch, Gulf of Khambhat, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait, Andaman Sea,
Wular Lake.
Passes (To be marked): Karakoram.
Latitude and Longitudes (To be identified): Tropic of Cancer, Standard Meridian (82° 30’E).

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Direction of Winds (To be marked): Southwest Monsoons (Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal Branches),
Northeast Monsoons and Western Disturbances.
Distribution of Minerals (To be identified): Oil - Mumbai High (Offshore Oil Field) and Digboi. Iron –
Singhbhum, Coal – Jharia.
Soil Distribution (To be marked): Alluvial, Black and Red Soil.
Cities (To be identified): Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Kochi, Allahabad.
Population (To be marked): Distribution of Population (Dense and sparse).

PART - II
GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA

3. Climate
Distribution of Temperature, Rainfall, winds in Summer and Winter and factors affecting the climate of India
(latitudes, altitude, distance from sea, winds, Himalayas, jet streams, and El Nino). Monsoon and its
mechanism. Seasons: Summer; Monsoon, Retreating Monsoon and Winter. Temperature and pressure
conditions, wind movements, local winds, precipitation and interpretation of climate data.

4. Soil Resources
(a) Types of soil (alluvial, black, red and laterite), mode of formation, distribution, composition and
characteristics such as colour, texture, minerals and crops associated.
(b) Soil Erosion – meaning, agents and causes.
(c) Soil Conservation – importance and methods

5. Natural Vegetation
(a) Importance of forests.
(b) Types of vegetation; distribution and correlation with their environment (tropical evergreen, tropical
deciduous, tropical desert, littoral and mountain).
(c) Forest conservation – afforestation, reforestation, social forestry, agroforestry and Van Mahotsav

6. Water Resources
(a) Sources (Surface water and ground water).
(b) Need for conservation
(c) Rainwater harvesting and its importance.
(d) Irrigation: Importance and methods – wells, tube well, tanks, canal, drip and sprinkler irrigation.

7. Mineral and Energy Resources
(a) Iron ore, Manganese, Copper, Bauxite – uses and their distribution. (two leading states and their
prominent mining areas)
(b) Conventional Sources: Coal, Petroleum, Natural gas (distribution, advantages and disadvantages).
(c) Hydel power - Bhakra Nangal Dam and Hirakud Projects and their benefits.
(d) Non-conventional Sources: Solar, wind, tidal, geo-thermal, nuclear and bio-gas (important areas and
advantages and disadvantages).

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8. Agriculture
(a) Indian Agriculture – importance, problems and benefits; Green Revolution-meaning and impact of first
green revolution.
(b) Types of farming in India: subsistence and commercial: intensive, extensive, plantation and mixed.
(c) Agricultural seasons (rabi, kharif, zayad).
(d) Climatic conditions, soil requirements, methods of cultivation, and distribution (major producing states)
of the following crops:
(i) rice, wheat, millets and pulses.
(ii) sugarcane, oilseeds (groundnut, mustard and soya bean).
(iii) cotton, jute and tea.

9. Manufacturing Industries
Importance and classification (large scale, small scale, mineral-based, agro-based, public and private sector)
(a) Agro based Industry - Sugar, Textile (Cotton and Silk).
(b) Mineral based Industry – integrated Iron & Steel plants (Tata Steel, Rourkela, Vishakhapatnam) Petro
Chemical and Electronics (some key centres) relevance in the modern world.

10. Transport
Importance and Modes
(a) Roadways - Factors affecting its development, advantages and disadvantages. Expressways, national
highways, NSEW Corridor and Golden Quadrilateral (meaning and importance).
(b) Railways - Factors affecting its development, advantages and disadvantages.
(c) Airways - Advantages and disadvantages.
(d) Waterways - Inland and coastal, Advantages and disadvantages.

11. Waste Management
(a) Impact of waste accumulation - spoilage of landscape, pollution, health hazards.
(b) Need for waste management.
(c) Understanding key terms – global warming, acid rain, eutrophication, biomagnification and thermal
pollution (in brief).
(d) Methods of safe disposal - segregation, dumping and composting.
(e) Need and methods for reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

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INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
PRACTICAL / PROJECT WORK
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 broad areas given below.
Suggested list of assignments:
1. Local Geography:
(a) Land use pattern in different regions of India– a comparative analysis.
(b) The survey of a local market on the types of shops and services offered.
2. Environment:
Wildlife conservation efforts in India.
3. Current Geographical Issues:
Development of tourism in India.
4. Transport in India:
Development of Road, Rail, Water and Air routes.
5. List different type of industries in the States and collect information about the types of raw materials used,
modes of their procurement and disposal of wastes generated. Classify these industries as polluting or
environment friendly and suggest possible ways of reducing pollution caused by these units.
6. Need for industrialization in India, the latest trends and its impact on economy of India.
7. Visit a water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant or garbage dumping or vermicomposting sites in the
locality and study their working.

EVALUATION
The assignments/project work is to be evaluated by the subject teacher and by an External Examiner. (The External
Examiner may be a teacher nominated by the Head of the school, who could be from the faculty, but not teaching
the subject in the section/class. For example, a teacher of Geography of Class VIII may be deputed to be an
External Examiner for Class X, Geography projects.)
The Internal Examiner and the External Examiner will assess the assignments independently.
Award of Marks (20 Marks)
Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner) 10 marks
External Examiner 10 marks
The total marks obtained out of 20 are to be sent to CISCE by the Head of the school.
The Head of the school will be responsible for the online entry of marks on CISCE’s CAREERS portal by the due
date.

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INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN GEOGRAPHY - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES
Criteria Preparation Procedure/ Observation Inference/Results Presentation
Testing
Grade I Gives complete States the Studies text and source States theoretical information in a coherent and Neatly and correctly
(4 marks) theoretical objectives and material and makes a concise manner using geographical terminology. stated statement of
information using defines the aspects list. Uses a variety of techniques. Shows intent and conclusion
relevant to be studied. resourcefulness. Supports investigation with matches with
geographical terms relevant evidence. objectives.

Grade II Provides adequate States objectives Makes a limited list of Uses sound methodology-using methods Limited use of
(3 marks) information using but not the source material only suggested. Makes a valid statement about the data reference material and
appropriate terms. limitations of the from secondary collected. Attempts to develop explanations using a presentation, which is
study. sources. available information. routine.

Grade III States objectives Only lists the References are Uses methodology in which selective techniques Simple and neat with
(2 marks) using some aspects to be minimal. are applied correctly. Makes descriptive correct placement of
geographical terms studied. statement. Analysis is limited. Relates and references,
but mostly in describes systematically the data collected. Tries acknowledgements,
descriptive terms. to relate conclusion to original aim. contents, maps and
diagrams.

Grade IV States intent Shows evidence of Uses methodology with Makes few relevant statements. Does analyse data Neat but lacking in
(1 mark) without using what to look for some techniques but is that is not presented or tends to copy analysis correct placement of
relevant and how to record unable to available from other sources. Makes superficial table of contents, maps,
geographical terms the same. systematically record conclusions. Link between the original aim and diagrams and pictures.
but explaining data and collect conclusion is not clear.
them correctly. information.

Grade V Does not make any Has not collected Does not use any Does not analyse data. Does not use the suggested Presents the report
(0 marks) use of any relevant data logical technique and methods. without reference.
geographical and has not does not follow the Makes conclusions but does not relate them to the
terms. presented sources methodology original aim.
correctly. suggested.

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