ISC Class 11 Syllabus 2028 Entrepreneurship

ISC
INDIAN SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
EXAMINATION

YEAR 2028

ENTREPRENEURSHIP (859)

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.

Aims:
1. To develop an entrepreneurial mindset in students.
2. To equip students with the entrepreneurial skills needed for future self-employment and job creation.
3. To encourage innovation and a startup culture aligning with initiatives like Startup India and Atmanirbhar
Bharat.
4. To engage students with the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sectors through research, field
visits and internships.
5. To promote sustainable development practices in entrepreneurship.
6. To foster student-driven entrepreneurship aimed at boosting economic growth and empowering women,
youth, and the rural population.

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) : 70 Marks
S.No. Unit Weightage
1. Entrepreneurship 20 Marks
2. Business Ideation, Assessment and Planning 20 Marks
3. Sustainable Development and Entrepreneurship 5 Marks
4. Business Ethics and Corporate Governance 15 Marks
5. Government Schemes for Entrepreneurs 5 Marks
6. Artificial Intelligence Enabled Entrepreneurship 5 Marks
TOTAL 70 Marks

1

1. Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Motivation; Introduction to Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst
for Innovation; Intrapreneurship
(i) Entrepreneur
(a) Entrepreneur: Meaning only.
(b) Classification of entrepreneurs on the basis of:
- Generation: Founders, Second-generation and third-generation operators of family-owned
businesses.
- Ownership: Franchisees, Owner-Managers, Serial.
- Danhof: Innovative, Imitative, Fabian, Drone.
- Societal Norms: Women, Copreneurs.
- Technology: Technopreneurs.
(c) Characteristics of a successful entrepreneur: Visionary, risk-taker, resilient, innovative, hard-worker,
strong leadership and team management skills.
(ii) Entrepreneurial Motivation: Types of motivation; Theory of Achievement Motivation
(a) Types of motivation:
− Intrinsic Motivation: Passion for innovation, desire for personal growth, need for autonomy, and
sense of purpose.
− Extrinsic Motivation: Financial rewards, social recognition, independence, legacy, and family
support.
(b) David McClelland’s Theory of Achievement Motivation: Assumptions and features.
(iii) Introduction to Entrepreneurship
(a) Entrepreneurship: Meaning only.
(b) Factors Affecting Entrepreneurship: Political, legal and taxation, resource availability,
psychological, technological, and administrative support.
(c) Types of Entrepreneurships: Small business, scalable startup, large company, spin off, and social.
(iv) Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst for Innovation
(a) Innovation: Meaning only.
(b) Types of innovation in entrepreneurship: Incremental, radical, disruptive, architectural.
(c) Differences between Invention and Innovation.
(v) Intrapreneurship
Meaning and characteristics of Intrapreneurship; Differences between entrepreneurship and
intrapreneurship.

2. Business Ideation, Assessment and Planning
Business Ideas; Assessing Business Attractiveness; Business Plans; Reasons for failure in business plans;
Emergence of India as a Global Startup Hub
(i) Business Ideas
(a) Business Ideas: Meaning only.
(b) Techniques for exploring business ideas: Brainstorming, Mind Mapping, Design Thinking,
SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, Reverse).
(A basic understanding of the above techniques.)
(c) Screening business ideas: Entrepreneur’s ability, market demand, resources, profitability.

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(ii) Assessing Business Attractiveness
(a) Technical requirements: Technology, product development timeline, prototyping, supply chain,
infrastructure needs, legal and compliance considerations.
(b) Market analysis: Demographics, customer pain points, and customer purchasing behavior.
(c) Financial analysis: Startup costs, revenue models (subscription, freemium, one-time sale), break-
even analysis, Profit & Loss Statement, and Return on Investment (ROI).
(d) Organisational analysis: Human Resources hiring strategies (manpower planning, recruitment,
selection), Organisational hierarchy, and Organisational culture.
(e) Competition analysis: Direct and indirect competitors, and competitive advantages. Safeguards
against competition (patents, copyright, trademark and brand loyalty).
(iii) Business Plans
(a) Meaning of Business Plans
(b) Functions of Business Plans: Strategic decision-making, facilitating communication, attracting
investors, resource allocation, and market understanding.
(c) Format of a Business Plan: Executive summary, products and services, market analysis, marketing
strategy, and financial plans.
(d) Drafting of a business plan
(Sample business plans are only for understanding and NOT for testing)
(iv) Reasons for failure in business plans
Unrealistic goals and assumptions, poor market research, inadequate financial planning, lack of strategic
focus, ineffective team and leadership, poor marketing and sales strategies, and operational
inefficiencies.
(v) Emergence of India as a Global Startup Hub
(a) Startup: Meaning only.
(b) Key initiatives of Startup India Action Plan 2016: Self-certification, Startup India hub, mobile app
and portal, fast-tracking patent applications, fund of funds, startup fests.
(c) Obstacles faced by Indian startups: Inadequate financial planning, regulatory hurdles, management
issues, ineffective leadership, poor infrastructure, poor sustainability management, lack of talent
acquisition and retention, and poor market analysis.

3. Sustainable Development and Entrepreneurship
Sustainable Development; Sustainability in Business; Corporate Social Responsibility
(i) Sustainable Development: Meaning and importance of sustainable development.
(ii) Sustainability in Business: Need for sustainability in business (maximizing energy efficiency, community
development, and de-carbonisation).
(iii) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Concept in brief.

4. Business Ethics and Corporate Governance.
Business Ethics; Corporate Governance; Key Acts and Regulations
(i) Business Ethics
a) Meaning of business ethics.
b) Significance of business ethics: Stakeholder confidence, transparency, goodwill, and conducive work
environment.
(ii) Corporate Governance
a) Meaning of Corporate Governance.

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b) Key role of National Foundation for Corporate Governance (NFCG) in India - Promoting
good governance, research and development, capacity building, policy and framework
development, and accreditation centre.
(iii) Key Acts and Regulations Governing Entrepreneurship in India
Key Acts:
- The Companies Act, 2013
- The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006
- The Patents Act, 1970
- The Trade Marks Act, 1999
- The Central Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act, 2017
- The Copyright Act, 1957
- The Designs Act, 2000
- The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000
- The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
(A basic understanding of the purpose of each of the above Acts/Regulations).

5. Government Schemes for Entrepreneurs
Government Schemes:
- Startup India Initiative
- Stand-Up India Scheme
- Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY)
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)
- Trade Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development (TREAD) Scheme for Women
- MSME Champions Scheme.
(Only a brief knowledge of the above schemes and NOT the objectives)

6. Artificial Intelligence enabled Entrepreneurship
Artificial Intelligence; Impact of AI Tools on Entrepreneurship; Ethical Concerns of AI
(i) Artificial Intelligence (AI): Meaning only.
(ii) Impact of AI Tools on Entrepreneurship: Big data analytics, customer experiences and digital inferences,
risk management, automation, and efficiency.
(iii) Ethical Concerns of AI: Data privacy, bias in algorithms, lack of transparency, job displacement.

PAPER II (PROJECT WORK) : 30 MARKS
Candidates are expected to complete any two of the three given assignments. The hard copy of the project work
should be submitted by the candidate to the subject teacher.
ASSIGNMENT -1
Written Project Work
Marks allocation for the project [15 marks]:
Overall format 2 marks
Content 4 marks
Data Analysis and Interpretation 3 marks
Findings and Recommendations 3 marks
Viva-voce based on the Project 3 marks

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A list of suggested projects is given below:
1. Conduct research on any two entrepreneurs and categorise them according to the classifications given by
Danhof. Give reasons for classifying the entrepreneurs in the chosen category.
2. Study the work of any two innovators and conduct a SWOT analysis of their business.
3. Form a group of 3–4 students and develop a non-app-based game. The game can be a spin-off of any popular
indoor or outdoor game such as football, cricket, or chess. Use design thinking to understand what users
need, come up with ideas, create a prototype of the game, and try it out with peers. Then, finish the game,
define the ground rules, obtain necessary permissions, and pitch the final idea to the class.
4. Identify any two successful women entrepreneurs and study the various government schemes that helped
them set up their ventures.
5. Identify any two entrepreneurs who have used patents/copyrights/trademarks to avert competition. Undertake
a detailed study of the relevant legal aspects of these intellectual property rights.

ASSIGNMENT -2
Report on a Field Visit / Study Tour
Marks allocation for the project [15 marks]:
Presentation of the Project Report 2 marks
Contents of the Report 5 marks
Findings and Recommendations 5 marks
Viva-voce based on the Project 3 marks

A list of suggested visits is given below:
1. Visit a local MSME unit. Research the various schemes that are currently operational in the unit. Prepare a
report based on your research during the visit.
2. Visit an AI-enabled organisation. Prepare a report on how AI has facilitated its growth.
3. Visit an organisation and study its CSR initiatives. Prepare a report on these initiatives.
4. Take a tour of a local industry to study its waste management practices and other initiatives aimed at
promoting a greener, cleaner environment. Prepare a report based on your observations of these sustainability
efforts.
5. Visit any two NGOs to understand one key initiative of each towards society. Prepare a report on the selected
initiatives.

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ASSIGNMENT-3
Internship
Students are expected to complete internship in an organisation that does not belong to their family during the
vacation period for a duration of 7 to 10 days.
They must follow the instructions given to them for any work assigned during that time and also observe the
working of the organisation. Students have to prepare a report based on their observations about the organisation
and its various departments.
The feedback form that is provided in the annexure is to be certified by an authorised representative of the
Company/Firm and submitted to the subject teacher.
The school may also certify the successful completion of the internship. The students may include this experience
in their CV.
Marks allocation for the internship (15 marks):
Feedback from the Organisation 4 marks
Contents of the Report 4 marks
Findings and Recommendations 4 marks
Viva-voce based on the Internship 3 marks
Internship Evaluation Form
Name of Student:
Name of the Company/Firm:
Date of Internship: From………………… To…………………
Performance Evaluation of the Candidate:
Parameter Excellent Very good Good Fair

Punctuality and
regularity
Communication
Skills
Quality of Work
Adaptability to Task
Initiative and
Proactivity

Observations apart from the above ________________________________________
Date:

Place: Seal of the Organisation Signature
(This is a suggestive format. The school may modify it to suit its requirements)

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