CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2024-25: Check Course Structure, Syllabus Of English Core & Elective
Content Strategist | Updated On - Oct 31, 2025
The syllabus structure of the last year remains the same, and no significant changes have been made in the syllabus structure of English Core and English Elective. As per the current updates, CBSE Class 12 English Core contains a total of 100 marks, Theory Paper: 80 Marks Internal Assessments: 20 Marks Board Exams for Class 12 for the year 2025 are likely to start from Feb-Mar 2025 with date sheets uploaded by the board early 2025. Detailed, subject-wise syllabus are available on http://cbseacademic.nic.in/
The exams for the 2023-24 academic year were moderately challenging. Students will have to deal with the following types of questions in the exams ahead:
- Competency-based MCQs and Source-based Integrated-type Questions: 50%
- MCQs (Select the Correct Answer): 20%
- Constructed Response (Short and Long Answer): 30%
CBSE is aiming for students to be more solution-oriented in solving problems presented in real life with the language skills they obtain by learning English.
Trending News Related to Class 12 English syllabus:
What is the CBSE English Course Structure?
There are three main sections in the course: Reading Comprehension, Writing Skills, and Literature. The student will meet 10-12 prose and poetry lessons across two prescribed textbooks as well as 5-6 writing tasks focused on real-life applications like articles, speeches, and letters.
| Section | Title | Weightage | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Reading Comprehension | 22 Marks | Reading comprehension from unseen passages (long and short)Questions based on inference, vocabulary, and interpretation. |
| B | Creative Writing Skills | 18 Marks | Writing Letters (formal & informal) Article, Report, and Essay WritingCreative writing (short stories, speeches) |
| C | Literature Textbook & Supplementary Reading Text | 40 Marks | Short Answer and Long Answer questions Extract-based questions from poems or prose pieces |
| TOTAL | 80 Marks |
Internal Assessment Weightage
| Internal Assessment | Weightage | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Internal Assessment | 20 Marks | Project work, presentation, and activities based on the syllabusOral skills assessment (speaking) |
Can I score 95 in English Class 12?
It’s certainly possible to score 95 or higher in the Class 12 English exam with a little preparation and practice. Here are some tips to help you:
| Day | Study Focus |
|---|---|
| Monday | Flamingo: Revise The Last Lesson (1 hour)Woven Words: Revise The Lament (30 mins)Grammar practice (30 mins) |
| Tuesday | Vistas: Revise Should Wizard Hit Mommy? (1 hour)Poetry: The Peacock (30 mins)MCQs practice (30 mins) |
| Wednesday | Flamingo: Revise Lost Spring (1 hour)Woven Words: A Pair of Mustachios (30 mins)Grammar practice (30 mins) |
| Thursday | Vistas: Revise Evans Tries an O-Level (1 hour)Poetry: Telephone Conversation (30 mins)Reading Comprehension practice (30 mins) |
| Friday | Flamingo: Revise Poets and Pancakes (1 hour)Woven Words: The Rocking Horse Winner (30 mins)Vocabulary & Idioms practice (30 mins) |
| Saturday | Grammar Focus: Sentence Correction, Synonyms, Antonyms (1 hour)Writing Skills: Practice Essay/Letter (1 hour) |
| Sunday | Full-Length Sample Paper Practice (3 hours)Review mistakes and revise weak areas. |
CBSE Class 12 Detailed English Syllabus 2024-25
Section A: Reading Skills (22 Marks)
Section A of the CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus contains reading comprehension questions based on unseen passages. There will be multiple-choice questions (MCQs), objective questions, and short answer questions in this section.
| Topic | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passage | 12 Marks | One unseen passage to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, and inference.Vocabulary assessment through contextual clues and inference.The passage may be factual, descriptive, or literary. |
| Case-based Factual Passage | 10 Marks | One unseen factual passage with verbal/visual inputs (e.g., statistical data, charts, etc.).To assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference, and evaluation.Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Short Answer Questions (40-50 words). |
| Total | 22 Marks |
Section B: Creative Writing Skills(18 Marks)
The following table will give you an idea regarding the key focus areas regarding creative writing:
| Topic | Details | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Notice | Students have to attempt only one out of the two questions. | 4 |
| Formal/Informal Invitation and Reply | Attempt any one out of the two questions. | 4 |
| Letters | Includes letters such as application for a job with biodata or resume and letter to the editor. Only one question to be attempted. | 5 |
| Article/Report Writing | Write a descriptive and analytical article or report in around 120-150 words. Attempt only one out of the two questions. | 5 |
| Total | 18 |
Section C: Literature (40 Marks)
Flamingo (Prose) consists of 8 chapters for comprehension and analysis.
Flamingo is a 5-poem collection - poetic analysis and theme comprehension.
Vistas (Prose) comprises 8 chapters to assess the understanding and analytical skills of a student.
| Book | Chapters/Poems | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Flamingo (Prose) | 1. The Last Lesson | 4 |
| 2. Lost Spring | 4 | |
| 3. Deep Water | 4 | |
| 4. The Rattrap | 4 | |
| 5. Indigo | 4 | |
| 6. Poets and Pancakes | 4 | |
| 7. The Interview | 4 | |
| 8. Going Places | 4 | |
| Flamingo (Poetry) | 1. My Mother at Sixty-Six | 2 |
| 2. Keeping Quiet | 2 | |
| 3. A Thing of Beauty | 2 | |
| 4. A Roadside Stand | 2 | |
| 5. Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers | 2 | |
| Vistas (Prose) | 1. The Third Level | 4 |
| 2. The Tiger King | 4 | |
| 3. Journey to the End of the Earth | 4 | |
| 4. The Enemy | 4 | |
| 5. On the Face of It | 4 | |
| 6. Memories of Childhood | 4 | |
| 7. The Cutting of My Long Hair | 4 | |
| 8. We Too are Human Beings | 4 | |
| Total | 40 |
English Elective Detailed Syllabus 2024-25
SECTION A -
The emphasis is on thoroughly comprehending the text and responding to questions based on it.
| Topic | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Literary/Discursive Passage(950-1000 words) | 12 | 12 out of 15 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on comprehension, interpretation, analysis, vocabulary, and inference. |
| 2. Poetry (10-12 lines) | 8 | 8 out of 9 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) to assess interpretation, inference, and appreciation of the poem. |
| 3. Case-Based Passage (100-120 words, with visual input: charts, data, etc.) | 5 | 5 out of 7 MCQs to test interpretation, analysis, and evaluation based on the passage with visual inputs. |
SECTION-B
In this section, students should be able to express their ideas clearly and in various forms of writing.
| Topic | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Essay Writing (120-150 words) | 5 | Essay on an argumentative, discursive, reflective, or descriptive topic leading to creative rendering and forming opinions. |
| 5. Article Writing (120-150 words) | 5 | Article on one out of two topics pertaining to contemporary issues. |
| 6. Speech Writing (120-150 words) | 5 | Speech on one out of two topics related to contemporary issues. |
SECTION-C
This section tests your understanding of literary texts from the prescribed Flamingo and Vistas textbooks. Students are expected to think critically in relation to content, character and theme.
| Topic | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 7. Reference to the Context | 10 | Prose extract (5 marks): Comprehension, literary appreciation, and inference. |
| Poetry extract (5 marks): Comprehension, literary appreciation, and inference. | ||
| 8. Short Answer Questions (30-40 words) | 4 | Two questions requiring inferential responses and critical thinking, to assess understanding, analysis, and appreciation. |
| 9. Short Answer Questions (50-60 words) | 6 | Two questions requiring inferential responses and critical thinking, to assess deeper analysis and comprehension. |
Fiction, Drama and Seminar:
| Topic | Marks | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Reference to the Context | 10 | Prose extract (5 marks): Comprehension, literary appreciation, and inference. |
| Poetry extract (5 marks): Comprehension, literary appreciation, and inference. | ||
| Short Answer Questions (30-40 words) | 4 | Two questions to assess understanding, analysis, and critical appreciation, eliciting inferential responses. |
| Short Answer Questions (50-60 words) | 6 | Two questions to assess deeper understanding, analysis, and critical thinking, with inferential responses. |
| Arms and the Man - Drama (10 Marks) | 10 | Long Answer Questions (80-100 words): Two questions analyzing characters, events, and themes in the drama, providing analytical responses. |
| The Old Man and the Sea - Fiction (10 Marks) | 10 | Short Answer (30-40 words) (2 marks): One question on characters, events, or relationships in the novel. |
| Short Answer (50-60 words) (3 marks): One question analyzing themes, characters, or events in the novel. | ||
| Long Answer (120-150 words) (5 marks): One question that analyzes and draws inferences from the novel with personal insights. | ||
| Seminar (20 Marks) | 20 | Presentation: Book Review / Play / Short Story / Novel / Novella. |
| Poetry Reading followed by interpretative tasks and literary analysis. | ||
| Critical Review of a Film/Documentary/Play. | ||
| Theatre Workshop followed by discussion |
What Chapters Are Reduced in Class 12 English?
The English syllabus for Class 12 in 2023–2024 has been reduced by 30%. The updated curriculum is available to students on the official website, http://cbseacademic.nic.in/.
CBSE has reduced topics from all the sections - Reading, Writing, and Literature. Topics like note-making, advertisements, posters, etc. have been deleted from the syllabus.
CBSE Class 12 English Deleted Syllabus
| Section | Deleted Syllabus |
|---|---|
| Section A - Reading Comprehension | Note-Making and Summarizing |
| Section B - Writing Skills | Advertisements, Posters, Business and Official Letters, Debate, Speech |
| Section C - Literature Textbooks | Flamingo Textbook:Chapter 2: An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum (Poetry)Vistas Textbook:Chapter 5: Should Wizard Hit Mommy (Prose)Chapter 7: Evans Tries an O-Level (Prose) |
Literature Deleted Syllabus:
The deleted Literature syllabus of Class 12 English includes a few chapters and topics of certain textbook portions. The section is normally of 40 marks. All these removed chapters are taken from Flamingo and Vistas. It is crucial for students to understand these:
| Textbook | Chapter | Page Numbers | Deleted Topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flamingo Textbook | An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum (Poetry) | 92-94 | Full Chapter |
| Vistas Textbook | Should Wizard Hit Mommy (Prose) | 48-55 | Full Chapter |
| Vistas Textbook | Evans Tries an O-Level (Prose) | 70-92 | Full Chapter |
ENGLISH SAMPLE PAPERS 2024-25
The exam contains 3 major sections - Reading Comprehension- 25 marks, Writing Skills -15 marks and Literature is 40 marks. By solving enough Sample papers, students can answer within the time limit. By solving sample papers they can increase their speed of writing and gain more confidence. Regular practice will build up their capacity to effectively handle different question types on the day of the exams.
| Subject/Paper | Paper Code | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| English Core | Set 1 - 1/1/1 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 2 - 1/1/2 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 3 - 1/1/3 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 1 - 1/2/1 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 2 - 1/2/2 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 3 - 1/2/3 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 1 - 1/3/1 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 2 - 1/3/2 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 3 - 1/3/3 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 1 - 1/4/1 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 2 - 1/4/2 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 3 - 1/4/3 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 1 - 1/5/1 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 2 - 1/5/2 | Download Here |
| English Core | Set 3 - 1/5/3 | Download Here |
FAQ’S
How to Download CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2024-25 PDF?
You can go to the Curriculum section, select the year 2024-25, and choose the syllabus for English Core or English Elective. Click on the download link to save the syllabus in PDF format for future reference.
What are Passing Marks for Class 12 Exams?
A candidate scoring at least 33% of marks in a subject and in the aggregate to pass in the class 12 examination. Both the Theory exams and practical tests are included. The passing marks is mandatory in every subject as it is included in the final result.
Does CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus have Same for Both Core as well as Elective subjects?
No, the CBSE class 12 English syllabus is different for Core as well as Elective. There is much more literature, a writing skill as well as a comprehensive syllabus in the core, whereas an elective focuses on creative writing, texts of specialization, and literatures with focused analysis. The topics along with the exam pattern vary as well.
How many chapters are in Class 12 English?
Since the subject is divided into two : English Core or English Elective. For English Core, there are usually 10-12 chapters of prose, poetry, and drama in the prescribed textbooks Flamingo and Vistas. For English Elective, the number of chapters is fewer but more specialized, and there is a focus on literary and creative writing topics.
How to Solve Unseen Passages?
Developing a reading habit as early as you can will serve you in the long, scan the passage carefully and gather a good understanding of the main idea, tone, and important details. Try to understand the meaning of difficult words from the context itself while answering the questions. Do not make assumptions at any time; always refer to the passage for support. Practice often to increase your speed and accuracy and use your time well in the exam.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.