CBSE Class 12 Political Science Syllabus 2027
Content Curator | Updated On - Oct 29, 2026
The CBSE Class 12 Political Science syllabus for the 2027 board exam has 15 chapters. Part A, Contemporary World Politics, has 7 chapters. Part B, Politics in India Since Independence, has 8 chapters. Each part carries 40 marks in the theory paper.
Political Science is subject code 028. The theory paper carries 80 marks and project work carries 20 marks. The current CBSE Political Science syllabus PDF gives the chapter topics, marks, paper design, project rules and added reading material for the 2026-27 academic session.
- Theory paper: 80 marks and 3 hours
- Project work: 20 marks, including a 10-mark viva
- Part A: 7 chapters and 40 marks
- Part B: 8 chapters and 40 marks
CBSE Class 12 Political Science Syllabus 2027 PDF
The syllabus PDF covers Classes XI and XII. The Class XII course starts on page 10 of the PDF. It includes the chapter-wise marks, detailed topics, prescribed books, question paper design, project rules and extra reading material.
| Detail | Current information |
|---|---|
| Academic session | 2026-27 |
| Board exam year | 2027 |
| Subject code | 028 |
| Official file | Download the Political Science syllabus PDF |
CBSE Class 12 Political Science Course Structure 2026-27
The subject carries 100 marks. The two theory books contribute 40 marks each, while the project contributes 20 marks.
Part A: Contemporary World Politics
Part A studies world politics after the Cold War. It covers the end of the Soviet Union, new centres of power, South Asia, international organisations, security, the environment and globalisation. The part has 7 chapters and carries 40 marks.
| Chapter | Main topics | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| The End of Bipolarity | Soviet system, Gorbachev, disintegration of the USSR, shock therapy, new post-communist states and India-Russia relations | 6 |
| Contemporary Centres of Power | European Union, ASEAN, rise of China, Japan and South Korea | 6 |
| Contemporary South Asia | Democracy and conflict in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka; India-Pakistan relations; neighbours, peace and cooperation | 6 |
| International Organizations | United Nations, UN reform, India and the UN, IMF, World Bank, WTO, ILO, IAEA and human-rights organisations | 6 |
| Security in the Contemporary World | Traditional and non-traditional security, new threats, cooperative security and India's security strategy | 6 |
| Environment and Natural Resources | Environmental concerns, global commons, common but differentiated responsibilities, resources, indigenous people and India's stand | 6 |
| Globalisation | Meaning, causes, political, economic and cultural effects, India and resistance to globalisation | 4 |
| Part A total | 40 | |
Part B: Politics in India Since Independence
Part B follows Indian politics from Independence to recent coalition and party developments. It connects nation-building, elections, planning, foreign policy, the Emergency and regional demands. The part has 8 chapters and carries 40 marks.
| Chapter | Main topics | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Challenges of Nation-Building | Partition, integration of princely states, reorganisation of states and major challenges after Independence | 6 |
| Era of One-Party Dominance | Early general elections, Congress dominance, its social and ideological character and opposition parties | 4 |
| Politics of Planned Development | Political choices in development, planning, land reforms, Green Revolution and the left-right debate | 2 |
| India's External Relations | Non-alignment, Nehru's foreign policy, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India's nuclear policy | 6 |
| Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System | Political succession, the 1967 election, non-Congressism, Congress split and the 1971 election | 4 |
| The Crisis of Democratic Order | Background to the Emergency, its consequences, the 1977 election and lessons from the period | 4 |
| Regional Aspirations | Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, the North-East, regional demands and democratic settlement | 6 |
| Recent Developments in Indian Politics | Politics since 1989, coalition governments, Mandal, Ayodhya, economic changes, rise of the BJP and areas of political agreement | 8 |
| Part B total | 40 | |
CBSE Class 12 Political Science Project Work
Project work carries 20 marks. Ten marks are for the project file and ten marks are for the viva. A student may work alone, in a pair or in a group of four or five. The topic may come from the Class XII syllabus or deal with a current political issue.
The final work may take the form of a written project, film, album, song, debate, role play, skit, presentation, model, field survey or mock event. Students may use newspaper cuttings, photographs, recorded speeches and other checked sources. The work must be original and must name the sources used.
| Project component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Introduction or overview | 2 |
| Variety of content | 3 |
| Presentation | 3 |
| Conclusion | 1 |
| Bibliography | 1 |
| Viva voce | 10 |
| Total | 20 |
The external and internal examiners assess the Class XII project together. Viva questions come from the student's own project file. The school keeps the reports until CBSE declares the final result.
CBSE Class 12 Political Science Exam Pattern 2027
The 2026-27 Political Science sample paper has 30 compulsory questions in five sections. The paper carries 80 marks and lasts three hours.
| Section | Question numbers | Questions x marks | Answer limit | Section marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1-12 | 12 x 1 | Objective questions | 12 |
| B | 13-18 | 6 x 2 | 50-60 words | 12 |
| C | 19-23 | 5 x 4 | 100-120 words | 20 |
| D | 24-26 | 3 x 4 | Picture, passage and map based | 12 |
| E | 27-30 | 4 x 6 | 170-180 words | 24 |
| Total | 80 | |||
The sample paper gives internal choice in two 4-mark questions and in all four 6-mark questions. The Political Science marking scheme shows how points are awarded in each answer.
Political Science Competency Weightage
Competency-based questions make up 50% of the Class XII paper in 2026-27. The full 80-mark theory paper is divided across four types of learning.
| Competency | Marks | Share of paper |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge and remembering | 22 | 27.5% |
| Understanding | 24 | 30% |
| Applying | 22 | 27.5% |
| Analysis and evaluation | 12 | 15% |
Map, Passage and Cartoon Questions
Section D has three 4-mark source-based questions. A map question can come from any chapter of Politics in India Since Independence. Passage and cartoon questions may come from either NCERT book. The same chapter marks still apply.
The current sample paper uses a political cartoon, a passage on Sikkim's merger and an outline map of India. This section checks whether a student can read a source, connect it with the chapter and identify the correct place or political event.
CBSE Class 12 Political Science Books
CBSE prescribes two NCERT books: Contemporary World Politics and Politics in India Since Independence. Both books are also available in Hindi and Urdu. The syllabus PDF includes added reference material in its annexure, including current topics linked with the chapters.
Students can use the Class 12 subject-wise syllabus for other subjects and the Class 12 question papers to check the latest board-paper format.
CBSE Class 12 Political Science Syllabus FAQs
How many chapters are in CBSE Class 12 Political Science for 2027? +
There are 15 chapters: 7 in Contemporary World Politics and 8 in Politics in India Since Independence.
How many marks does the Political Science paper carry? +
The theory paper carries 80 marks. Project work and viva carry another 20 marks, making the subject total 100.
Which Political Science chapter carries the most marks? +
Recent Developments in Indian Politics carries 8 marks. Six chapters in Part A and three chapters in Part B carry 6 marks each.
Can the Political Science project be done in a group? +
Yes. It may be individual work, a pair project or a group project with four or five students.
How many marks are given for the Political Science viva? +
The viva carries 10 marks. The remaining 10 project marks cover the introduction, content, presentation, conclusion and bibliography.
Which book is used for Political Science map questions? +
A map question can come from any chapter of Politics in India Since Independence, the second prescribed NCERT book.
How many questions are there in the current Political Science sample paper? +
The 2026-27 sample paper has 30 questions in five sections. All questions are compulsory, with internal choices in some 4-mark and 6-mark questions.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.