CBSE Class 12 Syllabus Political Science (2025-26) | Latest Edition

Chapter No.

Chapter Name

Marks Allotted

PART A-CONTEMPORARY WORLD POLITICS

1

The End of Bipolarity 

6

2

Contemporary Centres of Power 

6

3

Contemporary South Asia

6

4

International Organizations

6

5

Security in the Contemporary World

6

6

Environment and Natural Resources 

6

7

Globalisation

4

Total

40

PART B-POLITICS IN INDIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE

1

Challenges of Nation-Building

6

2

Era of One-Party Dominance

4

3

Politics of Planned Development

2

4

India’s External Relations 

6

5

Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System

4

6

The Crisis of Democratic Order 

4

7

Regional Aspirations

6

8

Recent Developments in Indian Politics

8

Total

40

TOTAL

80

Chapter No. and Name

Learning outcome with specific competencies

PART A-CONTEMPORARY WORLD POLITICS

1

The End of Bipolarity

Topics to be focused:

a) The Soviet System

b) Gorbachev and the disintegration

c) Causes and Consequences of disintegration of Soviet Union

d) Shock Therapy and its Consequences

e) New entities in world politics Russia Balkan States Central Asian States

f) India's relations with Russia and other post-communist countries

• Identify the basic features of the Soviet System.
• Discuss the background and outcome of disintegration of the Soviet Union.
• Examine the consequences of unipolar world
• Assess the features of Shock Therapy
• Probe into the recent happenings in the Post-Communist Countries.
• Trace the developments between India & Russia

2

Contemporary Centres of Power

Topics to be focused:

a) European Union

b) Association of Southeast Asian Nations

c) Rise of China as an economic power

d) Japan and South Korea as emerging powers)

• Compare and contrast the importance of European Union and ASEAN.
• Evaluate the extent of rise of Chinese economy and its impact on world politics.
• Summarize India’s relations with China.

3

Contemporary South Asia

Topics to be focused:

a) Military and Democracy in Pakistan and Bangladesh

b) Monarchy and Democracy in Nepal

c) Ethnic Conflict and Democracy in Sri Lanka

d) India-Pakistan Conflicts

e) India and its Neighbours

f) Peace and Cooperation

• Identify & locate the seven countries of the SouthAsian region.
• Appreciate the mixed record of democracy in the South Asian region.
• Examine the role of Political leaders
• Reflect upon the causes of various conflicts and movements in this region.
• Justify the creation of SAARC
• Understand the involvement of US and China in South Asia.

4

International Organizations

Topics to be focused:

a) Meaning and importance of International Organisations

b) Evolution of the UN

c) Structure and function of International Organisations

d) Principal Organs of UN

e) Reform of the UN after Cold War

f) Reform of Structures, Processes and Jurisdiction of the UN

g) India and the UN Reforms h) Key Agencies: IMF, World Bank, WTO, ILO, IAEA.

i) NGO: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch.

j) Implications and Future of International Organizations

• Define International Organization
• Appreciate the role of United Nations and its agencies
• Reflect on the events taking place in the post-cold war era
• Understand the need for reforms in the United Nations

5 

Security in the Contemporary World

Topics to be focused:

a) Meaning and Type of Security.

b) Traditional concept of security

c) Non-tradition notions of Security.

d) New Sources of Threats

e) Cooperative Security

f) India’s Security strategy

• Recognize the causes of security threats
• Enhance analytical skills to provide solutions to security concerns.
• Develop critical thinking about the role of various stakeholders in ensuring security today.

6 

Environment and Natural Resources

Topics to be focused:

a) Environmental Concerns

b) Global Commons

c) Common but differentiated Responsibilities

d) India’s Stand on Environment Issues

e) Environmental Movements

f) Resource Geopolitics

g) Rights of Indigenous peoples 

• Enlist and explain the facts related to global environmental issues
• Recognize and understand the need to conserve critical resources
• Demonstrate knowledge and appreciation towards
• India’s responsibility in protecting environment
• Realize the need to conserve resources and exhibit responsibility towards prudential use to facilitate sustainable development
• Know about the nature of concerns of indigenous communities and understand how the governments of different countries respond to their plea

7

Globalisation

Topics to be focused:

a) Concept of globalisation

b) Causes and Consequences of globalisation

c) India and globalisation

d) Resistance to globalisation

e) India and resistance to globalisation

• Appreciate the significance of Globalization
• Elucidate the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of Globalisation.
• Critically evaluate the impact of globalisation on India.
• Draw attention to resistance movements to Globalisation and envisage its future trends.

PART B-POLITICS IN INDIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE

1

Challenges of Nation Building

Topics to be focused:

a) Challenges for the new Nation.

Three Challenges.

b) Partition: Displacement and Rehabilitation.

Consequences of Partition.

c) Integration of Princely States.

The problem

Government’s approach

Hyderabad

Manipur

d) Reorganisation of States.

• Analyse the challenges which Independent India faced.
• Describe the factors that led to the partition of India.
• Explain the circumstances under which different princely states signed the Instrument of Accession.
• Assess how language became the basis of reorganisation of the states.
• Evaluate the role played by leaders in Nation Building.

2

Era of One-Party Dominance

Topics to be focussed:

a) Challenge of building democracy.

b) Congress dominance in the first three general elections.

Nature of Congress dominance

Congress as a social and ideological coalition.

Tolerance and management of Factions

c) Emergence of opposition parties

• Appreciate the sustenance of democratic politics in the country.
• Evaluate the electoral politics post-Independence
• Assess the dominance of the Indian National Congress from 1952 to 1967.
• Evaluate the role of Opposition parties

3

Politics of Planned Development

Topics to be focussed:

a) Political contestation.

Ideas of Development.

Planning

Planning Commission

b) The Early Initiatives

The First Five Year Plan.

Rapid Industrialisation

• Identify the varied options considered by the government to balance growth and socio-economic justice.
• Know the difference between Left and Right Ideology
• Understand the need for the formation of the Planning Commission.
• Appreciate the need for strategic long-term development programme and policies

4

India’s External Relations

Topics to be focussed:

a) International Context

b) The Policy of Non- Alignment.

Nehru’s role

Distance from two camps.

Afro Asian Unity

c) Peace and conflict with China

The Chinese Invasion 1962

War and Peace with Pakistan

Bangladesh War 1971

d) India’s Nuclear Policy.

• Recognise the significance of NAM
• Interpret, compare and contrast multi-lateral aspects of Indo-China relationship
• Demonstrate knowledge on Indo-Pak wars
• Appreciate the steps taken by Indian government to develop military capacity
• Reflect and introspect on the choices that the country must consider for the cause of development and peace building

5

Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System

Topics to be focused:

a) Challenge of Political Succession

From Nehru to Shastri

From Shastri to Indira Gandhi

b) Fourth General Election 1967

Context of the Election.

Non Congressism

Electoral Verdict

Coalitions

Defections

c) Split in the Congress

Indira vs the Syndicate

Presidential Election 1969

d) The 1971 Election and Restoration of Congress

The outcome and after Restoration?

• Understand the challenges of political succession after Nehru.
• Evaluate the opposition unity and the Congress split as a challenge to Congress dominance.
• Compare and contrast the new Congress and the old Congress.
• Summarise the initiatives taken by Indira Gandhi to overcome the challenges faced by her
• Analyse the process of restoration of the Congress system

6

The Crisis of Democratic Order

Topics to be focused:

a) Background to Emergency.

Economic Context.

Gujarat and Bihar Movements

Conflict with Judiciary

b) Declaration of Emergency

Crisis and response Consequences

c) Lessons of the Emergency.

d)Politics after Emergency.

Lok Sabha Elections 1977

Janata Government

Legacy

• Understand the causes and consequences of Emergency
• Examine the lessons of Emergency
• Evaluate the rule of Janata Government

7

Regional Aspirations

Topics to be focused:

a) Region and the Nation Indian Approach

Areas of Tension

Jammu and Kashmir

Roots of the Problem

External and Internal disputes

Politics since 1948

Insurgency and After 2022 and Beyond

b) Punjab

Political Context

Cycle of Violence

Road to Peace

c) The Northeast

Demand for autonomy

Secessionist Movements

Movements against outsiders

Assam and National Integration

• Discuss the implications of regional demands.
• Analyse the importance of integrity in India.
• Appreciate the initiatives taken by the government in dealing with regional aspirations

8

Recent Developments in Indian Politics

Topics to be focused

a) Context of 1990s

b) Era of Coalition Alliance Politics

c) Political rise if the Backward Classes Mandal Implemented Political Fallouts

d) Communalism, Secularism and Democracy. 

Ayodhya Dispute Demolition and after

e) Emergence of New Consensus

f) Lok Sabha Elections 2004

g) Growing Consensus

• Understand momentous changes taking place in the nation since 1989
• Trace the rise and growth of BJP.
• Identify the areas of growing consensus

CBSE Class 12 Political Science Prescribed Books:

1. Contemporary World Politics, Class XII, Published by NCERT

2. Politics in India since Independence, Class XII, Published by NCERT

3. Added Reference Material available with the document in the Annexure

Book

Objective Type/ MCQ (1 mark)

Short Answers Type I (2 marks)

Short Answers Type II (2 marks)

Passage/ Map/ Cartoon Based (4 marks)

Long Answers (6 marks)

Total Marks

Book 1

Contemporary World

Politics

6

3

3

1 (Passage)

2

40

Book 2

Politics in India since

Independence

6

3

3

1 (Cartoon and Map)

2

40

Project/Practical

20

Total No. of Marks and

Questions

1x12=12

2x6=12

4x5=20 

4x3=12 

6x4=24 

80+20=100