CBSE Class 12 History Syllabus 2020-21| Check Latest Exam Pattern
CBSE has released Class 12 History Syllabus 2020-21 that will help you in knowing the important topics that can come in the examination. Due to coronavirus pandemic, the board has reduced the syllabus to ease the burden. The question paper will be of 80 marks. Practical Work will be conducted of 20 marks.
| Units | Marks |
| Themes in Indian History Part-I (Themes 1-4) | 25 |
| Theme 1 Bricks, Beads and Bones | |
| Theme 2 Kings, Farmers and Towns | |
| Theme 3 Kinship, Caste and Class | |
| Theme 4 Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings | |
| Themes In Indian History Part-II (Themes- 5 – 9) | 25 |
| Theme 5 - Deleted for the session-2020-2021 | |
| Theme 6 Bhakti –Sufi Traditions | |
| Theme 7 An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara | |
| Theme 8 - Deleted for the session-2020-2021 | |
| Theme 9 Kings and Chronicles | |
| Themes In Indian History Part-III (Themes 10 – 15) | 25 |
| Theme 10 Colonialism and The Countryside (Half)pg-257-274 | |
| Theme 11 Rebels and the Raj | |
| Theme 12 --Deleted for the session-2020-2021 | |
| Theme 13 Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement | |
| Theme 14 --Deleted for the session-2020-2021 | |
| Theme 15 Framing the Constitution | |
| Map Work | 05 |
| Total | 80 |
| Project work (Internal Assessment) | 20 |
Themes in Indian History Part-I (Themes 1-4)
1. Bricks, beads and bones: The Harappan Civilization:
• Broad overview: Early urb an centers
• Story of discovery: Harappan civilization
• Excerpt: Archaeological report on a major site
• Discussion: How it has been utilized by archaeologists/historians
2. Kings, farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies(c. 600 BCE-600 CE)
• Broad overview: Political and economic History from the Mauryan to the Gupta period
• Story of discovery: Inscriptions and the Decipherment of the script. Shifts in the Understanding of political and economic history.
• Excerpt: Ashokan inscription and Gupta period land grant
• Discussion: Interpretation of inscriptions by historians.
3. Kinship, caste and Class Early Society Societies (C. 600 BCE-600 CE)
• Broad overview: Social Histories: Using the Mahabharata Issues in social history, including caste, class, kinship and gender
• Story of discovery: Transmission and publications of the Mahabharata
• Excerpt: from the Mahabharata, illustrating how it has been used by historians.
• Discussion: Other sources for reconstructing social history.
4. Thinkers, beliefs And buildings Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE - 600 CE)
• Broad overview: A History of Buddhism: Sanchi Stupa a) A brief review of religious histories of Vedic religion, Jainism, Vaishnavism, Shaivism (Puranic Hinduism) b) Focus on Buddhism. Story of discovery: Sanchi stupa.
• Excerpt: Reproduction of sculptures from Sanchi.
• Discussion: Ways in which sculpture has been interpreted by historians, other sources for reconstructing the history of Buddhism.
Themes In Indian History Part-II (Themes- 5 – 9)
6. Bhakti –sufi Traditions: Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts (c. eighth to eighteenth centuries)
• Broad overview: a. Outline of religious developments during this period saints. b. Ideas and practices of the Bhakti-Sufi
• Story of Transmission: How Bhakti-Sufi compositions have been preserved.
• Excerpt: Extracts from selected Bhakti-Sufi works.
• Discussion: Ways in which these have been interpreted by historians.
7. An imperial Capital: Vijayanagara (c. fourteenth to sixteenth centuries)
• Broad Over View: New Architecture: Hampi a. Outline of new buildings during Vijayanagar period-temples, forts, irrigation facilities. b. Relationship between architecture and the political system
• Story of Discovery: Account of how Hampi was found.
• Excerpt: Visuals of buildings at Hampi
• Discussion: Ways in which historians have analyzed and interpreted these structures.
9. Kings and Chronicles: The Mughal Courts (c. sixteenth-seventeenth centuries)
• Broad overview: Reconstructing Histories through Chronicles a) Outline of political history 15th-17th centuries b) Discussion of the Mughal court and politics.
• Story of Discovery: Account of the production of court chronicles, and their subsequent translation and transmission.
• Excerpts: from the Akbarnama and Badshahnama
• Discussion: Ways in which historians have used the text store construct political histories.
Themes In Indian History Part-III (Themes 10 – 15)
10. Colonialism and The countryside: Exploring Official Archives
• Broad overview: Colonialism and Rural Society: Evidence from Official Reports a) Life of zamindars, peasants and artisans in the late 18th century b). Permanent Settlement, Santhals and Paharias
• Story of official records: An account of why official Investigations in to rural societies were undertaken and the types of records and reports produced.
• Excerpts: From Fifth Report
• Discussion: What the official records tell and do not tell, and how they have been used by historians.
11. Rebels and the Raj: 1857 Revolt and its Representations
• Broad overview: a. The eventsof1857-58. b. Vision of Unity c. How these events were recorded and narrated.
• Focus: Lucknow
• Excerpts: Pictures of 1857. Extracts from contemporary accounts.
• Discussion: How the pictures of 1857 shaped British opinion of what had happened.
13. Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement: Civil Disobedience and Beyond
• Broad overview: a. The Nationalist Movement 1918 -48. b. The nature of Gandhian politics and
leadership.
• Focus: Mahatma Gandhi and the three movements and his last days as “finest hours
• Excerpts: Reports from English and Indian language newspapers and other contemporary writings.
• Discussion: How newspapers can be a source of history.
15. Framing the Constitution: The Beginning of a New Era
• Broad overview: The Making of the Constitution an overview: a. Independence and then new nation state. b. The making of the Constitution
• Focus: The Constituent Assembly Debates
• Excerpts: from the debates.
• Discussion: What such debates reveal and how they can be analyzed.
List of Maps
Book 1
Page 2
Mature Harappan sites:
• Harappa, Banawali, Kalibangan, Balakot, Rakhigarhi, Dholavira, Nageshwar, Lothal, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, KotDiji.
Page 30
Mahajanapada and cities :
• Vajji, Magadha, Kosala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, Avanti, Rajgir, Ujjain, Taxila, Varanasi.
Page 33
Distribution of Ashokan inscriptions:
• Kushanas, Shakas, Satavahanas, Vakatakas,Guptas
• Cities/towns: Mathura, Kannauj, Puhar,Braghukachchha
• Pillar inscriptions - Sanchi, Topra, Meerut Pillar andKaushambi.
• Kingdom of Cholas, CherasandPandyas.
Page 43
Important kingdoms and towns:
• Kushanas, Shakas, Satavahanas, Vakatakas,Guptas
• Cities/towns: Mathura, Kanauj, Puhar, Braghukachchha, Shravasti, Rajgir, Vaishali, Varanasi, Vidisha
Page 95
Major Buddhist Sites:
• Nagarjunakonda, Sanchi, Amaravati, Lumbini, Nasik, Bharhut, Bodh Gaya, Ajanta.
Book 2
Page 174
Bidar, Golconda, Bijapur, Vijayanagar, Chandragiri, Kanchipuram, Mysore, Thanjavur, Kolar,
Tirunelveli
Page 214
Territories under Babur, Akbar and Aurangzeb:
• Delhi, Agra, Panipat, Amber, Ajmer, Lahore, Goa.
Book 3
Page 297
Territories/cities under British Control in1857:
• Punjab, Sindh, Bombay, Madras Fort St. David, Masulipatam, Berar, Bengal, Bihar,
Orissa, Avadh, Surat, Calcutta, Patna, Benaras, Allahabad and Lucknow.
Page 305
Main centres of the Revolt of 1857:
• Delhi, Meerut, Jhansi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Azamgarh, Calcutta, Benaras, Gwalior,
Jabalpur, Agra, Awadh.
Important centres of the National Movement:
• Champaran, Kheda, Ahmedabad, Benaras, Amritsar, Chauri Chaura, Lahore,
Bardoli, Dandi, Bombay (Quit India Resolution), Karachi.
Prescribed Books:
1. Themes in World History, Class XI, Published by NCERT
2. Themes in Indian History, Part-I, Class XII, Published by NCERT
3. Themes in Indian History Part-II, Class XII, Published by NCERT
4. Themes in Indian History Part-III, Class XII, Published by NCERT
Download Class 12 History Syllabus 2020-21
Download Class 12 History Syllabus 2020-21