The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has announced the new ISC Class 12 Political Science Syllabus for the year 2025–26. The syllabus intends to further students’ awareness of political systems, governance, constitutional, and democratic processes, in India and the world. Students should study the revised syllabus thoroughly for proper exam preparation, project preparation, and more.
In this article, you can get PDF download for ISC 12th Political Science syllabus 2025-26 and review the complete unit-wise topics and assessment scheme.
ISC 12th Political Science Syllabus 2025-26 PDF Download
The official syllabus PDF will be made available on the CISCE website. Students should refer to the latest update for detailed formatting guidelines and marking schemes.
Click here to download ISC 12th Political Science Syllabus 2026 PDF
ISC 12th Political Science Syllabus 2025-26 – Overview
| Particulars | Details |
| Subject Name | Political Science |
| Class | ISC Class 12 (XII) |
| Academic Year | 2025–26 |
| Board | CISCE |
| Paper I: Theory | 80 Marks – 3 Hours |
| Paper II: Project Work | 20 Marks |
| Total | 100 Marks |
ISC Class 12 Political Science Detailed Syllabus 2025-26
| Section | Unit No. | Topics Covered |
| SECTION A Constitution and Government | 1 | Forms of Government: Totalitarian, Authoritarian, Liberal Democratic States; Unitary vs Federal States; Parliamentary vs Presidential (India vs USA) |
| 2 | Constitution: Meaning, types (Written/Unwritten, Rigid/Flexible); Merits & Demerits; Amending procedures in UK, USA, India | |
| 3 | Franchise and Representation: Universal Adult Franchise; Representation; Political Parties; Party Systems (Single, Bi-party, Multi-party) | |
| 4 | The Legislature: Indian and US Legislature – Composition, Powers, Functions; Lok Sabha vs US House, Rajya Sabha vs US Senate | |
| 5 | The Executive: Political vs Permanent Executive; Powers of Indian & US Presidents; Comparison of Indian and US Executives | |
| 6 | The Judiciary: Meaning, conditions of independence; Indian vs US Judiciary – Powers, Jurisdiction, Judicial Review | |
| SECTION B Indian Democracy | 7 | Indian Constitution: Preamble (importance & keywords); Salient Features – federalism, single citizenship, fundamental rights, emergency powers, etc. |
| 8 | Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles: Meaning, types, comparison between them | |
| 9 | Local Self-Government: 73rd & 74th Amendments; 11th & 12th Schedules; Zila Parishad & Municipal Corporation – composition & functions | |
| 10 | Democracy in India – Challenges: Caste, Regionalism, Political Violence – causes, types, and impact on Indian polity |
ISC 12th Political Science Project Work 2025-26 (20 Marks)
Project Guidelines
- Students must complete one project.
- The project must reflect original research and critical insight into a political theme.
- It must not replicate the main theory syllabus.
Suggested Project Themes
| Project Ideas |
| Judicial activism – 2 case studies |
| Public accountability of civil servants |
| Party system evolution in India |
| Supreme Court case on Fundamental Rights |
| Role of local bodies in women empowerment |
| Uniform Civil Code debates |
| Electoral reforms in India |
| Gender discrimination against girl children |
| Right to Education & slum children |
| Role of NHRC in protecting underprivileged |
Project Assessment Criteria
| Assessed By | Criteria | Marks |
| Internal (School) | Research process, analysis, presentation (with referencing, format) | 10 |
| Visiting Examiner | Technique, content depth, viva based on project | 10 |
| Total | 20 |
ISC 12th Political Science Preparation Tips
- Focus on comparative study between Indian and US political institutions.
- Practice answer writing with examples and real-life case studies.
- Choose your project early and collect credible sources.
- Use visual aids like charts and case summaries in your project to score higher marks.
The ISC 12th Political Science syllabus 2025–26 builds analytical and research skills while fostering a strong understanding of governance systems. Students must master both the theoretical and project-based components to perform well in board exams.
