The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has officially released the ISC Class 12 Sociology Syllabus 2025–26. The subject aims to provide students with an understanding of social institutions, culture, stratification, and change with a special focus on the Indian context. The syllabus includes both theoretical concepts and practical project work, enabling students to apply sociological knowledge to real-world scenarios.
In this article, students can check the detailed ISC Sociology Syllabus for Class 12 (2025-26) including unit-wise topics, marking scheme, project work structure, and suggested project topics. A PDF download link is also provided at the end.
ISC 12th Sociology Syllabus 2025–26 PDF Download
You can download the official ISC Sociology syllabus PDF for 2025-26 directly from the CISCE official website or from the link provided below:
Download ISC 12th Sociology Syllabus 2025–26 PDF
ISC Class 12 Sociology 2025-26: Exam Structure
| Component | Duration | Marks |
| Paper I: Theory | 3 hours | 70 |
| Paper II: Project Work | – | 30 |
| Total | – | 100 |
ISC Class 12 Sociology Paper I – Theory (70 Marks) – Syllabus Overview
| Unit | Sub-Topics | Details |
| 1. Social Institutions | Social Institutions | Definition and features |
| Types | Kinship, Marriage, Family | |
| Family Types | Joint vs Nuclear, Matriarchal vs Patriarchal | |
| Changes in Family | Structural & functional changes, small family norm relevance | |
| 2. Religion and Society | Kinship | Types: Consanguineous, Affinal; Degrees: Primary to Tertiary; Usages: Avoidance, Joking, Teknonymy, etc. |
| Religion vs Science | Concepts, beliefs, rituals, superstitions, taboos with examples | |
| Theories of Religion | Animism (Tylor), Naturism (Max Mueller), Totemism, Functional Theories (Durkheim, Malinowski, Radcliffe-Brown) | |
| Functions of Religion | Positive and negative impacts | |
| Morality & Social Control | Definitions; relation with religion and society | |
| 3. Political Organization | Political Organisation | Definition |
| Panchayati Raj | Features of 73rd Amendment, role in women’s empowerment | |
| Bal Panchayats | Role in child empowerment | |
| 4. Economic Organisation | Economic Organisation | Definition and meaning of goods |
| Tribal Economy | Food gathering, shifting cultivation (Jhum, Bewar), handicrafts, pastoralism, industrial labor | |
| Govt. Support | TRIFED, Tribal Industries | |
| Agrarian Economy | Landowner-tenant-sharecropper relations | |
| Jajmani System | Structure, merits, demerits | |
| MGNREGA | Features, impact on rural employment | |
| Traditional Markets | Weekly markets, barter system | |
| 5. Tribal India – Past, Present and Future | Definition of Tribe | Features: Unity, common ancestry, endogamy, dormitories, etc. |
| Dormitories | Definition, origin, functions, cultural impact of contact | |
| Contemporary Issues | Regionalism, separatism, socio-economic challenges | |
| Government Policies | Tribal Panchsheel, Constitutional safeguards, Mandal Commission, IRDP, LAMPS, etc. | |
| 6. Social Stratification | Stratification | Definition, inequality vs difference, features of class |
| Caste System | Varna system, features, merits & demerits, divine origin theory | |
| Caste vs Class | Comparison, mobility (Sanskritisation, Brahminisation, Westernisation) | |
| Gender Issues | Sex vs Gender, gender bias, violence, status of women post-independence | |
| 7. Social Change and Development | Social Change & Development | Definitions, sources |
| Key Concepts | Industrialisation, Urbanisation, Modernisation, Globalisation, Sustainable Development | |
| Social Movements | Meaning, causes, examples | |
| Education | Role in social change, RTE Act | |
| Mass Media | Print, electronic, audiovisual – role and impact, RTI Act |
Paper II – Project Work (30 Marks)
Students must complete two projects based on topics from the theory syllabus. The work should reflect original analysis using interviews, questionnaires, or secondary data (like news, reports, etc.).
Project Marking Scheme (Per Study – 15 Marks)
| Criteria | Marks |
| Evaluation by Teacher | 5 |
| - Process (topic identification, research methods) | 1 |
| - Understanding & Analysis | 2 |
| - Presentation (format, referencing) | 2 |
| Evaluation by Visiting Examiner | 10 |
| - Choice of Technique & Presentation | 4 |
| - Analysis & Evaluation | 3 |
| - Viva Based on Project | 3 |
| Total (Per Study) | 15 |
| Grand Total (2 Studies) | 30 |
Suggested Project Topics for 2025-26
Students can choose two topics from the following suggested list:
| S. No. | Suggested Topics |
| 1 | Types of kinship systems |
| 2 | Different marriage customs |
| 3 | Changing nature of the Indian family |
| 4 | Religion and society |
| 5 | Communalism in India |
| 6 | Traditional economies and barter |
| 7 | Consumerism and modernization |
| 8 | Status of women in traditional society |
| 9 | Changing status of women in India |
| 10 | Women Leaders |
| 11 | Education and social change |
| 12 | Media and modernization |
| 13 | Internet as a substitute for family/school |
| 14 | Globalisation’s impact |
| 15 | Case study on a Social Movement |
| 16 | Role of society in environmental development (e.g., Chipko) |
| 17 | Sustainable development (e.g., Barefoot College) |
| 18 | Reservation policy or Backward Class Movement |
| 19 | Mandal Commission significance |
| 20 | Rising Indian Middle Class |
| 21 | Rural protest movements (e.g., Singur) |
| 22 | Uttarakhand tragedy – manmade or natural? |
| 23 | Superstitions and taboos |
ISC 12th Sociology Preparation Tips 2026
- Understand concepts like kinship, caste, class, religion, and tribal systems in depth.
- Choose practical topics that are researchable and relevant to your environment.
- Cite all sources and avoid plagiarism in projects.
- Use examples and case studies to support your answers and projects.
- Practice time-bound writing for the theory paper.
