CBSE Class 11 syllabus
The CBSE Class 11 syllabus for 2026-27, subject by subject: 65 topics to work through. On SkillStar, Class 11 children also get sample papers to download.
- Class
- Class 11 (Grade 11)
- Syllabus years
- 2026-27
- Topics
- 65
- Downloads
- 18
CBSE Class 11 syllabus 2026-27
Physics
- Units and Measurements: Units and systems of units, SI units, significant figures, uncertainty in results, dimensions and dimensional analysis. (Unit I, with Kinematics and Laws of Motion: 23 marks)
- Motion in a Straight Line: Frame of reference, uniform and non-uniform motion, average and instantaneous velocity, uniformly accelerated motion, velocity-time and position-time graphs.
- Motion in a Plane: Scalars and vectors, vector addition and resolution, scalar and vector products, projectile motion, uniform circular motion.
- Laws of Motion: Inertia and Newton's three laws, momentum and impulse, conservation of linear momentum, friction, dynamics of uniform circular motion.
- Work, Energy and Power: Work by constant and variable forces, kinetic energy and the work-energy theorem, potential energy, conservative forces, collisions. (Units IV-VI: 17 marks)
- System of Particles and Rotational Motion: Centre of mass, torque and angular momentum, equilibrium of rigid bodies, moment of inertia and radius of gyration.
- Gravitation: Kepler's laws, universal law of gravitation, variation of g, gravitational potential energy, escape speed and satellites.
- Mechanical Properties of Solids: Elasticity, stress-strain relationship, Hooke's law, elastic moduli and elastic energy. (Units VII-IX: 20 marks)
- Mechanical Properties of Fluids: Pressure and Pascal's law, viscosity and Stokes' law, Bernoulli's theorem, surface tension and capillary rise.
- Thermal Properties of Matter: Heat and temperature, thermal expansion, specific heat capacity, calorimetry, latent heat, conduction, convection and radiation.
- Thermodynamics: Thermal equilibrium, zeroth law, first and second laws of thermodynamics, isothermal, adiabatic and cyclic processes.
- Kinetic Theory: Equation of state of a perfect gas, kinetic interpretation of temperature, rms speed, degrees of freedom and mean free path.
- Oscillations: Periodic motion, simple harmonic motion and its equations, energy in SHM, oscillations of a spring and the simple pendulum. (Unit X: 10 marks)
- Waves: Transverse and longitudinal waves, speed of a travelling wave, superposition, standing waves in strings and organ pipes, beats.
- Practical work and investigatory project: At least 8 experiments and 6 activities plus a project; practical examination carries 30 marks.
Chemistry
- Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry: Nature of matter, laws of chemical combination, Dalton's atomic theory, atomic and molecular masses, mole concept and stoichiometry. (7 marks)
- Structure of Atom: Sub-atomic particles, atomic models, Bohr's model, quantum mechanical model of the atom. (9 marks)
- Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties: Modern periodic law, s-, p-, d- and f-blocks, periodic trends in properties. (6 marks)
- Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure: Kossel-Lewis approach, ionic and covalent bonds, VSEPR theory, valence bond theory, hybridisation, molecular orbital theory, hydrogen bonding. (7 marks)
- Chemical Thermodynamics: Thermodynamic terms, calorimetry, enthalpy changes, spontaneity, Gibbs energy and equilibrium. (9 marks)
- Equilibrium: Physical and chemical equilibrium, equilibrium constant, Le Chatelier's principle, ionic equilibrium, acids, bases, buffers and solubility equilibria. (7 marks)
- Redox Reactions: Oxidation and reduction as electron transfer, oxidation number, redox reactions and electrode processes. (4 marks)
- Organic Chemistry: Some Basic Principles and Techniques: Tetravalence of carbon, structural representation, nomenclature, isomerism, reaction mechanisms, purification and analysis. (11 marks)
- Hydrocarbons: Alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and aromatic hydrocarbons; carcinogenicity and toxicity. (10 marks)
- Practical work: Basic laboratory techniques, purification, pH experiments, volumetric and salt analysis; practical examination carries 30 marks.
Biology
- The Living World: Biodiversity, need for classification, three domains of life, taxonomy and systematics, binomial nomenclature. (Unit I: Diversity of Living Organisms, 15 marks)
- Biological Classification: Five kingdom classification; Monera, Protista and Fungi; lichens, viruses and viroids.
- Plant Kingdom: Algae, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms: salient features and examples.
- Animal Kingdom: Classification of animals: non-chordates up to phyla level and chordates up to class level.
- Morphology of Flowering Plants: Root, stem, leaf, inflorescence, flower, fruit and seed; family Solanaceae. (Unit II: Structural Organization, 10 marks)
- Anatomy of Flowering Plants and Structural Organisation in Animals: Plant tissues and tissue systems; animal tissues and the structural organisation of a representative animal.
- Cell: Structure and Function: Cell theory, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, cell organelles, biomolecules, enzymes, cell cycle and cell division. (Unit III, 15 marks)
- Plant Physiology: Photosynthesis in higher plants, respiration in plants, plant growth and development. (Unit IV, 12 marks)
- Human Physiology: Breathing and exchange of gases, body fluids and circulation, excretory products, locomotion and movement, neural and chemical coordination. (Unit V, 18 marks)
- Practical work: Study of specimens, microscope parts, venation patterns, human skeleton models and osmosis experiments; practical examination carries 30 marks.
Mathematics
- Sets: Representation of sets, types of sets, Venn diagrams, union, intersection, difference and complement. (Unit I: Sets and Functions, 23 marks)
- Relations and Functions: Ordered pairs, Cartesian products, relations, domain, co-domain and range, real-valued functions and their graphs.
- Trigonometric Functions: Radian measure, trigonometric functions on the unit circle, identities, sum and difference formulae, multiple angles.
- Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations: Need for complex numbers, algebraic properties, the Argand plane. (Unit II: Algebra, 25 marks)
- Linear Inequalities: Algebraic solution of linear inequalities in one variable and representation on the number line.
- Permutations and Combinations: Fundamental principle of counting, factorials, permutations and combinations and their applications.
- Binomial Theorem: Statement and proof for positive integral indices, Pascal's triangle, simple applications.
- Sequence and Series: Arithmetic mean, geometric progressions, sum of n terms and infinite GP, geometric mean, relation between AM and GM.
- Straight Lines: Slope of a line, angle between lines, various forms of the equation of a line, distance of a point from a line. (Unit III: Coordinate Geometry, 12 marks)
- Conic Sections: Sections of a cone: circles, parabola, ellipse and hyperbola; standard equations and simple properties.
- Introduction to Three-dimensional Geometry: Coordinate axes and planes in three dimensions, coordinates of a point, distance between two points.
- Limits and Derivatives: Intuitive idea of limits, limits of polynomial, rational, trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic functions; derivatives and their rules. (Unit IV: Calculus, 8 marks)
- Statistics: Measures of dispersion: range, mean deviation, variance and standard deviation. (Unit V, 12 marks)
- Probability: Events, 'not', 'and' and 'or' events, exhaustive and mutually exclusive events, axiomatic probability.
English Core
- Reading comprehension: Unseen passages: factual, discursive and literary, with note-making and summarising.
- Creative writing skills: Notices, posters, invitations, letters, articles and speeches.
- Literature: prose and poetry: Prescribed NCERT textbooks for Class XI English Core: themes, characters and literary appreciation.
- Listening and speaking skills: Assessed as part of internal assessment through projects and oral activities.
Commerce subjects
- Accountancy: Theoretical framework of accounting, recording of transactions, trial balance, depreciation, financial statements and computerised accounting.
- Business Studies: Nature and purpose of business, forms of business organisations, business services, emerging modes of business and social responsibility.
- Economics: Statistics for Economics and Indian Economic Development.
- Applied Mathematics: The applied mathematics elective: numbers and quantification, algebra, mathematical reasoning, calculus, financial mathematics and data interpretation.
Computing
- Computer Science: Computer systems and organisation, Python programming, data handling and basics of cyber safety.
- Informatics Practices: Introduction to computer systems, Python data handling, database management and societal impacts.
Humanities subjects
- History: Themes in world history for Class XI.
- Geography: Fundamentals of physical geography, India: physical environment, and practical work in geography.
- Political Science: Indian Constitution at work and political theory.
- Psychology: What is psychology, methods of enquiry, human development, sensory and cognitive processes, learning and motivation.
- Sociology: Introducing sociology and understanding society.
- Hindi Core: Hindi Core for Classes XI-XII: अपठित बोध, अभिव्यक्ति और माध्यम, पाठ्यपुस्तकें.
About the CBSE exam
How Class 11 works in CBSE
Class XI is the first year of the Senior Secondary Stage. Students choose a combination of subjects under the scheme of studies in the Senior Secondary Curriculum Part 2, which CBSE released for 2026-27 with more flexibility across streams and a stronger focus on competency-based learning. Class XI is assessed by the school: theory papers usually carry 70 or 80 marks, with practicals or internal assessment making up the rest.
Where the official syllabus comes from
Each subject in this table follows the Classes XI-XII subject PDF published by CBSE for 2026-27 (one document covers both classes). The same PDFs are on SkillStar's Downloads tab.
When it happens
2027 Class 10/12 board subject-wise dates could not be verified in the official notices checked. Classes 1–9 and 11 follow school assessment timetables; ask the school for the next assessment. For board classes, follow CBSE's published final date sheet and your admit card when issued; do not treat expected February dates as confirmed. Status checked 1 November 2026.
Textbooks
NCERT textbooks are prescribed for most Class XI subjects and are free to download.
Registration and exam-day information
Regular school candidates should confirm registration, subject entries, internal/practical assessments, exam fees, hall tickets and reporting instructions with their school. Exact dates and rules depend on the class and the current board notification.
CBSE syllabus for other classes
CBSE Class 11: questions parents ask
- What is in the CBSE Class 11 syllabus for 2026-27?
- 65 topics in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, English Core, Commerce subjects, Computing and Humanities subjects, laid out subject by subject on this page. On SkillStar your child can tick off each topic as they learn it.
- Can I download CBSE Class 11 papers?
- Yes. The CBSE Downloads tab on SkillStar has 18 files for this class.
- How does my child start CBSE Class 11 practice?
- Sign up free as a parent, add your child with their class, and pick CBSE from the exam list. Every new family gets welcome credits, lots of content costs nothing, and anything paid shows its price in credits before you decide.
- Is SkillStar the official CBSE website?
- No. SkillStar is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of these exams. Exam names belong to their respective owners. Check dates, fees and registration with the CBSE organisers.
SkillStar is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of these exams. Exam names belong to their respective owners.