CA Wizard brings you complete information on the CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus. For the academic year 2020-21, CBSE has reduced 30% of the topics. This step is taken so that students can cope with the changing learning environment and regular online classes.
You can download the new syllabus, which has the deleted topics mentioned. A detailed marking scheme is available, which will help you in your exam preparation.
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CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus & Marking Scheme (Eng. Core)
PART A 40 MARKS
Reading Comprehension 20 Marks
- Multiple Choice questions based on one unseen passage to assess comprehension, interpretation, and inference. Vocabulary and inference of meaning will also be assessed. The passage may be factual, descriptive, or literary. Ten out of eleven questions to be done. (10×1=10 Marks)
- Multiple Choice questions based on one unseen case-based factual passage with verbal/visual inputs like statistical data, charts, newspaper report, etc. Ten out of eleven questions to be done.(10×1=10 Marks)
Note: The combined word limit for both the passages will be 700-750 words
Literature 20 Marks
III. Multiple Choice Questions based on two prose extracts, one each from the books Flamingo and Vistas, to assess comprehension and appreciation. Refer to the lines to answer questions based on the given extract. Any 2 out of 3 extracts to be done. (8×1=8)
- Multiple Choice Questions based on poetry extract from the book Flamingo to assess comprehension, analysis, and inference. Refer to the lines to answer questions based on the given extract. Any 1 out of 2 extracts to be done. (4×1=4)
- Text-based questions to assess comprehension, analysis, inference, and interpretation from the books Flamingo and Vistas. Eight out of ten questions to be done. (8×1=8)
PART B (SUBJECTIVE QUESTIONS) – 40 MARKS
Writing Section: 16 Marks
Q1. Short writing task –Notice/Advertisement up to 50 words. One out of the two given questions to be answered. (3 Marks: Format : 1 / Content : 1 / Expression : 1).
Q2. Short writing task –Formal/Informal Invitation and Reply up to 50 words.One out of the two given questions to be answered. (3 Marks: Format : 1 / Content : 1 / Expression : 1)
Q3. Letters based on verbal/visual input, to be answered in approximately 120-150 words. Letter types include an application for a job, Letters to the editor (giving suggestions or opinions on issues of public interest). One out of the two given questions to be answered (5 Marks :Format: 1 / Content: 2 / Expression: 2)
Q4. Article/ Report Writing, descriptive and analytical in nature, based on verbal inputs, to be answered in 120-150 words. One out of the two given questions to be answered (5 Marks:Format: 1 / Content: 2 / Expression: 2)
Literature Section: 24 Marks
Q6. Five Short answer type question, out of six, from Prose and Poetry from the book Flamingo, to be answered in 30-40 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. (5×2=10)
Q7. Two Short answer type question, out of three, from Prose (Vistas), to be answered in 30-40 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. (2×2=4)
Q8. One Long answer type question, from Prose/poetry (Flamingo), to be answered in 120-150 words to assess global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the text. Questions to provide evaluative and analytical responses using incidents, events, themes as reference points. Any 1 out of 2 questions to be done. (1×5=5)
Q.9 One Long answer type question, based on the chapters from the book Vistas, to be answered in 120-150 words to assess global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the text. Questions to provide evaluative and analytical responses using incidents, events, themes as reference points. Any 1 out of 2 questions to be done. (1×5=5)
Prescribed Books
- Flamingo: English Reader published by NCERT
Prose
- The Last Lesson
- Lost Spring
- Deep Water
- The Rattrap
- Indigo
Poetry
- My Mother at Sixty Six
- An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum
- Keeping Quiet
- A Thing of Beauty
- Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
- Vistas: Supplementary Reader published by NCERT
- The Third Level
- The Enemy
- Should Wizard Hit Mommy
- On the Face of It
- Evans Tries an O-Level
- The Cutting of My Long Hair
- We too are Human Beings
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus Deleted Topics (Eng. Core)
Reading
Note Making & Summarizing
Literature
FLAMINGO
Prose
- Poets and Pancakes
- The Interview
- Going Places
Poetry
- A Roadside Stand
VISTAS
- The Tiger King
- Journey to the end of the Earth
- Memories of Childhood
Writing
- Poster making
- Business or official letters (for making enquiries, registering complaints, asking for and giving information, placing orders and sending replies)
- Speech, Debate
CBSE Class 12 English Core Question Paper Design
| Section | Competencies | Total marks | % |
| Reading Comprehension | Conceptual understanding, decoding, Analyzing, inferring, interpreting, appreciating, literary, conventions and vocabulary, summarizing and using appropriate format/s | 20 | 25 |
| Creative Writing Skills | Conceptual Understanding, application of rules, Analysis, Reasoning, appropriacy of style and tone, using appropriate format and fluency, inference, analysis, evaluation and creativity | 16 | 20 |
| Literature Textbooks and Supplementary Reading Text | Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary convention, inference, analysis, creativity with fluency | 44 | 55 |
| TOTAL | 80 | 100 | |
| Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills | 20 | – | |
| GRAND TOTAL | 100 |
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus & Marking Scheme (Elective Eng.)
| Part A | |
| READING (This section will have two unseen passages and a poem) | 20 Marks |
| 12 Multiple Choice Questions out of 15 from a literary or discursive passage of about 950-1000 words. | (1 X 12 =12) |
| 4 out of 5 multiple choice questions to test interpretation and appreciation of a poem of about 10-12 lines. | (1×4=4) |
| 4 out of 5 multiple choice questions from a case-based factual passage (with visual input- statistical data, chart etc.) of 100-120 words to test interpretation. | (1 X 4= 4) |
| GRAMMAR | 8 Marks |
| 8 multiple choice questions out of 10 involving transformation of sentences. | (1×8 =8) |
| LITERATURE | 12 Marks |
| 12 out of 16 multiple choice questions from the textbook kaleidoscope. The questions can be from short stories/Poetry/Non-Fiction/Drama | (1 x 12 = 12) |
| Part B | |
| Writing | 20 Marks |
| Three Long Writing Task out of Four to be answered in 120-150 words each: A discursive and interpretative writing. | (5×3=15) |
| One Long Writing Task out of two to be answered in 120-150 words: An essay on an argumentative/discursive topic such as an article/report/speech. Contemporary topics/ issues to be a part of Article, Report, and Speech Writing. | (5×1=5) |
| Literature | 10 Marks |
| One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 30-40 words to assess understanding analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. | (2×1=2) |
| One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 40-50 words to assess understanding analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking and drawing inferences in poetry and prose. | (3X1=3) |
| One Long Answer Question out of two to be answered in 120-150 words each to assess deeper understanding, interpretation, appreciation, and drawing inferences. Questions to elicit creative responses and assess ability to form opinions. | (5×1=5) |
| Fiction | 10 Marks |
| One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 30-40 words to test understanding and appreciation and seek comments, interpretation, evaluation, and appreciation of characters, events, episodes, and interpersonal relationships. | (2 x 1 = 2) |
| One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 40-50 words to test understanding and appreciation and seek comments, interpretation, evaluation, and appreciation of characters, events, episodes, and interpersonal relationships. | (3 x1=3) |
| One Long Answer Question out of two to be answered in 120-150 words to test deeper (in-depth) understanding, interpretation, appreciation, and drawing global inferences of the given text with reference to characters /events/ incidents and episodes, leading to creative rendering, forming and defending opinions. | (5×1=5) |
| Seminar | 20 Marks |
| Presentation – book review /a play /a short story/a novel/novella (tale, table, parable) to be followed by a question-answer session. | |
| Poetry reading to be followed by interpretative tasks based on close reading and literary analysis of the text. Critical review of a film or a play | |
| Conducting a theatre workshop to be followed by a discussion | |
| Total | 100 Marks |
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus Deleted Topics (Elective Eng.)
Deleted Topics (Kaleidoscope)
Short Stories
- Tomorrow by Joseph Conrad
- One Centimetre by Bi Shu-Min Poetry 1. Blood by Kamala Das
Non-Fiction
- Science Fiction by Issac Asimov
- Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen
Drama
- Broken Images by Girish Karnad
CBSE Class 12 Elective English Question Paper Design
| Section | Competencies | Total marks | % |
| Reading Comprehension | Conceptual understanding, decoding, Analyzing, inferring, interpreting, appreciating, literary, conventions and vocabulary, summarizing and using appropriate format/s | 20 | 25 |
| Applied Grammar | Applying appropriate language conventions comprehension using structures interactively, application, accuracy | 8 | 10 |
| Creative Writing | Reasoning, appropriacy of style and tone, using appropriate format and fluency, inference, analysis, evaluation and creativity | 20 | 25 |
| Literature | Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary convention, inference, analysis, creativity with fluency | 22 | 27.5 |
| Fiction | Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary conventions, illustrating with relevant quotations from the text, inferring, analyzing, evaluating and creating, giving opinions, justifying with fluency | 10 | 12.5 |
| TOTAL | 80 | 100 | |
| Seminar | Seeking information and clarifying, illustrating with relevant quotations from the texts, reasoning, diction, articulation clarity of pronunciation, using appropriate language conventions Addressing participants using appropriate titles or nomenclatures and overall fluency | 20 | – |
| GRAND TOTAL | 100 |
Download CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2020-21
Download the PDF versions of the CBSE class 12 syllabus of English 2020-21 so that you can easily refer to the syllabus wherever you need. Below are the download links for the revised English core and English elective syllabus.
Download CBSE Class 12 Syllabus of English Core 2020-21 PDF
Download CBSE Class 12 Syllabus of English Elective 2020-21 PDF
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus FAQs
1.What is the CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2020-21?
Ans:- The CBSE Class 12 Syllabus of English has three important sections: reading, Writing, Literature. The complete chapters list is available on the CA Wizard.
2. Is the CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus for the 2020-21 session?
Ans:- Yes. CBSE has reduced 30% of the syllabus for 2020-21 exams.
3. Are NCERT books enough for Class 12 English exam preparation?
Ans:- Yes. The NCERT books are enough for preparation. However, you can use the previous year’s question papers and English sample papers for more practice.
4. How to score high marks in CBSE Class 12 English paper?
Ans:- Improve your writing speed and writing skills. These two are very important besides learning and understanding the lessons.
