CBSE 12th Physics Syllabus 2026-27 (042): Download PDF, Marks Distribution & Chapters

CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2026

The chapters are grouped into overarching unit segments that carry combined mark allocations. Electrostatics (Unit I) and Current Electricity (Unit II) together carry 16 marks, making them another major portion of the syllabus. A strong understanding of electric fields, potential, capacitance, and current electricity can help students secure a substantial number of marks:

Also, download the CBSE syllabus of other subjects here

Detailed CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2026-27

The lowest weightage is assigned to Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter (Unit VII), Atoms and Nuclei (Unit VIII), and Electronic Devices (Unit IX), which together contribute 12 marks. Although these units carry fewer marks, they are generally considered scoring due to their theory-based and direct-question format.

Unit I: Electrostatics

• Chapter 1: Electric Charges and Fields: Electric charges, Conservation of charge, Coulomb's law-force between two- point charges, forces between multiple charges; superposition principle and continuous charge distribution. Electric field, electric field due to a point charge, electric field lines, electric dipole, electric field due to a dipole, torque on a dipole in a uniform electric field. Electric flux, statement of Gauss's theorem and its applications to find the field due to an infinitely long straight wire, a uniformly charged infinite plane sheet and a uniformly charged thin spherical shell (field inside and outside).

• Chapter 2: Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance: Electric potential, potential difference, electric potential due to a point charge, a dipole and a system of charges; equipotential surfaces, electrical potential energy of a system of two-point charges and of an electric dipole in an electrostatic field. Conductors and insulators, free charges and bound charges inside a conductor. Dielectrics and electric polarisation, capacitors and capacitance, combination of capacitors in series and in parallel, capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with and without a dielectric medium between the plates, energy stored in a capacitor (no derivation, formulae only).

Unit II: Current Electricity

• Chapter 3: Current Electricity: Electric current, flow of electric charges in a metallic conductor, drift velocity, mobility and their relation with electric current; Ohm's law, V-I characteristics (linear and non-linear), electrical energy and power, electrical resistivity and conductivity, temperature dependence of resistance, Internal resistance of a cell, potential difference and emf of a cell, combination of cells in series and in parallel, Kirchhoff's rules, Wheatstone bridge.

Unit III: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism

• Chapter 4: Concept of magnetic field, Oersted's experiment. Biot - Savart law and its application to current carrying circular loop. Ampere's law and its applications to infinitely long straight wire. Straight solenoid (only qualitative treatment), force on a moving charge in uniform magnetic and electric fields. Force on a current-carrying conductor in a uniform magnetic field, force between two parallel current-carrying conductors-definition of ampere, torque experienced by a current loop in uniform magnetic field; Current loop as a magnetic dipole and its magnetic dipole moment, moving coil galvanometer- its current sensitivity and conversion to ammeter and voltmeter.

• Chapter 5: Magnetism and Matter: Bar magnet, bar magnet as an equivalent solenoid (qualitative treatment only), magnetic field intensity due to a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) along its axis and perpendicular to its axis (qualitative treatment only), torque on a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) in a uniform magnetic field (qualitative treatment only), magnetic field lines. Magnetic properties of materials- Para-, dia- and ferro – magnetic substances with examples, Magnetisation of materials, effect of temperature on magnetic properties.

Unit IV: Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents

• Chapter 6: Electromagnetic induction; Faraday's laws, induced EMF and current; Lenz's Law, Self and mutual induction.

• Chapter 7: Alternating currents, peak and RMS value of alternating current/voltage; reactance and impedance; LCR series circuit (phasors only), resonance, power in AC circuits, power factor, wattless current. AC generator, Transformer

Unit V: Electromagnetic Waves

• Chapter 8: Electromagnetic Waves: Basic idea of displacement current, Electromagnetic waves, their characteristics, their transverse nature (qualitative idea only). Electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays), including elementary facts about their uses.

Unit VI: Optics

• Chapter 9: Ray Optics and Optical Instruments: Reflection of light, spherical mirrors, mirror formula, refraction of light, total internal reflection and optical fibers, refraction at spherical surfaces, lenses, thin lens formula, lens maker’s formula, magnification, power of a lens, combination of thin lenses in contact, refraction of light through a prism. Optical instruments: Microscopes and astronomical telescopes (reflecting and refracting) and their magnifying powers

• Chapter 10: Wave Optics: Wave front and Huygen’s principle, reflection and refraction of plane wave at a plane surface using wave fronts. Proof of laws of reflection and refraction using Huygen’s principle. Interference, Young's double slit experiment and expression for fringe width (No derivation final expression only), coherent sources and sustained interference of light, diffraction due to a single slit, width of central maxima (qualitative treatment only).

Unit VII: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter

• Chapter 11: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter: Dual nature of radiation, Photoelectric effect, Hertz and Lenard's observations; Einstein's photoelectric equation-particle nature of light. Experimental study of photoelectric effect Matter waves-wave nature of particles, de-Broglie relation.

Unit VIII: Atoms and Nuclei

• Chapter 12: Atoms: Alpha-particle scattering experiment; Rutherford's model of atom; Bohr model of hydrogen atom, Expression for radius of nth possible orbit, velocity and energy of electron in nth orbit, hydrogen line spectra (qualitative treatment only).

• Chapter 13: Nuclei: Composition and size of nucleus, nuclear force, mass-energy relation, mass defect; binding energy per nucleon and its variation with mass number; nuclear fission, nuclear fusion.

Unit IX: Electronic Devices

• Chapter 14: Semiconductor Electronics: Energy bands in conductors, semiconductors and insulators (qualitative ideas only) Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors- p and n type, p-n junction Semiconductor diode - I-V characteristics in forward and reverse bias, application of junction diode -diode as a rectifier.

Internal Practical Evaluation (30 Marks)

The practical exam pattern splits marks across distinct hands-on metrics:

• Two Experiments: 14 Marks (7 marks per experiment, one chosen from Section A and one from Section B)

• Practical Record File: 5 Marks (A minimum of 6 experiments and 3 activities per section must be recorded)

• One Activity Demonstration: 3 Marks (From any section)

• Investigatory Project File: 3 Marks

• Viva Voce: 5 Marks (Based on experiments, activities, and the project)

CBSE Class 12 Physics Syllabus 2026 Weightage

• Units V and VI (Electromagnetic Waves and Optics) carry the highest weightage of 18 marks.

• Units III and IV contribute 17 marks, making Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction another high-priority area.

• Units I and II account for 16 marks and form the foundation for several numerical and conceptual questions.

• Units VII, VIII and IX carry 12 marks and are often considered scoring because of their relatively straightforward concepts.

• Nearly 51 marks out of 70 (about 73%) come from Units I to VI, making these topics the most critical for exam preparation.

• Students should focus on numerical problem-solving, derivations, ray diagrams, and conceptual understanding to maximise their scores in Physics.