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CBSE Class 12 Physics syllabus 2026-27
The CBSE Class 12 Physics syllabus for 2026-27 has 9 units and 14 chapters. The units are Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism, Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents, Electromagnetic Waves, Optics, Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter, Atoms and Nuclei and Electronic Devices. This outline was checked against the official Central Board of Secondary Education document on 2 October 2026. Rate how clear each chapter feels and the planner suggests what to revise first.
Academic session 2026-27 / Official source checked / 2026-10-02
Marks are shared across groups: Electrostatics + Current Electricity 16; Magnetism + Induction/AC 17; Electromagnetic Waves + Optics 18; Dual Nature + Atoms/Nuclei 12; Electronic Devices 7. Practical assessment is separate.
Electrostatics
Electric Charges and Fields
Charge conservation; Coulomb law; superposition and continuous distributions, Electric field and lines; dipole field and torque, Electric flux; Gauss theorem for a wire, sheet and spherical shell
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
Potential and potential energy for charges and dipoles; equipotential surfaces, Conductors, dielectrics and polarisation, Capacitor combinations; parallel plates; stored energy formula only
Current Electricity
Current Electricity
Drift velocity, mobility and electric current, Ohm law, V-I curves, power, resistivity and temperature dependence, Cells, emf, internal resistance; Kirchhoff rules and Wheatstone bridge
Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
Moving Charges and Magnetism
Oersted experiment; Biot-Savart and Ampere laws, Magnetic force, current loops and magnetic moment, Moving-coil galvanometer and conversion to ammeter or voltmeter
Magnetism and Matter
Bar magnet as solenoid; dipole fields and torque, qualitative only, Diamagnetism, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism; temperature effects
Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents
Electromagnetic Induction
Faraday laws, induced emf and current, Lenz law, Self and mutual induction
Alternating Current
Peak and RMS values; reactance and impedance, Series LCR phasors, resonance, power factor and wattless current, AC generator and transformer
Electromagnetic Waves
Electromagnetic Waves
Displacement current; transverse waves, qualitative treatment, Electromagnetic spectrum and uses
Optics
Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
Mirrors, refraction, total internal reflection and optical fibres, Lenses, lens maker formula, power, combinations and prisms, Microscopes and reflecting or refracting telescopes
Wave Optics
Huygens principle and wavefront proofs of reflection and refraction, Young double slit: final fringe-width expression; coherent sources, Single-slit diffraction and central maximum, qualitative only
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
Photoelectric effect, experiments and Einstein equation, Matter waves and de Broglie relation
Atoms and Nuclei
Atoms
Rutherford scattering; Bohr model, orbit radius, speed and energy, Hydrogen spectra, qualitative only
Nuclei
Nuclear composition, size and forces, Mass defect, binding energy, fission and fusion
Electronic Devices
Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
Energy bands; intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors; p-n junction, Diode I-V characteristics and rectification
The full guide on one page
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What is in the CBSE Class 12 Physics syllabus for 2026-27?
| Unit | Marks | Chapters |
|---|---|---|
| Electrostatics | Not listed | Electric Charges and Fields; Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance |
| Current Electricity | Not listed | Current Electricity |
| Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism | Not listed | Moving Charges and Magnetism; Magnetism and Matter |
| Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents | Not listed | Electromagnetic Induction; Alternating Current |
| Electromagnetic Waves | Not listed | Electromagnetic Waves |
| Optics | Not listed | Ray Optics and Optical Instruments; Wave Optics |
| Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter | Not listed | Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter |
| Atoms and Nuclei | Not listed | Atoms; Nuclei |
| Electronic Devices | 7 | Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits |
Official source checked. Last checked .
Which careers and entrance exams use Physics?
Careers whose routes ask for this subject
- AI and machine learning engineer
Build and test computer systems that learn patterns from data, and check where they make mistakes.
- Architect
Design spaces around people, context and technical constraints.
- Civil engineer
Plan and check infrastructure such as buildings, roads and water systems.
- Doctor, MBBS pathway
Study health, assess patients within your training and work with a healthcare team.
- Electrical engineer
Plan, design, test and maintain systems that generate, distribute and use electricity, working within documented safety procedures.
- Electronics engineer
Design, build and test circuits, sensors and embedded devices that turn physical signals into useful information or control.
- Mechanical engineer
Design, test, make and maintain machines and mechanical systems, using physics, maths and careful evidence.
- Nurse
Provide nursing care, observe changes and communicate within a healthcare team.
- Pharmacist
Work with medicines, accurate records and professional checks within the pharmacist’s role.
- Physiotherapist
Help people recover, maintain or improve movement and everyday function through assessment, exercise and planned rehabilitation, as part of a healthcare team.
- Radiographer
Carry out X-ray and other imaging examinations safely and accurately, so clinicians can use clear images to understand a person's health.
- Software Engineer
Turn a user’s need into reliable software, then test and maintain it.
- Veterinarian
Examine, diagnose and treat animals, and help caretakers and farmers keep animals healthy and safe.
Entrance exams whose syllabus includes this subject
- BITSAT
Admission to specified first-degree programmes using a computer-based test.
- ICAR admission through CUET UG
Agricultural university admission through relevant CUET UG subject tests and ICAR counselling. This is not a separate AIEEA UG test.
- JEE Advanced
The entrance examination for undergraduate programmes at IITs. Architecture has an additional aptitude-test route.
- JEE Main
An entrance route for engineering, architecture and planning. Different papers serve different courses.
- NEET UG
A national medical entrance examination used for MBBS, BDS and specified other health-course admissions.
Where is the official CBSE Class 12 Physics syllabus?
- Curriculum for the Academic Year 2026-27, Central Board of Secondary Education, Academic Unit, accessed
- CBSE Class 12 Physics curriculum 2026-27, Central Board of Secondary Education, accessed
Official sample and previous-year papers for this subject are in the Official papers step of the planner above.
Prepared by the Disha Stars team from the sources listed here. Check the latest official notice before you apply.