SyllabusCBSE class 12 Physics syllabus, 2026-27
Units, chapters and marks for Physics, from the CBSE curriculum for the session 2026-27.
- Board and class
- CBSE, class 12
- Theory paper
- 70 marks, 3 hours
- Practical
- 30 marks
- Total
- 100 marks
- Official file
- Open the CBSE file (PDF)
- Read on
- 12 November 2026
About this syllabus
Class 12 Physics has nine units and fourteen chapters. The marks are not given unit by unit but for pairs of units, so the table below follows the groups exactly as the Board prints them. Electricity and magnetism, units I to IV, account for 33 of the 70 theory marks. The practical examination is separate, 30 marks, with a record of at least 8 experiments and 6 activities and an investigatory project.
Marks by unit
| Unit | Marks | Share of the paper |
|---|---|---|
| Units I and II: Electrostatics; Current Electricity | 16 | 23% |
| Units III and IV: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism; Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents | 17 | 24% |
| Units V and VI: Electromagnetic Waves; Optics | 18 | 26% |
| Units VII and VIII: Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter; Atoms and Nuclei | 12 | 17% |
| Unit IX: Electronic Devices | 7 | 10% |
| Total, theory | 70 | 100% |
Units and chapters
- Electrostatics
- Electric Charges and Fields
- Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance
- Current Electricity
- Current Electricity
- Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism
- Moving Charges and Magnetism
- Magnetism and Matter
- Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents
- Electromagnetic Induction
- Alternating Current
- Electromagnetic Waves
- Electromagnetic Waves
- Optics
- Ray Optics and Optical Instruments
- Wave Optics
- Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
- Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
- Atoms and Nuclei
- Atoms
- Nuclei
- Electronic Devices
- Semiconductor Electronics: Materials, Devices and Simple Circuits
Where the marks are
The theory paper is 70 marks in 3 hours. The largest share goes to Units V and VI: Electromagnetic Waves; Optics with 18 marks, which is 26% of the paper. The smallest is Unit IX: Electronic Devices with 7 marks. The two largest entries in the table together carry 35 marks, 50% of the paper. With 14 chapters in all, an average chapter is worth about 5.0 marks, but the table shows how unevenly they are spread.
The other marks
| Part | Marks | How it is split |
|---|---|---|
| Practical | 30 | Two experiments, one from each section, 7 + 7; practical record 5; one activity 3; investigatory project 3; viva 5 |
Using this to plan
- Units I to IV, electricity and magnetism, are 33 marks: nearly half of the theory paper.
- Optics with Electromagnetic Waves is the single largest group at 18 marks.
- The 30 practical marks are earned through the year: experiments, activities, record and project. They are much easier to secure than the last 30 theory marks.
Make a study plan from these marks Official file
Questions people ask
How many marks is the CBSE class 12 Physics theory paper?
The theory paper is 70 marks. With practical (30) it makes a total of 100.
Which unit carries the most marks in class 12 Physics?
Units V and VI: Electromagnetic Waves; Optics, with 18 of the 70 marks, according to the CBSE curriculum for 2026-27.
Where is the official syllabus?
On CBSE's academic website, cbseacademic.nic.in, under Curriculum. This page links to the exact file for Physics.
Always check the official file. This page is a summary of the CBSE curriculum for 2026-27, made from the subject file on cbseacademic.nic.in, which we read on 12 November 2026. CBSE can revise a syllabus by circular during the year. Before an examination, download the current file from the official site. This is an independent site, not connected with CBSE.