CBSE Class 10 Social Science Syllabus 2025

The syllabus consists of four units: (i) India and the Contemporary World (ii) Contemporary India (iii) Democratic Politics (iv) Understanding Economic Development.

CBSE Class 10 Social Science Syllabus 2025

Exam Structure

# Unit Marks
I History: India and the Contemporary World - II 20
II Geography: Contemporary India - II 20
III Civics: Democratic Politics - II 20
IV Understanding Economic Development 20
  Total 80

Unit 1: India and the Contemporary World - II (History)

Section 1: Events and Processes

1. The Rise of Nationalism in Europe

  • Infer how the French Revolution had an impact on the European countries in the making of nation state.
  • Comprehend the nature of the diverse social movements of the time.
  • Analyse and infer the evolution of the idea of nationalism which led to the formation of nation states in Europe and elsewhere.
  • Evaluate the reasons which led to the First World War.

2. Nationalism in India

  • Illustrate various facets of Nationalistic movements that ushered in the sense of Collective Belonging.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies applied by Gandhiji and other leaders in the movements organised by him.
  • Summarise the effects of the First World War that triggered the two defining movements (Khilafat & Non Cooperation Movement) in India.

Section 2: Livelihoods, Economies and Societies

3. The Making of a Global World

To be evaluated in the Board Examination - Subtopics: 1 to 1.3 Pre Modern World to Conquest, Disease and Trade

  • Summarize the changes that transformed the world in terms of economy, political, cultural and technological areas.
  • Depict the global interconnectedness from the Pre modern to the present day.
  • Enumerate the destructive impact of colonialism on the livelihoods of colonised people.

4. The Age of Industrialization

To be assessed as part of Periodic Assessments only

Section 3: Everyday Life, Culture and Politics

5. Print Culture and the Modern World

  • Enumerate the development of Print from its beginnings in East Asia to its expansion in Europe and India.
  • Comment on the statement that the print revolution was not just a way of producing book but profound transformation of people.
  • Compare and contrast the old tradition of hand written manuscripts versus the print technology.
  • Summarise the role of Print revolution and its impact.

Unit 2: Contemporary India - II (Geography)

1. Resources and Development

  • Enumerates how the resources are interdependent, justify how planning is essential in judicious utilization of resources and the need to develop them in India.
  • Infers the rationale for development of resources.
  • Analyse and evaluate data and information related to non-optimal land, utilization in India.
  • Appraise and infer the need to conserve all resources available in India.
  • Suggest remedial measures for optimal utilization of underutilized resources.

2. Forest and Wildlife Resources

  • Examine the importance of conserving forests and wildlife and their interdependency in maintaining the ecology for the sustainable development of India.
  • Analyse the role of grazing and wood cutting in the development and degradation.
  • Summarizes the reasons for conservation of biodiversity in India under sustainable development.

3. Water Resources

  • Examine the reasons for conservation of water resource in India.
  • Analyse and infer how the Multipurpose projects are supporting the requirement of water in India.

4. Agriculture

  • Examine the crucial role played by agriculture in our economy and society.
  • Analyses the challenges faced by the farming community in India.
  • Identifies and summarizes various aspects of agriculture, including crop production, types of farming, modern agricultural practices, and the impact of agriculture on the environment.
  • Analyses the challenges faced by the farming community in India.

5. Minerals and Energy Resources

  • Differentiates between the conventional and nonconventional sources of energy.
  • Analyses the importance of minerals and natural resources for economic development of the country.
  • Suggests strategies for sustainable use of natural resources.

6. Manufacturing Industries

  • Enumerates the impact of manufacturing industries on the environment and develop strategies for sustainable development of the manufacturing sector.
  • Differentiates between various types of manufacturing industries based on their input materials, processes, and end products, and analyse their significance in the Indian economy.
  • Analyses the relation between the availability of raw material and location of the industry.

7. Life Lines of National Economy

Only map pointing to be evaluated in the Board Examination

Interdisciplinary project as part of multiple assessments (Internally assessed for 5 marks)

Unit 3: Democratic Politics - II (Civics)

1. Power Sharing

  • Enumerate the need for power sharing in democracy.
  • Analyse the Challenges faced by countries like Belgium and Sri Lanka ensuring effective power sharing.
  • Compare and contrast the power sharing of India with Sri Lanka and Belgium.
  • Summarize the purpose of power sharing in preserving the unity and stability of a country.

2. Federalism

  • Infer and appreciate how federalism is being practised in India.
  • Analyse and infer how the policies and politics that has strengthens federalism in practice.

3. Gender, Religion and Caste

  • Examines the role and differences of Gender, religion and Caste in practicing Democracy in India.
  • Analyses the different expressions based on these differences are healthy or otherwise in a democracy.

4. Political Parties

  • Understand the process of parties getting elected.
  • Know the significance of right to vote and exercise the duties as citizen of nation.
  • Examine the role, purpose and no. of Political Parties in Democracy.
  • Justifies the contributions /non contributions made by national and regional political parties in successful functioning of Indian democracy.

5. Outcomes of Democracy

  • Enumerates how a success of democracy depends on quality of government, economic wellbeing, in equality, social differences, conflict, freedom and dignity.

Unit 4: Understanding Economic Development

1. Development

  • Enumerate and examine the different processes involved in setting developmental Goals that helps in nation building.
  • Analyse and infer how the per capita income depicts the economic condition of the nation.
  • Evaluate the development goals that have been set for the nation by the Planning commission of India - with specific reference to their efficacy, implemental strategies, relevance to current requirements of the nation.
  • Compare and contrast the per capita income of some countries and infer reasons for the variance.
  • Analyses the multiple perspectives on the need of development.

2. Sectors of the Indian Economy

  • Analyses and infer how the economic activities in different sectors contribute to the overall growth and development of the Indian economy.
  • Propose solutions to identified problems in different sectors based on their understanding.
  • Summarize how the organised and unorganised sectors are providing employment and the challenges faced by them.
  • Enumerates the role of unorganised sector in impacting PCI (Per Capita Income) currently and proposes suggestive steps to reduce the unorganised sector for more productive contributions to GDP.
  • Enumerates and infer the essential role of the Public and Private sectors the present trends of PPP and efficacy of the initiative.

3. Money and Credit

  • Enumerate how money plays as a medium exchange in all transactions of goods and services since ancient times to the present times.
  • Analyse and infer various sources of Credit.
  • Summarizes the significance and role of self-help groups in the betterment of the economic condition of rural people / women.

4. Globalization and the Indian Economy

To be evaluated in the Board Examination: (i) What is Globalization? (ii) Factors that have enabled Globalisation

  • Enumerate the concept of globalization and its definition, evolution, and impact on the global economy.
  • Evaluate the key role of the key major drivers of globalization and their role in shaping the global economic landscape in various countries.
  • Comprehends the significance of role of G20 and its significance in the light of India's present role.