CBSE CLASS XII Latest Updates
26 Sep, 2025 CBSE Class 12 Previous Year Papers with solutions PDF are available here for free. Download Here
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus for the academic year 2025-26 will consist of three distinct sections, including Section A: Reading Skills (22 marks), Section B: Creative Writing Skills (18 marks), and Section C: Literature (40 marks), which will test a candidate’s creativity, analytical skills, and vocabulary competence.
- The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the CBSE Class 12 English syllabus for the academic year 2025-26 on its official website, www.cbseacademic.nic.
- The CBSE Class 12 English syllabus encompasses prose, poetry, drama, letter writing, essay writing, and note-taking from comprehension, which helps in building communicative competence in the English language.
- The CBSE Class 12 examinations are expected to start from February 17, 2026, while the English exam may be in March 2026.
CBSE class 12 English syllabus will carry a total of 100 marks, with 20 marks for internal assessment. CBSE class 12 English Syllabus internal assessment includes 5 marks for Assessment of Listening Skills, 5 marks for Assessment of Speaking Skills, and 10 marks for Project Work.
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Key Summary
- The CBSE Class 12 English exam comprises three sections: A) Reading Skills, B) Creative Writing Skills, and C) Literature.
- CBSE class 12 English paper will carry a total of 80 marks.
- 22 marks for Reading Skills.
- 18 marks for Creative Writing Skills.
- 40 marks for Literature.
- 20 marks are allocated to the CBSE class 12 English Internal Assessment syllabus.
- CBSE has released the entire syllabus for Class 12 English on its official website www.cbseacademics.nic.
- The CBSE Class 12 English exam is assumed to be conducted in March 2026.
- The CBSE Class 12 English exam will comprise writing skills, poetry, prose, drama, and comprehension skills.
- The 30% syllabus deleted for the academic year 2023-24 remains excluded this year as well.
- CBSE Class 12 English Sylabus 2026- Section Wise
- CBSE Class 12 English Core Syllabus 2026- Books
- CBSE Class 12 English Elective 2026 Syllabus
- CBSE Class 12 English Sylabus- Exam Pattern
- CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus- Topic-wise Weightage
- CBSE Class 12 English Previous Years’ Papers PDF Download
- CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2026- Preparation Tips
- CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus FAQs
CBSE Class 12 English Sylabus 2026- Section Wise
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus is discussed below for sections like Reading Skills, Writing Skills, and Literature.
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2026 Section A- Reading Skills
CBSE class 12 English syllabus 2026 for Reading Skills will be based on unseen passages of a combined word length of 700-750 and total marks of 22.
- 1 unseen assage will be there for comprehension, interpretation, analysis, and inference. The passage may be factual, descriptive, or literary. Inference will also be used to assess the vocabulary of candidates.
- 1 unseen case-based factual passage including verbal/visual inputs like statistical data, charts, etc. to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference, and evaluation.
- Questions like MCQs, Objective Questions, and Short Answer Type Questions (40-5 words) will be asked in CBSE Class 12 English Section A- Reading Skills.
Source: cbseacademic.nic.in
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2026 Section B- Writing Skills
CBSE class 12 English syllabus for Section B Writing Skills includes Notice Writing, Formal/Informal Invitation and Reply, Letters, and Article/ Report Writing. Details of the CBSE class 12 English syllabus for Writing Skills are mentioned in the table below.
| Writing Skill | Word Count | Questions to be Attempted | Marks Distribution | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notice | 50 | 1 out of 2 |
| 4 |
| Formal/Informal Invitation and Reply | 50 | 1 out of 2 |
| 4 |
| Letters | 120-150 | 1 out of 2 |
| 5 |
| Article/ Report Writing | 120-150 | 1 out of 2 |
| 5 |
| Total | 18 | |||
Source: cbseacademic.nic.in
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2026 Section C- Literature
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2026 Section C- Literature includes a variety of questions like MCQs, Objective Type Questions, Short Answer Type Questions, and Long Answer Type Questions. This section assesses students for comprehension, interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and extrapolation beyond the text.
| Question Type | Book | Word Count | Number of Questions | Marks for Each Question | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 out of 2 Poetry Extract | Flamingo | - | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 1 out of 2 Prose Extract | Vistas | - | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 1 out of 2 Prose Extract | Flamingo | - | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Short answer type questions (Prose and Poetry) | Flamingo | 40-50 | 5 out of 6 | 2 | 10 |
| Short answer type questions (Prose) | Vistas | 40-50 | 2 out of 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Long answer type question (Prose/Poetry) | Flamingo | 120-150 | 1 out of 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Long answer type question | Vistas | 120-150 | 1 out of 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Total | 40 | ||||
Source: cbseacademic.nic.in
CBSE Class 12 English Core Syllabus 2026- Books
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus books are listed below.
- Flamingo: English Reader published by NCERT, New Delhi
| Prose | Poetry |
|---|---|
|
|
- Vistas: Supplementary Reader by NCERT, New Delhi
| Prose |
|---|
|
- English-Core Grammar for CBSE Class 12th by S Raga
CBSE Class 12 English Elective 2026 Syllabus
Aspirants who have opted for English as their elective must review the syllabus given below:
| SECTION | TOPIC |
|---|---|
| Section A: Reading Comprehension | 2 Unseen Passages and a Poem |
| Section B: Applied Grammar and Creative Writing | Applied Grammar - Transformation of Sentences |
| Creative Writing - Essay Writing | |
| Section C: Literature | Kaleidoscope (Short Stories):
|
Kaleidoscope (Poetry):
| |
Kaleidoscope (Drama):
| |
Kaleidoscope (Non-Fiction):
|
CBSE Class 12 English Elective Syllabus 2026- Books
| Book | Content | |
|---|---|---|
| Kaleidoscope | Short Stories
| |
Fiction
| - | |
CBSE Class 12 English Sylabus- Exam Pattern
The CBSE class 12 English paper is structured into three parts of 80 marks:
- Section A: includes questions based on Reading Skills (22 marks)
- Section B: includes questions based on Creative Writing Skills (18 marks)
- Section C: Includes questions based on Literature (40 marks)
The Internal Exam comprises Listening Skills, Speaking Skills, and Project Work for a total of 20 marks.
| Section | Competencies | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
| 22 |
| Writing Skills |
| 18 |
| Literature &Supplementary Reading | Prose, Play, Poem from
| 40 |
| TOTAL | 80 | |
| Internal Assessment | Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills
| 10 55 |
| Project Work | 10 | |
| GRAND TOTAL | 100 | |
CBSE Class 12 Sample Paper PDF
Applicants can refer to the sample paper given below and thoroughly practice these:
What are CBSE Class 12 English Literature Chapters?
| Type | Chapters | Total Chapters |
|---|---|---|
| Flamingo: English Reader | ||
| Prose |
| 8 |
| Poetry |
| 5 |
| Total in Flamingo | 13 | |
| Vistas: Supplementary Reader | ||
| 7 | |
| Total in Vistas | 7 | |
| GRAND TOTAL | 20 | |
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus- Topic-wise Weightage
According to previous years’ trends and based on the CBSE Class 12 English 2026 syllabus released, the marking scheme and topic-wise weightage are curated below:
Section-specific Weightage for CBSE Class 12 English 2026
- Reading Comprehension will check for interpretation and analytical competence and vocabulary grasp.
- Creative Writing will test for formatting skills and accuracy to maintain the word limit.
- Literature will focus mostly on understanding themes, characters for both prose and poetry.
| SECTION | MARKS | EXPECTED WEIGHTAGE |
|---|---|---|
| Section A: Reading Skills | 22 | 22% |
| Section B: Creative Writing Skills | 18 | 18% |
| Section C: Literature | 40 | 40% |
| TOTAL | 80 | 100% |
CBSE Class 12 English 2026: Section A- Reading Skills Weightage
- Analytical and inferential questioning will be common.
- Vocabulary and accuracy will be assessed.
| SECTION | MARKS | TYPE OF PASSAGE | CHECK AREAS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section A: Reading Skills | 12 | Unseen Passage (Literary/Descriptive) | Comprehension, interpretation, and inference. |
| 10 | Unseen Passage (Case-based factual) | Understanding, interpretation, analysis, and evaluation, including working with statistical data, charts, and other visual inputs. | |
| TOTAL | 22 | ||
CBSE Class 12 English 2026: Section B- Writing Skills Weightage
- Section B will focus on Creative Writing, which will test format, organization, and accuracy in grammar and spelling.
- Creativity is expected to be revealed by students at a higher level to score higher marks.
| Section | Marks | Type Of Writing | Word Limit | Criteria | Marks Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section B: Creative Writing Skills | 4 | Notice Writing | 50 words | Format | 1 |
| Content | 2 | ||||
| Accuracy | 1 | ||||
| 4 | Formal & Informal Invitation and Reply | 50 words | Format | 1 | |
| Content | 2 | ||||
| Accuracy | 1 | ||||
| 5 | Letter Writing (Formal/Informal) | 120-150 words | Format | 1 | |
| Organization of Ideas | 1 | ||||
| Content | 2 | ||||
| Grammar/Spelling | 1 | ||||
| 4 | Article/Report Writing | 120-150 words | Format | 1 | |
| Organization of Ideas | 1 | ||||
| Content | 2 | ||||
| Grammar/Spelling | 1 | ||||
| Total | 18 | ||||
CBSE Class 12 English 2026: Section C- Literature Weightage
| Writeup | Number Of Questions To Attempt | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Poetry (Flamingo) | One out of two extracts | 6 |
| Prose (Flamingo) | One out of two extracts | 6 |
| Prose (Vistas) | One out of two extracts | 4 |
| Short Answer Questions (Flamingo Prose & Poetry) | Five out of six extracts | 10 |
| Short Answer Questions (Vistas Prose) | Two out of three extracts | 4 |
| Long Answer Question (Flamingo Prose/Poetry) | One out of two extracts | 5 |
| Long Answer Question (Vistas) | One out of two extracts | 5 |
CBSE Class 12 English Previous Years’ Papers PDF Download
CBSE Class 12 last twelve years’ papers are given below. Aspirants can refer to and analyse the trends of the papers to get a clear forecast of what might come in the 2026 examination.
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus 2026- Preparation Tips
Here is a detailed explanation of how to prepare for the CBSE Class 12 English 2026 Examination, with main preparation tips on how to improve your score.
Understanding of the Syllabus:
- CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus has been uploaded in detail on their official website cbseacademic.nic. Students must thoroughly read and understand the syllabus minutely, so as not to miss any topic.
- Breaking down the syllabus into structured, readable chunks will help students to stay focused and motivated.
- Referring to the previous years’ questions will also reduce the burden of facing unexpected questions.
Making a Manageable Routine
- Aspirants must curate their own schedule to maintain a structured routine and not fall behind in the syllabus.
- They must give equal priority to English as other subjects, since this subject carries equal weightage and is also high scoring.
- Students must take timed breaks to refresh themselves and stay motivated.
Solving Previous Years’ Questions Regularly
- Practicing previous years’ questions regularly will give students an idea of what questions they might have to face in the exam.
- Other than the above, sample papers and mock tests can also be attempted to enhance writing and creative skills.
Maintaining Proper Health
- While preparing for the CBSE Class 12 English exam, students must not forget about their health.
- A clear mind would help candidates think clearly, maintain accuracy, write better, and promote good creative ideas.
CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus FAQs
Ques. What is the detailed syllabus of the English Core CBSE Class 12?
Ans. CBSE Class 12 English 2026 syllabus comprises three sections :
- Section A: Reading Comprehension (20 marks)
- Section B: Creative Writing (20 marks)
- Section C: Literature (40 marks)
Ques. How many chapters are there in Class 12 English Core?
Ans. CBSE Class 12 English Core, the book Flamingo has 8 prose chapters and 6 poetry chapters, totalling to 14 chapters from “Flamingo”. The supplementary reader, “Vistas,” provides candidates with 7 prose chapters to be completed.
Ques. How many chapters are there in the English Core class 12 Vistas book?
Ans. The Supplementary Reader, Vistas, contains eight chapters, covering short stories(prose) and poems. The chapters are mentioned below:
- The Third Level
- The Tiger King
- Journey to the End of the Earth
- The Enemy
- On the Face of It
- Memories of Childhood (includes two stories)
- The Cutting of My Long Hair
- We Too are Human Beings
Ques. How many books are to be read in 12th English Core?
Ans. CBSE recommends two primary books from NCERT for the Class 12 English 2026 exam:
- Flamingo(the main textbook comprising prose and poetry)
- Vistas(the supplementary reader textbook)
Ques. Which chapters have been removed from the CBSE class 12 English syllabus?
Ans. CBSE has removed some chapters from the Class 12 English syllabus for the academic years(2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26). The chapters include: Chapter 2 from the Flamingo book: "An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum"; and from the Vistas book: Chapter 5, "Should Wizard Hit Mommy" and Chapter 7, "Evans Tries an O-Level".
For Section A in Reading Comprehension, topics like note-making, summarizing, advertisements, posters, debate, and speech are also excluded.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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