Syllabus of CBSE Class X_2025-26_English Language & Literature

 ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

CLASS-X (2025-26)

SECTION - WISE WEIGHTAGE

Section A Reading Skills 20 Marks

Section B Writing Skills with Grammar 20 Marks

Section C Language through Literature 40 Marks

Section A

Reading Skills

I. Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passage 20 Marks

1. Discursive passage of 400-450 words. 10 marks

2. Case-based factual passage (with visual input- statistical data, chart etc.) of 200-250 words.

10 marks

(Total length of two passages to be 600-700 words)

Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions, and Short Answer Questions (to be answered in 30-40 words) will be asked to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation and vocabulary.

Section B

Writing Skills and Grammar

II Grammar 10 Marks

 Determiners

 Tenses

 Modals

 Subject – verb concord

 Reported speech

o Commands and requests

o Statements

o Questions

3. The courses at the secondary level seek to cement high professional grasp of grammatical items and levels of accuracy. Accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar in context will be assessed through Gap Filling/ Editing/Transformation exercises. Ten out of 12 questions will have to be attempted.

III. Writing Skills 10 marks

4. Writing a Formal Letter based on a given situation, in 100-120 words. One out of two questions is to be answered. 5 marks

5. Writing an Analytical Paragraph in 100-120 words on a given Map/ Chart/ Graph/ Cue/s. One out of two questions is to be answered. 5 marks

Section C 40 Marks

Language through Literature

IV. Reference to the Context 5+5=10 Marks

6. One extract out of two from Drama / Prose.

7. One extract out of two from poetry.

Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions Very Short Answer Questions (one word/ One sentence), Short Answer Questions (to be answered in 30-40 words) will be asked to assess inference, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and vocabulary.

V. Short & Very Long Answer Questions 30 Marks

8. Four out of Five Short Answer Type Questions to be answered in 40-50 words from the book FIRST FLIGHT to assess interpretation, analysis, inference and evaluation.

4x3=12 marks

9. Two out of Three Short Answer Type Questions to be answered in 40-50 words each from FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET to assess interpretation, analysis, inference and evaluation. 2x3=6 marks

10. One out of two Long Answer Type Questions from FIRST FLIGHT to be answered in about 100-120 words each to assess creativity, imagination and extrapolation beyond the text and across the text. This can be a passage-based question taken from a situation/plot from the text. 6 marks

11. One out of two Long Answer Type Questions from FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET, on theme or plot involving interpretation, extrapolation beyond the text and inference or character sketch to be answered in about 100-120 words. 6 marks

Prescribed Books: Published by NCERT, New Delhi

1. FIRST FLIGHT

A. Prose

1. A Letter to God

2. Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom

3. Stories About Flying

4. From the Diary of Anne Frank

5. Glimpses of India

6. Mijbil the Otter

7. Madam Rides the Bus

8. The Sermon at Benares

9. The Proposal (Play)

B. Poems

1. Dust of Snow

2. Fire and Ice

3. A Tiger in the Zoo

4. How to Tell Wild Animals

5. The Ball Poem

6. Amanda!

7. The Trees

8. Fog

9. The Tale of Custard the Dragon

10. For Anne Gregory

2. FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET

1. A Triumph of Surgery

2. The Thief's Story

3. The Midnight Visitor

4. A Question of Trust

5. Footprints Without Feet

6. The Making of a Scientist

7. The Necklace

8. Bholi

9. The Book that Saved the Earth

  ENGLISH CORE 

CODE NO. 301 

CLASS – XII 

 2025-26 

Section A – 22 Marks (Reading Skills )

I.  Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passage (12+10 = 22 Marks) 

1. One unseen passage to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis and inference. Vocabulary assessment will also be assessed via inference. The passage may be factual, descriptive or literary. 

 2. One unseen case-based factual passage with verbal/visual inputs like statistical data, charts etc. to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and evaluation. Note: The combined word limit for both the passages will be 700-750 words. Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions and Short Answer type Questions (to be answered in 40-50 words) will be asked. 

Section B – 18 Marks (Creative Writing Skills )

II. Creative Writing Skills 

3.Notice, up to 50 words. One out of the two given questions to be answered.(4 Marks: Format :1 / Content : 2 / Accuracy of Spelling and Grammar : 1 ). 

4. Formal/Informal Invitation and Reply, up to 50 words. One out of the two given questions to be answered. (4 Marks: Format : 1 / Content : 2 / Accuracy of Spelling and Grammar :1 ). 

5. Letters based on verbal/visual input, to be answered in approximately 120-150 words. Letter types include application for a job with bio data or resume. Letters to the editor (giving suggestions or opinion on issues of public interest) . One out of the two given questions to be answered . (5 Marks: Format : 1 / Organisation of Ideas: 1/Content : 2 / Accuracy of Spelling and Grammar :1 ). 

6. Article/ Report Writing, descriptive and analytical in nature, based on verbal inputs, to be answered in 120-150 words. One out of the two given questions to be answered . (5 Marks: Format : 1 /Organisation of Ideas: 1/Content : 2 / Accuracy of Spelling and Grammar :1 ). 

Section C – 40 Marks (Literature: Text Book and Supplementary Reading Text) 

This section will have variety of assessment items including Multiple Choice Questions, Objective Type Questions, Short Answer Type Questions and Long Answer Type Questions to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, evaluation and extrapolation beyond the text. 

7. One Poetry extract out of two, from the book Flamingo, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and appreciation. (6x1=6 Marks) 

8. One Prose extract out of two, from the book Vistas, to assess comprehension, interpretation,analysis, evaluation and appreciation. (4x1=4 Marks) 

9. One prose extract out of two from the book Flamingo, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and evaluation. (6x1=6Marks) 

10. Short answer type questions (from Prose and Poetry from the book Flamingo), to be answered in 40-50 words each. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. Five questions out of the six given, are to be answered. (5x2=10 Marks) 

11. Short answer type questions, from Prose (Vistas), to be answered in 40- 50 words each. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. Any two out of three questions to be done. (2x2=4 Marks) 

12. One Long answer type question, from Prose/Poetry (Flamingo), to be answered in 120-150 words. Questions can be based on incident / theme / passage / extract / event as reference points to assess extrapolation beyond and across the text. The question will elicit analytical and evaluative response from the student. Any one out of two questions to be done. (1x5=5 Marks) 

13. One Long answer type question, based on the chapters from the book Vistas, to be answered in 120-150 words, to assess global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the text. Questions to provide analytical and evaluative responses using incidents, events, themes, as reference points. Any one out of two questions to be done. (1x5=5 Marks)

Prescribed Books 

1. Flamingo: English Reader published by National Council of Education Research and Training, New Delhi 

(Prose) 

The Last Lesson 

Lost Spring 

Deep Water 

The Rattrap 

Indigo 

Poets and Pancakes 

The Interview 

Going Places 

(Poetry) 

My Mother at Sixty-Six 

Keeping Quiet 

A Thing of Beauty 

A Roadside Stand 

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers 

2. Vistas: Supplementary Reader published by National Council of Education Research andTraining, New Delhi 

The Third Level 

The Tiger King 

Journey to the End of the Earth 

The Enemy 

On the Face of It 

Memories of Childhood 

     ○ The Cutting of My Long Hair 

     ○ We Too are Human Beings 

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT  

Assessment of Listening Skills - 05 marks. 

Assessment of Speaking Skills – 05 Marks 

Project Work - 10 Marks